Iron Fist’s Secret Return: Marvel’s Clever ‘What If…?’ Surprise

Marvel Studios recently halted plans for a What If…? Season 3 episode featuring Shang-Chi and Danny Rand’s Iron Fist, but the creative team still managed a clever workaround. In the rumored sixth episode, “What If… 1872?,” Hailee Steinfeld’s Hawkeye and Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi team up to stop an unusual version of the Hood—yet they also bring along a young fighter named Jun-Fan.

This child, revealed to be Kwai Jun-Fan from Immortal Iron Fist #17, is one of Danny Rand’s 19th-century predecessors. His abilities hint at the Iron Fist lineage without directly introducing the modern Danny Rand. Under Marvel’s guidelines, What If…? can’t fully debut characters who haven’t been properly established in live action yet. Although Finn Jones portrayed Iron Fist in the Netflix series, the character has yet to be reintroduced into the modern MCU continuity, meaning his official appearance had to wait.

Meanwhile, Charlie Cox’s Daredevil is already lined up for a big comeback in Daredevil: Born Again, but the rest of the street-level heroes haven’t received the same spotlight—especially Iron Fist, who remains on standby. Fans remain hopeful, as Marvel’s decision to block a full Shang-Chi vs. Iron Fist What If…? episode suggests larger plans may be in store for Danny Rand, possibly in a future Shang-Chi sequel or another MCU project.

The episode also skirts around debuting the Hood by changing the identity from Parker Robbins to Xu Xialing, Shang-Chi’s sister, ensuring no conflict with Anthony Ramos’ upcoming portrayal in Ironheart. Overall, the inclusion of Kwai Jun-Fan offers a subtle Iron Fist nod while signaling Marvel’s continued interest in the character. If past precedent holds true, this careful approach usually means a bigger, live-action unveiling is just around the corner.