Marvel Has The Perfect Way To Replace A Controversial Hero 6 Years After His Last Appearance

Newer updates in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have conspired to place Netflix’s Defenders Saga back in the spotlight, and have set up an ideal way to change a previously controversial marvel hero. Two of the most prominent figures in Marvel’s Netflix series – Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin – have already made their returns in the MCU timeline, with Jon Bernthal’s Punisher confirmed to follow in their footsteps. However, one of Marvel’s less straight-forward small-screen heroes remains in limbo six years after their last appearance, presenting the perfect chance to replace them without deviating from canon.

While recasting isn’t one of the MCU’s most regular tactics, Sandrine Holt replacing Ayelet Zurer as Vanessa Fisk in Daredevil: Born Again has also established that it isn’t entirely off the table for the Defenders Saga. Not only that, but comic book history has already outlined a potential template the franchise could follow to ensure that it doesn’t affect the status of the Netflix shows in MCU continuity. As they edge closer to being acknowledged as canonical, the ideal opportunity to recast one of the title heroes without affecting the storylines past, present, and future is there for the taking.

Iron Fist Is The Only Defenders Character To Be A Title, Not An Individual

Unlike Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and the Punisher, the mantle of Iron Fist is a title awarded to someone deemed worthy, not an alter-ego or given name. Danny Rand is merely the latest in a long line of Iron Fists that dates back centuries, many of whom have made appearances in Marvel Comics. In fact, Lin Lie – formerly known as Sword Master – was anointed as the new Iron Fist permanently beginning in February 2022, with Rand retiring and stepping back into a supporting role.

Iron Fist was comfortably the least well-received standalone series of the Defenders Saga, and support for a potential Finn Jones comeback pales in comparison to the levels of support Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Jon Bernthal received before their returns, nor has Jones created demand to the extent that continues to surround Krysten Ritter, or even Mike Colter. If anything, Jessica Henwick repeatedly voicing her desire to be welcomed back into the MCU as Colleen Wing would make her the prime candidate should the franchise opt to dip back into the Defenders Saga for its canonical Iron Fist.

Why Finn Jones Deserves Another Shot At Iron Fist

Even though Jones has made it clear he’d be open to reprising the role of Iron Fist in the MCU and has even suggested potential crossover opportunities were it to happen, the show’s status as the weakest and least popular of the Defenders Saga makes his role the easiest headliner to recast without causing backlash. That being said, the blame for the muted reception to Iron Fist can’t be completely laid at his door when he was given just three weeks of training before leading a martial arts-orientated series.

Iron Fist was widely criticized for its lackluster fight sequences, which Jones can’t be held solely accountable for when he was ill-prepared to convince as a skilled hand-to-hand combatant. With several of his Defenders Saga peers being reintegrated, the actor is within his rights to hold out hope for the same opportunity. It’s hardly guaranteed given the show’s underwhelming run and reputation, though, while the comics set the precedent that Iron Fist is a title, not Danny Rand specifically. If a Netflix veteran were to be brought back to fill the role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Henwick’s Wing still feels like the front-runner, even if the future in this regard isn’t yet clear.

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