Netflix Retrospective - Luke Cage Season 2 Episodes 5-6 - All Souled Out/The Basement

So, in the last batch of Luke Cage episodes, not a lot happened. I mean a few things happened. Claire left, Misty got over her funk, Luke’s ego has lead him to being served a lawsuit and Bushmaster kicked his ass, but this was nearly 2 hours. I guess Mariah is up to some things too but nothing important, yet.

All Souled Out

Ow, that pun literally hurts me.

Foggy is representing Luke whilst Ben Donovan is representing Cockroach. Cockroach makes a case of being petrified of Luke. The testimony makes Luke angry enough to break the table. Foggy says stupid sh*t about him wearing a mask. Ship sailed my friend. It’s in all their best interests to keep this out of court, especially with Luke’s history, so Donovan says $100,000 makes it all go away, of course Luke does not have that kind of money laying around, I suspect it’s only favours that lets him have a top-notch law firm like… I guess it’s Chao and Benowitz now that Hogarth’s gone? Or is Foggy part of her firm now?

Alex shows Tilda to the Family First building Mariah had been working on. A facility with clinics, a day-care, a pharmacy, I think dentist, all to help young single mothers. The dream of Mama Mabel, Tilda points out the irony of how Mama Mabel was exploitative, which she’s right about but Mariah compares it to other discoveries made in similar ways. She wants Tilda to be a medical director here.

Misty is at Rand testing out her new arm. It takes a bit of setting up to respond to her remaining nerves. Foggy has a possible solution to the cash flow issue, making a personal appearance at someone’s party. Luke is sceptic but the call is cut short as Misty arrives at Pops. Misty feels sort of at fault for Luke’s situation, whilst Luke tries to call the sponsors for the money, but either because of his unique circumstances or him getting tossed around by Bushmaster, they’re no longer interested. Stuck between the public appearance and fighting a shark, Luke calls Foggy and tells him to set the appearance up.

Tilda is not interested in the position, preferring to stay at her own business, even if it’s not doing great. Baily and what’s her face (the other officers) show up, asking about Mark Higgins, who’s been missing for a few days. Mariah takes this a little too lightly, with another of her crew missing, and Shades getting increasing sceptical about the gun deal being over.

Shades wants to buy out Harlem’s paradise using his cut of the money, but Mariah refuses. Piranah’s having a party and Shades is heading out to make sure he doesn’t get drunk and spill the beans on their plans, although Mariah isn’t as worried. Misty shows up and we see that Cockroach is faking most of his injuries. This scene is pointless, moving on.

Turns out Foggy and Luke are guests of Piranha, who looks to be somewhat of a fan, collecting various memorabilia and junk left behind. Luke thinks it’s creepy… This scene goes on for a while but long and the short, Luke wants $150,000 and Piranha instantly agrees to that, he also sees a photo of him and Mariah on the wall, so he thinks there may be some value in sticking close.

Misty flashes back to when they arrested Cockroach. She couldn’t find anything, but Scarfe finds a gun instantly. This whole scenario continues to make Misty uncomfortable and unsure of herself. She gets a call about something…

Luke Cage is at the party, wearing an old bullet-ridden hoodie. Look, guys, I know the music’s good, but I want you to stop, it’s just killing time. Foggy is awkward as ever, the only white guy at the party.

“Who’s tougher, you or the Green Monster?”

I think that’s the first MCU reference I’ve heard all season. I laugh because the answer is blatantly obvious to me. Back with Misty, she pays a visit to Cockroach’s girlfriend, she’s in hospital sporting a massive bruise on her right eye. Not only is Cockroach an abusive asshole, he’s also a f*cking moron. Misty tries to get her to talk, given that she’s had experience with domestic violence cases that have ended badly. She isn’t so keen on talking, believing the police are useless in the matter.

Luke ends up guarding a stairwell whilst Piranha goes off with some ladies. He notices who he thinks is Bushmaster in the crowd. Tilda confronts Mariah about Mark, and she admits the whole truth, which Tilda doesn’t end up liking. Misty has another flashback about Scarfe, I really wish I cared. But it seems like she’s gonna do what Scarfe did and plant evidence to get Cockroach arrested, again.

Comanche has another meeting with Riddenhour, figuring the guy that’s missing from their troupe was also talking to him, he’s wrong on that fact. Misty breaks into Cockroach’s house to plant the evidence but has another fairly ironic flashback about Scarfe which ultimately changes her mind. She sees blood on the floor and we see a guy missing a head. Cockroach has been killed.

Mariah has her big opening, for the family first building and Tilda has decided to show up. Unfortunately things quickly go awry, as the heads of Mark Higgins, Ray Ray and Cockroach are all on pikes inside the building. Alex quickly pushes the press back as Mariah looks on in horror. Shades sees Luke in the building, much to his shock.

Piranha has one more shock for Luke, as he has a gun, and offers anyone an opportunity to shoot him. Unfortunately at this point the Stylers intervene, Luke and Shades take shooters down, but the others use this distraction to kidnap Piranha, he screams out to Luke for help. And Luke does provide his rescue, Piranha doesn’t know why Bushmaster is after him. But Luke offers protection, now at double the price.

OK, things start to escalate here and it’s definitely one of the better episodes, it’s Misty’s subplot that’s the least interesting for a change.

Rating 6.5/10

The Basement

Luke and Piranha run from gunfire. Bushmaster’s brother offers Luke the choice between releasing Piranha or war. Luke chooses war and easily defeats them, but the guy ain’t talking and more help soon arrives, making matters worse, throwing Piranha across rooftops hurt his leg too. Roll credits.

The family are not all that impressed with Bushmaster’s actions, his brother’s name is Sheldon I’ve just remembered, and Bushmaster gives him a call, wanting the streets flooded with guys hunting Piranha. Sheldon asks a local, who tells him to check the barber shop. Luke takes Piranha into the abandoned uptown theatre and helps with his leg.

Comanche returns to Harlem’s Paradise and it’s trouble for everyone, Comanche tells Shades it’s probably time to cut Mariah loose but he isn’t having that. But their second option is to go after Bushmaster with their own special weapons, that they conveniently left out of the gun deal and stashed away.

Misty’s put on suspension after her original talk with Cockroach ended with a complaint from Ben Donovan. Riddenhour interrogates Mariah, slipping about the gun deal, which he shouldn’t know about and lets Mariah onto the fact there’s a talker in her camp. Piranha explains the context of the deals he made which makes Luke realise how influential he is, he plans to take him the police the next morning.

DW calls Luke telling him he saw 2 guys enter Pops, turns out it’s Shades and Comanche. They sit, waiting. Misty is having dinner, a former department consultant… She confesses what she was about to do, but is regretting it now. The consultant advises that she consider her actions and who she wants to become.

Bushmaster has an argument with his father? But I have one question. You talk about absolving the past and making things better for the future, and this is essentially what Mariah is doing this season, and going after Mariah spits in the face of that message, she isn’t the one that wronged them. More on that to come though.

Shades tells Comanche about who really killed Cottenmouth that night, something that he’ll surely regret given his real allegiance. They also talk about how the f*cked in prison, I want that image out of my head now. With Mariah out of the police station, she begins to lose trust in everyone around her, with neither Tilda nor Shades answering her calls. Luke Cage is now the only person she can trust.

Unfortunately, that’s about to be tested as it seems the Stylers have worked out their hideaway. Piranha begins talking about his family history and possible regrets when it comes to his father. And once again, the lessons I’m getting from this scene are stupid and played out too long.

Sometimes there is a line where someone, even someone you love(d) has gone too far and for your own well-being (and/or theirs) it’s better to stay away. I’m not saying this is the case with Luke, but I do think it should be Luke’s choice and no-one else’s.

Luke makes a call to Misty who finds one of the Stylers’ cars outside the precinct, but whilst he’s making the call, Piranha is abducted. Luke takes down everyone and gets back on the move. Shades arrives and tells Mariah about him following Bushmaster back to the café after the gun deal. But she asks about the murder of whatshisface in s1, Shades not implicating that Comanche would know and unintentionally framing himself as the mole.

Misty approaches Riddenhour confessing what she was really doing, which Riddenhour is ready to forgive, but Misty isn’t ready to forgive herself, terrified of becoming like Scarfe or being completely ineffectual. She hands her gun and badge in and tenders her resignation. We know this will be temporary because of course it will be.

Luke’s next move is to take Piranha to church, right to Frank Lucas. Luke stole a phone from one of his assailants. It’s a showdown at High Noon, Bushmaster ultimately cheats, using a paralysing agent and kicking Luke off the bridge, intending that he’d drown

It’s nice to see everything progressing, it’s a pity this episode had to be over an hour long to do it though.

Rating 7/10