Danny Rand’s debut in Netflix and Marvel’s television universe left a sour taste in the mouths of many fans. Unfortunately, the poor reception of Iron Fist season one wasn’t drowned out by the character’s role in The Defenders mini-series. As it presently stands, audiences are still lukewarm with regards to Danny Rand/Iron Fist. Could Iron Fist’s sophomore effort change public opinion? The wait to see continues on indefinitely. However, Luke Cage’s second season may begin to change the tune.
Luke Cage showrunner, Cheo Hodari Coker, hopes fans will see Danny in a different light as he interacts with Luke in the show’s second run. Coker tells AllHipHopTV (via Heroic Hollywood),
“I think—I’m hoping—that you’ll feel that your prayers have been answered the way that Iron Fist fits into [Season 2], and his interactions with Luke.”
The showrunner continues, adding that fans will hopefully see a fresh side to the character, one they can appreciate. Perhaps, he suggests, the work done to improve upon Danny in Luke Cage transfers to his ventures in the character’s solo series and beyond.
“It doesn’t bother me that people have criticized Iron Fist on his series and on ‘The Defenders.’ I’m arrogant enough to think that Iron Fist appearing on our show has a different sensibility. And so, it’s like—that’s the thing—I’m not dissuaded by that because Iron Fist, I think, is a dope character. And I think when you see Iron Fist within the realm of Luke Cage, and the way that we do things, I think—hopefully—that people are going to come to appreciate the character differently, and hopefully that swagger that he’ll get from appearing in the Luke Cage universe will carry over into [Iron Fist Season 2].”
It’s a tall order then Coker and his team have undertaken. However, he seems confident in what they’ve accomplished. Might some time in Luke Cage’s neck of the woods be what the doctor ordered for Danny Rand? Fans will know for sure when season two hits Netflix on Friday, June 22.