By: Justin Pomerville
Before I begin, I need to say the following.... THIS WILL HAVE SPOILERS!! DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!
OK, you ready? I'm not going to go into details about each and every episode, but I will be going into some of the main story-lines and some key points.
This entire season had me at the edge of my seat! I could not stop watching it. It was so exciting and dramatic that I had to literally pull myself away to do stuff that involved human interaction.
At least 6 months after Daredevil had put Wilson Fisk away, Nelson & Murdock are now the top lawyer firm in Hell's Kitchen...at least popularity-wise. They are still struggling with trying to keep the lights on because most of their clients cannot pay them money, but they still try to take their cases. And although Fisk is behind bars, the city is still in major jeopardy. Right out of the gate, you are introduced to an Irish gang called The Kitchen Irish, as they meet to discuss the future of the drug and gun trade that is now up for grabs. They do not get very far into planning when everyone get gunned down. This sets the stage of bringing on the biggest excitement of the season, the introduction of Frank Castle (aka The Punisher).
The whole plot involving Castle was awesome. Introducing him right from the get-go was a great way for people to get the idea of what he does, which is killing bad guys. When you reach episode 3, you really dig into why he does it, and it's probably one of the most intense scenes I have seen that is mainly driven by dialogue. Murdock is knocked out by Castle while in a fight and he is chained to a chimney. The episode opens with him chained and he and Castle discussing why their method works better than the other. Murdock is really pushing Castle to not kill and to actually have the law do it's job. Castle on the other hand, is trying to convince Murdock that the system doesn't work and the only way to stop criminals is to put them down...for good. The whole episode is just intense and so well done that it is my favorite episode of the season.
Anyway, Castle's whole point in this season is revenge on those who were involved killing his family, who were caught in a crime war between three gangs; The Kitchen Irish, Mexican Cartel, and the Dogs Of Hell. But there is more to the story. It turns out that it was part of a bigger picture involving a new player in the criminal underworld called, The Blacksmith. Castle spends the last half of the season trying to find a way to get to the Blacksmith, who is apparently a ghost. His hate-fueled path of destruction and his mindset really make you sort of feel sorry for him, but I would be scared if anyone sympathized with him. His presence in this season opens a dialogue about how maybe the law cannot solve some problems and that someone sometimes has to get down and dirty. In the show, not real life. Just to be clear. I don't want people getting ideas from this.
The other big player that comes in this season is Elektra. She shows up out of the blue and sets the stage for the introduction of the biggest Daredevil enemy in his comics, The Hand. Elektra forces Murdock really think about where his morality lies. He is trying to juggle being a lawyer and vigilante at the same time, and it's breaking him down. His friendships are hanging by a thread and he has to decide what is more important to him. When Elektra shows up, it really causes a strain and through a couple episodes, you get to see glimpses of what Murdock and Elektra's relationship was like in the past.
Overall, she was my biggest complaint about this season. I just did not like her at all. She's a trained assassin and killer, but was never treated a rich woman who had all these resources. I agree with Frank Miller with his dislike for this character. During a Q&A session at Brazil CCXP, he was asked how he felt about her addition to the show, and he said; "They can call it whatever you want, but it will not be the real Elektra... Yes. I'm her father". She is an essential part of Matt Murdock and how he operates, but they spent a little too much time on their relationship instead of furthering the story, in my opinion.
But back to the task at Hand...see what I did there? No? Ooops.....But still, we have the ninja assassins, The Hand. They are now running through Hell's Kitchen trying to recruit a new leader, Elektra. She is apparently a special warrior called, The Black Sky. And she is trying to be forced to become the new head of The Hand. But, you only see them in action in the last couple episodes. I think they will be the big bad guys in season 3.
That's all I'm gonna say. I already gave some stuff away, but there are still some awesome stuff to watch. Go watch it!! You have a lot of the same smaller characters, like Melvin and Turk. Also have some episodes featuring Wilson Fisk, Claire, and Stick. AND it was able to tie in Jessica Jones by mentioning her by name and featuring Samantha Reyes (who appears near the end of Jessica Jones) and Jeri Hogarth (one of Jones main employers). It's action packed and leaves a lot open for season 3 and a possible Punisher solo series.
I give this season an A-.