"Power doesn't travel. First rule of business -- and war."
Full spoilers for Marvel's Luke Cage continue below.
Things get real personal in Marvel's Luke Cage's 10th episode, which answers some big questions and offers some compelling twists late in the season. While the confirmation that Diamondback is in fact Luke's brother will have the biggest effect on the show, the most interesting was the fact Reva had been deceiving Luke the entire time they were together.
Contrasting his earlier flashback episode with her video diary entry was a smart way to progress that relationship. Luke's love for Reva -- and his later reaction to her death -- was such a major plot point in Jessica Jones that seeing him finally be able to move past it here, and not just because of time but because he got better context for who she is, is really rewarding. Though the show now seems to be moving toward a romance between Claire and Luke (yes, I know it's from the comics but it does seem like a little much all things considered), it's nice to finally have a period at the end of the Reva and Luke story.
Of course, the Diamondback and Luke story is only just beginning. There are plenty of hints that we're moving toward Willis Stryker eventually trying to get Luke's invincibility powers, and having him literally pretend to be Luke Cage is a big one. Starting a war between Harlem and the police allowed Mariah to make her power play -- but not before Misty figured out who Diamondback really was and tracked him to Harlem's Paradise, resulting in a shootout that ended this episode on a cliffhanger.
Luke Cage continues to tackle relevant social issues in "Take It Personal," especially coming off of the past week's presidential debates. Cheo Coker couldn't possibly have known that Donald Trump would have voiced his support of stop and frisk only days before his fictional superhero show tackled the same issue, but moments like these show just how much the showrunner wants Marvel's Luke Cage to exist as more than just an escapist drama. These moments show why Luke Cage is so important -- and the show is stronger for not pointing fingers, but shining a light on both sides of a problem.
The mad science experiment opening to the episode was a prime example of how cartoony Luke Cage can get, but the show is stronger for being about real people dealing with real issues. What makes Luke a unique superhero out of the many superheroes on TV and in movies is that his identity isn't a secret; people on the street know who he is and know they can come to him (which, for what it's worth, ended up backfiring in a major way in this episode). Because Luke isn't hiding who he is from other people -- especially now that he's fully embraced his "Luke Cage" identity instead of Carl Lucas -- the show can take exploring who he is to really interesting places.
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The Verdict
Marvel's Luke Cage moved the plot forward in some major ways in the 10th episode of the season. But the strength of the show remains its social relevance, which comes to the forefront in "Take It Personal." Now that Luke has fully accepted his "Luke Cage" identity instead of hiding that he was Carl Lucas, he can move forward and try to resolve his conflict with his half-brother, Diamondback.
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