[7.8/10] After the underwhelming Netflix show, I gotta admit, I haven’t been a huge Iron Fist fan, but I really enjoyed this episode. There’s a lot of old kung fu movie tropes here, which seems appropriate for the character’s origins, but they’re deployed in fun and creative ways. The idea of a spiritual challenge between Spider-Man as Iron Fist’s champion, and Scorpion, Danny’s duplicitous rival, is a good if not necessarily particular novel framework for the episode. The idea of the competition being about mercy and kindness rather than talent or strength is an old one, and the trick that Scorpion was the attacker on the bridge was a bit obvious. Still, the challenges were creative and the framework was well-used.
For one thing, it’s neat to hear the voice of George Takei (who also showed up in the old 1990s Spider-Man show), and it’s a particular treat to hear Dante Basco playing a character who talks a lot about honor. Little details like Dr. Strange stopping by for a cup of sugar, and the backstory of Kunlun helps deepen the lore of the universe. And the various illusions, while not necessarily groundbreaking, provide good opportunities for Spidey to remember Danny’s advice and for tests of character.
Overall, this one had a good setup, good character moments, and good action. All-in-all, a much better take on the Iron Fist mythos than Neflix offered.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2018-12-27T03:36:06Z
[7.8/10] After the underwhelming Netflix show, I gotta admit, I haven’t been a huge Iron Fist fan, but I really enjoyed this episode. There’s a lot of old kung fu movie tropes here, which seems appropriate for the character’s origins, but they’re deployed in fun and creative ways. The idea of a spiritual challenge between Spider-Man as Iron Fist’s champion, and Scorpion, Danny’s duplicitous rival, is a good if not necessarily particular novel framework for the episode. The idea of the competition being about mercy and kindness rather than talent or strength is an old one, and the trick that Scorpion was the attacker on the bridge was a bit obvious. Still, the challenges were creative and the framework was well-used.
For one thing, it’s neat to hear the voice of George Takei (who also showed up in the old 1990s Spider-Man show), and it’s a particular treat to hear Dante Basco playing a character who talks a lot about honor. Little details like Dr. Strange stopping by for a cup of sugar, and the backstory of Kunlun helps deepen the lore of the universe. And the various illusions, while not necessarily groundbreaking, provide good opportunities for Spidey to remember Danny’s advice and for tests of character.
Overall, this one had a good setup, good character moments, and good action. All-in-all, a much better take on the Iron Fist mythos than Neflix offered.