Marvel's The Defenders: Ranking Every Episode From Worst To Best
2. Episode 8: The Defenders
The One Where: The Defenders agree on their plan to blow up Midland Circle and venture into the secret cavern to rescue Danny. In an epic battle, the Hand are seemingly destroyed - along with Daredevil! The rest of our heroes get on with their lives, changed by their recent experiences.
The Verdict: The Defenders finale feels like the whole show in microcosm. It has a lot to enjoy but also some massive flaws which bring it down.
On the one hand, there is obvious excitement to be had from the big showdown and the decision to make Daredevil the martyr is a clever one - we know Daredevil and his friends the best so his loss packs the most punch.
Half the episode actually deals with tying up loose ends and spending time with the characters. Though that means the Hand are dealt with fairly quickly, this allows for some intriguing teases about what is to come in the upcoming seasons.
On the downside, the climactic fight isn't as great as could be and Matt's death is undercut by our 100% conviction that he is going to come back by the end credits. After building up for seasons, the Hand's plan is totally nonsensical and mostly unexplained, leaving the viewer scratching their heads over what the point of it all was in the first place.