Step in the Arena
I suppose it was only a matter of time until we were presented with Luke’s origin story, but I appreciate the show’s forethought into giving it such a well-timed placement within the overall narrative. By waiting until now, Luke Cage avoided feeling too similar to many other superhero stories that can’t resist showing us a character’s history right away. Had it waited any longer, it could have run the risk of putting too much distance between the audience and the action happening in present day. Since nothing too epic has happened yet – ok, the explosion, but we all knew Luke would survive – this completely avoids that concern. In fact, the excitement of seeing Luke Cage become Luke Cage, actually manages to amp up the anticipation …show more content…
Jidenna’s “Long Live the Chief” was the perfect accompaniment for Claire Temple’s (re) introduction – first shown taking zero shit from an assailant– and Luke’s very public display of his super strength. It served as a nice, quick reminder of what kind of woman Claire is, and set the stage for Luke being more open about his abilities, as he starts to become a kind of “Harlem Hero.”
In retaliation for what Luke did at Crispus Attucks, Cornell instructs his men to collect a “Luke Cage stupidity tax” from the people of Harlem. He needs the money, but he’s also trying to provoke Luke. It’s similar to the type of manipulation Rackham used on him in prison, but it serves the plot well here, too. When you have an indestructible character like Luke, it’s nearly impossible to set up any real physical danger. So, the focus needs to shift into creating mental or emotional stakes in order for the viewer to feel an investment in the story and character. Using Luke as the reason for Cornell’s tyranny over Harlem works well to ground Luke’s motivations. He may not be close to the folks who need his help in retrieving their belongings from Cornell’s men, but Pop was, and Luke is hell bent on doing right by
I suppose it was only a matter of time until we were presented with Luke’s origin story, but I appreciate the show’s forethought into giving it such a well-timed placement within the overall narrative. By waiting until now, Luke Cage avoided feeling too similar to many other superhero stories that can’t resist showing us a character’s history right away. Had it waited any longer, it could have run the risk of putting too much distance between the audience and the action happening in present day. Since nothing too epic has happened yet – ok, the explosion, but we all knew Luke would survive – this completely avoids that concern. In fact, the excitement of seeing Luke Cage become Luke Cage, actually manages to amp up the anticipation …show more content…
Jidenna’s “Long Live the Chief” was the perfect accompaniment for Claire Temple’s (re) introduction – first shown taking zero shit from an assailant– and Luke’s very public display of his super strength. It served as a nice, quick reminder of what kind of woman Claire is, and set the stage for Luke being more open about his abilities, as he starts to become a kind of “Harlem Hero.”
In retaliation for what Luke did at Crispus Attucks, Cornell instructs his men to collect a “Luke Cage stupidity tax” from the people of Harlem. He needs the money, but he’s also trying to provoke Luke. It’s similar to the type of manipulation Rackham used on him in prison, but it serves the plot well here, too. When you have an indestructible character like Luke, it’s nearly impossible to set up any real physical danger. So, the focus needs to shift into creating mental or emotional stakes in order for the viewer to feel an investment in the story and character. Using Luke as the reason for Cornell’s tyranny over Harlem works well to ground Luke’s motivations. He may not be close to the folks who need his help in retrieving their belongings from Cornell’s men, but Pop was, and Luke is hell bent on doing right by