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Five Thoughts On Iron Fist’s “The Dragon Dies at Dawn”

By | September 13th, 2018
Posted in Television | % Comments

My friends, it has come to my attention that Iron Fist season 2 may be a good show. There was a fight scene between the Daughters of the Dragon and a trio of tattoo artist/witches. What else could you possibly want from a superhero show. I’ll tell you what else. Join me as we take a look at Iron Fist season 2, episode 6: “The Dragon Dies at Dawn!”

 

1. Interrogation Games

Misty is so hardcore. The first shot of the episode is an ultra close up of her face and every shot reverses back to her intimidating scowl. It immediately frames her against the other two women she’s interrogating. You’ve got Joy, and she’s all bluster. Joy is obviously privileged and feels betrayed by the world, which is maybe the worst combination ever. Then you’ve got Mary. Mary is Scary. The Walker persona is legitimately almost as intimidating as Misty, and I really hope we get more of her across the Netflix shows. I’d love to see her face the Punisher or cross paths with Jessica Jones.

The interrogation gets Misty a name of sorts. An amazing name. Those witches from a few episodes ago? They call themselves The Crane Sisters. THE CRANE SISTERS!!

 

2. World’s worst slumber party

Colleen is the world’s best hostess because after hosting the world’s worst dinner party, she offers her home up for the world’s worst slumber party. I’d have tapped out a long time ago. Mary and the Meachums (terrible band name) are supposed to lay low. The gang doesn’t trust Mary/Walker, so she’s handcuffed, but she immediately busts out of those. I have no idea how, but Mary continuing to be mysteriously skilled is a cool gimmick. She can’t shoot fireballs but she knows how to do stuff. She’s a regular Layla Miller.

 

After contrasting Misty with Mary and Joy, we get a set of scenes that puts Ward up against the two women. We don’t learn much in the Ward vs Mary scenes, but they make for another great pairing. One is scary, and one’s a cowardly weasel. Classic. The Meachum sibling scene has a little more meat to it.

After Danny has consistently found himself unable to say the words, “I’m sorry,” Ward apologizes to Joy. He still sounds like an asshole, but he also sounds sincere. Now it’s Joy who is coming off as a little bit unhinged (because her motivation only makes sense to a point). Ward even makes a case for the “I only lied to you to protect you” argument, which never holds up, but I was kind of sold. Every time Barry gaslights Iris on The Flash in order to protect her, it seems like crummy writing and usually has the opposite of its intended effect. Here, Tom Pelphrey monologues about how their undead dad used to abuse him, literally beat him and break his bones. That’s what he was trying to protect his sister from. Maybe it’s because “our abusive dad will beat you” is more relatable than “if you knew I was a powerful vigilante you would make bad decisions and get kidnapped more than you already do, which is once a month.” Maybe it’s just that Tom Pelphrey is the greatest actor to ever be given those lines. Whatever it is, he won me over to Ward’s side.

 

3. Habenero vs Teriyaki

You guys. Daughters of the Dragon you guys. Let’s make it a thing. Misty and Colleen fight over jerky flavors and it’s amazing. Incredible. Spectacular.

Then we meet THE CRANE SISTERS. And like… I always question why comic book shows (and actually some comic books) insist on using bad generic villains. OK, I get that you’re fighting some nameless assassins, but give them a cool gimmick. Dress them like the Hellfire Club mooks (a timeless design). Pattern them after Fancy Dan, Ox, and Montana. Take some inspiration from Dick Tracy. If you’re going to do some one-off villains, do it right. THE CRANE SISTERS are doing it right.

So Misty and Colleen’s first move is to pretend they want tattoos. God Misty and Colleen are so square, I love it. “This is not a first piece kind of shop,” one of the sisters (THE CRANE SISTERS) remarks, which is cutty as hell. Things don’t go so well by which I mean things go amazingly because we get the best fight scene of the season. I’m talking a good use of props (needles!). Rocking music. And most of all long shots. There aren’t any sneaky cuts in here, this is a real stunt spectacular. I’m running out of ways to say this fight is my jaaaaaaaaam.

Continued below

Upon winning the fight, the Double Ds (Dragon Daughters) get some answers. “The ashes, they mix with the blood to make the ink,” one of the sisters (THE CRANE SISTERS) says. “I’m sorry,” Misty replies, and I don’t think she’s that sorry, “what the hell is wrong with you all?” Misty, you speak for us all.

 

4. A funky rampage

Davos and his new buddy, Captain One-Eye, are on a rampage of murder. Captain One-Eye doesn’t like the sounds of the murder so he puts on some jams to drown it out making it… a funky rampage. Finally, Danny catches up and he’s real mad that Davos is doing the exact same thing he was doing but with murder. I’ve said my piece in the previous episode discussions, but the murder/no murder line is not as clear as Danny likes to pretend it is. Though for all his “I’m hardcore enough to be the Iron Fist” spiel, Davos still can’t bring himself to kill Danny so there are no heroes here. Except for Misty. And Colleen.

 

5. The Walker Disassociation

I don’t know much about Dissociative identity disorder to know if Mary’s character is being handled sensitively. I know there is a lot of debate if such a disorder even exists and a lot of stigma created through media. Keeping those things in mind… I come out really liking what Mary brings to the season. Both her Mary and Walker persona are excellent characters in their own right, and the switching element keeps the otherwise straightforward story from falling into a rut. Case in point: it starts raining and suddenly the elite commando Walker is replaced with the flighty artist Mary. Bad timing, because Danny needed Walker to bring in Davos.

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//TAGS | Iron Fist

Jaina Hill

Jaina is from New York. She currently lives in Ohio. Ask her, and she'll swear she's one of those people who loves both Star Wars and Star Trek equally. Say hi to her on twitter @Rambling_Moose!

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