Jason O’Toole
Credit: Marvel / Netflix
The following contains SPOILERS for season 2, episode 10 of Luke Cage.
In the tenth episode of Luke Cage’s second season titled “The Main Ingredient”, Danny Rand drops by to make all our comic dreams come true. Let’s be honest, Finn Jones portrayal of Danny Rand was not immediately embraced by the Marvel fan base. His first season failed to shake things up and is considered by many to be the weakest of the Marvel / Netflix series to date. When Defenders released fans saw a version of Danny that seemed to be course correcting by the studio, but still not exactly what fans were hoping for. Well, I am here to tell you, Danny teaming up with Luke shows a version of the character that is exactly what fans have been hoping for. Danny is cool, confident and has a certain swagger that the comic character has, but the television version lacked.
Danny shows up right after Luke gets beaten by Bushmaster for a second time. Luke is doubting himself and his abilities and Danny helps him center himself. This leads to a Power Man and Iron Fist shakedown montage that is glorious. Bushmaster has disappeared after the last encounter and Danny helps Luke focus and track down the Jamaicans. This becomes a detective story of sorts which provides a fun and interesting deviation to the normal action of the show. It really feels like watching a different series entirely, one that would be great fun. All of this culminates in a fantastic fight scene that shows off why these two have worked so well as a duo in the comic world. Their powers complement each others well and they make short work of the Jamaican thugs. Even though they don’t find Bushmaster, Danny leaves Luke with a newfound sense of calmness that helps him throughout the last three episodes of the season. All in all, the team-up makes for some of the most entertaining moments that an already great season has to offer.
In the aftermath of the Defenders, Netflix seems to be back on the right track with its shows. Both the second seasons of Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and even the first season of Punisher have been fantastic. If Danny’s portrayal in this episode of Luke Cage is any indication, the second season of Iron Fist is shaping up to be good as well. Leave us a comment with your thoughts.
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