Marvel’s The Defenders season 1 episode 3 recap and review: Worst Behavior

As “The Defenders” continues, everyone’s threads start to lead them to the same place. And Alexandra starts to feel even more formidable.

There’s no time for introductions!

Not-So-Short Summary

“Months ago,” Alexandra ate something delicious that was made better than in Constantinople –which she’s reminded that it hasn’t been that in a long time. Just how old is she? And she’s told they now have the Black Sky, AKA Elektra.

The resurrection process takes place. We see her placed into that stone coffin and emerge, alive and afraid. And still ready at hand-to-hand combat. Alexandra takes her down with surprising finesse.

“In the end, you are the weapon,” she tells Elektra before her training (retraining?) begins. It doesn’t take long for her to find her skills again. Say what you want about her characterization in Daredevil, but her fight scenes are so darn good.

Scott Glenn as Stick in “Marvel’s The Defenders,” photo credit Netflix.

“Today,” Stick gets to tell Alexandra that as long as the Iron Fist lives, this mysterious war is not over. He re-meets Elektra, chaos ensues, and Stick escapes.

And another Marvel character loses a hand. Good to see the trend continuing!

Back in the jailhouse, Jessica and Matt get to know each other. They don’t make it very far because the NYPD doesn’t actually have anything on Jessica and can’t keep her.

Jessica wants to keep investigating John’s company. And Matt’s tailing her. Well, then she starts following him and takes some pictures of him doing his crazy flips. Pretty crazy for a blind man.

Jessica shows up for a meeting with John’s company and gets some info on the last building he worked on: Midland Circle.

Meanwhile! Luke tells Claire about the guy who punched him, and the resulting “glowed how” and exasperated eye roll basically sum up that entire series. Danny Rand, meet Luke Cage. He and Colleen fill Luke in on everything and try to assure them that they’re on the same side.

Finn Jones as Danny Rand and Mike Coulter as Luke Cage in “Marvel’s The Defenders,” photo credit Netflix.

And then they’re left alone to try to get along. Kind of like when Bart locks Mrs. Krabappel and Principal Skinner in his office until they figure out how to get the teachers to stop from striking.

It does not go well. Luke leaves. Danny’s upset. But it gives him an idea. He uses a contact at Rand to look up shell corporations. Midland Circle Financial seems their target here in New York. Oh, and then Stick shows up at the dojo asking for “the Fist.”

Danny goes full businessman on a mission against Midland Circle Enterprises, pulls all the CEOs into a meeting, and goes off on them for being the Hand, being evil, all that jazz.

And Alexandra walks in, taking charge. Danny keeps his cool and keeps threatening. It’s a fun showdown.

Jessica shows up at Midland Circle with Matt hot on her heels. He hears the gunshot and takes off with Jessica’s scarf to find what’s going on, but as Danny gets pinned to the board table by half a dozen men, Luke shows up to save the day.

Not long after, Jessica and Matt make their way to the fun. The last few minutes of the episode are one large fight scene (some of which we saw in trailers!). And Elektra shows up to confuse the heck out of Matt.

“Who are you people?” Danny asks as they climb into the elevator together to leave.

Badass Moment of the Episode

Let’s go with the Luke/Danny fight scene.

Best One-Liner

“And I’m a Catholic — I have a soft spot for hopeless causes,” Matt tells Jessica with a giant-ass grin on his face.

Runner up goes to Jessica’s “You grab me like that again and I’ll punch you so hard you’ll see.” My new favorite thing is their banter back and forth.

Man does Sigourney Weaver play one heck of a fantastic bad guy.

Danny Rand really reminds me of a teenage Bruce Wayne — still distraught over his parents’ death and trying to do something about it. But it’s still about himself and not about helping others. Not yet, at least.

Okay, that fight scene with Iron Fist and Luke Cage working together makes me all sorts of happy in the same way that their first showdown did. Because this is them working together like in the comics. It’s so good!

Next: Marvel’s The Defenders season 1 episode 2 recap and review: Mean Right Hook

Might I also say that that initial re-meet of Jessica and Luke could have gone much worse? We’ll see how they fare in future episodes.