TV Review: Marvel’s Iron Fist – S1 Episode 7 “Felling Tree With Roots”

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

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EPISODE 7: "Felling Tree With Roots"

SYNOPSIS: Ward's loyalty is tested. Danny discovers a rogue division, and the mysterious Bakuto visits Colleen's dojo unannounced.

REVIEW: It is a time of transition and change on Iron Fist. Here, at the midway point of the Marvel series' first season, everything is changing. After Danny Rand's loss in Madame Gao's grand duel in the previous episode, I was expecting Danny to be in a mindset like Clark Kent losing his powers in SUPERMAN II. But, instead, Danny gets laid. Right off the bat, Colleen tends to the dejected hero and his wounds and the two embrace. For the fourth consecutive Netflix series we get to see a Marvel hero bumping uglies. This time, Danny is cautious and gentle like a virgin (wait, is he a virgin? There weren't any women in K'un-Lun, right?). The cementing of Colleen and Danny's relationship is tender which is in contrast against the rest of this brutal hour. Iron Fist is coming into it's own as a series and hopefully this marks an uptick for the rest of the season.

While Danny is temporarily ecstatic at his relationship, when he returns to work he is confronted by Joy who demands he issue an apology to the board of Rand Industries. Danny agrees but before he can argue that he feels right in having taking blame for his company getting children sick, he spots Madame Gao enter his office. Gao has been an enigmatic figure thus far in the MCU but this hour shows how deep her power lies. Not only does she have a keycard and access to a private 13th floor of the building, she also knew Wendell Rand and, as Danny finds out later, orchestrated the plane crash that eventually led Danny to K'un-Lun. Gao does not seem afraid of Danny and recognizes that he abdicated his responsibilities when he left K'un-Lun and implores him to just live his life as she has seen other Iron Fists come and go. I love that Danny is not the only warrior to have that title in this universe which opens up a lot of story possibilities in the future.

Danny follows Gao and learns that Rand is being used to facilitate the sale and distribution of the enhanced heroin across the world. Danny confronts one of The Hand's salespeople and takes her tablet which he then takes right to Harold Meachum. On the Meachum front, Danny accidentally walks in on Harold with members of The Hand whom he is denying even knowing Danny to. There is a fight and as Danny fights them off, Harold brutally stabs them to death. Then, to show he will abide by their discipline, he cuts off his own finger. It is pretty messed up. Harold later calls Ward to come and help him dispose of the thugs. Ward can barely keep himself from vomiting as he watches his father bash the teeth out of the thugs skulls in what is one of the most brutal scenes the MCU has shown before. Harold forces Ward to take the bodies and dump them in a lake which he does begrudgingly. Ward then looks at a private bank account of his with $26 million in embezzled funds and decides it is time to leave town. With Joy's blessing, Ward decides to take a break and go to a rehab center but he instead plans to take the money and run.

With Harold researching the documents Danny provided, Danny returns to his office and instead of apologizing to the Board he takes responsibility and demands they close the questionable factories down. He then leaves and sets in motion his own downfall. Shortly after, the Board votes to remove Ward, Joy, and Danny from the company and in essence kicks them out of their family legacy. This does not bode well for the financial state of these characters. Nor does it bode well for Ward who, while en route to the airport, finds out his reservation has been declined and his bank account drained. Ward angrily goes to his father who belittles his son's weak skills as a thief. Harold is convinced they are almost through with The Hand, but Ward reaches his breaking point and repeatedly stabs his father to death. It is brutal and violent and leads to Ward dumping Harold in the same lake he disposed of the thugs in earlier. As Ward drives away, his sallow face gets some new light in it and he grins. Scary shit.

Having ferretted out a potential Rand warehouse that The Hand may be using as their base of operations, Danny and Colleen visit the Hatchet Gang and convince them to join in the fight to defeat The Hand. The gang agrees and together they storm the factory, killing The Hand soldiers left and right. Colleen and Danny find the chemist and tell him that his daughter is safe. The chemist apologizes and says he already told Gao the reciipe for the heroin and dies right there. Danny is shaken by the reveal of the Chinese city Gao told the chemist to whisper as that is where the Rands where headed when their plan crashed decades before. Clearly, The Hand have everything in control and even when orchestrating an attack, Danny cannot catch a break. In the end, Rand is in disarray and all of our characters are scrambling for what to do next.

Another solid episode of Iron Fist shows what this season should have been about from the very beginning. I enjoyed the MCU references to Daredevil and Luke Cage by Madame Gao as well as Danny leaking news to Karen Page. Danny is finally coming to realize his true purpose and I have a strong feeling that he will recognize that being the Iron Fist means making harder choices than he has so far. Colleen had some softer moments in this episode that showed her vulnerability as she and Danny fall for each other but she is also a solid warrior who will be vital in the final battles against The Hand. The other big element here is Ward transforming from weak addict to stone cold psychopath. I don't have any doubt that Harold is still alive as The Hand gave him something special to keep him alive from cancer so I doubt getting stabbed will be the last we see of him. A great outing for this series and one that has a lot of upside for the hours to come.

NEXT ON MARVEL'S IRON FIST: "The Blessing of Many Fractures" – Danny faces his fear, and Colleen meets her match. Joy makes a hasty decision, while Ward struggles to accept his sister's admiration.