 |
| source// Netflix/Marvel |
It’s been over a week since all 13 episodes of Daredevil Season 2 dropped into Netflix, meaning you have almost no excuse for having not yet binge-watched the whole thing. Twice.
Following on from its fantastic debut year, Season 2 ramped up the stakes with the additions of the Punisher, Elektra, and the Hand. There was some superb character drama, both the costumed and civilian kind, plenty of shocking moments, big mysteries, ideological conflicts, and the best fight sequences you’re likely to see on TV all year.
The scope was expanded this year, focusing not just on the conflict with Wilson Fisk (though that is a part of it), but mini-arcs dealing with the new additions, the fall of Nelson & Murdock, love interests, linking to the other Netflix shows and more. With so much going on, it’s easy to miss a few details that don’t take place front-and-centre, and it’s certainly worth repeat viewings. Of course, fitting in a second run alongside all the other great shows to watch can be a struggle, so there’s plenty you might not have picked up on.
From nods to the comics to references to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe, another Disney franchise, and some surprising lessons in grammar, these are the things you might’ve missed, however many times you’ve managed to watch it.
15. Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Crossovers
Although the two are unlikely to ever have a proper crossover, Daredevil and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. do exist within the same Marvel Cinematic Universe, and that’s referenced a few times throughout Season 2.
The main one is the biker gang Dogs of Hell, who are taken out by the Punisher (and later Daredevil in the epic staircase fight scene). Although based in New York here, they previously appeared in Las Vegas in S.H.I.E.L.D’s first season. There, the club’s leader was being controlled by Asgardian Lorelei, before being stopped by S.H.I.E.L.D. and Lady Sif.
One of the other crossovers is the reference to Cybertek, in a New York Bulletin headline – that’s the organisation responsible for creating Deathlok on S.H.I.E.L.D.
Finally, there is the presence of the Roxxon Energy Corporation, which has been featured in S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, and the Iron Man movies.
14. Josie's References The Episodes
Josie’s, which is taken from the comics, is a key location in Daredevil as a favoured haunt of Matt and Foggy. However, it has some additional details in the background as well.
In the season finale, the chalkboard reads ‘It’s a cold day in Hell’s Kitchen’, which just so happens to be the name of the episode.
Similarly, in the scene with Matt, Foggy, and Karen playing pool, there’s a ‘Puppies 4 Sale’ sign which reads that “They are ugly but they are strong,” a nod to what’s to come from the Irish and their dog fighting ring.
13. Whom
Although a dark, violent, superhero show, Daredevil still finds time to include a grammar lesson or two, in what is either a coincidence or an extremely weird running joke (and I’m hoping it’s the latter).
When Matt and Fisk face off in the prison, he manages to pause himself mid-angry tirade to correct his own grammar, when he says “the woman who…*whom*…I love.”
A similar instance occurs in a conversation with Karen and Mitch, when she says “talk to who?” and he replies “whom”, much to Karen’s confusion.
12. Darth Vader
Disney has two juggernauts on its hands, owning both Marvel and Lucasfilm, and although they aren’t going to be putting those things together anytime soon, there is a nice nod to Star Wars in Daredevil Season 2.
It comes when Karen is in Frank Castle’s house, and is obviously the work of one of his children. Just behind Karen, as you can see in the image here, is a drawing of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. Quite fitting considering Castle is a black-clad murderer who ends up getting redemption (or it might just be that kids like Star Wars).
11. Gladiator
The series has slowly been teasing the turn of Melvin Potter, the man who helps Daredevil with his suit, into his comic book alter-ego Gladiator.
We take a few considerable steps closer to that in Season 2, with a number of references to the character cropping up. There’s the saw blades, which we first witnessed last year, the blueprints for the final costume, and the bullet proof vest he’s wearing looks very similar to the suit he dons on the page.
As if that weren’t enough, there’s even a film poster in his workshop for La Venganza de los Gladiadores.
10. Stilt-Man
Is Stilt-Man ever going to appear on Daredevil? Probably not. It’s a rather ridiculous character, and there’d be a struggle to fit him in anywhere in the MCU, let alone this particularly dark, R-Rated corner of it.
Still, they’re continuing to drop Easter Eggs to the character, as we get a good look at parts of his costume in Melvin’s workshop. There’s his chestpiece, and the expandable metal legs, serving as a fun wink to the comics, and not the impending arrival of a man with legs that allow him to stretch to 200 feet in the air.
9. Lost City
There was a time when it wasn’t certain whether Iron Fist would ever actually happen. Slated to be the fourth series in Netflix’s build-up to The Defenders, after Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage, it was pushed back, there was no casting, and generally nothing said about it.
Now, though, it is definitely happening next year, with Game of Thrones actor Finn Jones in the title role. Although there’s no explicit mention of him here, there is a newspaper article that may reference the city he travels to to gain his powers, K’un-Lun. It’s a mysterious city that only appears once every decade, and this mention of clues to a ‘lost city’ could be an Easter egg to Iron Fist finally being cast.
8. Superhero Landing
First witnessed in a teaser for the upcoming season, we get to see Daredevil drop down a tunnel while tracking the Hand in episode 12 of Season 2.
This may be fairly remarkable in itself, and even a few months ago would’ve been unremarkable, but now as far as superheroes are concerned we’re living in a post-Deadpool world.
So, with that in mind, it’s difficult not to get excited and think ‘Superhero Landing’ when you see this moment play out – and he totally nailed it, even if it is a little hard on the knees. If you’ve not seen Deadpool, then you might’ve just thought this was any other typical moment, which is way less fun.
7. Jessica Jones Tie-Ins
Jessica Jones tied itself to Daredevil, aside from being in the same location, thanks to the presence of Claire Temple. The nurse to the Defenders, she returns to Daredevil this year, and there’s a nod to her time on the other show when she mentions a “big guy” she helped out, aka Luke Cage. That’s not the only link between the two shows in Season 2 though.
D.A. Reyes provides legal opposition to Nelson & Murdock throughout the season, and her anti-vigilantism was established when she appeared at the end of Jessica Jones to try and convict her for Kilgrave’s murder.
On a similar note, there’s also the appearance in the finale of Jeri Hogarth, an important recurring character in Jessica Jones, to offer Foggy a job with her law firm.
There’s also Officer Mahoney mentioning Detective Clemons, who appeared in JJ, saying “I ever tell you what Clemons used to say? Gotta treat witnesses like mushrooms…” while Foggy’s friend Marci also makes a reference to Jessica.
6. The Phase 2 Joke Continues
Every Marvel Phase 2 film featured someone losing a hand or an arm, as a homage to Star Wars: Killian (Iron Man 3), Thor (The Dark World), Bucky (The Winter Soldier), Groot (Guardians of the Galaxy), Klaw (Age of Ultron), and Yellowjacket’s hand dissolves before the rest of him in Ant-Man. Meanwhile, a random guy had his hand chopped off in Daredevil Season 1, and Albert lost his arm in Jessica Jones.
Now we’re set for Phase 3 to launch with Civil War, but the homage is still going, as a member of the Hand has his hand chopped off. A nice bit of visual wordplay, or can we expect to see someone losing an arm in every Phase 3 movie as well? Or does Daredevil still count as Phase 2?
5. Mother Murdock
Early on in Season 2, we see a dream or flashback sequence of Matt’s where he’s being taken care of by a mystery nun. While not explicitly confirmed, the likelihood is that the nun is actually Matt’s mother, Maggie, who leaves her family behind to join a convent.
Matt and his mother are reunited in the Born Again comic book arc, the seminal Daredevil story that Season 2 does quite a lot of setup for. Aside from the presence of Maggie, there’s the hints towards Karen Page’s backstory, her finding out Matt’s secret, the implosion of Matt’s personal life (in particular the breakdown of his friendship with Foggy), the number #227 on the ship towards the end, and the threats from Wilson Fisk about taking apart Matt’s life, something that is a big focus of the run in the comics.
4. Microchip
Before burning his house down, Frank Castle salvages a disc labelled ‘Micro’. Now, the fact that this is the one thing he decides to save makes it obvious that there’s some significance to it, but it’s what is written on it that’s particularly important.
Micro refers to David Lieberman, otherwise known as Microchip. He’s the Punisher’s sidekick, or the closest he gets to one anyway, who supplies him with weapons and tech. A Punisher series hasn’t been confirmed, but if/when it is, expect Micro to make an appearance.
This is also another nod to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., as Micro has been mentioned on that show as one of Skye’s contacts within the hacktivist group Rising Tide, and given the similarity there we can assume it’s the same one.
3. The Conflict Sets Up Civil War
Daredevil won’t be popping up in Captain America: Civil War, or indeed any Marvel movie in the foreseeable future, but there are still some thematic ties to the next big screen superhero film.
When discussing the Punisher, Officer Mahoney says: “Makes everybody stop and think twice about the whole hero proposition.” That notion, of heroes being out in the open but not a consensus good thing, is going to play out in a big way in Civil War, as the government attempts to hold them to account.
There’s also the theme of consequences running through Daredevil’s second season, and how what he did in Season 1 opened the door for people like the Punisher, and again in Civil War it’s the consequences of what the Avengers have done that lead to the Sokovia Accords, and the ideological conflict between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, much like the conflict between Matt Murdock and Frank Castle.
2. The Thematic Defenders Setup
There’s no overtly direct setup for Netflix’s big superhero team-up event series, no cameos for Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, or Iron Fist, but it does leave some subtle clues that will lead towards it.
It’s something Charlie Cox actually mentioned before the season, and we see it play out towards the end, when he finally starts allowing himself to have help and work with others. Although he won’t be partnered by Punisher and Elektra in that series, it is at least a sign of him teaming up with other heroes. So, if he can accept their help, then he will be able to accept the help of those mentioned above when the time comes.
There’s also the nods to the other members of the team, which helps the world-building and bring supporting characters together, ready for many of them to be included in The Defenders.
1. The Luke Cage Teaser
Missing this one really depends on how quickly you were able to stop watching once the credits rolled on the finale. If you closed down Netflix immediately, then you won’t have caught it, but if you stayed with it then there was the surprising treat of a brief teaser for Luke Cage.
The series itself will arrive in September, and this 20-second clip sets it up nicely, with some moments of humour and action, and establishes him as a character outside of Jessica Jones, especially for anyone who didn’t watch that series. If you did happen to miss the trailer, then you can watch it.
Is there anything in Daredevil Season 2 that you picked up on? Let us know down in the comments.
For more of our Daredevil coverage, including WTF Moments, Ups & Downs, and hopes for Season 3. keep visiting.
No comments:
Post a Comment