Luke Cage season 2 binge watch review
Photo Credit: Netflix/David Lee
4. Luke Cage S2 E4 – “I Get Physical”
The fourth episode picks up right where the last ended, with the Bushmaster taking down Luke. While the fight physically hurts him, the majority of the pain comes from the blow to Luke’s public image. People are laughing about the “fall of the King” and others have lost faith. If Luke can’t protect their city from the Bushmaster, then who will? It also doesn’t help that he strikes just as Harlem’s hero is at his lowest.
Thankfully, his arrival does give Luke something to focus on outside of his relationship woes. Claire has gotten rid of her apartment, leaving him with nowhere to live. Teaming up with Misty, the two find the beheaded body of Nigel. But this episode does flesh out this season’s villain in an interesting way.
First, it seems like his power comes from magic, which is interesting considering Runaways was told they couldn’t use anything mystical. With Mariah, he easily flaunts his confidence and unwillingness to be manipulated. However, the best scene is near the end when he returns to his Jamaican restaurant. He’s greeted with smiles and hugs, even by the waitress who pretended to be scared of him in episode two.
Meanwhile, Mariah is still both desperate for some fast cash to get away but can’t let go of Harlem’s Paradise. The scene where she yells “it’s Dillard, b*tch” to the Bushmaster is perfectly executed. Why is she so desperate to get rid of the Stokes’ name but so apprehensive with getting rid of their legacy?
The most fascinating development in this episode is Bobby’s fish plan. He’s recruited Shades’ main henchman to be an informant, something I did not see coming. Is the man trying to take down Mariah’s organization? Or does Bobby have his own agenda through this all? I’m leaning towards the former, but if that’s the case it will be interesting to see his reasoning. It doesn’t seem like we’ll get an answer anytime soon since Bobby is leaving Harlem to help his daughter.
By the end of the hour, Luke has lost two of the most important people in his life and is served with a lawsuit. Things are definitely not looking up for the hero of Harlem.