Marvel's The Defenders: 8 Ways It Saved Iron Fist

Something that raised concern among fans ahead of The Defenders' release was the reveal that the show would be centered around Danny Rand. However, that would turn out to be a misleading oversimplification.

In reality, The Defenders "focuses" on Danny in the same way The Avengers "focused" on Thor, which is to say that while he and his story were integral to the plot, he in no way dominates center stage and even takes a backseat now and again. Not only does this give his co-stars a chance to shine with their respective narratives, but also probably makes it much easier for those who disliked Iron Fist to tolerate him.

Danny is also comparable to Thor in the sense that he is decidedly the most outlandish of the team in reference to his origins and abilities, so the writers turned into the skid to make him the oddball of the group, giving him a place among the cast that befits his character. (This comparison works especially well when you consider the plot of the first Thor film was the titular character learning to grow up and prove he deserves the power he has.)

In short, The Defenders used a proven method to turn Danny's weaknesses into strengths.