‘Iron Fist’ Casts Finn Jones; 6 Things We Know About Danny Rand From The Comics

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a new face among its heroes. Finn Jones has reportedly been cast as Danny Rand, aka Iron Fist, according to Entertainment Weekly. The “Game of Thrones” alum will star in “Marvel’s Iron Fist,” the fourth Marvel/Netflix TV show. The “Iron First” comics are heavily inspired by Asian martial arts and culture to the point where many fans wanted an Asian actor cast, even though the character is white in the source material. If the show is anything like “Marvel’s Jessica Jones,” it isn’t just his appearance that will look extremely similar to the comics. Here are a few things you should know about the origin story of New York’s latest hero:

1. Powers – Danny is an experienced martial artist. He also can “harness his spiritual energy, or chi, to augment his physical and mental capabilities to peak human levels,” according to Marvel. This allows him to be superstrong, immune to pain, capable of healing himself or others and even able to travel between dimensions.

2. Avenging His Parents – Danny’s heroism started as a way to avenge his parents’ death. During a trip to the Himalayas, Wendell, Danny’s father, fell off a cliff but managed to grab the ledge. His business partner, Harold Meachum, refused to help because he wanted Wendell’s shares in their company. Heather, Danny’s mother, sacrificed herself shortly after that to protect Danny from a pack of wolves.

3. Misty Knight – According to Comic Vine, Danny once had a relationship with Misty Knight (Simone Missick). Her character has already been cast in “Marvel's Luke Cage,” so there is a possibility that this relationship could play out on screen.

4. Not The First – Not only is he the last one to join Netflix’s heroes who will make up the “Defenders,” a miniseries featuring Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) and Luke Cage (Mike Colter), but he is the latest in a long line of Iron Fists as well. He is the 66th martial artist to bear the title.

5. Luke Cage’s BFF – Luke Cage (Mike Colter), aka Power Man, is very close with Danny in the comics. It seems like the Netflix dramas will follow that storyline. Mike Colter was even aware of Iron Fist’s casting before anyone else, which could mean that audience will see him on “Luke Cage” before seeing him on his own show.

6. Helping Daredevil – Luke isn’t the only Defender that Danny helps. When Matt Murdoch’s identity as Daredevil was exposed, he was thrown in jail. Iron Fist stepped into the red suit to convince the authorities that Daredevil and Matt Murdock must be two separate men.

“Marvel’s Iron Fist” does not have a premiere date yet.