There may only be four Defenders, but there's a fifth major character in the Netflix mini-series. It feels like New York City itself is a member of this superhero team. Each hero has a complicated, but loving, relationship with the city they call home, just as they have complicated relationship with their teammates. Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Danny Rand, and Matt Murdock` are New York born, but where is The Hand's home on The Defenders? Spoilers ahead!
The Hand seems intent on toppling New York City in the name of returning home to their home. Their plan involves a giant hole in the ground, using Iron Fist as a key to something, and some kind of "substance." The organization is interested in returning to their home, but some members have their own motives too.
When the Five Fingers of The Hand talk about their home, they may be speaking of returning to the mystical city of K'un-Lun. Their organization formed after five elders were banished from K'un-Lun for seeking immortality through this mystery substance. While returning home seems to still be the plan for Madame Gao, Bakuto, and Murakami, another member may be trying to go somewhere other than K'un Lun. Alexandra, presumably the middle finger of The Hand, goes rogue and starts worrying her fellow elders. Is Alexandra still trying to return to K'un-Lun, or is she trying to go to wherever she was before that?
The Hand have enjoyed a much longer life than most other human beings. At the beginning of The Defenders, Alexandra learns that her body is finally starting to fail her. The fear of death seems like enough to draw her back to K'un-Lun, especially as her fellow fingers are hoping to obtain more of the substance. But is there a plan beyond the plan? Was K'un-Lun always the home of The Hand, or did The Hand make it their home?
When Alexandra speaks to Danny, she acts like any good villain would, and explains that the two of them aren't so different after all. They're both two people who found something worth fighting over in K'un-Lun, but have been turned away from it. Their entire plan leads to re-opening K'un-Lun, but are these five elders natives of that city? Danny talks about being raised by monks there, but there's not much talk of what life is like for people who are born and raised in K'un-Lun. Do the members of The Hand truly call K'un-Lun their home, or are they mere visitors like Danny once was?
While The Hand seem to share a common goal, it's obvious that there are disagreements amongst their ranks. While Madame Gao, Murakami, and Bakuto seem to be firmly sticking to the plan of returning to K'un-Lun, Alexandra's unpredictable and chaotic nature may have lead to a change of plans. Besides, when Danny tried to return to K'un-Lun he simply went to the last place he saw it. Digging a giant hole underneath New York City doesn't sound like a clear-cut path to a mystical vanishing city, but Alexandra may not be on the same path. Chances are she gave up her original home centuries ago.
