We finally check back in with Ward this episode, who’s going through detox and being tormented by his father during his stay in the mental hospital. The visions of Harold with a knife in his side appear to be hallucinations. But, we’ve seen Harold pull the fake hallucination stunt with Danny, and seen him chop off his own finger. Putting the knife Ward killed him with back in his side would be nothing after that.
Ward is comforted by sweet Nurse Stacy, then visited by his next nightmare, Bakuto. The guy just can’t get any peace and quiet. Bakuto puts an antidote to Gao’s synthetic heroin into Ward’s IV to speed up the especially nasty detox process that the synthetic heroin causes.
Bakuto then presents his proposal in that calm, deceptively reasonable way of his: He will get rid of Harold for good and provide safety for Ward and Joy, including putting them back in charge of Rand and providing access to the heroin antidote. All he wants in return right now is Danny. Once Bakuto gets Danny, Ward and Joy will be safe. It’s moment of truth time for Ward.
Colleen and Danny are wandering the streets, as they are wont to do, reeling from their most recent revelations. Colleen can’t believe that Bakuto wanted her dead. Davos interrupts, telling Danny not to trust Colleen, since she’s a member of the Hand. Arguing over which one is Danny’s real BFF ensues, with Colleen punching Davos in the nose to prove her worthiness. Seems an odd choice for a martial arts expert, but what do I know?
Davos storms off, conceding his position of BFF to Colleen as Danny’s True Love. He vows to kill anyone who gets in his way is connected to the Hand.
Harold and Joy are having another father-daughter bonding moment when Ward arrives at the penthouse bunker. Joy is thrilled to see him alive and safe, Harold not so much.
Ward tries to convince Joy that Harold has become a violent monster and to get her to leave with him. He gets frustrated when she questions him. Ward’s rising anger and desperation play into Harold’s hands, convincing Joy that Ward is still on drugs or sinking deeper into mental illness. The scene becomes violent, then Bakuto arrives and it becomes more violent, erupting into gunfire. Joy ends up with the traditional Netflix MCU spray of blood across her chest and face.
Bakuto is remorseless and insulting toward even Ward, who was supposed to be his ally. He’s just as ruthless as Gao, probably worse, since Gao is usually honest about her intentions. They both love to hand out pearls of wisdom to the kids, as most of us old folks do. Ward gets a free leadership tip in with the betrayal and intimidation.
Bakuto has Ward stop the money transfers that are emptying funds from his Rand accounts. He’s losing his patience with the Meachums though. His perfectly smooth tone of voice is faltering. His has Harold dragged away to be decapitated and borrows Ward’s phone.
Colleen is still processing Bakuto’s lies and betrayal. Danny is realizing the duality of life. Davos has returned from his storm-away. Bakuto gives Danny a call to let Danny know that he’s holding the Meachums hostage and ready to kill them all if Danny doesn’t surrender himself within 30 minutes. Bakuto shoots Joy in the abdomen to show he’s serious.
Danny’s out the door in moments, after dismissing Davos’ concerns, without a discussion, yet again. This time he shut Davos down by pulling rank.
Danny misses the deadline, so Bakuto prepares to kill Harold with his extra special royalty chopping blade. After a brief villain monologue from Bakuto, it’s time for Harold’s last words. He handles it like the pro that he is. He tells Ward that he poured everything into Ward, only for Ward to be the biggest disappointment of his life. He tells Joy that she’s the most specialest daughter ever, and he should’ve picked her. Joy eats it up with a spoon.
Of course, Danny arrives just as the blade is about to fall. He makes the brilliant observation that Joy needs a doctor. Bakuto says that the Meachums can get Joy to a hospital once he and Danny are gone.
In the elevator, Bakuto tells Danny that their original deal still holds. He’ll help Danny realign his chi and finish his training. There is someone in the Hand organization who is very interested in Danny.
Once they get to the lobby, Danny is able to summon the Iron Fist long enough to break out of his hand cuffs and start to fight. Then Bakuto subdues the fist again with some kind of device in his hand. But Davos and Colleen arrive, just in time.
They take out everyone but Bakuto, who runs outside into the rain, under a roof with arches, before turning to face Davos, Danny and Colleen. He decides Colleen is the weak link, and taunts her, telling her that she’s too weak to challenge him. Colleen takes the bait and they fight.
Colleen wins, and they debate whether to kill Bakuto. Davos takes matters into his own hands and stabs Bakuto in the heart. Colleen and Danny get all upset because it’s complicated or whatever. I mean, it’s not like the guy has murdered who knows how many people over his long life and tried to murder four more tonight or anything. It’s not like it could have been called self-defense, or like this is a superhero show.
Davos and Danny have had enough of each other, and have the fight they’ve been spoiling for since Davos arrived, probably since Danny was given the Iron Fist. Yelling at Davos brings back the Iron Fist and Danny’s certainty about who he is. He tells Davos that the Iron Fist is meant for more than just K’un Lun.
Davos tells Danny that the pass to K’un Lun is open and unguarded. This isn’t over between them. He walks away again.
The Meachum boys get Joy to the emergency room. Harold and Ward make up while Joy is in surgery. Harold says that Danny has served his purpose, and can now be gotten rid of. Just then, Danny calls. He let’s Harold know that he’ll be staying at the dojo with Colleen.
On their way into the dojo, Danny and Colleen confess to each other that they feel like they are each other’s family. The next morning they have sex replenish their chi in the dojo.
They’re interrupted at a crucial moment by multiple frantic messages from Ward warning them to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE. Harold has set them up, because betraying his children and surrogate children has become sort of a hobby for Harold at this point.
It’s not Harold’s or Hand goons who break in though. It’s DEA agents. Danny and Colleen bust past them and take off down the street.
During Harold and Joy’s first conversation (about family) in this episode, Harold says he’s always wanted to go to Australia. David Wenham, who plays Harold, is Australian.
Joy spends ages being shocked at the blood that she’s covered with. It’s like she’s never watched the MCU. Trademarks you can count on in the Netflix MCU- shadows, blood-spattered faces and other body parts, window shots, arches, hall fights, Claire Temple, a reference to Jessica Jones.
Bakuto states that decapitation will lead to Harold’s permanent death. Events in other parts of the Netflix MCU lead me to question this. Maybe the fingers of the Hand are more immortal than Harold.
Bakuto just told us that his head needs to be cut off for him to die, so it’s not a spoiler to say that he’ll be back.
Harold is becoming less creative and more brutal as time goes on, sort of like the typical comic book showrunner. He’s using the same fake drug bust technique on Danny that he used to get Ward put into the mental hospital. His last words to his children were a predictable, but beautiful, thing, though, and David Wenham delivered them perfectly.
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