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While Marvel Studios has been taking their time bringing in characters and actors from Netflix’s many Marvel TV series into the MCU, one name has been conspicuously absent: Iron Fist. But now, as of today’s episode of What If…? we finally have an Iron Fist in the MCU: Kwai Jun-Fan, a character straight out of Marvel Comics.
Spoilers past this point, but in today’s episode, “What If… 1872?” the show goes full-on Western complete with cowboy Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and cowboy Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). During their adventures they meet a kid named Kwai Jun-Fan (Allen Deng) who seems to be the only survivor of an attack by villain The Hood. The kid convinces them he can tag along by showing off his martial arts skills, which is your first indicator we need to keep our eye on him — if you didn’t already have your Easter egg alarm bell ringing.
The Watcher (Jeffrey Wright) also intervenes halfway through the episode to save Kwai Jun-Fan’s life… Something that indicates he’s more important than just some simple, scrappy kid. But at the end of the episode, they make sure you can’t miss it. As The Watcher explains, “One person’s tragic fall is often just the origin story of a new hero’s rise.”
We then cut to Kate and Shang-Chi watching as Kwai Jun-Fan tells the story of their adventures to the town, fists flying. “That kid’s got some iron fists on him,” Kate says, driving it all home. “You’ve got some competition.”
“Well, the West could use another hero,” adds Shang-Chi.
That’s the end of the episode, for the most part (or the part we’re concerned with here), but if you’re wondering whether the dots connect and Kwai Jun-Fan is Iron Fist? The answer is, yes.
Created by Duane Swierczynski and Travel Foreman, Kwai Jun-Fan was introduced in 2007’s The Immortal Iron Fist #17. We actually know a fair bit about his comic book bio, as the series charted nearly his full history, from being born in 1845 to dying in 1878. He became the Immortal Iron Fist around 1860, and used his powers to protect workers being exploited while building railroads in the Old West.
His arch-enemy was a man with mental powers named Zhou Cheng who took control of a town, wore him down, tore off one of his feet, and punched him through the heart. That killed him, by the way. In case you were wondering.
While Kwai Jun-Fan only appeared in three or so issues and was seen in flashbacks once or twice — and the timeline between the comics and What If…? doesn’t really match up — it is neat to see the MCU slowly working Iron Fist back into the mix after the much-maligned Netflix show got memory-holed. And in fact, this won’t be the last time we’ll see Iron Fist in the MCU, either. While there hasn’t been a live-action confirmation yet, we will see AN Iron Fist in the upcoming animated Eyes of Wakanda… And that’s the main continuity, not a “what the hell” part of the multiverse, as The Watcher calls it in today’s episode.
With the MCU is slowly building up a history for Iron Fist in the MCU, even in alternate versions of the multiverse… Can Danny Rand be far behind? Yes. Yes, he can be.
The first episode of What If…? Season 3 premieres Sunday, December 22 at 3 am ET / Midnight PT on Disney+. One episode a day premieres after that, leading to the series finale on December 29, 2024.
Here’s the full list of episodes in What If…? Season 3, with premiere dates:
Sunday, December 22, 2024: What If…? Season 3, Episode 1: “What If… The Hulk Fought The Mech Avengers?”
Monday, December 23, 2024: What If…? Season 3, Episode 2: “What If… Agatha Went to Hollywood?”
Tuesday, December 24, 2024: What If…? Season 3, Episode 3: “What If… The Red Guardian Stopped The Winter Soldier?”
Wednesday, December 25, 2024: What If…? Season 3, Episode 4: “What If… Howard the Duck Got Hitched?”
Thursday, December 26, 2024: What If…? Season 3, Episode 5: “What If… The Emergence Destroyed The Earth?”
Friday, December 27, 2024: What If…? Season 3, Episode 6: “What If… 1872?”
Saturday, December 28, 2024: What If…? Season 3, Episode 7: “What If… The Watcher Disappeared?”
Sunday, December 29, 2024: What If…? Season 3, Episode 8: “What If… What If?”
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“]] What If Season 3 introduced Kwai Jun-Fan, an Iron Fist from the Old West into the MCU, a character straight from Marvel Comics. Read More