Marvel's The Defenders: 10 Spoiler-Free Reactions To First Four Episodes

7. Matt Murdock And Luke Cage Are As Great As Ever

The Defenders Luke Cage Matt Murdock
Netflix

Much more established heading into this series, Charlie Cox (thanks to two seasons of Daredevil) and Mike Colter (a season of Luke Cage, and a few appearances in Jessica Jones) have had more screen time than the other Defenders in this universe, and in the team-up they're both every bit as great to spend time with as before.

Picking up around sixth months after the end of Daredevil Season 2, and the ostensible death of Elektra, Matt is still struggling to come to terms with that loss and reluctant to become the Devil of Hell's Kitchen again. This gives him one of the strongest arcs in the first half of the season, as he is forced to rejoin the fight, along with addressing his relationships with Foggy and Karen, and how hurt he is over Ekektra dying (and coming back).

In contrast Luke is in a better place than where we left him: he gets out of prison, and is the most open of all the heroes. He's still driven by wanting to protect Harlem and do good for the people who live there, and it touches on his current relationship with Claire and his previous one with Jessica, and Colter is once again dripping with charm and charisma.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.