'Luke Cage' Recap: 'Soliloquy of Chaos'

​Written by Scott Edwards

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

As the hostage situation at Harlem’s Paradise has finally come to an end and Luke Cage is being led out in handcuffs, Misty knows that the man that saved her must know what is on the horizon. Telling Luke of the ultimate time to break free, she has trust in the Power Man to do the right thing and with others in custody, she will be able to tie together everything that is going on one way or another. Listening to the drivers in the police van, Luke waits for it to stop and takes to the streets once again, dodging shots from the Judas 2.0 and trying to find a way to freedom.

Shades is waiting to hear about his fate and after Inspector Ridley is unable to break him, his bail is posted and he is heading back to the street. Not knowing what is waiting for him, his trusted right hand Zip has a meeting set up with Diamondback, but Shades will never make it. Being able to fight off a strangulation attempt, Shades knows that he has made his employer's hit list and must find a way to live long enough to take Diamondback out. Needing to recruit an old friend, Shades is surprised to see that she may have already taken a side in the fight.

Getting a call from a witness, Misty is surprised to hear what Candace is willing to say about Luke Cage and makes sure to hide her away from the world. Little does she know that Candace is being followed by Mariah Dillard’s people who have other plans in mind for the woman that started the public hatred towards Luke Cage. Getting a call from Cage to be updated, Misty decides that is may be better for her to follow him and see what else he is getting his hands into, but when she arrives at the final meeting spot of the day, she sees that she is up against something much worse than she ever expected.

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Being halfway on the run and trying to get his affairs in order, Willis Stryker is planning his next move to take out Shades once and for all. But that is far from enough as he needs to ensure that Mariah is on his side moving forward, if not, he will have to take a different route. Putting down his payment for the damages done to the club and the Harlem rejuvenation project, Willis makes it clear that he needs her on his side. Without knowing that there is another force in the city that is ready to take up arms against him, Diamondback is surprised to see that Domingo Colon and his men are willing to die to take over the business. With only one card left up his sleeve, Diamondback pulls it out and lets wrath take over the situation that only he or Luke Cage could have possibly stopped.

While trying to find a safe haven on the street, Luke sees a robbery taking place and cannot put his hero shield aside. Being able to defuse the situation and meeting an icon of his, Luke takes back to the streets since Harlem needs a hero until Diamondback is taken down once and for all. Focused on the knowledge that the cops want him back in prison, Luke finds out that most of the public is standing with him, but to what lengths he may never truly understand. Watching as the cops try to raid Pop’s Barber Shop, Luke lies low until the coast is clear, but when he is approached by Shades and Mariah about an opportunity that can prove beneficial to both sides, it becomes obvious that the neutral barber shop is going to be in need of many repairs once again.

Yet another great episode and you can tell that the series is coming to a close very quickly as a stack of paperwork that can prove that Carl Lucas was not guilty has been thrown into the mix. The teaming up of Shades and Mariah has proven to a good thing and with them trying to change the frame up that was meant for Luke Cage to Diamondback, they have their work cut out for themselves. But as 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' mentality may take them far, the fight has come to their doorstep and they just might be caught in the crossfire. Misty has more evidence proving that Luke is not the one the police should be trying to arrest and while Inspector Ridley seems to believe her, hearsay is not enough to keep Cage from going behind bars. Diamondback has his own agenda and whatever he is hiding inside of a box inside his warehouse may have more power than we have ever seen before and it is time for the world to check it out and either side with him or his estranged brother. With musical guest Method Man spitting on the radio since Harlem’s Paradise is in shambles, a pretty fitting rap sums up what Luke has been doing for the city complete with a little nod that more people have his back than he could ever know. One episode left and I have a feeling that at least one thing is going to be resolved and that is the battle of the brothers between Luke and Willis to prove who is once and for all the savior that Harlem really needs.

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