Liam Hoofe reviews the tenth episode of Luke Cage season 2…
A familiar face made an appearance in Luke Cage as season 2 gets closer to a dramatic finale.
Ask most fans of the Marvel Netflix Universe to name one of their biggest issues with it and they will give you one name, Danny Rand. Iron Fist was the worst received show since Netflix started the project and many fans saw him as the weak link in the underwhelming Defenders series. It’s understandable then that most fans wouldn’t have been too pleased when Danny walked through the door of Pop’s salon in the opening five minutes of ‘The Main Ingredient’. The show has teased the arrival of Iron Fist for the last few episodes and this was finally the one where we got to see him and Luke team up. So, what is as bad as most would have anticipated? No, actually, it was surprisingly enjoyable.
To say Rand has had some teething problems would be an understatement but his relationship with Luke in this episode was the most natural he has ever felt. He offered a pleasant change of pace for Luke as a character and the duo’s chemistry supplied the episode with plenty of humour. Seeing them fight together was a treat as well, and this was probably the most Luke Cage focused episode we’ve had since the beginning of the season, so that was a plus as well.
Fans will still, rightfully, have concerns over the future of Iron Fist as its own show, but a Heroes for Hire team-up with Cage could certainly work judging by their interactions in this episode. The end of the episode also hinted that Rand will be sticking around for at least another episode so hopefully, he can prove this wasn’t a one-off.
This episode wasn’t all fun and games though, with Mariah going full on twisted in her hunt for Bushmaster. Having captured his uncle at the end of the last episode, Mariah decided to make a statement in this one by taking him into his restaurant and shooting down all of his family, before finally setting him on fire using his family’s own rum. It was a brutal scene, and perhaps it was a little too much but it was a great way of highlighting just how twisted Mariah has become. Seeing Shades walk out of Harlem’s Paradise at the end also indicates that there is a lot of trouble on the horizon for the two as a pair and I think that before the season is out, one of them will be killing the other.
The other storyline in the episode focused on Misty getting promoted at the station. Misty’s story has been the least interesting of the season and she really just felt like she was there to waste some time in this episode. The stuff with Colleen which got me all excited earlier in the season appears to have fizzled out but hopefully, they make some sort of effort to resurrect it before the season is finished.
‘The Main Ingredient’ was another solid episode from Luke Cage season 2. Danny Rand was on surprisingly good form and Mariah’s descent into darkness has some interesting implications for the season’s home straight. With just three episodes to go, Luke Cage season 2 is still more than holding its own.
Liam Hoofe
