‘Iron Fist’ Haters Say It Wasn’t Finn Jones’ Fault
A few years ago, another character made their way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Iron Fist was a Netflix series that first premiered in 2017. The show received negative reviews and did not last long.
Finn Jones starred in the series, and some criticisms were about his character. His character seemed underwhelming to viewers. Despite the initial reception, many of the fans recognized that the actor was not the issue.
Finn Jones as Iron Fist
In Iron Fist, Jones played the main character Danny Rand, also known as Iron Fist. His character is a martial arts expert and can summon a special power known as the “Iron Fist.”
In the show, Danny learns kung-fu after he got adopted by people living in an ancient lost city. Since New York City tends to be a hotspot for activity in fiction, Jones’ role involves fighting crime in the metropolitan area.
Before the start of season two, Jones prepared his return as Danny by undergoing intense martial arts training. Men’s Journal says that the actor worked with a personal trainer, who put him through a gymnastic-based routine. Jones also trained under a Shaolin warrior monk and learned various traditional kung-fu moves.
Iron Fist ran for two seasons, but Netflix, unfortunately, canceled the series in 2018. The cancellation was not surprising since many Netflix series had received the same treatment. Even though Jones did not get to reprise his role for a third season, fans did get to see him play Danny in The Defenders and Luke Cage.
The reception was not positive
Not every entry to the Marvel-verse is a winner. Iron Fist was one show that received a poor critical reception. Fans had several criticisms after the first season got released. One of them was the show’s pacing in the first few episodes. The story seemed to have been moving too slow for people’s liking.
Fans felt frustrated when they had to wait for six episodes to get fully invested in the series. It is important for a story to reel people in early on, or the ratings may suffer. Jones’ role did not get well-received either.
Many fans saw that the character’s origin story shares similar aspects to other superhero backstories. Not only that, they were not pleased that Jones got cast to play Danny. One of the arguments was that someone of another race could have played the character to help diversify the cast.
Some fans did not think the second season was great, but the overall consensus was that it had improved. The show finally seemed enjoyable to watch with better fight scenes. Still, the ratings were not strong enough to keep the series alive.
Do fans want to see Finn Jones come back?
There has been a recent discussion on Reddit about whether Jones should reprise his role as Iron Fist. Some fans do not hold much love for the actor’s take on the character. Fortunately, a few fans noticed that he was not fully responsible for the backlash.
“Yes. It wasn’t his [Jones] acting that was the problem. It was the writing. He was great in season 2, and people loved him in the ‘Luke Cage’ episode,” one Reddit user pointed out.
Other users shared similar feelings about how Jones was not to blame for the character and the show’s shortcomings. One even commented on how they would like to see him return as a supporting character in other series.
Though, one change that fans want is a new set of writers. While a film may not be a great idea, most people feel like a different approach to the character could work.
If the MCU ever brought back Iron Fist, changes would have to occur. Hopefully, for fans, those changes would allow Jones to act to his fullest potential.
