Unveiling the Untold Truths: 4 Years Later, the Daredevil & Defenders Saga Remains Unforgettable

Summary

The Netflix Marvel shows had their flaws, including weak villains and pacing issues, but they are generally remembered fondly.

The death of Cottonmouth in the first season of Luke Cage marked a significant moment for the show, setting a high bar that subsequent villains couldn't reach, unable to live up to Mahershala Ali's outstanding performance.

Fans of Iron Fist, known for his exceptional martial arts skills, were left disappointed by the underwhelming fight choreography.

Rewatching Netflix's The Defenders Saga can lead to some sobering insights. Marvel and Netflix partnered to produce a collection of series centered around popular street-level heroes from the Marvel universe. Although these shows had loose ties to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they created their own Avengers-like team called The Defenders. However, despite their success, the Netflix Marvel series were ultimately cancelled when Disney+ made its debut, where they are now available to stream.

While The Defenders Saga is often remembered fondly, it is important to note that they were not without flaws. During their original airing, one show faced criticism for its lackluster main hero, and others suffered from weak antagonists. Additionally, many viewers felt that the shows could have benefited from shorter seasons to improve their pacing. As fans choose to revisit The Defenders Saga in anticipation of the upcoming MCU series, Daredevil: Born Again, which promises a reunion between Daredevil and The Punisher, they may find themselves realizing the series' imperfections.

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10 Luke Cage Gets Way Worse After The Death Of Cottonmouth

Prior to his portrayal of Blade in the MCU, Mahershala Ali took on the role of Cottonmouth in Luke Cage. It appeared that the character was being established as the primary antagonist of the series, only to take an unexpected turn when Alfre Woodward's Mariah Dillard abruptly ended his life by pushing him out of a window. Luke Cage's showrunner addressed the early demise of Cottonmouth, explaining that Ali had originally signed on for only seven episodes, which is why his character met his demise in episode 7 of season 1. While this decision may have been logical, the show never fully recovered from the shock of Cottonmouth's death, with subsequent villains, including season 2's Bushmaster, failing to match the captivating performance delivered by Ali.

9 The Punisher Is Better As A Supporting Character

Jon Bernthal initially made his debut as The Punisher in Daredevil season 2, impressing viewers so much that he eventually headlined his own series, a departure from the original plan for The Defender Saga. Although Bernthal's portrayal of Frank Castle and the supporting cast gave superb performances, coupled with thrilling action sequences, the show's narrative ultimately fell into a repetitive pattern. As a result, The Punisher received a spot among the bottom 10 MCU shows on Rotten Tomatoes. Considering how prominently the character shone in Daredevil season 2 and the somewhat underwhelming reception of his series, it's possible that Frank Castle might find a better fit as a supporting character.

8 Iron Fist's Fight Choreography Is Truly Disappointing

Iron Fist's fame in the comics stems from his exceptional fighting abilities, as he has mastered various martial arts both on Earth and in the mystical realm of K'un-Lun. Therefore, the significant deficiency in fight choreography observed in Netflix's adaptation of Iron Fist was a major setback for the series. While the show's fight choreographers have been occasionally blamed for the subpar fight scenes, the majority of criticism has been directed towards Finn Jones, the actor portraying Danny Rand. Jones himself admitted that due to his limited schedule, he was unable to devote as much time to training for his role as Iron Fist as he had initially hoped. Consequently, Iron Fist became a disappointment for avid Danny Rand fans.

7 The Hand Isn't A Very Compelling Villain Group

6 Luke Cage's Ending Cliffhanger Likely Won't Ever Get Resolved

The Hand, an ancient ninja clan, made frequent appearances or mentions in most of The Defenders Saga shows. Alexandra Reid, the leader of the group's five founders, even served as the main antagonist in the Netflix Marvel shows' crossover series, The Defenders. While it was logical for The Hand to feature in Daredevil and Iron Fist, the group lacked variety and compelling characters beyond the enigmatic Madame Gao. Therefore, their persistent use in The Defenders Saga had a detrimental impact.

Luke Cage season 2 culminated in a surprising twist as the hero assumed control of Harlem's Paradise following Mariah's demise, taking over the establishment that was once under the reign of Cottonmouth. As of now, there is no confirmed return of Mike Colter as Luke Cage in Daredevil: Born Again or any other project. Moreover, it appears that the entangled situation of Luke Cage potentially evolving into a crime lord may remain unresolved. The MCU narrative of Daredevil is headed towards uncharted territory, with reports suggesting the absence of Foggy Nelson and Karen Page in his series. Consequently, the chances of Luke Cage's suspenseful conclusion resurfacing in the future are highly unlikely.

5 Iron Fist Was Not The Best Character In His Own Show

4 Daredevil Season 2 Feels Uneven

Despite the lead characters of the other shows in The Defenders Saga being clearly portrayed as the best, Iron Fist falls short in comparison. Danny Rand's lackluster fight scenes and repetitive dialogue prevent him from being one of the most adored live-action Marvel heroes. In contrast, Jessica Henwick's Colleen Wing shines as the standout character in Iron Fist. With her captivating personality, superior fighting skills, and effortless coolness when taking down villains, Colleen ultimately becomes the new Iron Fist.

Although each season of Daredevil is commendable, season 2 of the Charlie Cox series falls short in comparison. This is primarily because Daredevil season 2 feels inconsistent, as it initially focuses on The Punisher's storyline in the first half before shifting its attention to Matt Murdock's relationship with his former flame, Elektra, in the latter half. While Elektra herself is a captivating character, her plotline brings along a somewhat lackluster narrative involving The Hand, which pales in comparison to the thrilling start of Daredevil season 2 with Bernthal's introduction as The Punisher.

3 Jessica Jones Never Reached The Heights Of Season 1 Again

2 The Defenders Was An Underwhelming Crossover

: Jessica Jones understands the importance of a formidable antagonist in making a superhero project truly remarkable. After a remarkable first season where Krysten Ritter's character triumphed over David Tennant's mind-controlling Killgrave, who had preyed on her and others, the battle between the victim-turned-hero and her wrongdoer perfectly established Jessica Jones' persona and motivations. Regrettably, subsequent seasons of the show failed to reach the same level of excellence due to lackluster villains. Nevertheless, Ritter's portrayal of Jessica remained captivating throughout the series' three seasons.

Following the success of 2012's The Avengers in uniting the MCU's heroes, it was time for 2017's The Defenders limited series to bring together the Netflix Marvel heroes. While the idea of seeing Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist interact was thrilling, the actual reunion between the characters didn't occur until the end of episode 3. This was a disappointment, considering that The Defenders only had 8 episodes compared to the 13 episodes of the solo shows. Furthermore, the series' villain was Sigourney Weaver's Alexandra Reid, the leader of The Hand, which added to the letdown.

1 Iron Fist Was Canceled When It Was Finally Getting Good

Many of the issues that plagued Iron Fist's first season, such as poorly choreographed fight scenes involving Danny, were addressed and improved upon in season 2. However, just as the series was hitting its stride, Iron Fist was unfortunately canceled along with the rest of The Defenders Saga. The conclusion of season 2 left viewers with the promise of an exciting third season, where Colleen Wing would take on the role of the new Iron Fist and Danny and Ward Meachum would embark on a journey through Asia to uncover the secrets of the Iron Fist legacy and find themselves once again. Regrettably, this storyline was left unresolved due to the premature end of The Defenders Saga.