Why Iron Fist Will Be Better Than You Think

The first full season of Marvel's Iron Fist drops March 17 on Netflix, and the pressure is on for the series to live up to the high bar set by the rest of the company's streaming lineup.

Iron Fist is the final series before Marvel brings Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage together in The Defenders miniseries. This season focuses on Danny Rand (Finn Jones) as he returns home to New York after spending 15 years in a monastery being trained to become the Iron Fist. There's butt-kicking, corporate intrigue, and a whole lot of familiar elements for Marvel fans—and here's why it'll all be even better than you think.

The first six episodes of the series feel familiar, and that's because the plot and execution hit some of the same notes as other shows you probably love. There's a bit of Arrow, with Danny returning from a long time away coming back to reclaim his life and protect his city in the process. Then, there's the Daredevil factor, as Iron Fist faces off with some villains that will be familiar to fans who've already watched the first two seasons of Daredevil. Danny even tackles some of the same types of cases as Matt Murdock, so if you've been digging Daredevil, Iron Fist could certainly be up your alley.

More than just about any other Marvel show on Netflix, this one really takes advantage of the universe that's been built over the past couple of years with Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage. There are crossover characters galore, with familiar faces and reference points from across the other shows. Marvel has obviously been building something, and Iron Fist revels in that world. We won't give anything away, but don't be surprised if you see Rosario Dawson's Claire Temple, Carrie-Anne Moss' Jeri Hogarth, and a few other familiar faces.

If there's one surprise highlight from Iron Fist, it's Jessica Henwick's Colleen Wing. Wing is one of the most interesting characters in the ensemble, and she's almost guaranteed to become a fan favorite when fans get a look at the series. Danny wanders into her orbit basically by accident, but their burgeoning friendship is one of the best character dynamics in the series. Look for more of Colleen Wing in the small-screen MCU.

Every Netflix show has taken a different approach to action, and Iron Fist is no different. Daredevil was a mix of martial arts and brawling, while Jessica Jones and Luke Cage put their own unique spin on super-powered fighting. More than any other Marvel show, Iron Fist is straight-up martial arts. The execution might be a bit mixed at times, but it still makes for an original fighting style for the MCU. There's a lot of finesse, which is interesting to watch. Considering this is a franchise with nearly a dozen movies and four TV shows under its belt, that's saying something.

Doctor Strange blew the door open for the mystical side of the MCU, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. recently dabbled in magic with its Ghost Rider storyline, but Iron Fist's powers are firmly rooted in the mystical realm. No, he's not drawing runes in thin air like Doctor Strange, but it's still one of the most mystical stories we've gotten on the small screen from Marvel. No science experiments or anything like that. Iron Fist has a magic fist, and it opens up Marvel's Netflix world to a host of magical mayhem.

Okay, look. Your mileage might vary on this one, but hear us out. Marvel has done a great job of incorporating elements from the traditional comics costumes into these Netflix shows (and that continues in Iron Fist with some cool visual flourishes), but showrunner Scott Buck has made it clear you won't see the character rocking his trademark green and yellow (and very '70s) costume this season. There's every chance Marvel could find a way to make this work in live action, but it'd be a tough sell. Thankfully, we don't have to really worry about it. Instead, they're looking to focus on Danny's journey to become the hero inside himself.

The series itself gets off to a slowish start, but the world they're building has a ton of potential. Iron Fist's team-ups with Colleen Wing are dynamite, and there are some corporate intrigue elements that are fresh to the MCU. Looking to the future, there's also the potential for Iron Fist and Luke Cage to team up (they've been a duo in the comics for decades under the Heroes for Hire moniker), so there could be a lot to look forward to.

The early episodes don't seem to be doing much heavy lifting, but that's not to say the back half of the season won't set up The Defenders miniseries. Iron Fist is the final series before Marvel brings all these characters together in a crossover miniseries that's the equivalent of a street-level Avengers. Knowing Iron Fist gets us a big step closer is reason enough to be excited.