At age nineteen Rand was given the opportunity to gain the power of the Iron Fist. Declining to stay in K'un-Lun eternally, Rand returned to America when the nexus reopened in order to take vengeance on Meachum for his fathero s death. While recovering from severe frostbite in the Himalayas, Meachum learned of Rand's training at K'un-Lun, and returned to America as an invalid to await Rand. Clad in the ceremonial garb of Iron Fist, Rand finally confronted Meachum but took pity on the invalid and spared him. Minutes later, however, a mysterious ninja murdered Meachum. Blamed for the murder, Iron Fist undertook the mission of finding the ninja and clearing his own name. Eventually Iron Fist succeeded in both tasks.