The Defenders, Marvel’s Netflix version of street-level Avengers, drops on August 18th. That’s just a few days away, so What can we expect from this small-screen team up?
We can assume the villain, Alexandra, played by Sigourney Weaver, is a formidable foe. The trailer shows her talking to Madame Gao in a manner that signifies total dominance. She will likely have significant influence over the hand. Â Who is she specifically? Well, there’s no Alexandra Reid in Marvel Comics, so we can’t be sure. But my guess? Her true character is the Beast of the Hand, its demonic leader who can take the form of any person: it can possess others and impose its will. The Hand has worshipped the Beast for thousands of years.
What about our heroes? Daredevil, the flagship hero of the Netflix world, will lead the team. The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen is the flagship hero of Marvel’s Netflix franchise, and there’s little doubt he’ll take on the role of reluctant leader. The budding couple, Luke Cage and Jessica Jones, who we’ve seen together before in the first season of Jessica Jones, will get closer. Much closer. These two were married with a kid in the comics, and we’re expected to see those sparks begin to fly. These shows don’t shy away from some intimate physicality.
As for defeating the Hand, the most important member of this team is likely to be Iron Fist. The series focusing on Danny Rand was met with the most mixed reviews, and it was more of a slow burn than the others. We’ve been told that The Defenders continues Iron Fist’s arc and can expect significant development before season 2 comes along. If the Beast is the villain of The Defenders, Iron Fist will be the key to defeating it. In the comics, a chi strike from Rand can purify those possessed by the Beast. And let’s not forget Elektra. We know she will be resurrected. The circumstances behind this are unclear, but we know she is returning for this series. And we can be sure that her resurrection will not be benign; at least, it won’t begin that way. I believe Alexandra resurrects her for whatever nefarious plan she has, and her old flame Matt Murdock has to show her the light.
They won’t all get along. I suspect Matt Murdock will question Danny Rand’s place on the team and I don’t see Jessica wanting to be dragged into another fight after disposing of the Purple Man. Luke may want to avoid going back to prison. It will be fun to watch this group of loners having to come together to save the city they all love.
Who else will appear? Well, it appears to be a complete reunion. Claire Temple, Misty Knight, Foggy Nelson, Trish Walker, Jeri Hogarth, Karen Page and Stick will all be returning.
Who isn’t showing up? I know you’re as disappointed as I am, but Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will reportedly not be appearing in The Defenders. Why?  According to Marvel Television Executive VP Jeph Loeb, the Punisher is a character that can stand alone. It’s true that in the comics, Frank Castle doesn’t really play well with others…however, despite all this, a rumor exists that Bernthal’s Punisher will indeed make an appearance in the series. This hasn’t been confirmed and remains just a rumor, but do we really see Frank Castle sitting this one out completely? Either, Marvel is telling a very reasonable but disappointing truth about his absence, or they’re saving a surprise for us.
Are the MCU Defenders different from the team in the comics? Only completely. The founding members of the Defenders in the comics were Doctor Strange, Hulk and Namor the Sub-mariner in 1971.  With some of them currently part of the MCU’s Avengers, Marvel had to find a new team to comprise the Defenders. A series surrounding the original founding members based in Dr. Strange’s Sanctum  Sanctorum would also require a Hulk-sized budget, way more than what’s appropriated for TV. Luke Cage and Iron Fist did join the team in the comics for a period in the 1990s, but were never considered key members of the team. If you’re interested in following the current iteration of the team in the comic pages today, Marvel has launched Defenders volume 5 in August 2017, a comic series based off the current Netflix team.
The Defenders is Netflix’s most anticipated event in a long time. Years of individual heroes’ series’ has led to the big team-up, which is sure to be smashing success leaving us wanting more. Punisher, anyone?
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