Photo Credit: Netflix
1. Luke Cage S2 E1 – “Soul Brother #1”
The season two premiere of Luke Cage feels almost like another show. It makes sense for “Soul Brother #1” to explore how his life has changed since becoming a hero. Unlike the other Defenders, he fights crime out in the open. While Luke has become a figure out hope in Harlem, he can barely fight crime without an app revealing his location or fans asking for a photo.
Mariah and Shades are also back in the premiere with their villainous hijinks. Turns out the two are stronger than ever and hoping to make a large amount of cash as quickly as possible. While I still don’t fully buy their couple-in-love act, there’s no denying they make a strong King and Queen of the underworld.
However, Luke Cage is still dealing with the same problem the other Marvel series has: pacing. The series should never have confirmed Misty’s bionic arm, the Daughters of the Dragon team-up, or Danny’s appearance. Sitting through the premiere, it’s hard not to be disappointed to see all of these things right away. A large part of that is because I’m more invested in Misty’s story than I am with Luke’s.
Speaking of the titular character, “Soul Brother #1” introduces his estranged father into the fold. The two aren’t on great terms, and that relationship will certainly be an uphill battle. However, Luke has other issues to deal with, like paying rent. He doesn’t want to take any endorsements, and Bobby Fish is desperate to figure out a way to finance Luke’s heroism.
Overall, this is a solid reentry into the world of Luke Cage. The ensemble cast feels stronger than last year, and the direction seems more sure-footed. “Soul Brother #1” also introduces the new villain, the Bushmaster, who is a little underwhelming. That final fight scene choreography was a little weak but I’m hopeful he’ll get better.
Photo Credit: Netflix/David Lee
2. Luke Cage S2 E2 – “Straighten It Out”
While the premiere served as a reintroduction, “Straighten It Out” tries to disrupt the status quo. Like Jessica Jones‘ second season, Luke Cage seems intent on exploring estranged family dynamics. Unfortunately, I think it was done better on the former compared to the latter. Mainly because I can’t remember Mariah’s daughter even being mentioned once last year. As far as Luke’s father, his return feels more like a plot device to cause problems between Claire and Luke.
However, this episode does feature a cameo from New York Jets’ coach Todd Bowles. It’s actually pretty funny sequence, with Luke showing off his skills to a crowd of adoring fans. There’s (probably) no rule saying he can’t join the NFL, and it’s astounding Bowles would be the only coach flocking to Harlem. Luke could basically become every football team’s saving grace and it’s nice to see the show reflect on his choice to be a hero rather than cash in.
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Bushmaster works much better in “Straighten It Out” because he carries himself with a charismatic ease. Walking through the streets, he offers up a smile to some neighborhood kids playing “Luke Cage”. Even when he enters Mariah’s daughter’s shop, he perfectly blends intimidation with charm.
In a slightly more exciting turn of events, Misty is finally back at work! However, everyone in her precinct either wants to treat her with kid gloves or anger. Scarfe’s reveal as a dirty cop last season has had countless arrests thrown out the window. Nevertheless, she’s not planning on rolling over anytime soon.
Mariah and her daughter make up, which suddenly has Shades on the outside looking in. There’s no doubt he’s going to try and separate them for his own gain. Didn’t he do the same to Cottonmouth and Mariah last season? As much as I like Mariah, the introduction of her daughter feels rushed and out of place.
Luke doesn’t exactly end “Straighten It Out” in a great place. He gets in a major fight with Claire over Matt’s death (at least until Daredevil season 3) and accidentally bludgeons a gangster to the brink of death. To be fair, he was fuming from his fight and said gangster managing to injure him earlier in the night. But it certainly isn’t the position he was hoping to be in during this fight.
Photo Credit: Netflix/David Lee
3. Luke Cage S2 E3 – “Wig Out”
The women of Luke Cage are quickly becoming the best characters on the series. While I was a little apprehensive of Mariah’s new motherhood storyline, I always had total faith in Alfre Woodward. She knocks it out of the park in “Wig Out” and reminds fans why she should’ve been the villain of season one instead of Diamondback.
While Mariah is maintaining her fond public persona, she’s still scheming for money in the background. She seamlessly manages to win Tilda over and convince Shades to do her dirty work. The two manage to get a huge sum of money at the last minute but make an unknowing deal with the devil to do so.
Misty gets a ton to do in the third episode without complaint. Colleen Wing stops by and the two bond over a quick sparring session. While everyone in Misty’s life has treated her differently because of the injury, Colleen isn’t about to hold back. It’s refreshing to see someone finally pull her out of her funk. Not to mention, their fight scene at the bar is easily one of the best of the series. I’m definitely not alone with hoping the two get a spin-off series of their own or at least a mini-series.
Luke finally comes face to face with the Bushmaster and his gang. While he easily takes out the men and women of the gang, it all turns out to be a test. Bushmaster just wanted to see what exactly Luke could do so he could adapt his own fighting style. He’s quickly becoming one of my favorite Marvel villains and has easily overtaken Diamondback from the first season.
Nevertheless, Luke isn’t very likable at all in “Wig Out”. Luke Cage has always explored themes of discrimination and racism. However, Luke trying to minimize what Claire has gone through to make it seem like he has it worse just seems sloppy. As people of color, both of them have endured various forms of discrimination through racism, sexism, and even the people they affiliate with. It’s unfortunate to see Claire leave, but there’s no denying she had every right to after their fight. In one scene Luke transforms into a guy having a violent tantrum, and she can’t take on that risk with someone who can snap her in half.
With Rosario Dawson’s future with Marvel unclear, this seems like a low-point to write her out of the series. It would be nice to see her appear in Daredevil season three and have a full circle ending with Matt. However, that seems unlikely since production has almost wrapped. At this point, the series would really need to earn a reunion between Luke and Claire before tossing them back together.
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.
Photo Credit: Netflix/David Lee
5. Luke Cage S2 E5 – “All Souled Out”
“All Souled Out” is easily one of the best episodes of the second season. Luke doesn’t come across as inherently unlikable, maybe because he actually has a good reason to lose his cool. Meanwhile, Misty has her new arm from Rand and the story possibilities are endless. Basically, this hour is crafted to see how far down the rabbit hole our villains can go before they realize they’ve made a wrong turn. Meanwhile, Mariah is reminded of how her wealth and status was achieved.
After beating Cockroach to near death, he’s now suing Luke for damages done. The whole arc allows Foggy to make an appearance, and honestly, it makes me excited for Daredevil season 3. He’s only asking for one hundred thousand dollars, a relatively low amount in the scheme of things. But Luke can’t afford rent, much less to pay out damages to criminals he beats up.
Unfortunately, he finally has to sell out to Piranha, the investor who Mariah has funneling her money. At first, he’s played with a bit of light-hearted comedy but things definitely go south. Luke’s contract ultimately allows Piranha to “own” him for the night. First, this starts with selfies and costumes, but the party quickly grows aggressive. Piranha encourages his guests to assault Luke to see how invulnerable he is. However, things get even worse when he feels like shooting Harlem’s hero just for kicks.
Misty is in the same boat in episode five. She’s frustrated Scarfe’s decisions have let Cockroach back out onto the street. Feeling responsible for Luke’s predicament, she makes it her mission to somehow get him back in jail. Unfortunately, this ends up with her attempting to plant evidence at his place before realizing her actions. Yes, Cockroach is a terrible person, but stooping to his level and becoming a dirty cop will only hurt her reputation.
Mariah is such a good villain that it’s hard to hate her. But, there’s no denying she’s a bad person, who’s profited off the misfortune in Harlem. For someone so smart, it’s a little shocking how much she wants to believe she’s “clean.”
Photo Credit: Netflix/David Lee
6. Luke Cage S2 E6 – “The Basement”
This show is called Luke Cage but he might actually be my least favorite character this season. I understand why they’re interjecting some character flaws into Luke, who originally felt like the “perfect” Defender. He didn’t have Jessica’s or Matt’s darkness and wasn’t as infuriating as Danny Rand. However, some of his scenes this season remind me of the latter’s attempt at anger in Iron Fist season one. It comes across like a temper tantrum or a petulant teen throwing a fit against their parents.
It’s been more interesting to see how Luke’s ego has affected his character compared to his sudden anger management issues. He’s a hero and a celebrity, not necessarily in that order. His growing ego could also be attributed to why he’s so obsessed with taking down Mariah. Yes, she’s corrupt but she’s getting out of the business. Couldn’t he be focusing on Bushmaster now rather than her? Does she even pose any substantial threat to Harlem now that she’s retired?
Speaking of Bushmaster, that final fight scene in “The Basement” is downright awful. Everything about it feels like watching the Iron Fist choreography all over again. However, Luke Cage doesn’t even have an excuse like Finn Jones did, since he was learning his fight scenes on the fly. The dialogue is poor, and the execution is muddled. It would be a better use of the show’s time to just see Bushmaster and Mariah fighting each other with Luke to swoop in at the end.
However, the most talked about part of episode six is going to be the realization Shades is bisexual. The scene is well-acted, and it’s nice to see Marvel adding some LGBT representation. That being said, it does feel like the show simply tacked this revelation onto the sixty minutes rather than accurately explore it.
Photo Credit: Netflix/David Lee
7. Luke Cage S2 E7 – “On and On”
I stand by some of my previous statements that Luke’s obsession with Mariah is a little weird. Nonetheless, “On and On” feels like a minor step up from episode six. Luke Cage reveals Bushmaster’s motivation after hinting at it for a while.
As many expected, Bushmaster is after Mariah because of some long familial history. Turns out the Stokes have a reputation for screwing people over. It may not be surprising, but his petty desire to keep calling her “Mariah Stokes” compared to “Mariah Dillard” did have me laugh. Compared to the other Marvel villains, it does seem silly for him to insist on the name change.
However, other than that, Luke Cage feels like it’s beginning to head in the wrong direction. All of the Netflix/Marvel series have had a problem sticking the landing. Jessica Jones manages to skirt by this problem for the most part because the series doesn’t really focus on the superhero aspect. But Daredevil has certainly had subpar second halves for its seasons. Hopefully, this show will be able to get back on track in episode 8, because “On and On” isn’t the best example of a strong episode.
At least the episode does have one of the most gut-wrenching scenes of the series. Shades discovers Comanche is the leak, and is forced to kill him. Theo Rossi shines, and it’s clear just how difficult the situation is for him. Nonetheless, he goes through with it, thus driving a wedge further between him and Mariah.
8. Luke Cage S2 E8 – “If It Ain’t Rough, It Ain’t Right”
Episode 8 ultimately deals with the fallout from the previous episode. Nothing all that exciting happens, but it’s still nice to see the characters react to their new situations. However, “If It Ain’t Rough, It Ain’t Right” really needs to get this story moving along.
Misty didn’t “technically” resign from the police force so she’s now acting captain. As a big fan of hers, it’s nice to see her back in the action. She’s certainly one of the stronger characters on the show, and I feel confident in her subplot even when it’s boring.
However, this hour belongs completely to Mariah and Shades. The two are dealing with a lot of consequences for this season. She’s been fantastic all season, even when some of the writing isn’t there. Although I still don’t think her relationship with Tilda has been fleshed out enough, it’s slowly beginning to grow on me.
Shades, meanwhile, is beating himself up over Comanche’s death. It’s always nice to see characters have lasting consequences for their actions. Theo Rossi has proven all season he can keep up with Alfre Woodard with every scene.
Photo Credit: Netflix/David Lee
9. Luke Cage S2 E9 – “For Pete’s Sake”
Once again, Alfre Woodard is proving she’s the best part of this show. Luke Cage has a major problem to address: its titular character is easily stuck in the most boring plot lines. It would be a major surprise to not see Woodard nominated for some kind of award for her performance this season.
Tilda and Mariah come head to head in this episode which doesn’t end with a clean breakdown. Mariah finally comes clean about the circumstances to Tilda’s birth/ Turns out her husband was a closeted pianist, and their daughter was a result of rape. It explains why Mariah hasn’t had a large part in her daughter’s life and sometimes looks at her coldly. The scene itself is a showcase for Woodard which absolutely rips your heart out.
Meanwhile, Tilda calls her a monster after her speech. It’s not clear whether it’s because of Mariah’s part in killing Cottonmouth, or learning her mother “didn’t love her”. Nevertheless, it’s still a lot for a young girl to stomach. I have no doubts the two women can look forward to a very rocky relationship.
Elsewhere, Luke and his dad make up. It’s a subplot I don’t find particularly interesting because it’s hard to invest in their relationship. Reg Cathey sadly passed away, so it seems unlikely James Lucas sticks around for next season.
Speaking of Luke Cage, he wants to take down Bushmaster again. He can’t seem to decide between Bushmaster and Mariah but clearly the former is the larger threat to Harlem. He could just sit back and let those two destroy each other. They certainly have the ability to do so.
So far, the series is getting by on performance alone rather than a strong cohesive story. While many fans won’t care because this second season is an improvement over the first, this could be problematic in the future. How long can Luke Cage get by with a flat second half? This feels a lot like Diamondback all over again.
Photo Credit: Netflix/David Lee
10. Luke Cage S2 E10 – “The Main Ingredient”
For the first time, I’m actually excited about Iron Fist season two. Danny Rand has always been at his best when they play into the somewhat cocky, but overall naive kid. When he pops in for this episode, there are definitely fans all around the world squealing in excitement. This is the team-up Marvel has been teasing since the Defenders wrapped. It’s a light-hearted fare which feels a little out of place with this season, but the hour was still a lot of fun.
Luke decides to stop by Pop’s to visit his old friend and offer his help. The scene at Pop’s is entertaining, and a bit meta when they comment how the name “the Immortal Iron Fist” is just smart branding. The overall team-up doesn’t disappoint either.
Fans have been waiting for Heroes for Hire for so long that expectations have been high. Their fight scenes perfectly compliment their own individual style and Finn Jones has greatly improved since last year. He seems much more relaxed and the series seems to have confidently found his characterization.
As fun as “The Main Ingredient” is, it’s weighed down by Mariah’s decision to flat out murder the people in the Jamaican restaurant. Her storyline throughout the episode is dark and hard to watch. At least Alfre Woodard is perfect playing a slightly unhinged Mariah as she makes erratic decisions. However, I don’t think the show earns her decision to be called Mariah Stokes. She’s spent the entirety of the season rejecting that name but all of a sudden she’s embracing it? It feels like the series skipped over a major reason for her to accept her history.
The biggest problem in this episode though is that I wish the entire season was like it. Before the second season debuted, Netflix promised Heroes for Hire and Daughters of the Dragon. The fact that it took ten episodes for Danny to show up is a little disappointing. Not to mention, Daughters of the Dragon only got two scenes despite being the perfect mix of thrilling and fun.
Danny leaves at the end of the episode, and I’m not sure why. Bushmaster is still out there, and his entire reason for coming to Harlem was to help Luke fight him. Yet, he seems content to go after Luke has recentered his aura. It’s like the series wants an excuse to get rid of him even though his partnership with Luke has only made the latter infinitely more enjoyable to watch. Danny’s infectious energy rubs off on him and the two play off one another perfectly.
Photo Credit: Netflix/David Lee
11. Luke Cage S2 E11 – “The Creator”
As great as “The Main Ingredient” was, Luke Cage brings us crashing back down to reality. The series immediately picks up with the aftermath of Mariah’s restaurant massacre. Needless to say, Luke is not thrilled to find her latest antics. Considering these were Bushmaster’s friends, he’s even more upset than the hero.
Upon learning of the devastation wrecked on this restaurant, Luke tells Misty he regrets saving Mariah. Honestly, his decision to save her in the first place always rang a little untrue to me, so this makes sense. Luckily, Misty might be able to bring Mariah down for good since one witness managed to escape the ordeal. Since Mariah finally did her own dirty work, Ingrid can officially point to her as the perpetrator.
Bushmaster is still out of commission in “The Creator” so he spends his time bonding with Tilda. He explains that Mother Mabel, otherwise known as Mariah’s aunt, burned his mother alive for her business. Then the series proceeds to show the flashback scene with her dying in one of the most uncomfortable scenes to watch since Game of Thrones.
After his mom dies, Bushmaster finds himself on the business end of a bullet from Uncle Pete. Luckily, he’s saved by nightshade, where the healer claims the herb “reveals”. Basically, she confirms he got his powers elsewhere, but that the nightshade activated them. Could this be from IGH or maybe Roxxon? There are endless possibilities because he could even be the early version of a mutant.
However, the best part of the episode involves Shades and Mariah. The latter is continuing to lose grip on reality and slowly destroying her own budding criminal empire. She agrees to partner with a crime boss to spread heroin throughout Harlem, something she swore never to do. Not to mention, she had a major argument with the ghost of Mother Mabel. Meanwhile, poor Shades is traumatized by the massacre and his hand in Comanche’s death. He refuses to kill for anymore, which results in Mariah belittling his prison romance with his bodyguard.
In a shocking twist, he marches out of her life and directly to the police stations. Turns out guilt is a proper motivation because he willingly turns himself in with the intention of testifying against Mariah.
Photo Credit: Netflix
12. Luke Cage S2 E12 – “Can’t Front On Me”
“Can’t Front On Me” is the penultimate episode of the second season and it definitely delivers. The middle part of this season has felt weak and lost at certain points. Luckily, the show seems to have found its ground a little bit more before the ending.
A lot of time is spent reviewing Shades’ confession with Misty, which is good because it’s by far the most interesting part. He’s a contract killer and a renowned criminal who has grown a conscience over these past few episodes. His partnership with Mariah ultimately broke his moral code and he genuinely seems to want to do right. Unfortunately, Misty says there’s no deal on the table unless he can get the gun used to commit the murders.
He gets his opportunity because Mariah is attempting a full-on assault of Bushmaster. She labeled her heroin “Bushmaster” and using gangsters to spread the word. Luke manages to find the stash house and preserving the evidence for the police. Nevertheless, Bushmaster isn’t thrilled to have his name plastered on top of a dangerous drug.
Mariah decides to throw a massive party at Harlem’s Paradise knowing all of our heroes will be there. Shades make an attempt to “apologize” which really only ends up with Mariah pulling a gun on him. Luckily, Bushmaster is there to save the day by being ridiculously overpowered. It takes Luke, Misty, and Tilda to finally stop him while Shades grabs the fun for the detective.
Do I have any sympathy for Mariah? She’s a good villain and Alfre Woodard is fantastic but I did cheer when Misty got to slap those cuffs on her. She’s been sloppy over these past few episodes and was bound to get caught. Not to mention, she’s been using Luke’s heroism against him and it finally led him to understand what Claire was talking about all the way back in episode three.
Photo Credit: Netflix
13. Luke Cage S2 E13 – “They Can’t Reminisce Over You”
Unlike a lot of other season finales, Luke Cage goes for an understated look. “They Can’t Reminisce Over You” is all about legacy and how it affects the characters. Mariah’s family name has kept all of the gangs at bay, which makes her a necessary evil in Harlem. Bushmaster is adamant on getting vengeance for his family which is why he wants to kill Mariah as a form of justice. Misty just wants to be the one to clean up the streets, but the right way. Where exactly does that leave Luke? Well, the episode ends with him in an interesting place.
While I didn’t mention in my episode 12 breakdown, Rosalie Carbone (played by Annabella Sciorra) was introduced. She’s a new crime boss who’s already been confirmed for Daredevil season 3. Shades confirmes she’s the reason behind the gang war happening throughout Harlem as everyone vies for a place at the top. It’s not a major revelation, but it certainly makes her a major character in the Marvel/Netflix universe to look out for.
Luke deals with her with a couple of threats and demands. She hesitantly accepts to keep fighting outside of Harlem and even flirts with him for a little bit. Is Annabella going to convince Luke to take a walk on the dark side? It would certainly be a nice revelation. However, his decision to allow the gangs to fight as long as it’s in other sections of New York feels very unheroic. Sort of like saying “Hey, it’s Danny’s and Jessica’s problem now!”.
Mariah’s ending feels like a dark twist but understandable. It’s unclear where else they could go with that character, and Alfre Woodard already had an Emmy winning performance to finish her Marvel run. Not to mention, the character can always appear again in flashbacks, especially since the show seems like it plans to show Nightshade’s backstory.
Poor Shades is finally screwed over again by Mariah’s death since he can now be arrested. He’ll be back again next year and potentially be answering to a new boss.
That’s right, Mariah passes along Harlem’s Paradise to Luke since she knows it will corrupt him. However, his corruption has already begun, because he’s the new gang boss of Harlem. Clearly, he thinks he can handle everything happening and get rid of crime in the city. It’s hard to believe he’ll fully go over to the dark side, but that lingering shot of Luke in the club with the crown over his head and in a mobster suit definitely insinuates he will. How will the rest of the heroes react? Luke might be strong, but my guess is Danny and Jessica will be able to stop him.
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Overall, this season has been a major improvement over the first and had better villains. Nevertheless, it still suffered from a lot of the same problems like pacing and properly motivations. While I’ll be tuning in for the third season (assuming it’s renewed), the series really needs to work on making Lukemrore interesting. For now, I’ll just be hoping for a Daughters of the Dragon miniseries.
What were your thoughts on the second season of Luke Cage? Sound off in the comments below!