Deadpool has perhaps the strongest healing factor out of any other ‘healing’ character in Marvel Comics (including the likes of Wolverine and Sabretooth), as he can be mutilated, dismembered, and even decapitated, and still recover. However, after one team-up mission with Iron Fist, Deadpool finally faced a weapon that even his god-tier healing factor couldn’t match – one which Iron Fist still has in his possession to this day.

In Deadpool Team-Up #886 by Shane McCarthy and Nick Dragotta, Deadpool is hired to assassinate an ancient warrior who was responsible for conquering most of China hundreds of years ago, and has been imprisoned within K’un-Lun ever since. However, this warrior, named Gin Goh, has escaped, and Deadpool’s the only one who can take him down. At least, until Deadpool teams up with another hero trying to do the same thing: Iron Fist.

When they face Gin Goh, they also face the might of the villain’s ancient, mystical weapon: the Black Tongue. The Black Tongue is a sword that kills anyone who is even scratched by its blade. But, in Deadpool’s case, getting sliced or stabbed by the Black Tongue meant that his healing factor was essentially neutralized. He wouldn’t die, but he also wouldn’t heal – at least, not for a long time – making this one of the few weapons that actually impacts the Merc with a Mouth. And by the end of the issue, the Black Tongue was acquired by Iron Fist.

Iron Fist Has an Anti-Healing Factor Weapon, Meaning He Can Beat Deadpool Anytime

While the Black Tongue didn’t kill Deadpool, and he was able to heal from the wounds eventually, it definitely did a number on him. Deadpool was all but sliced in two by the end of the fight against Gin Goh, and if it wasn’t for Iron Fist, it’s very possible that Deadpool would have been killed. Given how long it took his healing factor to kick in, it’s conceivable that if Gin Goh delivered an immediately fatal blow, Deadpool would have stayed dead. And if not dead, then utterly beaten.

As it stands in Marvel Comics canon, the Black Tongue is in Iron Fist’s possession, meaning if he ever needed to, he could use it to defeat Deadpool. Even if the blade doesn’t kill him, Iron Fist could use it to incapacitate Deadpool before imprisoning him for the rest of his days. And while there are other blades with similar anti-healing factor properties, like the two Muramasa Blades, the Black Tongue is always within Iron Fist’s reach (and wouldn’t first need to be acquired), making him a constant threat to Deadpool.

Deadpool Confirms Iron Fist Should Have Been Involved in Wolverine’s Latest Event

Sabretooth War by Benjamin Percy, Victor LaValle, Cory Smith, and Geoff Shaw

Interestingly enough, Wolverine recently killed Sabretooth with a Muramasa Blade during his latest Marvel Comics event, Sabretooth War. However, given what fans now know about Iron Fist, it seems Wolverine’s efforts weren’t necessarily required, as he could have just called in Iron Fist, who would have used the Black Tongue to put Sabretooth down.

In fact, even without the Black Tongue, Iron Fist should have been involved in the Sabretooth War, given that Sabretooth actually originated as an Iron Fist villain long before his conflict with Wolverine. Seeing Iron Fist kill one of his earliest villains with a blade that holds an anti-healing factor enchantment would have been awesome to witness, and it would have brought Sabretooth’s story full-circle in a shocking yet perfect way.

Despite Iron Fist missing out on permanently defeating one of his earliest villains, Sabretooth, with a weapon that could have done the job, the main takeaway from his adventure with Deadpool is the fact that he currently has a weapon with the ability to kill any and all ‘healers’ in the Marvel Universe. In other words, Iron Fist is one of the few heroes capable of taking Deadpool down if he ever truly crosses the line.