The Importance of Misty Knight’s Arm in ‘The Defenders’

Chris Tilly
TV Streaming
TV Streaming Marvel

While Misty Knight doesn’t play a huge role in The Defenders, the character does become more prominent as the series progresses. But fans of the character in the comics know that two major developments in the TV show could have far-reaching consequences for New York’s finest.

Misty’s Missing Arm

Simone Missick as Misty Knight.

In the comics, Misty Knight was an NYPD cop who lost her arm in an explosion. Impressed with her heroism, Tony Stark built Misty a bionic arm, which endowed her with superhuman strength.

On TV, Misty first appeared in Luke Cage, where her arms were both very much attached and non-bionic. But the show alluded to the issue, even having Misty get shot in the arm to mess with the audience. But that wound healed.

Bionic Misty in the comics.

The injury Misty receives at the end of The Defenders won’t be healing anytime soon however, as Bakuto slicers her arm off with his blades. Misty wakes up in her hospital bed looking understandably perturbed, and complaining of feeling “not quite whole.”

But Colleen Wing offers hope: “Danny wanted to say that he has connections at this hospital,” she explains. “It’s a state-of-the-art place… maybe they can help get you back up-and-running.” So while it might not be Iron Man making her iron appendage in this incarnation, it looks like Misty Knight will be going bionic very soon.

And now we know that’s a fact. Entertainment Weekly debuted this sneak peek at Luke Cage Season 2 and it shows off Misty’s new bionic arm.

misty knight defenders luke cage bionic arm

Daughters of the Dragon

In the comics, Knightwing Restorations Ltd. was a detective agency set up by Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. The pair first appeared in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #32, while it was during a fight with Davos, aka the Steel Serpent, that they were nicknamed Daughters of the Dragon, and that moniker stuck.

The pair frequently worked with both Iron Fist and Luke Cage, so it makes sense for them to team up on the small-screen, and it looks like Marvel and Netflix are currently laying the groundwork for that to happen.

Misty and Colleen first meet early in The Defenders, when most of the main characters are rounded up and interact with each other at a police station. But then all too quickly they part ways.

But it’s at their next meeting that the Daughters of the Dragon start to take shape. During their battle with Bakuto, Misty loses her aforementioned arm. But quick as a flash, Colleen steps in, removing Bakuto’s head from his shoulders. And as previously stated, Colleen is there when Misty wakes up in her hospital bed, their bond already forming.

So while nothing has been confirmed yet, we’re willing to bet that the Daughters of the Dragon will make their debut proper in Iron Fist Season 2. And that one of them will have a freaking awesome arm.

Chris Tilly
Freelance writer. At this point my life is a combination of 1980s horror movies, Crystal Palace football matches, and episodes of I'm Alan Partridge. The first series. When he was in the travel tavern. Not the one after.