Iron Fist isn't often thought of as one of the strongest Avengers, but "the Living Weapon" has shown that if he didn't hold back he would definitely be one of the deadliest. Most of Marvel's superheroes are united by one fundamental doctrine: do not kill. While this isn't a hard rule and exceptions aren't uncommon, generally what separates a hero like Daredevil from the Punisher is a willingness to cross that line. This moral code means heroes often pull their punches, as a full-strength punch from Spider-Man would be lethal to the average purse-snatcher. What happens when these self-imposed inhibitions are lifted, however?
Danny Rand aka Iron Fist has a "no-kill" rule dating back to the dawn of his superhero career. Iron Fist first left K'un-Lun to enact revenge against his parent's murderer, Harold Meachum. Upon discovering the broken state of the old man, Rand couldn't bring himself to take Meachum's life: in his heart, Iron Fist isn't a killer. Not that Iron Fist lacks the tools: even without his powers, Rand is a perfectly honed martial artist and among the best fighters in the Marvel Universe. Channeling the chi of Shou-Lao the Undying, Iron Fist boasts enough power to destroy a helicarrier or level a god with a single punch. Should Iron Fist follow a darker path, he would be a lethal combatant to anyone unfortunate enough to cross him.
The Avengers Are No Match For Iron Fist
Thunderbolts (1996) #137 by Rick Remender and Mahmud Asrar explores this prospect during 2009's Dark Reign event. Captured by Norman Osborn and his Thunderbolts, Iron Fist is subjected to a gauntlet of combat simulations conducted by Ghost. These simulations serve a dual purpose: not only does Osborn attempt to brainwash Rand into eliminating the Avengers, but Iron Fist also receives extensive combat training against the heroic team. Osborn's idea has merit, given that in Iron Fist (1975) #15 by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, Iron Fist single-handedly holds his own against the combined might of the X-Men. As another simulation unfolds, readers see the potential of Norman Osborn's scheme as Ghost updates Iron Fist's current successful kill rates.
Iron Fist slaughters the Avengers effortlessly. Spider-Man is the first to fall; Iron Fist strikes fast, and decisively, enough that Peter Parker's spider-sense still doesn't give him time to react. Wolverine proves equally ineffective; Iron Fist casually dodges his attacks before catching Captain America's shield out of the air, charging it with his chi, and discus-throwing it into Logan's skull. Captain America (Bucky Barnes at this period) draws his sidearm, only for Iron Fist to deflect the bullets with his hand before sending one round into Bucky's head. This isn't a small sample size, either: according to Ghost, Iron Fist has been subject to more than 3,000 of these simulations. He's killed every Avenger throughout the experiments, even those not present in this simulation, all except one.
Iron Fist's Greatest Strength and Weakness: Luke Cage
No matter how intense the simulations he's subjected to, nor how stringent the conditioning, Osborn cannot push Iron Fist to kill his best friend, Luke Cage. The two men share one of the strongest bonds in all of Marvel, with Luke going as far as to name his daughter after Danny. It's a fatal flaw in Norman's plot, one that he hopes to resolve by wiping Rand's mind. The process may be fatal, but Osborn says, "If Rand holds loyalty to even one person other than myself, he might as well be dead." Initially, the measure appears to work and Iron Fist aids the Thunderbolts in capturing Luke Cage. Unfortunately for Osborn, the effects prove short-lived. Whether through the cleansing power of the dragon's chi or Luke's brilliant intellect and the powers of psychology, Iron Fist is freed from his brainwashing, ing his partner in (non-fatally) pummeling the Thunderbolts.
While Norman Osborn's plan fails, it does give readers a glimpse of how staggeringly lethal Iron Fist is capable of being, even when facing off against his fellow Avengers. Thankfully, Harold Meachum taught Daniel Rand an important lesson decades ago: no matter how hard you push him, Iron Fist isn't a killer.
