Ep 5. Under Leaf Pluck Lotus

Danny Rand struggles to adapt to his new life in New York City as the Iron Fist. In "Under Leaf Pluck Lotus," episode 5 of season 1, Danny begins to investigate the shadowy organization known as the Hand. With the help of his allies Colleen Wing and Claire Temple, Danny discovers a clue that may lead him closer to the Hand's inner workings. Meanwhile, Ward Meachum, the CEO of Rand Enterprises, is facing pressure from his sister Joy and their father Harold to take drastic measures to protect the family business. As tensions rise within the Meachum family, Danny finds himself caught in the middle of their power struggle.

The episode opens with Danny meditating in a park, trying to get in touch with his chi and channel the power of the Iron Fist. His peace is disturbed by a group of elderly Chinese women who are practicing Tai Chi. One of the women, Mrs. Yang, recognizes Danny as the Iron Fist and asks him for his help in dealing with a gang that has been harassing their neighborhood. Danny agrees to help and accompanies Mrs. Yang to her home.

Meanwhile, Colleen Wing is teaching a class at her dojo when an uninvited guest shows up. Bakuto, a member of the Hand and Colleen's former mentor, has come to recruit her for a special mission. Bakuto claims that the Hand wants to forge an alliance with Danny and use his power to their advantage. Colleen is skeptical, but Bakuto has an offer she can't refuse.

Back at Rand Enterprises, Ward Meachum is feeling the pressure of his family's expectations. Joy, his sister, is convinced that their father Harold is still alive and is hiding somewhere in the city. Ward insists that Harold is dead, but the strain of keeping up the lie is starting to take a toll on him. When Joy tells Ward that she has hired a private investigator to find their father, Ward panics and decides to take matters into his own hands.

Danny returns to Mrs. Yang's home to find that the gang has escalated their attacks. They have broken into her house and stolen a valuable jade statue. Danny recognizes the symbol on the statue as the same one he saw in Madame Gao's heroin lab. He confronts Mrs. Yang about the statue, but she claims that it has been in her family for generations and has nothing to do with the Hand.

Colleen meets with Bakuto and is given a special serum that will enhance her fighting abilities. Bakuto says that he wants her to be at her best when she meets with Danny, but Colleen is starting to suspect that something is not right. She decides to test the serum on herself before committing to Bakuto's plan.

Ward tracks down a former associate of his father's who may have information about Harold's whereabouts. He threatens the man with a gun and demands to know where Harold is hiding. The man claims that he doesn't know, but Ward doesn't believe him. He starts to lose control and becomes more and more unhinged as the conversation goes on.

Danny and Colleen track down the gang that stole the jade statue and engage in a fight. Danny uses his Iron Fist powers to defeat the gang leader and retrieve the statue, but Colleen is still feeling the effects of the serum. She starts to hallucinate and becomes aggressive towards Danny. He manages to subdue her and take her back to her dojo.

As the episode comes to a close, Ward is seen entering a mysterious building where he may finally be able to get some answers about his father's disappearance. Joy is meeting with the private investigator to get an update on the search for Harold. And Danny is left to ponder his next move in his quest to take down the Hand.

"Under Leaf Pluck Lotus" is a tense and action-packed episode that moves the plot forward while also delving deeper into the main characters' motivations and backstories. Fans of the Marvel universe will find plenty to enjoy in this episode as the various plot threads start to converge and the stakes are raised for all involved.