- "I've been sitting in a lot of NA meetings lately. AA. All the A's. Hearing people talk about their pills, their booze, their sex... their anger. But listening to you just now, I... I really related. Brother... I've seen that same dragon."
- ―Ward Meachum to Danny Rand[src]
Ward Meachum is the son of Harold Meachum who, with his sister Joy, spent his entire life building Rand Enterprises to its current position, while secretly aiding his believed deceased father run the company on behalf of the Hand. However, upon the return of Danny Rand to the company following his many years away, the Meachums saw their work put in jeopardy as Rand planned to reclaim his birthright in the company. Having considered having Rand killed, Meachum was convinced by his father to aid Rand, only for his frustrations with his father's abuse overtake Meachum as he brutally murdered his own father, only to witness his father return to life. Going to Rand and Bakuto for aid, Meachum eventually assisted with finally stopping his father's schemes and finally killed him, building up a friendship with Rand while his relationship with his sister suffered due to all of Meachum's numerous mistakes.
Intending to better himself, Meachum decided to get sober as he found himself in a relationship with Bethany while trying to repair his relationship with his sister. However, as it was soon discovered that Joy was working with Davos in order to steal the Chi away from Rand, resulting with Meachum joining forces with both Rand and Mary Walker in order to defeat the power-hungry Davos and also save his sister from him, while also learning that Bethany was pregnant with his child. Having been successful, Meachum was left by Bethany and chose to go into Asia with Rand in order to assist with his mission to find Orson Randall and reclaim the power of the Iron Fist.
Biography
Early Life
Beaten by his Father
- "The way that you remember Harold is not who he was. He would fly into these rages. And the things he would say to me, the things that he would do to me."
"He was a little tough on his protégé? Builds character, right?"
"I was his punching bag. And not metaphorically. That time that I, I broke my arm skiing? The time that I got into that car accident and I was all covered with bruises?" - ―Ward Meachum and Joy Meachum[src]
Meachum on a holiday with the Rand family
As a child of Harold Meachum, Ward Meachum was raised together with his sister Joy. The death of their mother affected Harold who was taking his rage out of Meachum. For a long time, Meachum was abused by his father but kept it a secret from anyone, including Joy, in order to protect her. Despite Joy's concern about her brother's injuries, Meachum lied to her and even planned to escape with her.[2]
Danny Rand is confronted by Meachum
Eventually, Harold founded the Rand Enterprises together with his friend, Wendell Rand. The Rands and the Meachums family became close friends, and so Meachum and Joy befriended Danny Rand. Though Joy was very close with Rand, Meachum often bullied him and would play cruel pranks on him, such as locking Rand in a freezer at the Rand Enterprises Building cafeteria and putting a dead frog in his sandwich.
Several years later, the Rand family were all presumed to have died in a plane crash over Asia, and Harold became the only CEO of the Rand Enterprises. Establishing his financial condition, he brought up Meachum in a business world and groomed him to someday take over the company.[4] Ignoring his son's drawing talent, Harold forced him to play rugby instead and later got him in the Wharton School where Meachum studied business.[5]
The New CEO
Graduating Wharton, Meachum was assigned as the new CEO of the Domani Architecture, a subsidiary of the Rand Enterprises. Under Meachum's leadership, Domani aggressively utilized dozens of the varying resources of its parent company. Meachum personally pioneered a series of revelations in composite construction materials aimed at expediting building projects.[6]
In 2004, his father suffered from terminal cancer for three years before his eventual death. Leaving Domani, Meachum inherited the Rand Enterprises together with Joy Meachum who became the Chief Counsel. Meachum's business sense and management skills brought the company to ultimate success. Suddenly, Meachum was contacted by his father who managed to rise from the dead and ordered his son to manage the Rand Enterprises for him and keep it a secret from Joy.[4]
Return of Danny Rand
Turning Away Danny Rand
Meachum being confronted by Danny Rand
Ward and Joy were in their office the morning Danny Rand visited, dirty and barefoot. They were taken aback by his appearance, Ward insisting that he could not be the child that died fifteen years ago. They concluded that the person was not mentally stable despite the constant proclamation that he was Danny and stalking Joy at her house, which was his former home. He schemed the plan to have him sedated and admitted at Birch Psychiatric Hospital; when Joy began to feel remorseful for her actions, Ward reassured her that she did the right thing and that they could have turned him over to the police.[4][7]
Chikara Dojo
After the man made a call to Colleen Wing, Harold requested that Ward visit Chikara Dojo. With her class ending, he walked inside the dojo and introduced himself to its owner, questioning her about the presence of the man that identified as "Danny Rand." Though she told him she has never made contact with him, Meachum offered her a deal that would keep him away. He gave her time to think about the cash reward despite telling him that she did not feel threatened or uncomfortable about him.[7]
A Change in Plans
As Ward walked back to his office, he stared at Wing leaving through the elevators. He went into his sister's office to find her excitingly weeping over M&M candies. Though he asked why Wing was on the premises, Joy informed him that the M&Ms provided her definitive evidence that the man was Danny Rand, as he was the only one that knew about the removal of the brown ones. Ward did not believe this to be strong enough proof and continued to perceive him as a threat. Frustrated, she ridiculed his attitude, comparing him to their father; Ward sighed and left the room.
Later, in the Rand Enterprises Building, Ward held a meeting with Joy and the executives. It was interrupted by a call from Frank N. Stein, leaving Ward to retreat to his office. During the conversation, Harold was convinced that their patient was, in fact, Danny Rand and requested that he be moved to a safer location. Ward, however, felt he was not Rand and protested on her father's behalf to have him coddled in a safer environment. Harold repeated that he thought Rand would be an essential asset in taking down the Hand. Though Ward agreed to have him moved, he ended the call and informed Birch Psychiatric to assault Rand.[7]
Rand's Escape
With alerts of Rand's escape, Ward tasked Shannon and his men to guard Chikara Dojo.
Paying the Penthouse another visit, Ward informed Harold of Rand's escape from the hospital.[8]
Covering for Harold
Hiding the Bodies
Ward was called by Harold Meachum, and refused to answer the phone for a long while and when he finally did, Ward was told that he needed him to come to the Penthouse immediately, despite the late hour, for something important. When Ward expressed his desire not to come, Meachum told him that he needed him in an attempt to emotionally manipulate his son.
When Ward arrived, he was horrified to see his father smashing in the faces of two Hand soldiers using a hammer to destroy their faces and teeth and cutting off their fingers in order to make them harder to identify. Ward threw up, although Harold remained calm, questioning what had happened to Ward's broken hand. Harold told his son to take the bodies to Pelham Bay Park and dump them in the lake, noting that the Hand or the New York City Police Department would eventually find them but hopefully they would be in the clear by then.
Ward furiously confronted his father about calling him in the middle of the night to dump bodies for him, but Meachum argued that there was nobody else he could call to help him with this and that Ward always came when he needed him. Meachum compared this action to them going deer hunting when Ward was a child, although Ward noted that they had never been hunting together, with Meachum questioning if he had taken Joy Meachum hunting instead then. Meachum then continued smashing the faces while Ward looked on in disgust and horror at all of the violence.[9]
Assassination of Harold Meachum
to be added
Manipulation and Cleaning
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When Meachum returned to the penthouse, he was surprised by the arrival of Rand, whom immediately slammed him against the wall. As Rand questioned Meachum about his father, he had given him the lie that he had not seen his father and saw the blood in the mats. As Rand expressed sorrow and remorse for his actions in Anzhou, Meachum continued to lie, placing blame on him for having to mourn his father's death a second time. He soon began to clean the blood after Rand left the penthouse.[10]
His Unexpected Return
| This section requires expansion |
Meachum revisited Harold Meachum's Penthouse and was surprised to hear and see a revived Harold Meachum stand before him. Initially, he was afraid, as Harold asked him if he were a bad father to him. Meachum told Harold that he wished to step away from being his right-hand; though Harold allowed him to leave, Meachum repeated declined that he bring Joy Meachum into this.[11]
Trapped
to be added
A Deal with the Devil
| This section requires expansion |
Calm and asleep in his room, Meachum is visited by a stranger, whom walked to his IV stand. He awakened and asked who they were; they answered that his name was Bakuto and that he wished to be friends, administering an antidote to the heroin. Bakuto informed Meachum that he was Hand, which led the patient to quickly draw conclusions that any deals made with him had strings attached and asking what he wanted. Continuing on, he told Ward that he wanted Harold gone, as he had become too bolder in his actions. Bakuto also mentioned that he wanted to hold Madame Gao's former position in Rand Enterprises and sell the antidotes to the heroin that has been sold and distributed around the world. He requested from Meachum that he bring him Iron Fist while free, to which Meachum accepted.
Arriving at the penthouse, Ward is greeted by Joy, elated to see him again since his previous breakdown.[12]
Framing Danny Rand
To be added
Battle at the Rand Enterprises Building
To be added
Business Changes
- "Midland Circle Financial."
"I remember that name. Ward gave us a list of places to cease doing business with." - ―Danny Rand and Rand Enterprises Accountant[src]
Soon after the death of his father, Meachum became a co-CEO of the Rand Enterprises, together with Danny Rand, while Joy decided to leave the company. In order to start their new leadership from scratch, Meachum officially ordered to cease the business with several companies, including the Midland Circle Financial. Two months later, Meachum left New York City for a business trip.[13]
Meachum was informed that Rand Enterprises cybernetic division was contacted by Rand who requested the high-tech prosthetic arm for Misty Knight. Interested, Meachum personally checked the characteristic and purchase orders of the arm.[14]
NA Meetings
To be added
Dinner Plans
- "I wish we could just... I don't know, get together, hash it out."
"What world is that gonna happen in?"
"Good point."
"No. I could be wrong. If you invite us dinner, drinks here at your place, we talk it out. We could do this tonight, even." - ―Danny Rand and Ward Meachum[src]
To be added
Offering an Olive Branch
- "You want independence. I hear that. No strings. No Rand. It's yours. It's a gift."
"And you wouldn't be involved at all?"
"Think of me like a like a silent partner. A resource. Joy, imagine what we could accomplish together."
"I don't know how to make this any clearer for you, Ward. I don't want you involved."
"Wow. This is supposed to be an olive branch. A peace offering."
"Whose peace? I mean, this... this need for codependency is pathetic. What are you doing? I mean, isn't it about time you stop making me a surrogate for Mom?" - ―Ward Meachum and Joy Meachum[src]
To be added
Favor for Wing and Knight
- "Look, Ward, Danny is missing. We think someone may have grabbed him."
"Any idea who?"
"That's what we need your help with. All we have is a name. Mary."
"And that may be an alias. We're hoping she left prints on these."
"We're trying to avoid this going public."
"A media circus is never a good thing. I'll put Rand corporate security on it." - ―Colleen Wing, Ward Meachum and Misty Knight[src]
To be added
Heartfelt Conversation
- "At these meetings, everybody has a story. Bethany's been trying to get me to talk, to take a step, but I can't. Say the truth in front of all those strangers, how can I do that?"
"I think that's the point, Ward. You just gotta keep showing up."
"Why? It's all part of this stupid plan. I do all the steps. I get all healthy. I sit down with Joy. She forgives me for everything she thinks I've done. But I'm stuck on the fourth step. "Fearless and searching moral inventory." From the guy who murdered his father. Twice." - ―Ward Meachum and Danny Rand[src]
To be added
Babysitting Joy
- "You have no idea what I spared you from. There were so many times that I wanted to tell you. I would literally pack a bag, buy plane tickets, get into a car, drive to your place, thinking, how am I gonna tell you that we need to run away and start over?"
"But you didn't do it. And now we're here." - ―Ward Meachum and Joy Meachum[src]
To be added
Brawl at the Sports Bar
- "Do you even hear yourself? Stop deflecting, Ward. Own this. For Christ's sake. You get to decide who you wanna be. So, who do you wanna be?"
"I don't know. But whoever that guy is, let's start with drunk." - ―Bethany and Ward Meachum[src]
To be added
A Deal with Walker
- "If I get you your file, will you help me get to her? Get her away from him if that's what needs to happen? Make sure she's safe?"
"She is not safe as long as he is breathing. I've told her as much. The only answer, when it comes to Davos, is a final one."
"Then we bury a bullet in his brain." - ―Ward Meachum and Mary Walker[src]
To be added
Meeting Turk Barrett
- "How about you, Suit?"
"He's not interested."
"I am interested."
"You brought me to do a job, not take you on safari." - ―Turk Barrett, Mary Walker and Ward Meachum[src]
To be added
Sharing His Story
- "I'm not great with people. I'm terrible at relationships. I'm a son with no mother or father. I'm a brother with no sister. And I'm very deeply alone. I was in a bar a few days ago. I found myself doing what you do in a place like that. And a friend of mine, that I care for deeply, she came to me in that awful place and she asked me, "Who do you want to be?" I, I don't even know how to begin to consider that question. I have lived my life in relation to others. And I have estimated my self-worth based on that equation. And the fact is that now all those relationships are gone. So I'm here to say to all of you that I have no one. And I don't know myself."
- ―Ward Meachum[src]
To be added
Joining Danny Rand
Trip Across Asia
Meachum asks Danny Rand to explain himself
- "You already know who you are. Why don't you find out who you could be?"
"It's irresponsible. You can't just up and leave. You can't run away from yourself."
"Maybe you'd be running towards yourself." - ―Danny Rand and Ward Meachum[src]
Suddenly, Meachum was informed by Katie that Danny Rand charted Rand Enterprises Private Jet to travel to Asia. At the airport, Meachum argued with the pilot, stating that the airplane is not gonna departure until Rand talks with him personally. As Meachum ignored all his answers, he continued yelling on the pilot before Rand arrived at the airport. Meachum questioned Rand about his sudden decision to leave the United States what Rand replied, saying that this was complicated. However, Meachum insisted that he is not going to let Rand go until he explains everything.
Meachum listening to Danny Rand's answers
Rand answered that he needs to understand the legacy of the Iron Fist, handing him the Hancock Transport bill of landing. While Meachum was examining the paper, Rand explained that Davos obtained the corpse of previous Iron Fist from someone who could have an answered that Rand needed. As Meachum simply proposed Rand to call them on a telephone, Rand claimed that he needed to go on the journey to find his own way what Meachum briefly mocked. Rand then explained that he needs to find a better way to become a better man before to get on a plane, leaving Meachum outside.
Meachum rants about Danny Rand's departure
Joining Rand in a plane, Meachum allowed him to go wherever he wants to follow his own way, while Meachum would stay to lead Rand Enterprises by himself once again. As Rand was annoyed by Meachum's complaining, he reminded Rand that he was not the one who was raised by the monks and defeated the dragon. Rand suddenly proposed Meachum to join him in his journey but Meachum noted that leaving the country is too irresponsible for him and this is too late to run from himself. However, Rand convinced Meachum that he could find out which person he could be and learn more about himself and Meachum eventually agreed.
Meachum joins Danny Rand's on the trip
Together, Meachum and Rand traveled across China, Malaysia, and Indonesia, chasing the trail of the Hancock shipment. Eventually, they learned the name of their target - Orson Randall, mysterious and powerful black-market dealer. Meachum and Rand managed to track down his facility in Jakarta where they stole Randall's shipment.[15]
Skirmish in Hokkaido
Meachum confronts Orson Randall's men
- "I thought you said you had this handled, Ward."
"We can't know the future. Not completely." - ―Danny Rand and Ward Meachum[src]
Months later, Meachum and Danny Rand tracked Orson Randall's subordinates in Japan. Meachum went for a personal meeting with them in a bar in Hokkaido where he informed him that he knows everything about his employer. While Randall's man kept denying his objections, Meachum showed him Hancock Transport's bill of landing about the corpse of Iron Fist and called Randall by his name. As Randall's man was interested now, Meachum noted how difficult for them was their search for Randall, recalling their travels to Hong Kong in Kuala Lumpur.
Meachum allows Danny Rand to help him
As soon as Meachum mentioned Jakarta, Randall's man figured out that Meachum was responsible in the theft of Randall's shipment there what Meachum confirmed. As henchman signaled his partner, he confronted Meachum in order to reclaim their shipment but Meachum warned him to stay away from him. Randall's men refused to let him go and Meachum allowed Rand, who was in the bar too, to deal with them. Meachum then left the bar, leaving Randall's men with Rand who used his dual pistols charged with chi to confront them.[15]
Personality
- "I did something to you that was unforgivable. And the cornerstone of my existence since then has been to hold on to the idea that I had no other choice. Which is my own problem. But whether you forgive me or not, I will always be there for you if you need me."
- ―Ward Meachum to Joy Meachum[src]
Meachum carries himself with an arrogant, rude, condescending, and confident air and can come across as spiteful and mean. During his youth, he often bullied Danny Rand and played cruel pranks on him. Not much has changed by the time he became an adult. When Rand returned, Meachum showed the fear that Rand would come to try and take back the Rand Enterprises and cause more problems in his and sister's lives, ultimately refusing to believe Rand's identity. He was willing to have Rand killed to get him out of the picture, which he attempted twice, and later nearly killed Rand himself by pushing him out a window when he came close to entering Harold Meachum's Penthouse.
Behind his smugness, Meachum is in truth weak-willed and suffers from an inferior complex. Joy constantly proves to be better than him with business. His father, Harold showed him no love or praise despite Meachum's best attempts to aid him, only forcing him to perform participate in more horrific and morally dubious acts. His inferior complex only got more intense when Harold blatantly showed his favoritism toward Joy over him. Meachum also felt pressure from Joy, who idolized and wanted approval from her brother, which felt as being put on a pedestal by her.
Combined with the stain of secrecy to his father, this led Meachum to continuously take drugs to calm his nerves and inner pain. The combined stress of Harold manipulating his life, keeping Joy in the dark about their father being alive and his drug abuse started to affect his sanity, enough to cause him to kill his own father and dispose of his body while making Rand think that the Hand did it because of Rand's fight with them. His sanity was also affected by his fear and guilt over what he had seen, enough to cause him to talk to the corpses of Alexi and Vando, whose bodies he disposed of on behalf of his father, hallucinating after finding King's severed head with Rand, and imagining blood around him after having killed his father.
He wasn't without his virtues. Meachum genuinely cares and love his sister, Joy. He was conflicted by his secrecy to Joy, having been forced to keep Harold's secret for her own safety. After learning the danger his father was becoming due to his resurrection, especially towards Joy, he became devoted to finding a way to destroy his father, even dealing with Bakuto to do so in his desperation.
After torturous experiences dealing with his drug withdrawal and Harold's schemes, Meachum has become more humble and confident. Realizing that Harold's scheming would lead to no good for him and his sister, Meachum allied with Rand to take him down. After dealing with Harold, Meachum made his peace with Rand and even offered him to run the company together.
Abilities
- "I don't really need to know the "why". Ward's leadership has led Rand to success after success."
- ―Joy Meachum to Danny Rand[src]
- Expert Businessman: Meachum is the CEO of Rand Enterprises and successfully ran the company for several years while at the same time working with his father.
- "I know how to handle a gun."
- ―Ward Meachum to Mary Walker[src]
- Marksman: Meachum is skilled with a handgun. He was able to shoot his father twice in the chest from a short distance. He later took down Chen Wu with a bullet to the throat while saving Joy.
Equipment
Weapons
- Kimber Pro CDPII: Meachum had this handgun stored in his car and used to held Danny Rand at gunpoint when he entered into his car, as he believed him to be an impostor. Rand easily disarmed him and pointed him in return before discarding the gun.
- Glock 19: Meachum took the handgun from one of Harold Meachum's men in order to rescue her sister Joy from the influence of their father. After a brief struggle, Ward held his father and his two men at gunpoint as Joy agreed to leave with him, but lost it once Bakuto and his men arrived and held the whole family at gunpoint.
- Heckler & Koch USP Compact: Meachum then took one of these handguns from the defeated security guards loyal to Harold Meachum to the roof of the Rand Enterprises Building where Danny Rand was battling his father. He shot at the latter, making him fall from the building.
- Handgun: Meachum bought this gun from Turk Barrett when he accompanied Mary Walker to build gear from him. He then used it to shoot Chen Wu in the neck at Eden Towers, when she went there to rescue Joy Meachum, as Wu was fighting and about to overpower Misty Knight.
- Hand Ceremonial Knife: In an act of pure rage, Meachum had furiously grabbed a nearby knife and used it to murder Harold Meachum, by stabbing him repeatedly in the chest, leaving the knife in his father's corpse as he dumped him into the river.
Other Equipment
- Prescribed Medication: Suffering from some amounts of nervousness and anxiety, Ward typically takes some form of medication to alleviate the building stress. He, however, mixes the medication with alcohol.
- Steel Serpent: When Ward began to suffer from severe anxiety and paranoia and unable to obtain another prescription of anti-anxiety medication, he came in contact with the heroin drug manufactured by the Hand.
Facilities
- Meachum Residence: To be added
- Rand Enterprises Building: To be added
- Rand Enterprises Chemical Plant: To be added
Relationships
Family
Allies
|
Enemies
|
Appearances
| Appearances for Ward Meachum |
|---|
|
In chronological order:
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Trivia
- In the comics, Ward Meachum is the brother of Harold Meachum, and plot revenge against Iron Fist with his niece Joy Meachum, hiring the Steel Serpent to kill him. He was also responsible for creating Shades' laser-shooting sunglasses and providing Comanche some Trick Arrows. Ward Meachum was later killed by a Super-Skrull.
Behind the Scenes
- James Newman was a stunt double for Tom Pelphrey in the role of Ward Meachum.
References
- ↑ Iron Fist: 1.05: Under Leaf Pluck Lotus
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Iron Fist: 2.06: The Dragon Dies at Dawn
- ↑ Iron First: 2.09: War Without End
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Iron Fist: 1.01: Snow Gives Way
- ↑ Iron Fist: 2.04: Target: Iron Fist
- ↑ Ward Meachum's Linkedin page
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Iron Fist: 1.02: Shadow Hawk Takes Flight
- ↑ Iron Fist: 1.03: Rolling Thunder Cannon Punch
- ↑ Iron Fist: 1.07: Felling Tree with Roots
- ↑ Iron Fist: 1.08: The Blessing of Many Fractures
- ↑ Iron Fist: 1.09: The Mistress of All Agonies
- ↑ Iron Fist: 1.12: Bar the Big Boss
- ↑ The Defenders 1.03: Worst Behavior
- ↑ The Defenders 2.05: Heart of the Dragon
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Iron Fist: 2.10: A Duel of Iron
| Preceded by: - |
CEO of Domani Architecture Ward Meachum 2002 - 2004 |
Succeeded by: - |
| Preceded by: Harold Meachum |
CEO of Rand Enterprises Ward Meachum 2004 - 2016 |
Succeeded by: Ward Meachum/Danny Rand |
| Preceded by: Ward Meachum |
CEO of Rand Enterprises Ward Meachum/Danny Rand 2016 |
Succeeded by: - |
