Madame Gao

"History says that the Iron Fist and The Hand are mortal enemies but I wonder, in the spirit of change, perhaps we could be something different. Last night showed me the truth: K'un-Lun did not send you to hunt us down. You left of your own free will because you wanted to be Danny Rand. So why not enjoy the life you travelled so far for. I need your company, but the spoils are for you to enjoy. Buy a yacht, eat at fancy restaurants with your friends - like Claire Temple or Colleen Wing. Stop your war! This city is no place for the Iron Fist! You're a businessman now, and this is the best offer you are ever going to get..."

- Madame Gao tries to make a deal with Danny

Madame Gao is a villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in the Netflix series' Marvel's Daredevil and Marvel's Iron Fist.

Despite her small stature and her old age, Gao is a shrewd businesswoman and the leader of The Hand. She runs most of the heroin trade in New York City and eventually teams up with Wilson Fisk's criminal empire. However, after major setbacks by the interference of Daredevil in addition to Fisk losing his nerve due to his love for Vanessa Marianna, Gao and Leland Owlsley, another partner of Fisk's decide to assassinate Vanessa to get Fisk back on track. After this fails, Gao leaves the country to evade retaliation but returns to her operation after Fisk has been imprisoned. However, this time she is opposed by Danny Rand, the Iron Fist, who wants to clear his company Rand Enterprises from any influence The Hand has. This puts him at odds with Gao, as the company has strategic value to her.

She is portrayed by Wai Ching Ho.

Past
Gao hails from K'un-Lun.

Marvel's Daredevil
Madame Gao is part of Wilson Fisk's criminal empire but later betrays him together with Leland Owlsley, as she thinks that Fisk has lost his nerve.

Visiting Harold
After Harold Meachum has found out that Danny Rand is still alive, he leaves his penthouse to find out whether the person that has come to New York is truly Danny. When Harold comes back to the penthouse, he finds a message by The Hand written on his window, revealing that The Hand knows that Harold left the penthouse.

The next night, Madame Gao and other members of The Hand infiltrate Harold's penthouse. They cut the lights and Gao speaks to Harold from the shadows, causing him to drop his glass in fear. Gao tells him that The Hand is disappointed and that his loyalty has been questioned. Harold is shocked and afraid but tries to make clear that he is still loyal to Gao and The Hand. Gao confronts him with the fact that he left the penthouse and he tells her about Danny Rand, claiming that he is an impostor and that he had to deal with the subject himself. Gao reminds him of their agreement and tells him that he has to follow it to the letter, elsewhise there will be consequences. After asserting her dominance by forcing him to kneel in the glass shards, Gao leaves the horrified Harold alone. The Hand later orders Harold to make sure Rand Enterprises acquires a certain pier and Harold tells his son Ward. Ward makes sure that the company buys the pier. The same evening, Gao and a few of her associates enter Harold's penthouse and throw a hood in front of his feet. Ordering him to put it over his head, Gao then tells him that they will go for a ride. They take Harold. Once they have arrived at their destination, Gao has the hood removed from Harold's head. She tells him that he has been a faithful servant and that for his part in securing the pier, he will be rewarded. Henchmen then remove the curtains from a nearby window and Harold realizes that the apartment next to the building they are in is that of Joy, Harold's daughter. For the first time in twelve years, Harold can see his daughter.

However, he then sees that someone had previously hit Joy. Gao reveals that Joy had been attacked by some criminals but that Danny protected her. Nonetheless, Harold is outraged and asks whether Gao will fulfill her "faithful servant" one last wish. The wish is granted and Harold, together with other masked members of The Hand, is permitted to storm the restaurant of the Triads that attacked Joy and personally executes the triad member who struck Joy. After justice has been served, Harold announces that he is now ready to go back home; to captivity.

Shipment attacked
The Hand then starts a new operation in New York. They have a completely new kind of synthetic heroin shipped in through the pier and distribute it into the city. These news eventually reach Danny. In addition, Harold has revealed to Danny that he is alive because as Iron Fist, Danny is a sworn enemy of the Hand. Harold has managed to draw Danny to his side and help him defeat the Hand and Danny starts investigating The Hand's business in New York City. Eventually, Danny infiltrates a Hand shipment at the pier, he is accidentally imprisoned in one of their trucks. Inside the truck he finds the chemist The Hand blackmails in order to produce their new heroin. Danny is attacked by King, a henchman of The Hand, but manages to defeat King and escapes with the scientist.

King is later confronted by Madame Gao and is forced to admit his failure. He reveals to her that Danny was a skilled fighter and managed to punch open the truck door with his bare hands. Gao gets suspicious at that, asking King whether it was both hands or merely Danny's fist. King is not sure and Gao orders him to kneel in front of her. Once King is on his knees, Gao steps behind him, draws a hidden blade from her cane and rams it through the back of King's skull, executing him for his failure.

Duel between Danny and The Hand
Danny continues tracking down the Hand, who kidnapped the scientist's daughter in order to blackmail the man into producing the heroin. In a warehouse of the Hand, Danny eventually finds the truck that carried the scientist. Inside is the severed head of King and an invitation for a duel. Danny accepts the Hand's invitation and heads to the place described on the invite. There, he claims to accept the challenge under the condition that Sabina is freed if he wins. Also, the Hand has to leave Rand Enterprises. After Danny has given his conditions, Madame Gao emerges from the shadows. She welcomes him with honor and tells him that her master agrees to Danny's terms. However, should he lose the duel but remain alive, he has to stay away of all business The Hand has in New York. Danny agrees. Both then wash their hands in the small stone pond in the middle of the room, according to tradition, and Gao leads Danny into a back room two warriors of The Hand wait. By slamming her cane to the ground, Gao signals the beginning of the fight and then watches as the battle begins. Danny wins the fight and Gao announces that the first battle is won. She then turns around and walks off, leaving Danny with his two unconscious combatants.

Danny follows Gao who brings him into another dark room, one that is covered in frost and mist and has rags hanging from the ceiling. This time, Danny's combatant also drugs him - making the battle even more uneven. Nonetheless, Danny wins the fight and Gao announces Danny's second victory. As Danny is still affected by the poison, Gao gives him the chance to withdraw but Danny claims that he will not leave without the girl. Without pressing the matter any further, Gao leads Danny to the next challenge. Gao leads him to yet another room. After Danny has entered it, Gao closes the door behind him and locks it. She enters through another door a short time later, just in time to witness Danny using his Iron Fist powers against his opponent. She watches with amusement. Danny defeats this fighter as well and is even ready to kill him. However, he then sees Gao holding a blade to the throat of the chemist's daughter. Gao orders him to stop, claiming that she will cut the girl's throat if Danny strikes down her warrior. She tells Danny that Sabina will be spared if Danny withdraws from the challenge. Danny is shocked, calling it dishonorable but Gao laughs at that and asks why she should care for honor. With no option, Danny agrees to withdraw from the duel. Gao then lets Sabina go and adds that she did not believe that she would ever meet another Iron Fist during her lifetime.From her words, Danny realizes that there is more to Gao then he thought. He asks her who she is and she reveals that she originates from K'un-Lun. As she remembers K'un-Lun as a paradise, she is surprised that Danny left it to come to New York, adding that he did not initially come to destroy The Hand. As Danny and Sabina turn to leave, Gao claims that she is entertained by how Danny's mind works. Remarking that Danny is different from the K'un-Lun monks she remembers, Gao asks whether the place has changed. Danny claims that they still teach honor and Gao adds that she thought that Danny's father Wendell could have needed more of that. This causes Danny to sprint back at her, angrily demanding that she tells him what she was implying. However, Gao casually touches his chest which hurls Danny backwards several meters. Danny crashes into a wall and Gao walks off.

At Rand Enterprises
The next day, Danny is at Rand Enterprises talking with Joy Meachum when suddenly, Madame Gao steps out of the elevator. She enters Danny's office and he follows her immediately. Inside the office, Gao comments on the functionality of the room. Danny asks her how she got into the building but Gao comments that she has been in Rand Enterprises far longer than Danny himself. When Danny moves towards her, she shrewdly asks whether Danny would really attack an old woman in front of all his employees - given that he is in enough trouble as it is. She mentions that Danny is not the first Iron Fist she met and Danny asks whether this is the reason why she is using the Iron Fist symbol minus the dragon on her heroin packages. She ignores Danny's question and continues her monologue, claiming that the other Iron Fists she knew were fierce and would have never backed down from a grand duel just because an innocent life was at stake. Danny then asks how Gao knew his father and Gao claims that, while has walked on this earth for a long time, the recent changes; including the arrival of Daredevil and Luke Cage and now an Iron Fist's departure from K'un-Lun; are very unusual. Because of these changes, Gao reveals that she wonders whether the feud between the Iron Fist and The Hand can be changed into something more productive as well. She adds that last night showed her the truth - K'un-Lun did not send Danny to hunt and destroy The Hand, he left of his own free will because he wanted to be Danny Rand and not the Iron Fist. She claims that he should do what he travelled so far for. She says that while she needs Danny's company, the spoils will be for Danny to enjoy. She mentions that Danny could use the luxury that would come his way to eat at fancy restaurants with his friends Claire Temple and Colleen Wing, indirectly threatening and revealing that she is aware how she can hurt Danny. However, despite her offer Danny repeats his question about his father and also asks whether she made him an offer too. Gao ignores the question and leaves the room, casually adding that Danny should not forget to water his plants. Gao then enters the elevator and uses a Rand Enterprises security card access to leave the floor.

Danny pursues her by jumping onto her elevator. Although Gao and her bodyguards hear the noise they brush it off. Gao steps off on the second floor, where she enters a conference room. In the room, a woman explains to her how they will be using Rand Enterprises trucks to smuggle their heroin into the entire eastern seaboard. The woman also tells Gao that the demand is higher than they initially expected and that they will be able to reach their sale goals within three months as long as the supply keeps up. Gao claims that quantity is not an issue, as the chemist is almost ready to give up his formula and that they then can start mass production. Gao asks whether there is anything else to discuss and when the woman denies it, Gao and her bodyguards leave. They are unaware that their entire conversation has been eavesdropped on by Danny, who interrogates the businesswoman after Gao is gone.