Iron Fist is making headlines for the wrong reason: the reviews are in and they’re not great. But maybe this is a good thing?
There have been a lot of complaints about Netflix’s latest Marvel adventure, Iron Fist. Between issues with the source material to begin with, plus the rather weak story and poor fight choreography, there’s plenty for people to complain about. You can read our review to find out what we thought of the series.
Regardless of I feel about the Iron Fist, I’ve been seeing a lot of headlines talk about how this show may be Netflix and Marvel’s first ever flop. Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage all had their critics, but overall the reception was positive. Iron Fist has been making the rounds since it was first released and not many seem genuinely positive about Danny Rand’s live-action debut.
But perhaps this is a good thing? A lot of the issues surrounding Danny Rand stem from the source material, which suffers from a white savior complex, in which a white character saves people of color from their issues, rather than seeing them save themselves. I understand that Netflix wanted to be true to Danny Rand’s story from the comics, but the truth of the matter is this is 2017. Danny Rand originated in 1974. If there’s ever been a time to be better than what we were, it’s now.
Seeing an Asian American Danny Rand would not have changed the story. Danny is an outsider, but you don’t have to be white to stand out from the crowd. An Asian American Danny could still be privileged, naive, and arrogant without having to be white. Changing his ethnicity does not change who Danny is.
You could play the “it feeds into stereotypes” card, but there are a hundred ways to subvert the tropes we typically see in media with Asian leads. The very fact that Danny’s life began in a place of privilege and the idea that he was an outsider who must learn the ways of the Iron Fist from the monks at K’un-Lun would allow a show such as this to sidestep several problematic clichés.
Cultural appropriation is also a major theme for the Danny Rand story. Whereas Danny’s skills and title as the Iron Fist feels as though it’s sending the wrong message, one in which a white man is more capable of earning the moniker than a native who has grown up with the legend, seeing an Asian American accept the responsibility would be a show of cultural appreciation, a celebration of their heritage rather than a conquest of it.
Iron Fist’s issues do not only stem from problems in areas that could potentially be solved by casting an Asian American in the lead role, so while it is important to note that it would have elevated the show, it would not have fixed it entirely.
On the one hand, I’m glad Iron Fist is not doing well. I don’t wish ill on Marvel or Netflix — goodness knows they make up about half of my viewing experience these days — but they must not allow themselves to mirror Hollywood’s bad habits. There are many current issues of whitewashing, and Asian erasure in particular (look at Ghost in the Shell or Death Note for recent examples), but Marvel is powerful enough to change the narrative. I want them to do better because I know they can do better.
It’s important that fans continue to complain about Marvel’s problem with Asian representation because the louder we are, the more the studio will pay attention. If Iron Fist flops, as it seems to have done, Netflix will be forced to take note of what the show did wrong and, with luck, correct their course moving forward.
As heartbreaking as it is to see Marvel struggling, it’s also a reminder that they’re not outside the law, so to speak. They’ve done great things for television and film, but they are not immune from making mistakes. As long as they are reminded that they can’t get away with the same problematic tropes that the rest of Hollywood is guilty of perpetrating, then perhaps the studio can begin to pave the way for a more diverse and inclusive future.
Because, let’s be honest. If anyone can do it, it’s going to be Marvel and Netflix.