Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 set the stage for an Iron Fist tragedy through Luke Cage and Jessica Jones' daughter. After Born Again Season 2, Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones and Mike Colter's Jessica Jones have officially ended their seven-year MCU absence. That leaves Finn Jones' Danny Rand, aka Iron Fist, as the only Defender still to return, seemingly in next year's Season 3. With each of the returning Netflix heroes, there have been key changes in their lives, which for Luke and Jessica included reigniting their romance and having a daughter, Danielle.
Danielle's unsurprising father wasn't officially revealed as Luke Cage until Daredevil: Born Again Season 2's concluding moments. The bulletproof Defender is expected to take a much larger heroic role in Season 3, as Luke Cage has been up to no good overseas during Born Again's latest season.
In Marvel Comics, Danielle Cage's name was always a homage to her parents' close friend and fellow superhero, Danny Rand (Danielle being the feminine of Danny). Iron Fist also plays a much larger role in her life as her godfather and has referred to him in the past as "Uncle Danny," a term that denotes their close bond.
Luke and Danny have a close brotherly bond on the page, partly due to their partnership in the Heroes for Hire business. Fans got a taste of that dynamic in the MCU from their first meeting in The Defenders, all the way through to their Heroes for Hire-esque team-up in Luke Cage Season 2.
As all of the Netflix shows take place before Avengers: Infinity War, with the final events occurring around 2017-18, almost a decade (including The Blip_ has passed in-universe before the events of Daredevil: Born Again. That time jump has left many gaps in these characters' lives and may have some tragic implications.
How Danielle Cage's Name All Connects to Avengers: Infinity War & The Blip
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2's official MCU timeline placement confirms that it takes place in mid-to-late 2027. Following Avengers: Endgame's five-year time-skip, the victims of Thanos' Snap were restored in October 2023, meaning that Jessica Jones and Luke Cage's returns are happening roughly four years later.
While Born Again never specified Danielle Cage-Jones's age, most estimates place her at around 4 or 5 years old. That would indicate she was conceived and born in the latter years of the Blip, which seemingly rules out Jessica Jones and Luke Cage as victims of Thanos' Snap.
Just over two years ago, Echo confirmed that Charlie Cox's Daredevil also survived the Snap, like his age-old foe, Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin. Given the mounting evidence for Jessica and Luke's survival, it seems only Finn Jones' Danny Rand, aka Iron Fist, still needs his fate confirmed.
As Thanos obliterated half of all life in the universe, the odds that all four Defenders made it out alive are tragically slim. Therefore, there is a very real chance that Danny didn't survive the Snap, which could add a tragic twist to Luke and Jessica's decision to name their daughter after her.
As the vigilante couple continued to grieve Danny, years after his disappearance, but not long before his return, Danielle's name may have been a heartwrenching tribute to a fallen friend, not just a beautiful way to honor her godfather. It's entirely possible that the answers fans are so eager for are waiting in 2027, as Iron Fist is being set up for a crucial role in Born Again Season 3.
