Marvel’s Luke Cage – All Souled Out

By: Darryl Ley

At some law offices we see Luke Cage (Mike Colter), Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), Ben Donovan (Danny Johnson) and Dontrell “Cockroach” Hamilton (Dorian Missick) are discussing the assault case again Luke. Dontrell talks about the attack and how helpless he felt. He doesn’t deny that he beat up his girlfriend but tries to excuse it saying it is just a part of their relationship. He goes on to speak about his arrest by Scarfe and that being called into question resulting in his being freed. All the while Luke listens becoming angrier until his grip on the table tears a piece of it away.

After that we move to later and see Foggy return from a talk with the other attorney. It doesn’t look good for Luke he has two options either pay off Dontrell or risk going to court with a very real chance of him going to jail. He has to find $100,000 within the next 72 hours. Alex Wesley (John Clarence Stewart) and Tilda (Gabrielle Dennis) meet Mariah (Alfre Woodard) outside of the Family First building so she can take Tilda on an advanced tour. Mariah fills Tilda on the facilities and the two argue about the legacy of Mabel and the Stokes family. Mariah offers Tilda the Medical Director and she immediately responds with she doesn’t want to work there using Mariah’s Blood Money.

Mariah then tells her about her recent investment in Atreus Plastics leading to a massive windfall which she is using to fund Family First. She speaks passionately on what it can mean for the community and Tilda considers her words. Over in a Rand Building Detective Misty Knight (Simone Missick) is having a new cybernetic arm configured by a Rand technician (Aseem Tiwari) who explains to her how it works with her existing nerves. He tells her it will take time for it to work exactly how she wants it.

Foggy calls Luke to tell him about a money-making opportunity in the form of a personal appearance they discuss the details, but are interrupted by Misty coming into Pop’s. She shows off her new cybernetic arm then fills him about the visit to the Yardie who was awaiting deportation. They discuss why Bushmaster would buy guns from Mariah if he is seeking revenge and Luke reveals that he is being sued by Dontrell. Misty reveals that Dontrell is free because he was one of Scarfe’s tainted arrests and then suggests jokingly that Luke could call Danny for the money, which he flatly refuses to do.

Luke calls the Nike representative who is no longer interested in a deal after the Bushmaster video went viral, when he calls the Harlem Football team he is told he can’t be hired because of his superpowers. Then he hears from a man who wants to film Luke fighting animals, eventually he calls Foggy back.

Alex and Mariah discuss the upcoming press conference and whether or not Tilda is going to agree when Tilda comes to talk to Mariah. The two are quickly interrupted by Detectives Nandi Tyler (Antonique Smith) and Mark Bailey (Justin Swain) who question her about the disappearance of Mark Higgins.

At Harlem’s Paradise, we see Shades (Theo Rossi) has assembled his men to report in on the whereabouts of Bushmaster only to be publicly challenged by Comanche (Thomas Q. Jones) who he tells not to think but to follow orders. During the dressing down Shades notices that Ray Ray is not present, and no one can account for his whereabouts. Mariah arrives and says that Ray Ray’s wife doesn’t know where he is.

Shades and Mariah dismiss the boys and discuss business. Shade’s announces that he wants to buy Harlem’s Paradise from Mariah to get her out of the life for good. Mariah refuses Shades is clearly upset and states he will be going to Piranha Jones party that night to make sure that he doesn’t blab about her dealings. Mariah mentions her visit from the cops and the fact that Mark Higgins is now missing.

At Dontrell’s apartment he and Drea (Michelle Beck) are interrupted by Misty Knight paying them a visit. She tries to get him to drop the case against Luke and he brings up Scarfe which angers her but she leaves before fully losing her temper.

Foggy and Luke arrive at the offices of Piranha Jones (Chaz Lamar Shepherd). They are shown to his office and we find out that he is a Luke Cage super fan with pieces of Luke Cage memorabilia – his old Seagate prison uniform, a gun he crushed with bullets that bounced off him, etc. Piranha enters and shows them around his “Luke Cage Hall Of Fame” and talks about his troubled relationship with his father as well as explaining his name. He reveals he wants Luke to appear at his party as a celebrity superhero. Luke negotiates his payment as $150,000 and he Foggy leave.

Luke reveals he agreed because he saw a picture of Piranha and Mariah together and he wants to investigate. Before they leave Piranha’s assistant hands over a package which Luke initially refuses to wear until he is reminded that it is in his contract. Shades meets with Comanche again checking to see where Ray Ray is and sends Comanche to find him with Shades heading to the party.

After Shades leaves Comanche gets a text saying mama wants to meet him tonight. Misty Knight steps into an interrogation room with a case file we see a memory of a search at Dontrell’s place. Misty can’t find the weapon so Scarfe (Frank Whaley) says he will take a look and while Dontrell antagonizes Misty he comes back with a weapon he “found.” Captain Ridenhour (Peter Jay Fernandez) interrupts and the two talk about Scarfe with Misty now believing that Scarfe planted the gun that convicted Dontrell.

Captain Ridenhour suggest that other evidence gathered might have convicted him, but Misty is worried about all the other cases Scarfe was involved in. He argues that they will never know the extent of Scarfe’s corruption and leaves. At Pop’s we see Luke open the box given to him by the assistant and find out that it is one of his hoodies that has been shot through with bullet holes. He calls it cosplay.

Luke and Foggy make their entrance at the party where Ghostface Killah is performing. Various people take selfies with Luke until someone breaks a bottle overt his head and Luke reacts before realising he is being filmed by multiple phones so he drops the guy. In an examination room we see Drea. Misty Knight enters and we see that Drea has been beaten up by Dontrell again. Misty tries to get her to press charges but Drea is terrified that Dontrell will kill her.

Back at the party Dontrell is making up tales to two models on a couch room with Luke next to him until he realises they don’t speak English and takes them up to a VIP room and makes Luke guard the entrance. Over at Harlem’s Paradise, Tilda confronts Mariah over what she said to the police earlier that day. She was there when Mark Higgins came to nightspot. Tilda demands that Mariah comes clean or she’ll leave and cut all ties. Mariah tells Tilda about the Insider Training and the blackmail in order to get him to approve the merger.

She talks about how the Stokes have used their money from illegal activities over the years to support the community while Tilda calls her a liar and crook and the two go back and forth. Mariah challenges tilde to help and answers when she asks if Mariah knows where Mark Higgins. She doesn’t know where she is. Tilda then leaves saying nothing and not giving a real indication of which way she is going on whether or not to join Family First.

Back at Piranha’s party a nervous young woman approaches Luke for a selfie, after she leaves Luke sees a suspicious guy at the bar who disappears moments later prompting him to investigate. At the precinct Misty is looking for a file in her desk when she realises that it is likely in her old desk now Nandi’s. She tries to open the drawer with her cybernetic hand but has to switch to her left hand.

When she tries to close the desk it sticks and she finds a bottle of alcohol in the back. This triggers a memory of a conversation she had with Scarfe where he offers to help her frame a suspect that Misty was currently investigating. He laughs it off when she doesn’t immediately agree. She asks if he wants to go to a bar, but he says he has to go home and see his son Earl. In the present ,Misty then heads down to evidence lock up and takes something out.

Comanche goes to meet with Captain Ridenhour in his car out in the middle of nowhere. Misty breaks into Dontrell’s apartment with the intent to plant evidence, but has another memory flashback to when Scarfe in tears inconsolable after the death of his son blaming himself for not locking his gun safe. Scarfe calls it God’s vengeance for the things he’s done and back in the present we see Misty decide not to plant the evidence only to find Dontrell’s headless body in the apartment.

At the Family First Foundation Mariah is holding the grand opening and is surprised when she sees Tilda in the crowd but when she opens the doors she finds three severed heads. Luke sees Shades at the party and the two speak briefly before Piranha takes the stage and asks Luke to come up. Piranha wants to show off Luke’s powers and pulls out a gun and offers to let someone shoot him when Luke pushes back he reminds Luke about his fee for the appearance.

Before Piranha can fire gunshots ring out causing everyone to scatter. Luke disarms one shooter and Shades deals with another, but Piranha gets dragged into a car by two others. Luke chases after the car and jumps onto the roof saving Piranha and demands to know why Bushmaster is after him. Shades heads outside but takes his leave when he hears the police sirens.