"I don't just seek justice -- I stalk it."
Full spoilers for Marvel's Luke Cage continue below.
Now this was a great introduction for Diamondback.
The real threat in Luke Cage: Season 1 is not a man to be trifled with, as he proves over and over and over in "DWYCK." From cleaning out competitors in Harlem to making sure Shades knows who's the new king (framing of the Biggie portrait and all) to figuring out how to use Mariah Dillard, he is the first competent villain to emerge this season. As much as it still stings to see Stryker standing in the club looking over the band like Cottonmouth used to (yes he deserved to die, but man was he a great character), this is the first character to seem like a worthy foe to Luke.
We also got some better context to that "brother" cliffhanger at the end of the previous episode. Clearly that's a question that will be answered farther down the line, but Luke calls Stryker "delusional" for his belief and implication about Luke's father. While Diamondback is clearly a bit unhinged, there does seem to be a certain amount of truth here. And the episode did offer an interesting parallel of men and their relationships with their father here, with Mariah reflecting on Cornell's late father and Luke reconsidering what he knew about his own.
Speaking of Mariah, her evolution has been one of the most rewarding journeys of the season so far. As much as she has been trying to shrug off the legacy of Mama Mable, she is her true heir in a way Cottonmouth never was. Alfre Woodard delivers great depth to the character as she moves through scenes, her ideas about how Diamondback should change his gun-selling business coming out of her almost unwittingly. Even if Diamondback is the true villain of Luke Cage, Mariah is the most complex and interesting of the bunch. She continues Marvel's tradition of successfully exploring the antagonists of its Netflix shows much deeper and in a much more rewarding way than it ever has in its films.
As much as we've gotten to know Mariah, though, Shades is still a character who remains more of an enigma. There have been small moments of character development throughout the series, but not enough. Though Theo Rossi plays Shades like he has a secret he's not telling us, will Luke Cage ever get around to offering him more material? Shades right now seems to want to command more power but knows he's not strong enough to topple Diamondback -- or really stand up to him. Whether he snaps like Mariah or becomes the victim of one of Stryker's Houdini tricks remains to be seen.
The villains weren't the only characters getting explored deeper in "DWYCK." Misty Knight remains one of the strongest parts of Luke Cage, and after her break in the last episode she got some much needed analysis here. Her problem (and breaking point) centers around being in control, and as much as she said Diamondback taking her gun was the tipping point for her, it's clear it goes back farther. The fact she seemingly misjudged Luke from the start has gotten under her skin as deep as the Judas bullet's shrapnel has gotten under his, and it's causing her to falter. Even being told that she needs to take him down doesn't necessarily stick, as she's still much more concerned about looking around him -- this time for Diamondback -- instead of following the path her superior has set for her.
Luke Cage is a good superhero show, but it's a better reflection of the time we're living in. Showrunner Cheo Coker doesn't turn a blind eye to the problems facing our society today, and his belief that a "bulletproof black man" is the right hero for the right time comes out in an incredibly impactful way in this episode. It's not just that two cops stop a hooded, seemingly suspicious black man in a predominantly white neighborhood and fire their weapons at him as their in-car camera looks on -- it's also the way society reacts to that footage. Coker is intentionally making viewers recall the many, many times we've seen similar situations play out in even just the past year, and force reflection on ourselves.
Luke Cage's ability to take people out of the fantasy of its superhero world and allow insight into our own lives is one of its greatest strengths, and we see it happen again in Misty's interrogation. It's important that the show not demonize police; Misty talks about the other side of the cultural debate that's taken root in our own country by stating that, as a cop, people hate her until they need her, but doing what's right for the people is why she does her job. She also talks about sexist double standards in the workplace, so kudos to Coker for hitting three big, relevant social issues in one episode.
Oh, and he boiled Luke Cage to death in a vat of acid like -- as was stated in the episode -- a rotisserie chicken. Things are really heating up (pun intended) as the series heads into the third act of the season. Luke Cage has found its voice, and it's delivering something unique to the MCU that is a step in the right direction for the TV landscape.
The Verdict
Luke Cage hit on big cultural issues and explored many of its characters -- including villain Diamondback -- in rewarding ways in "DWYCK." The show is moving in the right direction as it finds its own voice, offering a TV experience unlike anything we've seen before.
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