“The Defenders” lands a sucker punch of a twist and a pair of major character deaths to boot in “Ashes, Ashes.” Stick realizes the Hand’s intentions with the Iron Fist and sets a risky plan in motion. Matt and Jessica get to know each other while Alexandra deals with a potential coup.
First up, Stick convinces Matt, Luke and Jessica to keep Danny captured and out of the action with the logic that if the Hand gets the Iron Fist, they’ll be unstoppable. Naturally, Danny is not too pleased with this, having prepared his whole life to take down the Hand, but it’s four against one, so that doesn’t go well.
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Matt and Jessica go off on their own mission as they talk to John Raymond’s daughter, who is quite bitter about her father’s death. Matt uses his superhuman senses to find the secret plans for Midland Circle hidden in the piano- after playing the “Daredevil” theme music on said piano- and realize that Raymond was plotting to bomb the building.
Back with Stick and company, Stick knocks out Luke and flat out tries to kill Danny to stop the Hand. But before he can, Matt and Jessica arrive- along with Elektra who murders Stick and absconds with Danny in tow. And that’s not even the craziest thing that happens in this episode.
Elektra delivers Danny to Alexandra, who all this time has been dealing with the impatient fingers of the Hand- Madame Gao and Bakuto among them. Alexandra asserts her dominance over her comrades and orders Elektra to kill Luke, Jessica and the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. Elektra responds by stabbing Alexandra in the back and chopping her head off. That’s right, Elektra freakin’ killed Sigourney Weaver! And if that wasn’t enough, Elektra introduces herself as Elektra Natchios and takes control of the Hand as the episode ends.
“Ashes, Ashes” began innocently enough, but ended in perhaps one of the most shocking and unexpected turns in Marvel history. With only two episodes left, this twist certainly changes the game later than expected.
“The Defenders” is now streaming on Netflix.