Take Shelter is an extremely fitting title for the fifth episode. Following The Defenders dramatic union in the Royal Dragon restaurant comes a moment of respite, where the central heroes gather their loved ones and several other supporting character from the individual shows for the first time. It becomes a more tightly-knitted show as a result. But probably the strongest element of the episode is that The Hand finally becomes a more credible, tangible, and interesting antagonistic force within the show.
The episode starts slightly anticlimactically. The ensuing fight in the Royal Dragon isn’t as exciting as the cliffhanger of the previous episode implied, but it did offer up a surprisingly tender moment between Elektra and Daredevil in the parking lot outside. Even though Elektra has been hollowed out, it’s clear she isn’t the blank slate The Hand desire. There’s a lingering sadness which Charlie Cox is able to brilliantly tap into and make the most out of.
The fight turns into more a skirmish with The Defenders quickly making a getaway, but what’s nice is how their abilities begin to dovetail and complement one another – Jessica flipping a dumpster up against a doorway as a barricade, Matt using his senses to let the team when they’re clear of danger.
The episode spends most of its time drawing together supporting characters from different series, as The Defenders quickly realise The Hand will go after their loved ones. So Karen, Claire, and Trish are gathered together for the first time, while Claire, Misty, and Coleen all coming into play in a bigger way. Finally the show is capitalising on the work done by each of the individual show.
One of my biggest criticisms of the early episodes of the series was how intangible a threat The Hand seemed, even with Weaver’s Alexandra acting as a focal point for the organisation. We’ve been told they’ve been behind Pompeii and Chernobyl, but the ideology that would necessitated such disasters was bizarrely absent. Unlike, say, Bane’s League of Shadows in The Dark Knight Rises, the actual motivations for the tearing down on civilisation wasn’t forthcoming. But finally, The Hand felt like a much more interesting presence thanks to the work done here. This is partly due to the introduction of the five Fingers, the core members who lead the organisation across continents. Suddenly this abstract organisation becomes distilled into actual characters, who have clear motivations, agendas, and most interestingly conflicts with the other members of The Hand. We finally find out that they lust for eternal life, but maybe for different reasons. Some desire a return to K’un-Lun, hence why they need Iron Fist, while Alexandra might have other motivations.
Sigourney Weaver’s Alexandra has previously come across as a rather bland and haughty antagonist, but through a short exchange with Elektra. She describes how hey daughter was wrenched from life, and that she believes her mission in life is to raise the Black Sky. Suddenly, I have a much clearer idea of what motivates her as a character and insight into her fanatical ideology. It’s a shame this has come over halfway through the season. This insight works nicely with Coleen’s breakdown in front of Claire, with her revealing what it’s like to grow up within the cult of The Hand. It was the horizon of everything she knew, and now she is cast out she feels hopeless and lost.
The other major highlight was Daredevil returning to the fray with conviction. He puts back on the suit and no longer pulls his punches. Jessica’s undercutting of his costume – “nice ears” – is perfect, and so is his response. It’s a nice moment of levity before the hard cut to Daredevil sadistically torturing one of The Hand’s Fingers. The rest of The Defenders suddenly look afraid of him, as he interrogates their hostage. Daredevil’s return injects another interesting dynamic, as Stick clearly doubts Iron Fist’s leadership skills, asserting Matt should lead the team in the coming war.
The Verdict
The Defenders continues strongly, with an episode more focussed on fleshing out the motivations of its previously abstract and frustrating enemy. Previously they just wanted to destroy New York, but now we have more concrete motivations thanks to full introduction of The Fingers, who almost function as a dark mirror of The Defenders. But more intriguingly divisions are emerging within The Hand as The Defenders grow closer and stronger as a team. The episode concludes melancholically with Elektra fleeing captivity and wandering through memories, returning to Matt’s apartment, laying down on his bed, closing her eyes, and curling up. It’s sad and moving, and sets up the coming storm nicely.
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