After several episodes without many Easter Eggs, “Iron Fist” goes hard on the comic book callbacks and Marvel Cinematic Universe links in “Felling Tree With Roots.” The episode sees Ward Meachum trying to figure out just what his father’s connection to the Hand is while Danny tracks Madame Gao, and Colleen gets a visitor.
Warning: There are spoilers throughout if you aren’t caught up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Comic book references
When Colleen wants to know about the dragon on Danny’s chest, he hesitates, settling for telling her that “it’s not exactly a tattoo” and that “it’s the mark of the Iron Fist.” What he doesn’t tell her is that he gets the mark because he fights an actual dragon, something we probably won’t see on the show.
What is important is that it reaffirms what Madame Gao says in the previous episode - there has been more than one Iron Fist.
Also cashing in on the comics references is Colleen Wing, who might have some explaining to do. Her visitor is Bakuto, who is a character created for the “Daredevil” comics in 2010. He’s a member of The Hand who works out of South America. The character only appeared in a handful of comics, so he doesn’t have much of a backstory, but Colleen does. The women in Colleen’s family have been a member of an offshoot of The Hand called The Nail in the comics. At one point, Colleen even leads it. Just where she stands on the show remains to be seen.
The 13th floor
Most architects didn’t even like to label the 13th floor in their buildings for many years, so it’s fitting that Madame Gao is running her operation out of this abandoned floor at Rand.
It’s also fitting because the 13th floor of another building played a role in a comic created by Atlas Comics, which would eventually go on to become Marvel Comics.
The “Gargoyles of the 13th Floor” were in the Corpo Construction Company in an old “Venus” comic. Of course, the gargoyles were evil and tended to kill everyone on that floor, and the floor couldn’t be accessed by elevator, but this was the 1950s when high-tech security scanners weren’t the same as they are today.
The floor disappeared over the course of the story and was never seen again, kind of like how The Hand always seems to be one step ahead.
Marvel Cinematic Universe Easter Eggs
Madame Gao makes direct references to Daredevil and Luke Cage with “the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen” and “the man with unbreakable skin,” but she doesn’t mention Jessica Jones.
Does this mean that Jessica’s dealings have been kept under wraps from even the Hand? Or does Madame Gao not consider her important enough?
Madame Gao also references the “change” coming. While the Iron Fist and the Hand are both ancient, the super powered people on the rise are a whole different animal. I wonder how Madame Gao feels about Inhumans that are making their way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe through “Agents of SHIELD?”
The Dogs of Hell get a mention. They might just be the most notorious biker gang in the MCU. They’ve popped up on both “Agents of SHIELD” and “Daredevil” as well.
Mentioned with regards to embezzling by Harold, Roxxon has been a business within the MCU since the start.
Avid fans will even remember the company was a rival for Stark Industries back in the 40s on “Agent Carter.”
Also namechecked is Midland Circle, which should sound familiar to audience members as the company first appeared in “Daredevil” season two at a construction site where there is, quite literally, a gaping hole in the plot. The Hand was behind digging a huge hole in the ground in the middle of Hell’s Kitchen through Midland Circle. With Harold mentioning them as well as Roxxon as he’s going through The Hand’s ledger, it sounds like we haven’t seen the last of them.
Up next
“The Blessing of Many Fractures” brings Claire back for the action as she, Danny, and Colleen head to China to track down Madame Gao’s operation. While there, Danny learns a few things about his family’s connection to the mysterious criminal.
