The Fist

Origin

Elektra found new determination to take out The Hand for good. She came to Hell's Kitchen to convince Daredevil to join her cause and be the first to join her new team. However, Daredevil was dealing with legal troubles for accidentally killing a man. After negotiating a plea deal, where he gets to stand trial as his alter ego, Daredevil, Elektra took up his mantle and protected Hell's Kitchen, adhering to Daredevil's no killing rule. She was trying to prove her trustworthiness to him.

During Kingpin's campaign against superheroes in New York City, he was able to use Purple Man powers to remember Daredevil's secret identity. He hunted down Matt Murdock, only to end up killing his twin brother, Mike. Mike was posing as Matt, while Matt was serving time as Daredevil. Daredevil used this official death certificate to go off the grid with Elektra and target The Hand.

Creation

Although mentioned by Elektra on numerous occasions, The Fist made its first appearance in Daredevil (2022) #1 by Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto

Major Story Arcs

Recruitment

Daredevil and Elektra move to Makanrushi, an uninhabited volcanic island in the Pacific, to start training members of The Fist. While Daredevil brings along close confidents to keep The Fist honest (like Cole North, Foggy Nelson, and Doc Samson), Elektra had hired a number of ex-Hand members and mercenaries needing direction with the help of Stick, much to Matt's chagrin. Although, hesitant of Stick's involvement, Matt still follows Elektra into the traditional test to prove leadership, where the two battle some ghostly enemies and ultimately marry as husband and wife.

Then, to bolster their ranks, Daredevil leads a team of Fist ninjas into The Myrmidon supervillain prison. They release a number of repeat offenders, including Goldy, hoping to give them a sense of purpose that allows them to fight for The Fist, with some help from Samson's psych evaluations. Unfortunately, his break-in at the prison also got the attention of The Avengers and The Punisher, who was now leading The Hand.

Confrontation with The Hand

Upon learning of the existence of The Fist, The Hand stepped up their plans. They kidnapped a number of world leaders to replace with their own puppet double agents. They even assassinated the President of the United States and framed Elektra. They went as far as to kidnap Lance, the son of Bullet, one of the Myrmidon inmates released by The Fist.

Feeling responsible, Daredevil mobilized his ninja cult against The Punisher's. He gave Cole North a Captain America shield so that he could retrieve Lance. Agony was able to control her symbiote long enough to cocoon a brain-washed Bullet so he could be brought back to their headquarters. Meanwhile, Stegron used his control of reptilian minds on Punisher's dragon steed.

The Fist ultimately suffered many losses and retreated. However, Lance and Bullet were rescued, the dragon was freed, and Elektra managed to hang on to a special magic amulet from Aka, The Lunate Talisman, which is how The Hand controls the dead. Elektra holds a special ritual to destroy the talisman in a fire, disabling The Hand's control over the dead. Unfortunately, members Foggy and Stick proved to be resurrected Hand assets that turned to dust.

End of The Fist

Still in shock by the revelation that their allies were Hand loyalists, The Fist was attacked by Quinn Stromwyn, a New York crime boss with a vendetta against Daredevil. She had bombs dropped on the island to spread the re-cid drug to cause the convict recruits to turn on each other in a blind rage. At the same time, The Avengers showed up to confront Daredevil and arrest Elektra.

In the chaos, Daredevil is able to retreat, hiding out with Cole North back in New York City. Disillusioned with his crusade, Matt burned the Book of the Fist and pretended to surrender to the Stromwyns, going as far as to cut out his own eyes, so that they would use their connections to have the members of The Fist released with a fresh start.