2024 marks a big year for Marvel heroes celebrating their 50th anniversary, with even Wolverine hitting the big 5-0 this year. But it’s another hero (whose past is linked to Wolverine, on and off the page) who might not be making it to 51.
So who apparently kicks the bucket, and how might this hero’s absence affect the Marvel Universe? Read on to find out, and be sure to bring some tissues.
Spoilers ahead for Iron Fist 50th Anniversary Special #1
We’ll rip the band-aid off right now: we’re talking about Danny Rand, the original comic Iron Fist who first debuted all the way back in 1974. August 14’s Iron Fist 50th Anniversary Special one-shot concludes with the apparent death of Danny Rand at the hands of Razor Fist, an old enemy of Shang-Chi.
Though the anniversary one-shot features multiple stories – including a flashback to one of the earliest meetings between Danny Rand and Wolverine, written by Chris Claremont – it’s the final chapter by writer Jason Loo, artist Whilce Portacio, and colorist Alex Sinclair that proves to be the most fateful of the tales.
In the story, Danny, Luke Cage, and several of their friends and allies celebrate Danny’s birthday by reminiscing about some of their old adventures back in the days when Luke and Danny were starting out as the Heroes for Hire.
But there’s a bittersweet atmosphere to the whole celebration as Danny opines about being the oldest Iron Fist who has ever lived, going all the way back to the first warrior to bear the mantle and its power. For all previous Iron Fists, they were murdered at age 33 by the demonic beasts known as the Ch’i Lin and their servants.
Though Danny survived their encounter and even defeated the assassins who came to slaughter him, the Ch’i Lin still exist – and it’s on this birthday that they come for Danny again, sending Razor Fist to murder him. Danny fights to his last breath, but without the power of the dragon Shou-Lou, it’s not enough, and Razor Fist seemingly kills Danny by first dismembering his arm and leg and then brutally impaling him with his signature forearm blades, with a fountain of blood making it clear that this is no mere flesh wound.
Danny’s apparent death seems to be confirmed in the issue’s backmatter, which includes a letter from editor Danny Khazem which celebrates the legacy of the Iron Fist, while ending with the sad note “Gonna miss you Danny.”
So what’s next for Iron Fist? Even without Danny in the picture, there are still two other Iron Fists out there. As seen in the story by writer Alyssa Wong, artist Von Randal, and color artist Arif Prianto, the current bearer of the power of Shou-Lou, Lin Lie, and Danny’s own former student Pei (the youngest Iron Fist ever) are still out there, and they’ve even got a team-up going, so it would not be a surprise to see Lin-Lie and Pei step into the spotlight with a new title now that Danny is dead.
Marvel hasn’t revealed what’s next for Iron Fist, but it seems like a safe bet that something is on the horizon.
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