The Steel Serpent first slithered into the Marvel Universe in Iron Fist #1, published in November 1975. He was created by the legendary writer Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne during their seminal run on the character. His introduction was part of the broader “martial arts craze” that swept through American popular culture in the 1970s, fueled by the international stardom of Bruce Lee and the popularity of films like Enter the Dragon. Claremont and Byrne crafted Davos not just as a physical threat, but as a psychological one. He wasn't simply a villain of the week; he was intrinsically linked to Danny Rand's origin, a shadow from the past representing the path Danny could have taken. This concept of a “dark reflection” or a rival with a legitimate, if twisted, claim to the hero's power was a sophisticated narrative device that added immense depth to the Iron Fist mythos. The name “Steel Serpent” itself evokes a sense of deadly, cold, and fluid grace, a perfect counterpoint to the fiery, dragon-hearted nature of the Iron Fist. Over the decades, writers like Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and David Aja would dramatically expand on his history, transforming him from a simple vengeful rival into a complex, tragic figure and one of the immortal_weapons.
The origin of Davos is a tale of immense talent poisoned by overwhelming pride. While the core elements of jealousy and rivalry remain constant, the specifics of his journey diverge significantly between the comics and the live-action adaptation.
In the primary Marvel continuity, Davos is the son of lei_kung_the_thunderer, the revered martial arts master of K'un-Lun who trains all potential candidates for the Iron Fist title. From birth, Davos was groomed for greatness. He was a prodigy, mastering every form and technique his father taught him with a speed and precision that astounded his peers. He saw the mantle of the Iron Fist not as an honor to be earned, but as his birthright. His only true rival was the outsider, Daniel Rand, the orphaned son of Wendell Rand. Despite Davos's superior technical skill, Lei Kung and Yu-Ti, the ruler of K'un-Lun, sensed a darkness in him—a hunger for power that overshadowed his sense of duty. This was never more apparent than when the time came for the ultimate test: the battle against the dragon shou-lao_the_undying. Driven by his arrogance and a desperate need to prove his superiority, Davos challenged Shou-Lao before he was officially sanctioned to do so. He fought valiantly but was ultimately defeated, cast out of the dragon's cavern with a crescent-shaped scar on his chest—a permanent mark of his failure and Shou-Lao's power. Humiliated and furious that Danny Rand was later given the chance he had squandered, Davos's resentment curdled into a lifelong obsession. When Danny succeeded where he had failed, plunging his hands into the dragon's molten heart to claim the power of the Iron Fist, Davos's hatred was sealed. He left K'un-Lun in disgrace, an exile wandering Earth. His travels eventually led him to the mystical city of K'un-Zi, the “Crane City.” There, he struck a bargain with the city's ruler, the Crane Mother. She saw in Davos a perfect tool, a living weapon to be aimed at her rival city, K'un-Lun. She granted him a portion of her mystical power, allowing him to drain the life force, or chi, of his opponents. With this new ability and his already formidable skills, he adopted the name Steel Serpent. His singular goal became to find Danny Rand, strip him of the Iron Fist, and claim the power he felt was always rightfully his, no matter the cost.
The MCU, primarily in the Netflix series Iron Fist, reimagined Davos's origin to create a more intimate and personal tragedy. In this continuity, Davos (portrayed by Sacha Dhawan) was not the son of Lei Kung, but rather Danny Rand's closest childhood friend and training partner in K'un-Lun. After Danny's parents' plane crashed in the Himalayas, the monks of K'un-Lun rescued the young boy and raised him alongside their own. Davos and Danny became like brothers, sharing a fierce but friendly rivalry. Both were the top students of their generation, and both were destined to face Shou-Lao. However, their philosophies diverged. Davos was a purist, a zealot who believed the Iron Fist was a sacred duty, a weapon meant solely to protect K'un-Lun from its ancient enemy, The Hand. Danny, having come from the outside world, saw the power as something more. When Danny was chosen to face the dragon and emerged as the new Iron Fist, Davos felt a deep sting of jealousy, but it was Danny's next action that constituted the ultimate betrayal in his eyes. Horrified by visions of The Hand's growing influence, Danny abandoned his post at the gate of K'un-Lun and returned to New York City, seeking answers about his parents' deaths. To Davos, this was an unforgivable dereliction of duty. He saw Danny as a spoiled child who had been given a holy weapon and had simply walked away with it, leaving their home vulnerable. Davos traveled to New York, initially to bring Danny back to K'un-Lun. He found his “brother” entangled in corporate struggles and street-level crime, using the Iron Fist for what Davos considered trivial, selfish purposes. This solidified his belief that Danny was unworthy. His conviction grew into a dark crusade: to restore honor to the Iron Fist by taking the power for himself. He allied with Joy Meachum, another individual wronged by Danny, and procured a mystical bowl and the expertise of the Crane Sisters for a ritual. Through this painful, ancient ceremony, he forcibly extracted the power of the Iron Fist from Danny's body and absorbed it into his own, finally becoming the “true” Iron Fist he always believed he should have been.
While both versions of Davos are master martial artists, their specific powers and the core of their personalities reflect the different tones of their respective universes.
Davos is one of the most dangerous hand-to-hand combatants on the planet, often considered to be technically superior to Danny Rand in pure martial arts form.
The comic book Davos is defined by an all-consuming pride and a deep-seated inferiority complex. He is arrogant, condescending, and utterly convinced of his own superiority, yet this attitude is a shield for the crushing shame of his failure against Shou-Lao. He is patient and calculating, willing to wait years to enact his revenge. While he speaks of honor, his interpretation of it is twisted and self-serving. For much of his history, he was a pure villain, but later storylines, particularly The Immortal Iron Fist, added layers of tragedy and a capacity for redemption, showing him to be a man imprisoned by his father's expectations and his own failures.
The MCU's Davos is more grounded, with his abilities reflecting a more “realistic” (within the context of the show) approach to martial arts and chi.
The MCU Davos is driven by a profound sense of betrayal and zealous duty. He genuinely loves K'un-Lun and believes in its mission, making his anger at Danny's perceived abandonment feel earned. He is less arrogant and more self-righteous. He sees himself not as a villain, but as a righteous judge and executioner, cleaning up his “brother's” mess and restoring order. This Davos is a tragic figure from the start—a man whose rigid adherence to tradition and inability to see beyond his own narrow worldview turns him into the very thing he claims to despise. His pain is palpable, making his descent into villainy a compelling, character-driven arc.
Davos's journey is defined by his intense and often toxic relationships with allies and enemies alike.
Davos's history is marked by several key narratives that have defined his character.
His debut storyline established the core of his threat. After tracking Danny Rand to New York, Davos used his Serpent's Sting to systematically drain the Iron Fist's energy over several encounters. He succeeded in stealing the full power of Shou-Lao, overwhelming Danny in a final confrontation. However, the immense power of the Iron Fist proved too much for Davos's body to contain. The energy consumed him, causing his physical form to discorporate. His spirit, however, became merged with Danny's, leading to a period where Danny struggled with Davos's dark consciousness, a brilliant narrative that showed how linked the two rivals truly were.
This critically acclaimed series by Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction redefined Davos. Reintroduced as the champion of Crane Mother, he enters a grand tournament held between the Immortal Weapons of the Seven Cities. The storyline delved deep into his psychology, his relationship with Lei Kung, and his twisted sense of honor. He is portrayed not as a simple villain, but as a deeply flawed warrior. He secretly works with HYDRA to sabotage the tournament but is eventually defeated by Iron Fist and another Immortal Weapon, Prince of Orphans. In the aftermath, facing execution, his father Lei Kung vouches for him. Davos is given a chance at redemption and tasked with guarding the egg of the next Shou-Lao, a humbling duty that sets him on a new path.
This is the definitive storyline for the live-action version of the character. The entire season is built around Davos's arrival in New York and his methodical plan to take the Iron Fist. We witness his philosophical clashes with Danny, his manipulative alliance with Joy Meachum, and his recruitment of a gang of disaffected youths to wage a violent crusade against the Triads. The arc follows his successful theft of the power, his brief and brutal reign as New York's red-fisted protector, and his ultimate downfall at the hands of Colleen Wing. This storyline provides the most comprehensive and sympathetic look at the character's motivations, presenting him as a tragic antagonist whose methods are monstrous but whose initial grievances are understandable.
While the Earth-616 and MCU versions are the most prominent, Davos has appeared in other media.