Daredevil, Season 2, Episode 13: A Cold Day In Hell's Kitchen
Finale! It's... a serviceable season finale, I guess. It's a far less formulaic story compared to season one, with so many players running through the season -- Matt, Frank, Elektra and Karen are really well done with their own personal character arcs working really well. The Hand plot is kind of the messiest, really, because beyond them wanting to catch Elektra and turn her into their queen we really have no idea what the hell they are up to. What's that big hole for? What was the blood-draining kid all about? How does Nobu and other Hand ninjas cheat death? What is the meaning of Elektra being the Black Sky if we've seen other Black Skies before? So many questions unanswered, and Nobu's dead again so we can't really ask him.
But no, instead of giving us some payoff for one of the wacky doomsday cult plots the Hand had engaged earlier in the season, they just borrowed a page off Fisk's playbook and kidnapped everyone Daredevil has ever saved. They also threaten poor Mahooney's mother to get that list, which is probably another reason as to why a nameless vigilante is far more effective in fighting the forces of evil. While thematically fitting with the whole Matt/Daredevil schism, it doesn't really make sense from a storytelling perspective. Why not use the blood-drained kids in the final fight or something?
It's still a really engaging episode, though, so despite limping in the final three or four episodes, Daredevil's second season is still one of the most solid live-action superhero adaptations out there.
Elektra's death was definitely telegraphed out loud, and I felt that they could've avoided that a bit. Her conversation with Matt as they approach that threshold were a bit obvious, but they were at least quite well-written, with Matt seemingly embracing Elektra as being the same with him and ready to run away with her if that's what it takes. It's a nice little payoff to Elektra's season-long arc of seeking acceptance and trying to see herself within Matt Murdock. But alas, in that final rooftop fight Nobu kills Elektra, and then Daredevil throws Nobu off that rooftop. Nobu gets back up from the fall only for Stick to slice his head off in one of the most hilarious deus ex machinas out there. I legit laughed so hard at that.
Oh, and Elektra's definitely not going to die permanently, because the Hand members stuck her in that giant... teapot... thing. For Matt and Stick, though, Elektra's dead. And, well, it's something that's associated with her character from the comics, so I really hope this is just them getting the death scene over and done with without involving Bullseye before they're ready to use him.
Frank, surprisingly got a fair amount of screentime in this episode as well, when I was doubtful if he'll show up after having his story tied up last episode. But he showed up to snipe off a couple of Nobu's bodyguards to assist Daredevil, in full skull-vest no less! Also a powerful moment for Frank is finally having the courage to confront his family's home, and then setting it on fire like a glorious funeral pyre near the end... though he does take a little disc labelled 'Micro', who I think is a plot hook for Punisher's own series. As I am told, Micro is a supporting character for Punisher.
Oh, and Melvin "Gladiator" Potter shows up to outfit Daredevil with his iconic billy clubs, which are holy shit really awesome. We only see them in this episode but considering the sheer versatility and the awesomeness of the multi-purpose melee/ranged/grapple line weapon thing is, man, the episode certainly really sold on how awesome those sticks are. Even Elektra wants one!
Meanwhile, Foggy is visited by Jeri Hogarth, hailing from Jessica Jones, who offers Foggy a job at her law firm! That was an unexpected but well-done crossover. Shame that they didn't really let Foggy do much beyond argue with Matt this season, though -- he's easily the weakest-written one out of the main cast.
This episode ends in a far more somber note than the first season. Nelson and Murdock is closed and a ghostly shell of its former glory, Nobu is dead but the Hand is still out there, Elektra is dead, and Daredevil burnt his bridges with Karen and Foggy in favour of being Daredevil full-time. Plus Kingpin is poised to unleash hell upon Hell's Kitchen after breaking free. Granted, there's the dual cliffhanger of Elektra in the teapot and Matt finally pulling out the Daredevil mask and telling Karen who he is... but we don't really see the resolutions to those until the next show, I'd wager.
So yeah, still a pretty awesome season nonetheless, even if it all kinda got rushed near the end. And I think that's simply because neither Nobu nor Blacksmith felt like actual compelling antagonists the way Wilson Fisk or Killgrave (or even the Punisher earlier this season) were. But definitely a very enjoyable and well-done season. More Netflix series for me, please. And hopefully Daredevil's third season will answer a lot of the questions raised by the Hand in this one.
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