The 12 Best Love Stories in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Theo Rossi and Alfre Woodard in “Luke Cage”. (Photo: Marvel/Netflix)

Shades Alvarez and Mariah Dillard

One of the absolute best things about Luke Cage was the unexpected romantic pairing of Shades and Mariah. On paper, these two should not work at all. And, yet, they’re fantastic together. A lot of this is probably because Theo Rossi and Alfre Woodard have some ridiculous chemistry. But it’s also because Shades and Mariah are surprisingly easy to root for, romantically speaking.

Sure, they’re terrible people to almost everyone else. They’re both master manipulators. They each definitely have their own agendas. But when it comes to each other, they’re both supportive and loyal. Shades not only helps Mariah cover up a murder, he believes in her. He’s totally into the fact that she’s an intelligent and powerful woman. He not only genuinely wants her to succeed; he wants to be the one to help her win.  And he looks like he’s living for the smallest moments, like when he gets to hold a door open for her. As for Mariah, all she ever needed was someone solely on her side to realize her full potential. Now, she’s a force to be reckoned with in Harlem’s underworld.

By the time Season 1 ends, this pairing has morphed into a formidable duo capable of causing real problems for Luke Cage and his friends. The “Shadey Mariah” reign in Harlem is only just getting started. And I am 1000% here to see where this deliciously villainous pairing goes in Season 2.