Here’s What to You Can Expect From Season Two of Netflix’s Luke Cage

Being a hero for hire is not as easy as you would think even, if you’re as bulletproof as Luke Cage. The day-to-day business of saving Harlem can be complicated when it comes to juggling family, love, and the struggles with lack of sponsorship.

This season Luke Cage (Mike Colter) has a new arch-enemy by the name of Bushmaster (Mustafa Shakir) who is ready, willing, and quite capable of bringing the fight to Luke. At the heart of this battle? The soul of a neighborhood, Harlem’s Paradise.

Mariah Dillard (Alfre Woodard) returns as the queen of Harlem who is looking to move past the first season’s events with her cousin, Cottonmouth (Mahershala Ali). Shades (Theo Rossi) also returns as her partner who attempts to fix all potential problems obstructing their path to a hypothetical life of legitimacy.

Season two also features the return of Misty Knight (Simone Missick), straight from the events that occurred in The Defenders. Misty has to come to terms with being a detective while becoming something more than she expected.

Luke Cage’s second season is a whirlwind of storytelling that reveals the heart of rivalry between families that threatens the people of Harlem and Brooklyn. Naturally, Luke Cage and Misty Knight find themselves caught in the middle of it all. Running straight through this journey is a tightrope explanation of what family means to our heroes and our villains, forcing everyone to consider how far they will go to “save” Harlem. This season poses two very important questions: How important is family, and what makes a true hero?

This show also marks the final performance for the late  Reg E. Cathey, who plays Luke’s father, James Lucas. His much-needed presence gives us a glimpse into Luke’s moral compass and why he struggles to be the hero he wants to be.

Bushmaster is a very likable villain who changes all the rules. His rivalry with Black Mariah will corner you into picking a side in this conflict while clearly planting seeds for what is to come when the fighting ends. The most surprising performance goes to Gabrielle Dennis, who plays the Tilda Johnson, the daughter of Mariah.

You can expect a few things while watching this season. You can expect to get some answers regarding Luke’s romance with Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson). You’ll be gifted some truly awesome cameos (including one that does well in the face of much skepticism). Get ready for a deeper look into Shades as some of the dots from season one and season two begin to connect.

I enjoyed this season better than the first, thanks to the more developed backstories of all the major characters we’ve come to know. Season two of Luke Cage comes with its surprises, including hip hop and reggae artists. This may be best Marvel Netflix season since Daredevil Season 2.

About the Author

Anthony Otero is a two-time novelist and a recent contributor to the Puerto Rico Strong anthology. He is also the newest member of the BlackComicsChat podcast.