I have watched 5 episodes of Iron Fist.
When Danny Rand explains to a sympathetic character his training among the warrior-monks of K'un-L'un, the other character reacts with bafflement and explicitely likens it to child abuse. Danny's reaction is a meek, "it made me what I am had today." "What are you, Danny?" she asks.
He has no answer.
Danny Rand was trained to become the Immortal Iron Fist, sworn enemy of the Hand. But he does not know what the Hand is; he believes them to be a metaphor for the evils of the world, rather than any actual group of people. He comes back home and he has no plan, no idea what to do beyond "get people to acknowledge my name." He has no purpose.
The sum total of Danny Rand's life skills is knowing how to fuck people up. His experience of human relationship is being beaten up over and over until he could beat others up harder than anyone else. Danny was taught to meditate in a purely internal manner, focusing on his inner balance rather than any sort of connection with the world. He is the Iron Fist, the world breaks before him.
"I'm not dangerous," Danny repeats over and over with sincere belief. But he is; his only skill is shattering things and people, and his lack of social grace, of human contact, leaves him unable to properly relate to others or get them to relate to him. His temper flies, over and over, and he shatters things, flips tables, screams. He wants to be righteous but he is only violent.
Danny Rand is that abusive relative who never lays a hand on you but will break plates and furniture in a burning anger and let you know that at any moment that strength could be directed to you, and that all you have to defend yourself are this stated principle that he wouldn't hurt you (but you've seen him hurt others, plenty of times).
Danny Rand has no sense of propriety. He breaks into people's homes and is confused when they react badly. He does not realize that he needs a change of clothes, a shower and a shave for anyone to take him seriously. Not only is he confused and vaguely embarrased when people give him money thinking he is a hobo, he hounds them to give them their money back.
When a homeless man tries to give him tips for life on the street, he has a patronizing smile and says "I guess people think we're pretty much the same." Yes, Danny, you are; you are homeless people adrift in a world that neither acknowledges nor want them, only you have the skills to defend against violence and visit it upon others.
Danny Rand's kryptonite is drugs. Not even a knock-out quantity; he spends an entire episode in a psych yard, all the while on enough drugs to keep him dazed and unbalanced, and this disturbs his "chi," robbing him of his skills and powers. There's meaning in that, however unintentional: Danny is confused, lost, his powers are not mystical; they are the willingness to unleash violence on others before they realize how much of a threat he is. Keep him sedate, and he has nothing, only a very confusing backstory that he doesn't know how to tell, leaving him to frighten or push away even those who would be willing to believe him.
To break out of the psych yard, Danny has to wait until he is pushed to the limit, hurt and angered so much that even the drugs can't keep that violence down and he bursts out of his shackles to knock out three people, then break down a steel door. Reach freedom through violence, then.
Danny Rand shows up at a martial artist's dojo and challenges her, because he believes that is how things are done. She does not humour him; whether at the start when she thinks he's just a crazy hobo without real skills, or later when he beats her in a practice bout, she never treats this challenge as an acceptable thing. Danny Rand may be the best martial artist she knows, but he's still a crazy homeless guy with no people skills. She picks up a few tricks from him, but does not treat him as the second coming of Kung Fu Jesus, no matter how strong he is. Crazy people challenge you to a fight for your dojo. This is her job and her way of helping local youth.
Danny Rand is defeated or almost defeated three times in five episodes. First, by drugs, which make him a nobody. Second, by a guy sucker-punching him with brass knuckles, which leaves him so stunned that he fights with average thug skill rather than Iron Fist skill. Third, by a guy who sees him climb up a window and just kick him down into the street.
One could say that Danny Rand needs focus and awareness to fully leverage his skills. The truth is that Danny Rand needs the initiative. Whether or not he strikes the first blow, he needs awareness of the impending possibility of pain. He needs to "psych up," because violence is dormant in every nerve of his body, and then he will break you.
By episode 5 the first antagonists have succeeded, almost all trace of Danny Rand's past have disappeared, his only hope at recognition is a single clay bowl he made as a child. He has spent five episodes struggling for his name, and this is his only lead; he seems to still have an uphill battle. "Decades in court," a character spitefully says. Then, the antagonists decide they can make better use of him as a tool. The entire subplot about his legitimacy is scrapped in one scene, two at best, and Danny Rand gains everything he ever wanted, which again leaves him with no purpose. Then the antagonists direct him towards the real villain, "the Hand," which have taken over Rand (the corporation) from the inside. Danny still doesn't know what the Hand is. What they want. But they're evil, and his new benefactors point him at them, so he will break doors and people until he finds out.
Danny Rand is a blade, a tool without purpose. He is a tool in both the swear sense (he is a clueless, arrogant, self-righteous idiot), and in the practical sense: something other people manipulate to achieve their goals.
Danny Rand is not a good person. Iron Fist is not a good show. But it certainly is a fascinating trainwreck to watch in action.
