‘Luke Cage’ Recap, Episode 12: From Zero To Street Hero

In just one episode, Luke Cage (Mike Colter) has gone from dangerous fugitive to folk hero. In Marvel’s Luke Cage, Episode 12, “Soliloquy of Chaos,” no longer is he the threat whose head the residents of Harlem were calling for just a night or two ago; he’s an icon now. He was allowed to escape custody by a benevolent cop who trusted Pop’s judgment of character enough to believe that Luke Cage is a good man.

Then there’s the robbery that in progress at a bodega that Luke happens upon, where he saves the owner and Method Man (of all people!). Method Man is extremely grateful and an instant fan that vouches for Luke during a radio interview with Sway and Heather B. He even raps a ballad about Luke. Perception about Luke quickly changes with this cosign. Black men throughout Harlem are wearing bullet hole hoodies, defying the police to harass them instead, perhaps a Harlem reimagining of that classic “I am Spartacus” scene from Spartacus.

Luke’s hero role isn’t only confirmed by the acceptance from the public; he’s finally accepted fully the responsibility of hero himself. Where any sane person would have just taken his new car and fine ass girlfriend and hit the road like Bobby Fish suggests, Luke chooses to remain in Harlem despite the risks of doing so all to ensure Diamondback (Erik LaRay Harvey) is defeated. He’s not going anywhere until that great threat against his adoptive home is neutralized.

Luke isn’t the only one transforming, though. Remember Detective Mercedes “Misty” Knight (Simone Missick), defender of the system? Gone. Misty’s been burned by her trust in the system too many times to put all of her faith into it anymore. So of course she encourages Luke to run (how magnificent was it when she leaves the ambulance while her arm is practically hanging off to use code to urge Luke to escape from custody?!). She knows very well that he’s innocent, and she now knows that the system just isn’t designed to see him that way; they bought untested Judas bullets from a disgraced politician just to take him out! Misty even becomes a vigilante of sorts, meeting up with Candace to tape her confession to helping to frame Luke for Cottonmouth’s murder, with Misty replacing Candace’s phone with a burner with only Misty’s phone number programmed instead of getting Candace into protective custody. Misty’s taking secret phone calls and meetings from Luke to aid in her pursuit of Diamondback, even while the rest of her precinct is focusing all their efforts on Luke Cage.

Mariah’s (Alfre Woodard) transforming too. Oh yes. Gone is that politician insistent upon staying straight. After the destruction of Harlem’s Paradise, she’s now acutely aware of her family’s legacy and leans into it with the help of her sycophantic assistant Alex (quite the creep, btw) and a partnership with Shades Alvarez (Theo Rossi). She’ll take out anyone who knows that she’s responsible for Cottonmouth’s murder and somehow get rid of Diamondback. Mariah finally admits to Shades that she regrets killing her cousin, and she is ready to indulge in all the dark, criminal traits he saw in her that she refused to see in herself. With Shades by her side, she’s ready to go all in.

How did Shades end up so firmly by Mariah’s side, anyway? In a move obvious enough to make Misty and Shades side eye, Diamondback bails Shades out of jail so that Diamondback is free to kill him. And why’s Diamondback going to kill Shades? Because he asks questions. Fine, megalomaniacal crime boss, but now doesn’t seem like the right time. Diamondback needs competent lieutenants to help him after that debacle at Harlem’s Paradise and the new threat of Domingo Colon, but Diamondback isn’t concerned with that sort of thing. He sends the overeager, incompetent Zip to do the job. Shades manages to fight off Zip’s attempt to strangle him, kills the accompanying goons, and after extracting the information about the orders to kill him, executes Zip. This sends Shades directly toward Mariah, where the two of them come up with a plan to use Luke Cage to take out Diamondback. Shades has the files that prove Diamondback framed Luke Cage to send him to Seagate as incentive in case Luke is too righteous to work with them.

Luke gets a hold of Diamondback’s warehouse location from Turk and heads there to deal with Diamondback once and for all. Colon has beat Luke there; he and his associates intend to take over every aspect of organized crime in Harlem. But Diamondback and company overcome them in a shootout before Luke gets there. Luke arrives at the warehouse to find Colon beat up and Diamondback gone. But he has rigged the place with explosives. At the last second, Luke escapes with Colon, who has been fatally wounded by one of Diamondback’s killer punches. After giving an ominous warning about Diamondback’s power, Colon dies.

Mariah and Shades head to Pop’s Barbershop looking for Luke Cage for a parley. It’s VERY tense between Luke and Shades, but Mariah talks Luke down before there’s any real fighting and offers Luke the files in exchange for him taking out Diamondback. It’s a worthy proposition, especially so after she promises to frame Diamondback for killing Cottonmouth and take the heat off Luke. But of course, Misty Knight shows up at just the right time to prevent the deal. Suddenly, a grenade destroys the barbershop. It’s Diamondback, of course, ready to take out Luke Cage for the last time. In the confusion, Shades picks up Misty’s lost phone, which can only spell danger for Candace. Diamondback is in a suit that makes him impervious to bullets and pain, and it’s time for Luke and Diamondback’s BIG SHOWDOWN.

[Watch Marvel’s Luke Cage, Episode 12, “Soliloquy of Chaos” on Netflix]

Rae Sanni is a comedian and writer from Brooklyn, NY who has been bringing her unique perspective on everything from pop culture to race and gender relations to audiences all over. Rae co-hosts the monthly stand up comedy show LoudMouth!. You can find Rae on Twitter @Raesanni, where she muses on her love for Rihanna, NBA players, and being a black person.