Since the debut of Miles Morales in the Ultimate Universe back in 2011, there has been no shortage of new, younger characters taking on the names of established legacy heroes. The diversity of the new heroes is very much The Point of their existence. Over time, fans of these newer characters have been rewarded, as many have or will soon grace the MCU with their presence in the coming years.
Iron Fist is the next hero to receive a modern update, a character who could probably use it more than most. When he was announced to be receiving his own series on the internet, many fans were hoping that the character of Danny would be played by an Asian actor, since the idea of a white boy being great at kung fu raises some eyebrows. The casting of Finn Jones wasn't the only problem with Iron Fist, but it didn't help the enterprise because it didn't have enough Asian characters. The show was listening to its critics and wanted to embrace the idea of a legacy mantle after Jessica Henwick became Colleen Wing. The show was canceled before we could see it play out, and it doesn't seem like he's coming back soon.
Danny has been the Iron Fist of the primary Marvel Universe since 1974, but the mantle has a long in-universe legacy behind it, and more Fists have been revealed throughout the character's near 50-year comics history. One of his predecessors was a member of the prehistoric Avenger. His successors have been short term, like Pei, a teenage girl who was the co-lead of Comixology's Iron Fists, and Okoye, who appeared in the recent Heart of the Dragon. Danny and Pei transferred their powers to her so she could save the world, and then she relinquished the power so the Iron Fist cycle could begin again.
With the MCU having secured a big name Asian hero in the form of Simu Liu's Shang-Chi, you can almost see how Iron Fist's new solo comic will be. The title of the Living Weapon is Lin Lie, a teen hero who starts out as an original character before becoming a legacy hero. Lin Lie, the superhero Sword Master, was introduced as part of a collaboration between NetEase and Marvel in 2019.
Those who are already fans of the character are pleased to see him boosted to a new codename, but newcomers won't be confused if Iron Fist is their first time with the kid. Lin Lie was saved from death by being granted the powers of the Iron Fist by the dragon Shou-Lao in the aftermath of the Death of Doctor Strange event. The shards of Lin Lie's Fuxi Sword were used to stop the return of Chinese war god Chiyou.
Lin Lie stands out because of how Wong, Yg, and Chen have made him feel like a natural extension of the Iron Fist legacy instead of a younger carbon copy. Being an outsider has always been a part of the hero's legacy, and the new angle is that since he didn't acquire the powers through a tournament like other Iron Fists, some of them. Being a formidable hero doesn't help his case; if anything, learning how to fight from Asian heroes like White Fox makes him even moreundefiled in their eyes. The art of Yg and Chen does a great job of showcasing his teaching while also giving him a more rapid, furious move set compared to other martial artists.
His support system is very slim, largely due to his choice. He avoids trying to connect with his friends when he is in the normal world to fight demons and grab sword shards. He pushes away a potential mentor in the form of Danny, who isn't upset that someone is borrowing his old codename and just wants to provide help to a kid who clearly needs it. Wong writes that Lin Lie is well adjusted to his circumstances and that it is easy to root for him.
The book's most interesting conceit is the way Lin Lie became an Iron Fist. Lin Lie's sword is embedded in his hands, meaning that he can't simply call upon it whenever he wants. In the two issues released thus far, his Fist glitched out while fighting demons, and outside of battle, he openly admits that using his hands gave him constant, unbearable agony. You can see that he is able to summon the Fist in the moments when he is able to push through the pain.
Like other teen heroes brought onto legacy mantles, it may take time for Lin Lie to take off and headline either his own solo project or turn up in someone else's story. Wong, Yg, and Chen have built a strong foundation for the character that will hopefully lead to bigger, greater adventures in the future.
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