Marvel's Luke Cage
- 12 oct 2016
- 6 Min. de lectura
How's it going bros, here's Sebas (wow, for a second there I felt like a Youtube celebrity)!
I know it's already a little too late to be writing about this topic, exactly a week late, but in my defense I have to say I was in exams week and busy with one another thing I don't want to explain or elaborate about, but now I'm rested, fresh and ready for a new day, so, without further ado, let's get started.
Maybe, if you're not stupid enough, you have already guessed today's topic, that's right, I'm talking about the Marvel/Netflix studios new product, or show if you will, Marvel's Luke Cage. I have to say, after we had such masterpieces as are Marvel's Daredevil and Marvel's Jessica Jones, I had quite a few expectations for this new show, I have to say as well, it filled each and every single one of them. First off, before starting with today's review, I want to say a little something, Luke Cage is an awesome show, but it starts very slow, so, if you haven't seen it but you're planning on it, be patient, it really does worth it, because the second the actions starts (at the third episode I think) it really hooks you up, so now that I have said my thing, let's start breaking this show.
Characters
The characters are one of this show strengths, all of them having complex and interesting backstories along with reasonable motives to how they are and why they do what they do, well, except for Shades, he's just mysterious and he's awesome because of that. Now, a little bit more specific, let's start with the good guys:
Luke Cage
The amazing unbreakable-skin-ish good guy. At first we're presented to an uninterested Luke Cage, one that really doesn't want to be involved in the superhero world, just like the one we met in Marvel's Jessica Jones, but after some tragic deaths (that's all the spoiler you're gonna get) he sees himself forced to do something about what's going on in Harlem, using his abilities to take down one of the city's biggest mob boss, a blacker and cooler version of the Kingpin, Cottonmouth.
Misty Knight
She's not exactly a good guy, she's more like a good gal..., girl..., female character... something like that. But she isn't presented like that, since Luke Cage comes right after the events of "Civil War", people aren't exactly sure whether to trust supers or not, and that's exactly what Misty Knight represents in this show, at least for me, because you can see that exact duality in her by not really hating on superpeople but not trusting them either, wanting to arrest Luke Cage but helping him as well, although this last part of her we don't meet until the ending of the season.
Claire Temple
Claire Temple, the Phil Coulson of the Marvel Netfilxverse (a new term I just came out with), the one that has appeared in every single one of the shows and "glues" everything together. First we met her as a simple nurse and love interest for Daredevil having a pivotal role on the show, then we saw her as a nice cameo on Marvel's Jessica Jones, saving Luke's life on his first MCU appearance, finally we got to see her as another love interest, but this time for Powerman himself, having again an important role to fulfill.
Now, after some good guys, let me introduce you, the bad guys:
Cottonmouth
Cornell Stokes, better known as Cottonmouth, is the first villain we are presented to, and might I add, in my opinion, the best one of the whole season. He has a really interesting backstory I don't want to spoil to anyone, but if you haven't seen it yet (which is weird since the show has been available for a week already), let me tell you is a really compelling and interesting one, at the point of making you love the character despite him being the villain (or one of them). And the fact that he plays the piano. OH. MY. GOD. Simply awesome
Mariah Dillard
Cottonmouth's cousin, raised in the same house as Cottonmouth but differently, while little old Cotton was forced into a life of crime in spite of his artistic skills shown at a pretty young age, Mariah was grown to a more academic and well-mannered environment, transforming her into a politician (that's all I can say since I really don't know her charge) , that until Cottonmouth annoys her enough in some kind of fight when we finally see a more violent and dangerous part of her, a whole new face hiding from us under her role as the "legalizer" for his cousin's business.
Diamondback
I'll try to keep this one as vague and mysterious as possible because I feel the identity of this last enemy is required to remain a secret, yes, he's supposed to be a plot twist of some sorts, the big villain, the final boss, the one man that is supposed to be the baddest and biggest threat of the season, and judging by that, I have to say I was disappointed with this character, I want to state here this is only my opinion, it shouldn't have any repercussion on what your opinion is or will be about this show or more specifically this character. With that said, I felt the character wasn't as developed as the others, like they were slowly decreasing the quality of their antagonists, but I may just be exaggerating here, it wasn't so bad.
Easter Eggs
Now, after those little introductions to this show's characters, I want to go into another little subject you might have already seen lying around on the internet, the easter eggs. But don't you worry if you have no idea what this is because your ol' sweet uncle Sebas is here to teach you a lesson, see, easter eggs are, as it's name seems to suggest, hidden little secrets resting on the movie, TV show, video game or whatever kind of pop culture story-telling that you are using at the time, finally, after this explanation, I'm going to present to you the little easter eggs I was able to find (and remember) from Marvel's Luke Cage:
Misty Knight's arm
The first one that comes to my mind is a reference to Misty Knight's comic book counterpart. In episode 10 Luke, Claire, and Misty see themselves trapped inside Harlem's Paradise, as part of a hostage situation, in this episode Misty gets shot, but this isn't the important part, it is not what, it is where, the place that little specific and beautiful bullet decides to crash against is none other than Misty's arm, and if you're aware of how Miss Knight looks in the comics, you'll understand why this is a big deal. For better or for worse, you decide, this didn't have any major effects, being that our favorite detective healed up to fight another day.
Power Man
If you know a thing or two abut Luke Cage and his comic book history, you'll know what being called Power Man several times by some form of fatherly figure means, since that's the way Pops (R.I.P.) calls Luke, making reference to his superhuman abilities, but of course this doesn't end as a creative way of an old man to call his superhuman friend, because, as I have said before, this goes all the way to the comics, since... you guessed it! (or probably didn't) that's Luke's codename in the comics, ya' know, his super name.
Hero For Hire
You know what would be great? a hero for hire, a superhuman you could pay to for guaranteed protection, and this is exactly who Luke Cage is, at least in the comics, given that in the duration of the series he was asked at least three different times (don't listen to me, I could be wrong) for this, he was asked to be hired and refused, and of course, as everything on this list, this goes straight down to the comics, as I have stated before he's some kind of merc, you pay him, he does the job, and as some kind of win or nod to that, Luke (show Luke, not comics Luke) was asked to become this exact character.
Justin Hammer
This one comes as a little wink or nod to another apparently forgotten MCU character, Justin Hammer..., and that 's that, that's basically it, he's name was just on the side of some weapons case. I guess they just put it in there so we wouldn't completely forget about him or could it be we're being prepared for some kind of reappearance?
Original Luke
You know that incredible, almost magical way of Marvel to take their silly spandex comic book superhero costumes and transforming them into practical, realistic, nice looking suits that still resemble the original comic book costume, for about twenty seconds
Stan "The Man" Lee
Of course, this one had to be here, although not in the flesh, Stan did make a small and nice cameo in the series as some kind of modern policeman uncle sam.
So that's it folks, all I wanted to get off my chest about Marvel's newest project: Luke Cage, hope you're all having a great week and enjoy the rest. Bye bye
BY: SEBAS
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