If I had to pick one character I was seriously underwhelmed about during pretty much the whole first season of Iron Fist, I would have to go with Joy Meachum. She was manipulated, lied to, and used in one way or another by most of the men on this series, but in the final few moments of Episode 13, she seems ready to take a stand. But will Joy Meachum kill Danny Rand on Iron Fist? Her journey for revenge may find her taking things a little too far. Warning: spoilers from Season 1 ahead!
In many ways, it's hard to believe she would really be willing to commit murder on the guy she always thought so highly of throughout their childhood. In fact, it was because of her involvement that Danny was able to finally prove his identity and get let back into the Rand Enterprises clan. Could she really pull such a 180 like this? Considering everything she now seems to blame Danny for (the death of her father, the distance that now exists between her and Ward).
Basically, her entire life has been upended ever since Danny came back into the picture. So it's understandable for their to be some hostility and resentment there... but murder? Really?
Personally, I found Joy's character to be highly uninteresting right from the start, and that feeling only became more and more prominent as the storylines progressed. I kept waiting for her to step up and take action rather than just doing the bidding of those around her, but it never happened. And while technically this feels as though she's being manipulated yet again by a man (this time Davos, who wants Danny dead ASAP), I'm hoping that in the long run this could help Joy achieve some actual character development, even if it's in the form of a new villain.
After all, she is the daughter of Harold, so it wouldn't surprise me if she finds herself somewhat drawn to the dark side, especially now that her father has been taken from her not once, but twice now. So the motive is definitely there, it's just a question if she'll actually go through with it — though based on those final few minutes in Season 1, Davos seemed to be making a compelling case to convince her to go along with it. And to top it off, a snooping Madame Gao was listening at a nearby table. Would she potentially team up with them or give Danny a heads up? When it comes to her, you never know.
Of course, Davos has his own reasons for wanting Danny out of the picture. He's always believed he was the one more worthy of the power of the Iron Fist, and since Danny's been misusing his power by abandoning his post as K'un-Lun's protector, he's likely looking for any way to make him pay. And since Joy and Danny were such good friends, she's in a prime position to get close to him... and then figuratively (or literally) stab him in the back. I guess we'll just have to wait and see when/if Iron Fist returns for a second season to know for sure where Joy's true allegiances lie.
