Of all the warriors who have taken up the mantle of the Iron Fist, none have had as unique of an approach to the uses of the chi of Shou-Lao the Undying as Danny Rand’s predecessor, “The Golden Age” Iron Fist Orson Randall. Iron Fist is not an individual hero, it is a title earned and passed down through the generations. While the champions of K’un-Lun are oft defined by their mastery of kung fu (as is the entire population of the Heavenly City), some Iron Fists have adopted less conventional fighting styles.
Iron Fists are primarily martial artists: it is the skill they hone their entire lives in the mystical city of K’un-Lun in the hope they can use it to become the city’s Immortal Weapon. Shou-Lao’s chi, however, grants nearly limitless abilities beyond the namesake super-punch. Properly trained, an Iron Fist can alter thoughts with the wave of the hand similar to a “Jedi mind trick.” They can instantaneously heal themselves or others, which can lead to an unnaturally long life. More dramatically, the chi of Shou-Lao can be channeled into a weapon to staggering effect. Orson Randall famously mastered this technique, channeling his chi into his firearms to develop his own unique blend of “gun-fu.”
Debuting in Immortal Iron Fist #1 by Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker, Orson Randall was not the first Iron Fist to employ weapons infused by his chi. Randall began implementing his trademark Colt M1911A1 handguns after being inspired by the tales of previous Iron Fists read from The Book of the Iron Fist. Namely, the 16th century Iron Fist Wu Ao-Shi (aka “The Pirate Queen of Pinghai Bay”) made adept usage of a bow and arrows. Ao-Shi would charge her weapon with her chi before loosing an arrow, felling her enemies en masse as if felled by “lightning from God”. Randall took this lesson to heart not only during the First World War (which left him with crippling PTSD and an equally crippling opium addiction) but during his later years of adventuring with the Confederates of the Curious and his successor, Daniel Rand.
This Iron Fist’s Controversial Guns Were Incredibly Effective
“Lightning from God” proved an apt description for Randall’s chi-charged bullets, as they were turned effectively into rapid-firing explosive rounds of devastating effect. Whether it be a swarm of cultists bent on summoning a god of death to conquer the world, or the endless hordes of HYDRA, Randall could quickly and effectively level scores of them. While his inspiration came from a previous Iron Fist, others had a low opinion of his use of firearms. Fellow Immortal Weapon “The Prince of Orphans” John Aman found his reliance on guns to be “cheap.” Meanwhile, Death Sting chastised Orson for longing for his guns while the Iron Fist is in the midst of fighting (literally) for his soul against the eldritch monstrosities of Hell in Iron Fist (2017) #80 by Ed Brisson and Damian Couceiro.
Criticisms aside, Randall’s use of firearms was an extension of his kung fu rather than a crutch. When lethal measures were unwarranted, Randall proved himself to be one of the best martial artists in all the Marvel Universe. His decades of study of The Book of the Iron Fist gave him intimate knowledge of kung fu, leaving him a formidable enough fighter to defeat ten of Hell’s champions in single combat in as many hours. Overwhelmed by the Steel Serpent, Randall was capable of transferring his chi to empower Danny Rand while sacrificing his life to save his successor.
Orson Randall remains a controversial figure in the millennia-long history of the Iron Fist. While his unorthodox style was frowned upon by traditionalists, it’s hard to argue with the results. Orson Randall was a nigh-unbeatable combatant with his weapons in hand, and defeat only came from multiple waves of insurmountable numbers and a willingness to sacrifice himself for the greater good. Perhaps the greatest lesson Orson Randall gave future Iron Fists is that the only limitations of the chi of Shou-Lao are those the wielder places on themselves.
