Daredevil – S2E12 – The Dark at the End of the Tunnel

Previously on Daredevil, “.380”

Images: Netflix

“Only thing gonna crack tonight is your skull…”

Contrary to popular belief, Frank Castle isn’t dead. He survived the explosion in the previous episode and lives to continue his crusade to find The Blacksmith. His true identity is revealed as Karen solves this mystery in true Clarice Starling fashion – the big reveal certainly felt like it was borrowing heavily from the climax of The Silence of the Lambs. Colonel Ray Schoonover was behind everything all along, which is almost unsurprising since the show cast Clancy Brown to play him. Call it Chekhov’s Stunt Casting, I suppose?

One does get the distinct impression that The Blacksmith was all for turning his army boys into psychotic killers. It also had me thinking that whatever went down in Afghanistan might be tied to Will Simpson from Jessica Jones. Nevertheless, the fateful showdown between Frank and his former superior officer did feel a bit rushed, but with one episode left in the season then what else was there left to do?

Messiah Complex

So… Really? Elektra is “Black Sky?” That was a lazy way to explain away why this show’s token femme fatale is the way she is. Yes, it is a major deviation from the source material—but that isn’t the source of my qualms over this startling revelation. I know that the process of adaptation isn’t a complete translation of the character from its source material, but this radical change alters the core of Elektra Natchios. By stating that she is The Hand’s prophetic doomsday weapon the writers have taken away the character’s agency. All of a sudden Elektra is not violent and psychotic as a result of her life experiences and because she finds a macabre joy in inflicting pain. With a single line from Nobu all her aberrant behavior is somehow excused and she is instead a victim of powers far beyond her control or comprehension.

To add insult to the grievous injury to Elektra’s character, she barely puts up a fight against this grim revelation. Instead being resigned to her prescribed destiny as “Black Sky” and taking her place alongside a mystical ninja death cult. She states that she’s arrived at this decision because she wants to belong somewhere, because she so desperately just wants to be loved. I weep for all the damage that was done to such a wonderful character.

Side Notes and Memorable Quotes 

Quote of the Week: “You’ve pushed everyone out of your life now you want to put the little you have left on protecting that broken old man?”-Elektra

• “He abandoned you just when you needed him the most because that’s what he does.”-Elektra
• The lights go out and the ninjas kidnapped Stick in the dark? But Matt is blind! It wouldn’t have made a difference.
• “There’s 20 dead bodies, it takes time.”
• Did we really need to see that much nail torture? It’s like a weekend at the Dreadfort with Ramsay Bolton.
• I really wanted Elektra to take that katana and decapitate Nobu.