Unbreakable skin with a breakable heart
By Sonam Kaloti, Arts Editor
A definite pro of the show is that it features black culture exclusively, and almost every main character is a person of colour.
Luke Cage, featuring Mike Colter as the man himself, is one of Marvel’s very own which is available for viewing on Netflix. Sadly, the show—like many others on Netflix—got cancelled after two seasons. Some minor spoilers ahead.
Having watched most of Marvel’s other shows in timeline order, I’ve finished Luke Cage’s season one. Though, I have to get through five seasons of other shows before I get to begin season two.
The season picks up slowly, with Luke rejecting his role as a potential superhero. We initially meet him in Jessica Jones, where due to the circumstances, he is thrown into using his abilities in almost every scene he’s in. He embraces his hero nature and works hard to right the wrongs in New York. Luke is open, emotional, and his experiences feel raw and heart-wrenching.
Perhaps this is why the beginning of Luke Cage feels slow. Luke is closed off, alone, and doesn’t step up until the perils of Harlem begin to personally affect him.
It’s disappointing to experience Luke in this closed off state because the show loses a lot of interesting factors. None of the other characters are particularly interesting right off the bat either, so for new viewers who haven’t watched Jessica Jones or Daredevil, I can see how it would be rough to stay engaged and keep watching until the show picks up.
Of course, for those who have watched Jessica Jones and Daredevil, it’s another story. We have already met Luke in all his glory and have that to look forward to as the show progresses. We have also met some other characters such as Claire (Rosario Dawson) from both Jessica Jones and Daredevil, and other characters simply by name and presence in the MCU.
One of these characters is Diamondback, a mafia lord who is mentioned a lot, being the culprit for many of the atrocities committed in Hell’s Kitchen. This makes him unseen enemy number one for Daredevil and The Punisher, though we don’t even know who he is until we meet him in Luke Cage alongside a gripping plot twist.
A definite pro of the show is that it features black culture exclusively, and almost every main character is a person of colour. The story itself centres on race issues, with many of Harlem’s citizens priding Luke Cage boasting along the lines of, “Who would have thought a black man in a hoodie would be a hero?”
All in all, Luke Cage might pick up stronger than ever for season two, which is what I’m hoping for. The slow start definitely doesn’t pour through the entire first season, and if Luke’s a character you’re interested in, Luke Cage includes his backstory in great detail. I don’t suggest watching it without having watched Jessica Jones and Daredevil in timeline order first to gain the best understanding of the storyline.
