Danny is meditating in his office and hears the voice of his teacher, warning him that because of who he is, he will always have enemies.
At a Chinese restaurant, two brothers Andrei and Grigori Veznikov are butchering meat when they hear a commotion in the main room. When they go out, there's no one there. The Veznikovs find a bowl resting on a pillow, and go over to check it out. There is a message in the bowl saying that the time has come.
The Bride of Nine Spiders is in a lab extracting venom from a spider. There's a knock at the door and when the Bride goes there, she finds a message in a bowl. She realizes that the time has come.
A man, Scythe, is singing at a karaoke bar. All of the customers there are dead except one, and the singer strangles him with the mic cord. A prostitute is standing in the door, staring at the carnage in horror and holding a bowl with a message. The singer draws his katana from a body and goes over to her, and reads the message. Satisfied, h realizes that the time has come.
Danny remembers his master telling him that he tolerates no questioning from him, because doubt leads to death.
Ward is watching the video of Danny apologizing and looks at the pills in his drawer. He closes the drawer when Joy comes in. She tells Ward that Wayne Olsen is coming in to provide a risk assessment brief and gives Ward a crisis response manual to review before the meeting. Ward realizes that he missed the email Joy sent him about the meeting, and Joy asks if he's good for the meeting. She tells her brother that what happened the night before can't happen again. Ward insists that nothing is going on with him, but Joy says that she knows what's in the drawer. He claims that he took too many muscle relaxers and shows her the bottles, and promises that it's not a thing. As Joy goes, she tells Ward to make sure Danny is at the meeting.
Megan gives Danny the location of two more warehouses on the Lower East Side. Ward comes in and excuses Megan, and Danny tells him that he's found the man making the enhanced warehouses. He insists that it's a real problem, and Ward asks why Danny didn’t follow the path that the company laid out. Ward gives him the response manual and tells Danny to be there at 4, but Danny tells him to handle it and says that a woman's life is in danger so he isn't going to take the meeting. When Ward insists that Danny will be there, Danny says that they have six warehouses to check out before 4, and insists that it can't wait. Ward and Danny go to the parking garage and take off in Danny's Aston Martin.
At the Dojo, Claire checks on Radovan. She tells Colleen that they have to get him to a hospital, but Radovan says that it will put his daughter Sabina at risk. Claire says that Danny is taking care of Sabina and they have to take care of Radovan, and Colleen warns that it may not be a good idea to call an ambulance. She figures that they should wait for Danny, who will bring Sabina.
Danny and Ward check out the warehouses and the first three are clear. There's an hour left, and Ward says that Danny is wasting his time. Danny ignores him and goes inside, and finds an empty warehouse with a semi trailer in the center. Ward comes in and they open the trailer door. The guard's severed head is inside, mounted on a sword, and Ward realizes that Enterprises can't be tied to it. Danny pays his respects to the guard and tells Ward that they killed him because he didn’t stop Danny. There's a piece of paper on the sword, and Danny tells Ward that it's an invitation just for him. With that, Danny walks off.
At the dojo, Danny arrives and Claire warns that Radovan doesn't have very long. Danny explains that he's been challenged to a grand duel: the Hand's best fighters against him. If he defeats them then they'll meet his demands. Danny warns that it's the only way to get Sabina back, and says that the duel begins at sundown. Colleen offers to go with him, but Danny tells her that she can't. He explains that it's what he's supposed to do, and he's the Iron Fist... and he never loses. Claire checks on Radovan, and Danny tells Colleen that with the Hand in NYC, that's where he's meant to be.
In his office, Ward notices blood on his sleeve and hastily wipes at it. He discovers that his pills are gone and calls Megan in. Megan says that maintenance came by earlier, just as Joy comes in and Ward insists that everything is fine. He explains that Danny is caught up in something of his and won't be at the meeting, Ward apologizes and Joy says that she's tired of hearing that. They meet with Wayne and tell him that Danny is indisposed. He says that the greatest thing that happened to Rand was the day Danny came back.
At the dojo, Danny is performing a kata when Colleen comes in. She asks to help, and Danny tells her to take care of Radovan and he'll get Sabina. He insists that he won't get hurt because he has a vision of total victory, and defeat has no place in his mind. Colleen warns him that they'll kill him if he loses, and Danny says that he has no doubts because doubt leads to death.
Once Colleen leaves, Danny imagines his master Lei Kung--the Thunderer--telling him the legend of a child touched by fire and delivered from heaven, destined to be their greatest warrior. Danny wonders if it's him, and says that he has mastered everything, and his master tells him not everything. Claire comes in and hears Danny apparently talking to himself, as his master says that he has yet to face his most cunning opponent. When Claire asks who Danny is talking to, he tells her that it's time.
Radovan calls to Sabina and pulls at his bandages. Claire stops him and asks Colleen to keep him calm. Radovan imagines that Colleen is Sabina, and asks her to forgive him. The women agree that they have to take him to a hospital.
Danny goes to the address and enters the courtyard inside. The door on the other side leads to a chamber, and they close behind Danny. There's a basin in the center of the chamber, and Danny announces that he accepts the challenge and the terms are if he wins then the Hand will release Sabina and depart from Rand. Gao comes out and says that her master agrees to the terms. If Danny loses but remains alive, he must remove himself from all Hand dealings. Danny agrees and the seal their arrangement with the basin water.
Gao leads Danny to the next chamber where Andrei and Grigori are waiting. He introduces himself and they recognize him from the cover of Forbes. They say that it's a fight to the death and ask why he isn't at the gates of K'un-Lun if he's the Iron Fist. The brothers tell Danny that they are two, not one, cut their palms, and bump fists. Gao announces the start of the challenge and the brothers take Danny down. However, he remembers Lei Kung telling him that he can't be in two places at once.
Danny returns to the fight and strikes them both simultaneously. They say that the real Iron Fist would never leave his post and accuses him of running away. Danny tells them to shut their mouths but they continue taunting him and Danny charges forward. Lei Kung tells him to destroy all other thoughts except to destroy the Hand, Danny takes down one brother. The other one slashes his arm with a knife, and Danny knocks him down as well. Danny tells him to yield, and after a moment the brother passes out. Gao says that the first battle is won, and goes onto the second room.
Claire and Colleen take Radovan to the hospital and Claire tells her former co-worker, Delicia, that she found a John Doe. As they wheel Radovan to Pulmonary, Claire asks Delicia if they can forego the usual ID process. Delicia agrees, but Claire's former boss Shirley Benson and two orderlies come over. Shirley agrees to treat Radovan and the orderlies put him on a gurney. Claire thanks Shirley, who wonders what Claire is doing and walks away. Colleen wonders if they did the right thing, and Claire says that they'll take good care of him.
Gao leads Danny to a large room filled with gas cylinders and sheets. Danny continues on and the Bride steps out. She flirts with him, saying that she senses his fear and that he's hiding behind the mask of Danny Rand. The Bride suggests that Danny kiss her instead of fight, and secretly jabs two poisoned needles into his neck. Danny attacks her but she easily blocks him and says that it's singing spider venom that will help him let go. He tries to hit her without success, and the Bride says that he wants to be freedom of everything boiling inside of him.
Danny tries to meditate and slow his blood flow, and the Bride kicks him. She jabs more needles into him and says that the person the monks at K'un-Lun suppressed has emerged. Lei Kung tells Danny that he hears him weeping over the loss of his parents, and the grief is a weakness. The Bride knocks Danny down and tells him to give in, She then stabs him with a knife, but Danny blocks it. Lei Kung tells him to accept or reject the darkness, but either is acceptable... but it reveals who Danny is. Danny knocks the Bride away and performs his kata. The lights shatter as Danny negates the poison in his system, and then he knocks out the Bride. Gao declares that the second battle is won, and asks if Danny wishes to withdraw. He refuses to leave without the girl and they continue on.
At Rand Enterprises, Ward hallucinates the dead guard's head while Joy and Wayne discuss Danny's statement. Ward jerks back and then excuses himself, and Joy goes after him. He gets into the elevator and calls to get a refill of his pills. Ward drives to an Urgent Care, slams his hand in the car door, and then goes inside. He asks for some painkillers but the RN insists that the doctor has to see him first. Ward hands her some money and the RN tells him to leave, Joy comes in and the RN says that they're having a problem. Ward goes out and Joy takes him to her car.
As they wait, Claire tells Colleen that she didn't leave on the best of terms and Shirley isn't one to give up without a fight. She figures that someone forced Shirley to give up and asks Delicia to check on Radovan. Delicia discovers that he never arrived in an OR, and Claire takes Colleen to the security room. they spot the orderlies taking Radovan to a subbasement area and Claire figures that they're leaving with Radovan. They come to the orderlies as they load Radovan into an elevator, and one of them moves forward. Colleen easily knocks him out and she calls the elevator while Claire takes the stairs.
Claire arrives outside and sees an ambulance leaving. She grabs a fire extinguisher and knocks out the second orderly as Colleen arrives, but they discover that Radovan is gone and the ambulance was a decoy.
Gao takes Danny to the third room and Lei Kung tells that if he chooses to face the dragon inside then he risks everything... and his former self will be destroyed. Danny enters the room and Gao closes and locks the door behind him. Scythe is waiting and wonders when the real warrior will get there. He tells Danny to choose a weapon, and Danny says that he is the weapon. Scythe takes a halberd from a rack and says that weapons are meant to be used by their master. He asks Danny who his master is, and Danny says that serves himself.
Scythe attacks Danny, who avoids his strikes. After Danny shatters the halberd shaft, Scythe says that he serves the one who called him there, without question or doubt. He grabs an axe and continues his offensive, and the two fight among the catwalk supports. Danny disarms Scythe, who recovers one half of his weapon, and they continue into the next room where Gao is waiting. When Scythe attacks, Danny summons the Iron Fist and shatters the blade, and Lei Kung asks who Danny is. Danny says that he is the legend and punches Scythe in the chest.
Gao brings out Sabina and puts a knife to her throat, and says that if Danny withdraws then Sabrina will be spared. She cares nothing for honor, and Lei Kung reminds Danny that his purpose is destroy the Hand. He commands Danny to kill Scythe, but Danny tells Gao that he withdraws. Gao gives him Sabrina and says that she never thought she would meet another Iron Fist in her lifetime. She wonders why Danny is in New York, and describes a tree in the center of K'un-Lun Square. Danny realizes that she has been there, and says that his reasons for leaving are his own. She tells him that he's different from the monks, and says that Wendell could have used more honor. Danny demands that she tell him about his father, and Gao casually knocks him across the room with a casual gesture.
As Danny leads Sabrina out, he talks to Lei Kung, insisting that he won but Gao cheated. Lei Kung turns away from him, and Danny tells Sabrina that he was talking to no one.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 4, 2017