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15 Best Easter Eggs From Season One Of Iron Fist


Another year, another standalone series leading up to Marvel and Netflix’s The Defenders, and this time, it’s Danny Rand, AKA Iron Fist, that gets the solo treatment.

Despite some largely mixed reviews, Iron Fist serves its purpose by introducing Danny into the already-established world of his fellow street-level heroes in an admirably seamless fashion. This is largely due to the clear ties to the other series, as well as the greater MCU, which make Iron Fist feel right at home in the ever-expanding Marvel/Netflix Universe.

There are countless Easter eggs sprinkled throughout the first, and hopefully not the last season of Iron Fist. However, some manage to stand above the rest, and those are the ones we’ll be looking at in this list. That being said, here are the 15 Best Easter Eggs From Season One Of Iron Fist:

  1. Stan Lee’s Cameo

    By now, fans of the MCU, including its television properties, have come to expect a cameo from Stan “The Man” Lee in one form or another each time Marvel releases a new project. As for the Netflix series, those cameos have come in the form of photographs or posters, and Iron Fist proves to be no different.

    It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but just as Claire Temple and Jeri Hogarth meet up in the season finale, eagle-eyed viewers will likely have spotted an NYPD recruitment poster. Whose face is on the poster, you ask? Do I really need to spell it out at this point?

  2. Jack Kirby’s Monsters

    Like all of the Marvel Netflix series, we get our obligatory Stan Lee cameo before the season comes to a close. However, far before that, we got a fun and welcomed reference to the King, himself – Jack Kirby.

    In episode four, after Danny reclaims his family’s company, we see him set up shop in his father’s old office. However, before he can get down to business, he first gets down under the desk to see if the stickers he placed there as a child are still in their rightful place. Thankfully, they are, and make no mistake: those are very much some of Kirby’s iconic monsters that we see, including Mangog, as well as Orrgo the Unconquerable.

  3. The Incident

    In the MCU, the Chitauri’s attack on New York City from The Avengers has come to be known simply as ‘the incident,’ and is referenced in each of the Marvel Netflix series to date. Naturally, it only makes sense that it be mentioned in Iron Fist. After all, Manhattan was ground-zero for the alien invasion.

    The first time we hear mention of the incident is when Danny finds himself trapped in a psychiatric hospital, desperately trying to convince his doctor that not only is he the presumed-dead Danny Rand, but that he is also the Iron Fist. Although he does manage to convince the doctor of the former, his tales of possessing an ancient, mystical power prove to be too big of a pill for the doc to swallow. “That’s a new one on me,” says the doctor. “But I do know that ever since the incident, I’m seeing a lot more people who honestly believe they have superpowers.”

  4. Bring On The Hallway Fights

    Much like the Stan Lee cameos and the references to ‘the incident,’ another staple of the Marvel Netflix series is the action-packed hallway fight sequences. Granted, the bar was set to unbelievable heights in Daredevil season one, but nonetheless, these sequences always manage to put a triumphant smile on viewers’ faces.

    In Iron Fist, our hallway high jinks come when a group of Triads strikes at Danny’s penthouse, attempting to kidnap Joy Meachum. However, Danny doesn’t allow the gang to escape, making short work of the hatchet-wielding would-be kidnappers in the hallway leading to the elevator. What’s more, rather than trying to go over the top like the hallway fight scene from Daredevil season two, Iron Fist ups the ante by ending the sequence with Danny taking out the remaining Triads inside the elevator, itself.

  5. The Dogs Of Hell

    This was a quick, passing reference, but regardless, it’s still a fun way to tie Iron Fist into the greater MCU.

    In episode seven, you hear mention of the Dogs of Hell – the notorious biker gang that first appeared in an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. However, more recently, the Dogs of Hell served as a thorn in the side of the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, playing a prominent role in season two of Daredevil.

  6. Luke’s Love Letters

    When we last saw Claire Temple, she was kissing Luke Cage goodbye as he headed off to prison to pay for his crimes in season one of his titular series. Thankfully, that plot thread isn’t left hanging in Iron Fist, as we get a nice callback to the relationship in episode eight.

    Before heading off to the shower, we see Claire reading a letter from Power Man, himself, which she kisses before placing it down on the table. A portion of the letter can be seen on-screen, and it reads:

    "...use those shoes to walk straight to you.

    What else have you been up to? How's the martial arts training going? You really want to spar with me? You've seen what I can do, right? I throw a few at you, but it wouldn't be a fair fight. You could knock me out with just a smile. A kiss? I'm dead.

    Some wisdom from prison..."

  7. Sweet Christmas!

    Apparently, love letters aren’t the only thing Claire has gotten from Luke Cage. In fact, it seems as though Claire has adopted one of the most memorable catchphrases in comic book history – Sweet Christmas!

    The first time we hear it is in episode six, after Claire, Danny, and Colleen rescue the Hand’s drug manufacturer. Claire spouts out, “Sweet Christmas,” but this isn’t the only time we hear her use Luke’s catchphrase, proving just how much he managed to rub off on her in their short time together.

  8. Daughter(s) Of The Dragon

    Colleen Wing may teach troubled kids how to defend themselves from bullies. However, that doesn’t stop her from using her own martial arts training to let out some of her frustration, while also making a few extra bucks in the meantime.

    Early on, we see Colleen take on some formidable male foes from the confines of a cage. When the emcee asks for her name, she asks him to call her ‘the Daughter of the Dragon.’ Although there’s no in-show explanation for this decision, comic book fans will definitely recognize the name as an homage to ‘Daughters of the Dragon’ – the duo consisting of Wing and Luke Cage supporting character Misty Knight.

    Of course, the reference already has fans clamoring for a Daughters of the Dragon spin-off, a la The Punisher after his standout performance in Daredevil season two. Whether or not that happens is anyone’s guess, but much like Colleen’s cage fights, the idea has “money” written all over it.

  9. Like Daredevil

    Easter eggs don’t always have to be buried in obscurity, discernible only by the truest of comic book fans, to be satisfying. Sometimes, a blatant name drop provides just as much payoff, as is the case when Ward Meachum makes a reference to the Man Without Fear.

    After Danny attempts to break into Harold Meachum’s penthouse by way of an unlocked window, a shadowy figure quickly pushes him back, sending him crashing to a ledge below. We soon learn that the man who pushed him was Ward, who pushed Danny because, “it's what you do when you see someone trying to break in.” Danny says the last thing he remembers is climbing up, and Ward is once again quick to retort, shouting, “Yeah, like goddamn Daredevil.”

    One has to wonder if Danny will understand Ward’s reference when he finally meets the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.

  10. Jessica Jones, Hard-Drinking PI

    Throughout the entire season, Joy Meachum manages to prove that she can be just as ruthless as her brother and father when it comes to the family business... OK, maybe not AS ruthless, but Joy definitely knows how to play dirty, as evidenced by the revelation that she’s dug up some pretty scandalous dirt on the board members of Rand Enterprises.

    When questioned by Ward, Joy tells her brother that she hired a private investigator to do a little digging, and that, “She was worth every penny… when she was sober.” Now, who else do we know in the New York Metropolitan area that’s both a skilled PI and a notorious drinker?

  11. Karen Page And The New York Bulletin

    At several points in season one of Iron Fist, we get references to two elements of the MCU that now go hand-in-hand. First, there’s the New York Bulletin – the newspaper that seems to be Marvel’s stand-in for the Daily Bugle. Second, there’s Karen Page – the supporting character from Daredevil, who, in season two, went on to work for the publication after the dissolving of Nelson & Murdock.

    Perhaps the most notable reference to Karen and the Bulletin comes when Ward demands an interview with the press after Danny commands that a breakthrough drug be sold at no profit for the company. Ward, unaware of the real scoop he’s giving the reporter (largely due to his slight intoxication), eventually finds the interview come to an abrupt end when the reporter hurries out of his office, making a phone call as she proceeds to exit. We clearly hear her address Ellison – editor of the Bulletin and a key player in Daredevil season two – asking him not to give Karen the front page in tomorrow’s publication.

    Karen’s name can be heard once again in a later episode, after Danny publicly admits liability, on behalf of Rand Enterprises, for a series of cancer diagnoses. Danny informs the board of directors that until they can determine whether they’re the cause of those people’s suffering, he’s stopped the entire production at their facility. What’s more, he also tells the board that he’s taken the story to none other than Karen Page of the New York Bulletin.

  12. The Bride Of Nine Spiders

    Iron Fist, as we all should know by now, is one of seven Immortal Weapons of the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven. However, Danny isn’t the only Immortal Weapon to appear in Iron Fist, as we also see the live action debut of the Bride of Nine Spiders.

    Although Danny also faces Iron Fist villain Scythe in the tournament set up by Madame Gao, it’s the appearance of the Bride of Nine Spiders that really stands out, particularly because she looks like she was ripped straight from the pages of Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker’s The Immortal Iron Fist, sporting a costume almost identical to the one designed by artists David Aja and Kano.

  13. Shou-Lao

    Shou-Lao the Undying plays an integral part in Iron Fist’s mythos. After all, in order to become an Iron Fist, one must defeat this dreaded immortal dragon in battle. However, it became clear long before Iron Fist debuted that we wouldn’t see the dragon make an appearance. Still, there were plenty of references to Shou-Lao throughout the entire season.

    For instance, we get a glimpse of Danny, by way of flashback, immediately following his victory over Shou-Lao, marking his ascension into the mantle of the Iron Fist. Additionally, we get a line from Danny in episode nine, where he says, “You got something scarier than a dragon in a cave?” -  a clear reference to his battle with Shou-Lao. 

  14. The Classic Costume

    Much like Shou-Lao, many fans were disheartened when they learned that Danny Rand’s classic costume wouldn’t appear in season one of Iron Fist. However, in episode 10, we manage to get the next best thing.

    While meeting with Bakuto, Danny is shown old footage of a former Iron Fist, this one laying waste to foes with his two glowing fists in the woods. While the footage only appears in grainy black and white, though, there’s no mistaking the iconic costume that Iron Fist fans have come to know and love.

  15. The Steel Serpent

    In the first half of the series, we hear Danny make reference to an old friend from K’un-Lun named Davos. Later on, we finally meet Davos, though it appears that he and Danny seem to have conflicting ideals when it comes to the Iron Fist. This tension between the two friends isn’t unwarranted, though. After all, in the comics, Davos goes on to become the Steel Serpent – Iron Fist’s most notorious foe.

    Davos is the son of Lei-Kung the Thunderer, the man who trained Danny in martial arts. In his comic book form, he grows to resent Danny after feeling as though the greatness he was born to achieve – the Iron Fist – was stolen from him.

    Whether or not we eventually see Davos fully embrace his villainous comic book tendencies is questionable at this time. Although, his meeting with Joy in the season finale definitely plants the seeds for a full-on heel turn in the future.

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