The Defenders The Defenders Discussion Thread (NO SPOILER TAGS NECESSARY!)

[DACrowe]

Cottonmouth was being set up as an awesome villain. Got backstory and everything. And then gets taken out by Mariah in such a humiliating way. It went down hill from there after a great start.

Actually that is a great way to take out Cottonmouth. No one sees it coming, and the fact that it is ignoble and humiliating is all the better. It is just they had nothing to show for it after the twist.

 

[Hotwire]

The costume looked just fine in real life in that archival footage from his own freaking show. Smh.

You can't even see the mask!

 

[Hotwire]

Cottonmouth was being set up as an awesome villain. Got backstory and everything. And then gets taken out by Mariah in such a humiliating way. It went down hill from there after a great start.

Cottonmouth's death was one of the most brutal endings I've ever seen for a character. So much rage!

 

[Charlatan]

Is DD more powerful than Iron Fist? Because he made him look like a whimp and DD went toe-to-toe with Elektra while IF struggled.

IT seems to be fluctuating power levels. It doesn't hurt to have the hero be beaten by a villain physically, but use their smarts or cunning to win the actual fight.

or Elektra was taking it easy on Matt.

 

[David H.]

Actually that is a great way to take out Cottonmouth. No one sees it coming, and the fact that it is ignoble and humiliating is all the better. It is just they had nothing to show for it after the twist.

Mahershala kept the show alive from beginning to end, it dragged in his absance even before he got killed off.

 

[DACrowe]

Mahershala kept the show alive from beginning to end, it dragged in his absance even before he got killed off.

Oh I agree to a major extent. I am saying it was a great death scene and kind of fitting given the dynamic between him and his cousin. It likely came too early in the season though, because they could not capitalize on that death scene at all and, as you said, it fell apart.

 

[Tony Stark]

OK, just got done watching it. I loved it. It problably ranks just behind DD season 2 and Jessica Jones as far as my favorite Marvel Netflix series. Much better than Iron Fist, which I liked but the story telling was disjointed. I too liked Luke Cage but I agree that Cotton Mouth was the better villain and taking him out really put the series on ice.

Sure there were a few problems with Defenders, but overall Charlie Cox and Elodie Yung are the glue that holds the thing together. I also liked Sigourney Weavers performance, but the other members of the hand were OK, nothing special, except Madam Gao who is a great character.

Just to set expectation, don't expect a lot of MCU connective tissue in this one. Marvel clearly is separating their TV universes from the Netflix and ABC versions and the Movies. This probably had the least amount of those connective tissues, and I thought it was smart, because it's enough work to try to connect these characters, which I thought they did fabulously.

My biggest complaint, is that at 8 episodes, there's just a longing for something more. I imagine all the GoT fans are going to go through the same experience of having a shortened season and wanting more. But the story telling is very efficient, and while at times I did feel things were rushed, there is so much going on, you really don't have time to think about wishing there was more.

I'm really looking forward to another Defenders season and a Heroes for Hire season.

8.5/10

 

[Hotwire]

Anyone else think Gao also survived?

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

Definitely. I think if any finger returns it will be Gao. And I don't see why she wouldn't come back with a vengeance. The Hand, as an organization is a truly intimidating adversary. I truthfully think, even in the world the MCU and Netflix has set up, the Defenders would be hard pressed to permanently defeat them.

 

[jaqua99]

I dont think Danny was a weak point at all.

Him sticking out is part of the character, I believe. Simplifying contexts, weird selfish flakely righteous logic..I think it is all part of Danny still mentally being a kid. He struggles with his trauma.

Him back in New York makes him a fish out of water

 

[jaqua99]

You can't even see the mask!

I agree with him. THAT is the Iron Fist.

Danny needs that.

 

[jaqua99]

I was always told that Ironfist was the best martial artist in Marvel but Daredevil and Electra made him look foolish

I didn't see the end yet...but are you kidding me?

Wtf?

Eh, nvm. When they fought in ep 6, Daredevil wasn't exactly holding an advantage, and we've seen how Danny fights when he's clouded by emotion.

Plus, they needed 3 people to subdue a not focused Danny. Iron Fist, and Defenders still kind of imply he's the most skilled, despite coreography

 

[Mike Murdock]

I'm actually kinda glad Danny didn't get a suit. Looking at loads of cosplay just proves that mask is REALLY hard to pull off in real life.

I thought the behind the scenes footage of the guy playing the previous Iron Fist looked pretty good, though.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

Speaking candidly I think this show needed two more episodes. Heck maybe one more episode. With the defenders training one another.

Stick trains Jessica and Luke in some hand to hand combat while Danny and Matt spar with facemasks on. Matt wears his black mask, Danny wears an identical yellow one, no shirt and green pants.

There are no eye slits, he is merely teaching Danny to focus on his enemies movements and to fight blindfolded.

That wouldve been a phenomenal nod to his costume in the comics.

 

[kguillou]

Another thing I just thought of which is kind of underwhelming is....Claire. I mean...were they not trying to build her up to be the Agent Coulson/ Nick Fury of this group of characters? Because it sure seemed that way. And in the end she really served no purpose...she didn't even interact with Matt and those two are the foundation of this whole Netflix universe! Come on, writers, did you guys not have enough time to plan this out right?

 

[KevTravels]

Another thing I just thought of which is kind of underwhelming is....Claire. I mean...were they not trying to build her up to be the Agent Coulson/ Nick Fury of this group of characters? Because it sure seemed that way. And in the end she really served no purpose...she didn't even interact with Matt and those two are the foundation of this whole Netflix universe! Come on, writers, did you guys not have enough time to plan this out right?

That's a great point. Her role seemed "forced" in Iron Fist and yet underutilized during this series. I had hoped for a bigger role for her. It'd have been great if she spoke to Jessica about Luke. A simple 60 sec scene would have been enough.

 

[kguillou]

Funny enough, from the beginning I kind of pictured Claire having the role that Stick did, I pictured her being the one to patch everyone's wounds and stop them from bickering with each other and tell them to get their **** together and start acting like a team. I guess the writers needed to choose between her and Stick and I guess Stick made more sense.

 

[Iceman]

Speaking candidly I think this show needed two more episodes. Heck maybe one more episode. With the defenders training one another.

Stick trains Jessica and Luke in some hand to hand combat while Danny and Matt spar with facemasks on. Matt wears his black mask, Danny wears an identical yellow one, no shirt and green pants.

There are no eye slits, he is merely teaching Danny to focus on his enemies movements and to fight blindfolded.

That wouldve been a phenomenal nod to his costume in the comics.

Good ideas

 

[TheVileOne]

Anyone else think Gao also survived?

If Matt survived, there's a good chance Gao, Elektra, and Murakami all survived as well.

 

[Matt Mortem]

I'm really disappointed with the action Luke Cage and Jessica Jones got. They're super strong and all of their scenes consisted of them throwing people. Just tossing them around. And they didn't feel like super throws. Felt like regular tossing. I wanted to see Luke Cage go ham on some ninjas and really unleash his strength.

 

[Motown Marvel]

I was pretty disappointed in Defenders. It's better than Iron Fist, but not by much. There was so much nonsense, unearned emotions, and just plain bad writing.

 

[TheVileOne]

Defenders definitely fumbled in the third act.

I wish we had Steven DeKnight back. He really polished that first season, or at least he made it seemed like he did.

 

[pixen]

I do wonder how Season 2 of DD would have turned out with DeKnight at the helm. I do feel like there would have been more polish and if he lead The Defenders, it could have helped too.

 

[TheVileOne]

I think where Season 2 of Daredevil started having problems was the last few episodes.

But granted, that was also the case with Jessica Jones and Luke Cage.

I think the only major misstep in season 1 of DD was killing off Ben Urich, which they only did to shock people anyway.

 

[pixen]

The dip in DD s2 wasn't as deep/slow as S1. I just think people wanted more Punisher.

Also, I love that they completely forgot about Jessica's leaping/jumping abilities for this. It was kind of hinted at when she got the elevator cord but not really.