Daredevil Message Board

[Kuljit Mithra]

Please use this thread to discuss this episode and any relevant plot points that occurred prior to this one.

[Mike Murdock]

This is definitely a different take on Elektra (and, technically, the Hand). I'm glad we got some flashbacks for all that. The idea that she was a member of the Chaste first and then the daughter of a diplomat is different, but it fits this character very well. The idea that her prim and proper version is an act is nothing new, this is just a different reason why. However, her being the Black Sky (I guess an analogue for the Beast) is definitely new. It's fine with me, though, it fits the story. It also explains why the Chaste would want to kill her, which, in turn, reenforces the darkness she feels. While it's not my favorite take on Elektra, the Man Without Fear version would fit in easily with that.

I love the ninja stuff generally. The fact that the Hand are stealthy and have no heartbeats is not new. But the way Matt can't track them is. He often gets caught my surprise, but it's rare he's in a position that a sighted man would be better suited to fight them. The way he's able to pull it off is quite cool.

I was saying the two stories are going strong separately. It seems they aren't going to tie back together. On the other hand, it gives Karen a very strong presence (the Punisher story is essentially her story). I like Karen as a reporter. If Nelson and Murdock is gone for good, it's a good place for her to be. On the other hand, she keeps getting herself into mortal danger and, this season, Daredevil is not around to save her. I'm happy with the Blacksmith being the Colonel. Since it wasn't a comics character I was aware of (although I don't know Punisher villains so I wasn't positive), it had to fit into the story. My fear was it would be Stick (I have no idea why, I just thought the stories were going to converge). This ties everything with a nice bow. On top of that, having ties between Afghanistan and heroin makes a lot of sense.

There is a theme about redemption that ties the two stories together even if they aren't going to converge. Elektra is given a choice and she takes the path of goodness. Frank Castle is given one final choice (with an ultimatum from Karen) and he definitively becomes the Punisher. The idea is he's not a true serial killer. He doesn't kill for fun. On the other hand, while the reasons he killed are sympathetic, it wasn't a man who snapped. He's going to keep killing and he's going to get better at it. I think that cements where the Punisher stands.

When writing this review, I'm beginning to like the episode more and more. At the beginning of the episode, I had no idea how it was going to end. Now, at least, I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm going Four and a Half Stars.
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Matt Murdock's cooler twin brother

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[rgj]

Just wanted to make a quick comment before I start reading all the threads. Everyone notice the number on the ship? 227. Foreshadowing something down the line, hmmm?
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rgj

[Dimetre]

The focus of this episode is the theme of the point of no return. Matt is obsessed with holding back Elektra from her point of no return. Karen is obsessed with holding Frank back from his point of no return. Karen fails in her quest, and it devastates her. Matt has succeeded in his quest -- for now.

I'm glad Matt wasn't involved in the Frank plot in this episode, since I'm still pissed off in his remark from the last episode that legitimized Frank's way of thinking.

Deborah Ann Woll continues to do great work. Scott Glenn was strong in this episode. I'm a little confused about Stick's motivation all this time. If he knew Elektra was the Black Sky, then what has he been doing with her all these year's if he knew trying to suppress the Black Sky was a hopeless task? Unless, there was part of him that held out hope? Unless he loved her. Stick's hard to figure out. He was trying to kill her, but he seemed to be trying to save her.

I guess this season, for me, is kind of like Stick. There's greatness, and contradictions, and frustration, but I'm hoping it will all work out in the end.

[Dimetre]

One more thing: The first scene, particularly the way it ended, bothered me. Stick, Daredevil and Elektra are fighting a bunch of Hand ninja, and the lights go out. They come back on, and the ninja, along with Stick, are gone. The lights going out would have zero impact on Daredevil and Stick, so that made no sense to me, and it shouldn't have been in the show. Anybody who has ever read a Daredevil comic knows that turning the lights off on his enemies is one of Daredevil's main tactics, going all the way back to Stan Lee. Why was that in the final script for this episode?