Bakuto

Fingers on the Hand

Many centuries ago, as a student in K'un-Lun,Bakuto became obsessed with the concept of immortality. He teamed with four other like-minded students, and together they began to twist the wholesome teachings of chi into something much darker.

Those students: Bakuto, Madame Gao, Alexandra Reid, Sowande, and Murakami were ultimately banished from K’un-Lun, but not before learning how to extend their lives past normal limits. They formed an organization called The Hand and set out to extend across the globe in criminal pursuits.

Today, Bakuto finds at-risk youth and offers them a better life-training them in martial arts, giving them much-needed discipline and family. He awards them with scholarships to the best colleges, giving them a way out of their lives, but making them beholden to him and his purpose. Among these students was Colleen Wing, a promising martial artist whom he gifted with her own dojo to further train more Hand recruits.

Handsome Horror

An accomplished martial artist himself, Bakuto wants to control the Iron Fist to subjugate all the other factions of The Hand under him. He also is a deft swordsman with a specialty in the katana. While he is also proficient with firearms, he uses them sparingly. As a tactician and schemer, he has few rivals. A true believer in all that he does, he prefers to operate with a smiling, friendly facade, convincing others to see his perspective that he's making the world a better place.

Eternal Enemies

Feeling betrayed by his former student, Colleen Wing, Bakuto resents her reluctance to aid him in subverting the Iron Fist to his will. In the end, he sees Colleen as an enemy and treats her as such.

He also spins a web of deceit to ensnare Danny Rand, the Iron Fist. Wanting the Iron Fist to be a part of his family, Bakuto tries to act like a mentor to the young man, while all along he wants the Iron Fist’s power to increase his own endeavors. As an extension of his hatred of Rand and Colleen Wing, Bakuto also comes to despise the Defenders—Matt Murdock, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage—Iron Fist’s heroic companions during Alexandra’s reign of terror, and most likely relishes in challenging them in physical contests.

Always Associates

Bakuto joined forces with Alexandra, Gao, Murakami, and Sowande to create the Hand out of a mutual desire for power, but one would be hard-pressed to call them friends. They have spent centuries warring among themselves in a never-ending battle for control. Bakuto seems to know how to best push his associates’buttons, then play the mild-mannered sage.

Extending the Hand

When Bakuto learned that Danny Rand was in New York City, he flew there to investigate. Almost immediately he saw an opening to teach Rand further uses for the Iron Fist power, such as healing a wounded Colleen Wing and renewing his personal chi. While also crafting plans to work against Madame Gao for his personal gain, he lost Danny to the young man’s own sense of morality.

After attempting to kidnap and kill Rand’s surrogate family, the Meachums, Bakuto was forced to face Danny Rand, Danny’s K’un-Lun “brother” Davos, and Colleen Wing, who desired to capture him. At the culmination of the battle, Davos stabbed Bakuto through the heart. Left for dead, Bakuto’s Hand associates recovered his body, and through their power of Resurrection, he gained another chance at life.

Later, Bakuto reunited with the other Hand leaders and entered into a war with the Defenders, a group of heroes consisting of Danny Rand, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Matt Murdock AKA Daredevil.

Alexandra was killed by Elektra, who proclaimed herself the new leader of The Hand.  Soon after, in a battle against the Defenders and their allies at The Hand’s Midland Circle building, Bakuto sliced off Misty Knight’s arm. Moments later, as he was about to murder Claire Temple, Bakuto was decapitated by a sword strike from Colleen Wing, ending his life forever.