In the sewers of Phnom Phen, Cambodia, a man and woman swordfight. The woman finally takes down her opponent and prepares to strike the final blow. Danny Rand knocks her down but she throws her blade and Danny manages to deflect it. The woman attacks him and then manages to stab her first opponent in the chest. As Colleen Wing arrives, the woman runs off and Danny goes after her. She doubles back and slashes his chest, and Danny summons the Iron Fist and punches at her. The woman disappears back into the shadows, and Danny confirms that she's gone.
When Danny goes back to Colleen, she says that they need to get the man help. He tells the man that he's hunting members of the Hand and he thinks that he's who they're looking for. The man recognizes Danny as Iron Fist and with his dying breath tells him to go home, warning that the war Danny fights is in New York City. Danny screams in frustration.
Jessica Jones is passed out at a bar. The bartender tells her that he's closing up and Jessica wakes up... and realizes that it's morning.
Trish Walker discovers that the police are towing her car for parking in a loading zone. Jessica pulls the car off of the tow truck. As they get coffee, Trish tells Jessica that a producer wants to tell Jessica's story. She suggests that Jessica considering taking the offer so she can pay her bills until she starts working again. Trish says that Jessica doesn't want to believe that she's a hero, and tells her friend to go home and get some sleep.
At Seagate Prison, Luke Cage is escorted past the other prisoners. They applaud Luke's release, and the warden tells him that his paper pushing worked. Luke breaks the handcuffs, crumples them up, and hands them to the warden. He goes the office and finds Foggy Nelson waiting for him. Foggy explains that he ran point on Luke's case and they talked on the phone. Luke asks if Claire is coming, and Foggy says that it's lawyers only. He tells Luke that his firm is at his disposal if Luke wants to start over, and Luke says that he's moving forward.
Matt Murdoch is at home rehearsing his coming cross-examination when he hears a car crash outside. He hears the NYPD breaking up the resulting fight and resists interfering. Later in court, Matt questions the defendant, Berkowitz. Berkowitz claims that he complied with safety standards on a new mortar once he received them, and Matt has a delivery record that Berkowitz received them three months earlier. Once he's done, Matt sits down with his crippled client, Aaron James.
Later, the jury finds in Aaron's favor and has Berkowitz's company pay $11 million. Matt asks Aaron if he's okay, and tells the teenager that the money will help his parents but it will only get harder for Aaron. Aaron admits that he's angry at everyone and just wants his life back, and Matt warns him that they can't but Aaron has to take it back. The teenager goes to face the reporters, and Matt realizes that Karen is behind him. She congratulates him on winning the case and says that she's there for a statement, and suggests that they get a bite. Matt agrees and asks for five minutes, and goes to talk to the reporters.
Danny and Colleen fly back to NYC on a Rand jet, In the restroom, Danny is cleaning up and imagines that he hears screams outside. He hallucinates that he's in a building with dying Shao-Lin monks, the walls covered in blood. Others are alive and stare silently at Danny. Danny turns and sees himself, telling him that he's abandoned them and the Hand has won. Colleen wakes Danny up from his nightmare and he dismisses his screaming as turbulence. She asks if Danny is going to talk to her about what's on his mind, and he dismisses it as nothing. Danny finally explains that they've been chasing the Hand for months and they got there just in time to watch the man die. Colleen assures him that the woman was faster than anyone they've ever seen and it's his not fault, and insists that they can figure it out... together. Danny wonders what the Hand wants in New York.
A woman, Alexandra, goes to a private clinic and disrobes for her tests. The doctor meets with her and admits that she's dying. Alexandra isn't surprised, and asks what the doctor can do to treat it. He says that there's not much they can do, and tells Alexandra that the new tests should give them a better idea of how long she has. The doctor leads her to a MRI and they begin.
Jessica goes to her office and finds a woman, Michelle Raymond, waiting with her daughter Lexi. Michelle says that they need Jessica's help. Jessica says that she can't, and Michelle explains that her husband John is missing, and he works as an architect. The detective tells her that John is cheating on her, and tells her to get a divorce lawyer. Michelle starts to leave with Lexi, and Jessica wishes her luck finding John.
When Jessica goes into her office, the phone rings. When the answering machine picks up, a man using a voice scrambler tells Jessica not to look for John and hangs up.
Luke takes the bus to Harlem and finds Claire waiting for him. They go to her apartment and have sex. Afterward, Luke tells Claire that her letters got him through the rough days in prison. He figured that something is going on in Harlem and promises to find out what. Claire says that Harlem has gone through changes and Mariah is still doing the same stuff. She tells Luke to worry about himself, and wonders how he's going to live an actual life when he's Harlem's Hero. Misty Knight arrives and invites Luke to come for a walk with her and Luke accepts.
Matt and Karen go to a diner and they discuss Kate's reporter career. He says that his pro bono work is making him happy, and says that he needed Karen to know his secret because he couldn't lie anymore. Karen asks if he misses it, and Matt says that it feels like a chapter in his life that is closed. She tells Matt that the NYPD is prevailing and the crime rate is down, and Daredevil may have made the city a safer place. Matt figures the city is better off without him, and Karen tells him that it's better off with Matt. She then takes his statement about the verdict.
Jessica is looking up John when Malcolm comes in to get a soda. He figures that she took a case, and Jessica explains about the call. John has designed four skyscrapers in Manhattan, and Jessica insists that she hasn't taken the case. She calls the phone company to try and trace the call, and gets the number of a payphone. Malcolm says that he used to go there to get heroin, and it's where people end up when they're trying to get off the grid. Jessica grabs her jacket, tells Malcolm to get out of her apartment, and leaves.
Missy says that she's still on the force, and Luke tells her that he's read to take down Mariah and Shades. She says that her team is on it but Harlem could use Luke's help. Missy explains that she's on a task force covering the entire city, and they come to an empty car. She tells Luke that an unidentified 25-year-old male was found there, and figures that he was a courier. Seven people have turned up in the last few months, and each time they moved their mother out of Harlem paying in cash. None of them did guns or drugs, and they were all off the books. Missy tells Luke that Candace, who was going to testify against Mariah, was also killed. Luke says that he'll find who is behind it, but MIssy suggests that he talk to the dead man's brother Cole and guide him in a different direction.
Matt goes to confession and tells Father Lantom that he lied to Karen about not missing his career as Daredevil. Lantom tells Matt to let God into his heart so that He can help, and asks Matt if his heart is with Daredevil or Elektra. Matt admits that he misses Elektra, but the things she brought out of him were wrong. Lantom assures him that he's moving on, and Elektra will find her peace.
Alexandra meets Madame Gao in the park and talks about the Dutch colonists buying Long Island. Gao says that the contact at the mayor's office is ready, and they can begin in three months. Alexandra tells her that they need to move faster, and Gao finally says that she will inform the other.
That night, Luke goes looking for the boy, Cole. When his friends realize who Luke is, they send him to Cole's apartment. Luke introduces himself and asks if Candace's murder was related to Cole's brother's. Cole says that what happened to his brother Shawn was an accident, and he doesn't know anything about his new job. Luke points out that Cole has new shoes and asks if he got a new gig, and Cole claims that he's just on the hustle. When Luke says that he can help, Cole tells him to go and says that it's too late for Luke to do anything. Luke tells Cole to think of his mother and what she's already been through, and that Cole is going to get himself hurt. Cole says that it's too late for heroes, and Luke tells him that "hero" is Cole's word, not his.
Jessica goes to the apartment at the address, checks with the landlord for John's apartment, and knocks at the door. She yells, saying that she's returning John's call, but gets no answer. Jessica breaks the lock and goes in, and finds a crate with plastic explosives but no sign of John.
Gao visits Alexandra at the latter's penthouse and says that they've made arrangements. She asks if Alexandra is sure about it, and Alexandra tells her to go.
Danny and Colleen take a helicopter to Rand Enterprises.
Matt returns to his apartment and hears a faint rumbling noise with his enhanced hearing. The building shakes as tremors wrack the city.
Jessica feels the tremors.
Danny and Colleen get out of the helicopter and a crack runs through the helipad.
In Harlem, cars shake on the streets and a light pole falls over. Luke catches it before it can crush a woman.
Alexandra tells her new visitor--the woman Danny fought, Elektra--that it's just a city and Elektra will get used to watching them fall.
The tremors finally stop and Matt listens to all the people throughout the city react.
Written by Gadfly on Aug 18, 2017