7) The Crane Mother And The Hand
In episode 2, when Danny’s recounting how he came to K’un-L’un, he mentions that the monks that found him were part of the Order of the Crane Mother. The leader of one of the other seven cities of Heaven, namely K’un-Zi, the Crane Mother is one of Iron Fist’s most dangerous foes in the comics. Marvel fans have long-theorized that Madame Gao is really the Crane Mother. While this is not confirmed in Iron Fist, the revelation could be coming in The Defenders or maybe even season 2 of this show.
It’s also revealed that Gao is the leader of a faction of the Hand. The real leader of the New York branch of the Hand turns out to be Bakuto, Colleen’s old sensei. Though he isn’t usually connected to Colleen, the character’s the leader of the Hand in the comics, originating in 2010’s Daredevil #505.
Gao’s faction also have “the sworn protector of the Hand” on their side – Zhou Cheng, the drunken guard Danny fights in episode 8. In the comics, however, Zhou Cheng is a completely different character. Possessed by the beast Ch’i-Lin, Cheng is destined to kill the Iron Fist before his 33rd birthday. Ch’i-Lin is referenced in the show as well, though Cheng refers to him as his master.
