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A key addition comes in episode three of Eyes of Wakanda when Iron Fist enters the mix. But this episode is set hundreds of years before Danny Rand, Colleen Wing or Lin Lie have taken the mantle, offering an early glimpse at their predecessors and the power they could achieve. It’s even earlier than Kwai Jun-Fan’s Iron Fist from the 1800s that was introduced in What If…? The episode “Lost and Found” features a Wakandan War Dog named Basha returning a Vibranium artifact to Wakanda to keep it safe, only to encounter that era’s Iron Fist, Jorani, who has followed the War Dog home and is prepared to cause some headaches for the African warrior.
The result is the revelation that the power of the Iron Fist is strong enough to break Vibranium in the MCU, putting it in illustrious company with other powers and entities that can crack the rare space metal at the heart of Wakanda, like Thanos or The Sentry. The question it leaves us with is, where does this now place Iron Fist on the hierarchy of Marvel’s most powerful entities on screen? Will it also return if the character is reintroduced into the live-action wing of the MCU?
How Powerful Is Iron Fist in Comics?
As we learn when Jorani fights War Dog Basha in the Wakanda Vibranium Collection, she reveals she has been training her entire life to take over the mantle of Iron Fist. It mirrors the lifelong training of Basha within Wakanda, also similar to the mystical home of Iron Fist, K’un-Lun. Jorani’s origins are similar to the other Iron Fist candidates throughout history, powered the molten heart from the powerful ancient dragon Shou-Lao. The champion draws power from the heart of the ancient dragon, leading to its repeated deaths and resurrections, marking the close of the final trial for Iron Fist candidates.
With that power and the enchantments that come with it, we’ve been able to see the different versions of Iron Fist achieve magic feats of strength. Fans can see the comic version of Iron Fist take on the Avengers solo, harm the Hulk with a punch, defeat Colossus, and even take down a SHIELD helicarrier. Even without the Iron Fist powers, Danny Rand or Lin Lie are still formidable fighters with comparable levels to Luke Cage or Daredevil in strength and skill.
Iron Fist has punched through gods, vaporized demons, and even took on the Phoenix Five during Avengers Vs. X-Men. The power has been established for a while on the page, and now it would seem the MCU is ready to catch up.
Where The Iron Fist’s Powers Come From
Shou-Lao was introduced into the MCU via the Netflix Iron Fist series, but the power levels on display pale to what we’ve seen in the comics. The dragon is also never given a full introduction during the first season of Iron Fist, but it does get another reference in The Defenders, tying the Hand’s resurrections to the substance within the bones of Shou-Lao’s species.
