Marvel's Luke Cage (2016) s02e10 Episode Script
The Main Ingredient
1 Yo, Luke! Yo! Bushmaster whooped your ass again, didn't he? It was the other way around, my man.
Oh.
Then where's the video of that shit? [MAN.]
You still the Hero of Harlem, right? My cousin's getting smacked around by the cops 'cause he has dreads.
Every Jamaican ain't down with Bushmaster.
Hey, hey.
You need to handle this, Luke.
My little sister can't even sleep at night.
What are you gonna do? Yo, I'm doing the best I can.
Okay? Look, I'm sorry about your bredren.
And I'mma handle Bushmaster.
A'ight? And young lady, I promise, I'm gonna put a stop to all of this.
No, you ain't.
You ain't no better than the damn cops.
Ooh, damn.
She got you.
That's some cold shit.
Let's go.
Man.
See, you ain't using your powers right.
Excuse me? If I was bulletproof and strong, I'd be running shit.
I'd be like, "Either you bend a knee, or you lay down, bitch.
" And if they didn't? Dracarys! Like straight flames for them niggas.
State Property and Game of Thrones do not mix.
Nah, when you high, that shit sounds right.
Man, you coming in? [SCOFFS.]
Thought you'd never ask.
No one from Rand will comment on why the skirmish happened, if anything was stolen, or what Luke Cage's rumored involvement was.
The police continue to search for McIver, also known as Bushmaster, who escaped police custody three days ago after setting off an explosive device inside a police armored van.
Three officers were severely injured in the blast, but McIver's body was never recovered.
[D.
W.
.]
You see this? "Sweet Christmas.
" Money green.
Huh? "Sweet sister.
" For the ladies.
And Power Man yellow.
That's where it's at.
All of these would be sold out if Harlem hadn't turned on you.
Yeah, like you ain't a part of that.
That ambush out there was your fault, D-Dub.
Everything went downhill after you sold that video to ESPN.
That was all you.
You're the one talking about, "Step to me," throwing tires 30 feet and hitting the dab.
And you go out there to capture it all, right? Look, that's my job.
I catch you as you are.
If your friends can't show you the truth about yourself, what good are they? [IN JAMAICAN ACCENT.]
Bushmaster got in your head, didn't he, boy? I whooped his ass, D.
W.
I broke him down.
And he's still a ghost.
[NORMAL.]
Well, shit happens.
Yeah, especially to me.
I feel like a fireman.
Always putting out fires.
Never enough water.
You're a black man trying to make a difference.
No black man has ever stepped forward in service without sacrifice.
You know what? That was halfway deep.
No way.
Is that the Luke Cage? [CHUCKLES.]
My boy, Danny Rand.
What's up, man? You got time for a selfie? - Whatever, man.
- [DANNY CHUCKLES.]
Oh, snap! Mr.
Rand, let me hold your dollar.
[LAUGHS.]
No, no, no.
I'm playing.
I'm playing.
But really, though - [CHUCKLES.]
- Misty tell you where I was? Oh, look, man, I'm so sorry about the office.
Oh, seriously, don't worry about it.
It's not even mine anymore.
I mean, it is, but I'm not running the day-to-day, so it's fine.
So how'd you find me? Harlem's Hero app.
[SCOFFS.]
I told you to copyright that shit.
- [LUKE.]
Tsk.
- Yeah, so you really work out of here? This place is cool.
Yeah.
Thanks.
I'm glad you approve of my lair.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY.]
So what's up, Danny? What's good? Bushmaster.
Yeah.
That's my fight, not yours.
When someone comes after my friends, I make it my fight.
"I make it my fight.
" This white boy got swagger, yo.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- [LUKE.]
He's got to.
He calls himself the Immortal Iron Fist.
Yo, that's hot! This cat understands the power of a brand.
[CHUCKLES.]
See? Finally somebody gets it.
What's your name? D.
W.
Friends call me D-Dub.
See, I became the Fist when I defeated Shou-Lao.
It's a dragon.
[LAUGHS INCREDULOUSLY.]
Wait! Time out.
You fought Bruce Lee? - You don't look that old.
- No, not Bruce Lee, a real I really appreciate you coming by, Danny, but I'm good.
Really.
No, you're not.
You read minds, too? D.
W.
, seriously, shut up.
Look, Harlem is a part of the city, right? And we agreed to defend Manhattan.
No.
Harlem is Harlem.
This ain't Shaolin.
K'un-Lun.
You're not gonna leave me alone, are you? No.
Whatever, man.
If you stay, you play by my rules.
Come on, man.
You know me.
I love a good fight.
"Power Man and Iron Fist.
" That's got a ring to it.
That's going on a T-shirt for real.
What do you say? You in? [THEME MUSIC PLAYING.]
Nandi, where are you? [MARIAH.]
Somebody needs to clean up all this voodoo shit.
This is your fault it happened in the first place.
[DONOVAN.]
That's why I called you.
I'm here to rectify the situation.
You are here because you got gypped by a Rasta nig.
I'm here because it's the right thing to do.
All of your holdings, Harlem's Paradise, your cash, everything has been restored.
Check your phone.
It's real.
How? One cannot sign a contract under extreme duress.
That's ironic.
It's been documented that Mr.
McIver tortured Raymond "Piranha" Jones.
[OBJECT CLATTERS.]
The asset transfer, therefore, was not legally binding.
I got it expedited.
That's what I do for my clients.
- What about the police? - [DONOVAN.]
What about them? They'll roll around in litigation for years and still lose.
Until then, your money is yours.
Your club.
Everything.
I hope this settles matters between us.
[SMACKS LIPS.]
Not by a damn sight.
[GROANS.]
Ahhh! Did you skim money off me? [STRAINING.]
No.
No.
Good.
[GROANS.]
I thought they called you Big Ben.
Call everyone home.
It's good to have the money, but we need the streets back.
I want Bushmaster's head on a goddamn platter.
We just have to find him.
Oh, we have help on that front.
[SHADES.]
Hmm.
[BREATHING DEEPLY.]
Y'all meditating or something? Sometimes in silence, you can find the best ways to communicate.
Yeah, you should speak less, D.
W.
You might learn something.
But for real.
What do you think? Why hasn't Bushmaster come back yet? Tell me about the fight again.
Step by step.
I don't know.
We went at it.
Toe-to-toe.
Blow-for Man, who am I, Larry Merchant? I whooped his ass.
End of story.
[SCOFFS.]
It's not the end of the story if he's still out there, is it? Did he bleed? Yeah.
So? Well, you don't.
Not even after I clocked you with this bad boy.
[CHUCKLES.]
[LUKE CHUCKLES.]
You got lucky.
Whatever, man.
That's beside the point.
The fact is, is that you don't bleed.
And if he did, then maybe he's injured.
You say he escaped? Yeah, he blew himself up.
Snuck a Hammer weapon into a paddy wagon.
Okay.
So, imagine the blast.
You could take the hit because the shrapnel would bounce right off of you.
You told me about your cellular regeneration.
Yeah.
I heal incredibly quickly.
My skin hardens, strengthens my muscles.
Something like that.
All right.
Doesn't sound like he has that, so if he is injured, then he'd probably have to go to a hospital or a doctor or something.
Yeah.
He would need a doctor.
Someone special.
Off the books.
[SCOFFS.]
Why didn't I think of that? You're right.
Let's go.
- Where're we going? - I'll tell you on the way.
Okay.
Let's do it.
See? Silence is golden.
I wasn't completely kidding.
Silence was good.
I've been a little distracted lately.
Yeah, I use it all the time.
Where do you find it? In my head.
My heart.
Man, I love these streets.
You can feel 'em, you know? They make you focus.
Not me.
You seem different.
Yeah.
Guess I am different.
Yeah, you seem settled.
I'm still.
You know, power comes from stillness, Luke.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY.]
No.
Power comes from getting shit done, Danny.
We're almost there.
Hey.
Have you seen Nandi? No, but I, uh I usually beat her in.
What's up? I wanna show you something.
Over here.
- [SIGHS.]
- Come on, Bailey.
This is dramatic.
You talk to Nandi this morning? - Chief, what is this? - Answer the question, Bailey.
No, I haven't seen her.
What's going on? When I left Nandi at Mother's Touch, she didn't know where Luke and I were going.
We didn't tell anyone.
To keep the safe house that Danny provided safe.
To make sure that Mariah and Tilda survived the bounty.
[CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY.]
I had no clue where you guys were going.
And neither did Nandi.
Until I came back to broker Mariah's deal.
I came into this room, and I told Ridley where we were.
When someone uses their key card to get in the room on the other side of this glass, there is a record of it.
- I didn't know that.
- [RIDLEY.]
Yeah, well, no one did.
Internal Affairs installed it two weeks ago.
And Nandi used her card at the same time Misty and I were in here.
We have other investigations.
She could've left something behind.
Luke could have called someone.
Or Mariah.
Mariah doesn't have a death wish.
And Luke isn't careless.
- Look, Bailey, my gut - Your gut? Your Your gut trusted Scarfe, right? Wow.
That was low.
Nandi's right.
You never liked her.
You never trusted her.
But I trust you.
Look, I don't wanna be right about this.
Nandi deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Well, then help us clear her.
Or bring her in.
Because she might have a direct line to Bushmaster.
[DANNY.]
So this is why you needed a safe house? Something bad happened here.
Looks like something he was wearing when I fought him.
He must have come back here after he escaped.
Probably came here looking for her.
Not just her.
It.
Nightshade.
What's nightshade? It's a plant Tilda sold Bushmaster before he attacked me the first time.
She thinks it has something to do with his healing, which gives him his strength.
This place kinda reminds me of an old apothecary back in K'un-Lun.
Any sickness, any pain, Old Ming would have a leaf or a remedy for it.
Sound like Ming had the K-Town chronic.
[CHUCKLES.]
What do you know about The Chronic? Which one? I mean, I know I'm supposed to say the original, but Chronic 2001 was kinda my favorite.
Really? Why that one? Uh, it was the last album I got from Tower Records before we boarded the plane.
[SIGHS.]
In K'un-Lun, our healers defined the body in terms of balancing the three principles of function.
There's Loong, mKhris-pa, Bad-Kan.
Circulation, heat and cold.
Now, you see, the last function, Bad-Kan, it encompasses our physical structure and our mental stability.
And if you manipulate it too much, then you could lose your mind.
Maybe that's what's going on with Bushmaster.
What is that? Grasshopper root? It says that nightshade is highly toxic.
That the more you take it, the less effective it is.
Bad-Kan.
You need more, more frequently, and it's less effective.
Like heroin.
Chasing the dragon.
[DANNY.]
Hmm.
You think this is the only source? Well, her notes say it only grows in Jamaica.
There are many strains of this plant, but the only one with the healing mojo is very distinctive.
Couldn't it be replicated? I don't know.
We have to ask Tilda.
All right.
How are we gonna find her? We gotta talk to her mother.
What are you thinking about? My grandmother.
My cousin.
Everyone who has ever stood on this very spot.
It really is the best spot in the whole club.
It's the roost.
Harlem is ruled from here.
And when it's right, it's like ruling the world.
You had it the whole time? I had to make sure that I could trust you again.
Buggy gave this to my grandmother.
She gave it to Cornell.
Peasant.
Wah gwaan? Hey, stop.
Run it back.
Right there.
Shit.
Why would she do this? I got a few million ideas.
- What you got? - Something.
Show her.
Yeah.
[MISTY.]
I talked to the DA's office.
We have a search warrant for her apartment and PC for an arrest.
Close it down.
You run her credit card numbers, her phone numbers? [BAILEY.]
Awaiting your permission.
Got an Uber hit.
Select Black.
Where? You don't scare me.
Ha! [IN JAMAICAN DIALECT.]
You're consumed with fear.
You've been scared your whole life.
You're like a frightened fowl waiting for your neck to get cut.
[DANNY.]
Oh, this place is nice.
It's also pretty dangerous, Luke.
Luke Cage is here with Danny Rand.
- I'm going out there.
- Why? So they won't come upstairs.
Not gonna tell me this place reminds you of some teahouse in K'un-Lun? Funny.
You got a plan if this goes sideways? I don't think I need one.
Look at 'em.
I don't think they want it.
Because you're bulletproof? Nah.
'Cause I just walked in here with a billion dollars.
I'm not so sure anybody wants to bust a cap in Steve Jobs.
Come on, dude.
You always have to make this about my money.
I told you, I don't even live off it anymore.
[CHUCKLES.]
You don't get it, do you? The glowing fist is the least powerful thing about you.
Especially up here.
Stillness is power? No, money is power.
That's what flows.
That's the one thing they respect.
Trust me.
Ah, Sugar.
Fell back, huh? My car was damaged.
Didn't leave me much of a choice.
We're not open till next week.
We have some cleaning to do.
I'm looking for Bushmaster.
Looks like you are, too.
I've moved on.
What you doing? No, you haven't.
You need to chill.
When you walked away from Rand, you walked away from your immunity deal.
Don't tear up the streets.
That man came at my family.
I will cut a mother when it comes to my family.
Speaking of Where's Tilda? [SCOFFS.]
She's not here.
What do you mean she's not here? Did you even go to Mother's Touch? Do you even care if she's safe? She's gone her own way.
Children do that eventually.
It's the curse of parenthood.
So how's that fine-ass daddy of yours? You know, there was something fun about him.
There's nothing fun about you.
I could have given your daddy something to pray about.
I'm sorry, Mr.
Rand.
May I offer you something to drink? I'm good.
Thanks.
You can tear shit up if you want to.
It's just gonna waste time.
You better find Bushmaster before I do.
Don't do anything stupid, Mariah.
Or actually, please, do something stupid.
So I can take this whole thing down.
Do your best.
You should call Tilda.
She might need you.
You stay out of my business, hero.
You just gave me an idea.
I wanna show you something.
You surprised me.
You're not even gagged.
One peep and he would've been up here.
My fate is sealed.
Yours, too.
There's nothing you can do to make me give away Johnny.
Ever.
Don't be so sure, rude boy.
[POLICE SIREN WAILS.]
[MISTY.]
Freeze! Misty.
[CHUCKLES.]
Bailey I'm sorry, Mark, this wasn't about you.
Why? Look, y'all can talk about that shit back at the precinct.
You have the right to remain silent.
- What? You not gonna turn around? - Sure.
[SCOFFS.]
- [NANDI GRUNTS.]
- [MISTY GROANS.]
- [BAILEY.]
Freeze! - I got her.
[POLICE OFFICER.]
Move in! Move in! [BAILEY SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY.]
[BOTH GROANING.]
Come on.
Get up! Get up and take this ass-whoopin'.
[BAILEY.]
You are under arrest.
You have the right to remain silent.
[LUKE.]
I hate to admit it I've never been up here.
[DANNY.]
My father went to Columbia.
He used to bring me here all the time.
[LUKE.]
It's beautiful.
[DANNY.]
Hmm.
It's still.
What are you doing? That was good.
Held your ground.
Dude, we don't have time for this.
Yeah, we do.
Now come on, hit me.
No.
[LUKE GRUNTING.]
See? You're off-balance because you're angry.
- Hell yeah, I'm angry.
- About what? [PANTING.]
What does it have to do with anything? Everything.
We got a job to do, man.
Yeah, don't you see? We're doing it.
You gotta rebalance your chi.
Oh, come on, Danny.
Power is stillness.
And stillness comes from effortless flow.
You need to be relaxed within.
Even when you're going full force.
When you clear your mind, everything comes into focus.
That's why we came up high.
Mariah she likes that perch because she can see everything.
Like a hawk.
But Bushmaster's laying low.
We don't need a bird's-eye view.
We need the perspective of a rat.
All right.
So who's the biggest rat you know? That one's easy.
You think you're better than me? You remember when Tasha Bowles stole that iPod? When we were at that away tournament in Philly? Of course I remember Tash.
She was our leading scorer.
You could've let that slide, but you didn't.
You told Coach Shaw.
And Tasha got kicked off the team.
[CHUCKLES.]
And we got our asses handed to us without her.
No snitch.
That was the rule, but you didn't care.
And everybody respected you for that.
Especially a shy 14-year-old player coming off the bench behind you.
You gotta trust your teammates.
Nothing is bigger than the team.
Not even friendship.
Or ego.
[SCOFFS.]
That's funny.
You know, I talked to Tasha when we got back from Philly.
Something about what went down just always bothered me, 'cause Tasha was good people.
So I reached out, and you know what she told me? She said that you and her made a deal.
She would steal the iPod, and you were gonna hit some wallets.
Except you never did.
Of course not.
I'm smarter than that.
You set her up so that she would get kicked off the team, so that our one-two punch would just be one.
You.
With her gone, the Temple and La Salle scouts would just see you.
We would lose, but you would shine.
And even now it's still the same.
And you have the nerve to sit up here and talk to me about "nothing is bigger than the team"? Why are you still mad? I got injured in the third quarter.
You came off the bench.
You took my spot.
I earned that spot.
You looking down on me all saditty, but what about you? [SCOFFS.]
Excuse me? You sold us out when you came in here asking for immunity for Mariah.
- Like I said, I stepped up.
- [SCOFFS.]
There is a bigger threat out there than just Mariah.
Ridenhour's dead because of that woman.
She's a cancer to Harlem.
Laundering gun money to finance her campaign.
Or killing her cousin Cottonmouth.
What about Candace? [CHUCKLES.]
I read Candace's file.
Silly girl.
She never should've trusted you.
That was entirely your fault.
After all of that, you still wanna let that bitch walk? You sold us out to Bushmaster.
He is a homicidal maniac.
Bushmaster just wants justice from Mariah.
Real justice.
Mariah doesn't get to win.
She's gotta go.
And if somebody wants to take her out and there's some cash left over? C'est la vie, bitch.
- I got my spot back.
One way - [BANGS TABLE.]
This isn't some high-school bullshit! You almost had our blood on your hands, and look at you.
Even now you won't own your shit.
And maybe you never will.
You're not even worth it.
[MARIAH.]
Untie him.
If he was gonna buck, he would've done it already.
He still could.
Then you'll have to shoot him.
Care for a drink? Rum perhaps? Nah.
I lost my taste for it.
[MARIAH.]
Some things are worth fighting for.
I understand my grandfather.
This is the smoothest rum I've ever tasted.
Enjoy.
Prison or death are watching you.
You don't have long to experience such things.
Longer than you.
I lied to your friend.
My grandfather built the distillery based on Quincy's formula.
Some of my earliest memories of my grandfather are stories my grandmother told about two dishwashers and their crazy dream of making their own rum and owning a nightclub.
Why do you think we fought so hard for Harlem's Paradise? The Italian gangsters took the liquor.
The Irish cops, protection.
But we kept the real estate.
Your grandfather was a slave.
Buggy Stokes was freer than you will ever be.
That's the problem with you Yankees.
You didn't have the strength to fight your masters then.
You're lazy.
You're content with the scraps.
You're happy to sing and dance for them.
Oh, please.
Every Jamaican talks that Maroon bullshit.
What, y'all didn't get your freedom What? 1962.
And then you got enslaved by the World Bank.
All you're known for is Marley, marijuana and murder.
Quincy McIver wanted to fight the Italians and the Irish.
He thought Buggy would've had his back.
Buggy could only fight for one family.
And he chose the right one.
He should've finished off the whole raasclaat McIver family when he had the chance.
[LAUGHS.]
What? You think this is funny? [BREATHES DEEPLY.]
I laugh at my own folly.
When Johnny declared war on you, I felt sorry for you.
I didn't want him to destroy you the way the Stokes destroyed his family.
But now I see you with my own two eyes, and I understand the temptation.
Your darkness matching his.
You deserve all the brimstone he's gonna bring upon you.
Where is he? I don't know.
And I wouldn't tell you even if I did.
But I'll tell you like I tell him.
When one seek vengeance, he must dig two graves.
That's not enough holes for me.
- [WHISTLES.]
- [DOOR OPENS.]
[LUKE.]
Turk.
Come on, man.
Not tonight.
Yep, tonight.
It's not what you think.
God damn! And you brought him, too? It's Danny.
Yeah, I know who you are.
Madame Gao was no joke.
I heard how you got in the mix and got my Asian brothers all shook and shit.
So you opened a head shop, huh? Hey, I followed the money, baby.
Colorado.
California.
Washington.
My cousin started this shit.
[CHUCKLES.]
We're making so much money selling legal gear to all the dispensaries, I haven't done any crooked shit in months.
Why'd I have to go through all this drama to find you? I have a reputation to uphold.
Being nefarious is good for business.
Hey, Luke [CHUCKLES.]
I like this one.
[LUKE.]
You smoke? You looking for Bushmaster? I heard he kicked your ass and bounced.
Hey, for the last time, man, it was the other way around.
Kicked my ass Wow.
[TURK.]
Yeah.
That's a nice one, right? - Got a lot of nice glass.
- Yeah.
- [LUKE.]
Mmm-hmm.
- [BONG SHATTERS.]
- Oops - [GASPS.]
So you gonna tell me what I need to know? Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Okay.
Word on the street is that the gangs are pissed that the Jamaicans are driving everyone out of the weed business.
- Why? - I don't know.
But they've taken over one of the biggest grow houses in the city.
Nightshade.
Where is this grow house? Abandoned warehouse out near Rucker Park.
That's all I got.
Your aura's dope.
Who you train with? - I trained with Master - Let's go, Danny.
Hey, you gonna pay for that? [LUKE.]
Bill me! [MAN SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY.]
Hurry up! [LUKE.]
We're definitely in the right spot.
Bet this place is a fortress.
- Do I look fazed? - Do I? ["7TH CHAMBER" BY WU-TANG CLAN PLAYING.]
[THUDDING IN DISTANCE.]
[YELLING IN DISTANCE.]
[GUNS COCKING.]
Patty-cake.
What? Fire it up and hit my hands.
I'm ready this time.
[DANNY GRUNTS.]
[YELLING.]
[DANNY AND LUKE GRUNT.]
[MAN GROANS.]
Luke.
Stillness.
Where's Bushmaster? [GASPS.]
Look, man, I don't know where he is.
- You're kidding me? - It's just us.
- Bushmaster doesn't come in here.
- You're growing all this nightshade, all this firepower, and he's never been here? We work on the plants, that's all.
Everything we do is to cultivate and protect this.
[LUKE.]
Where's the rest of the nightshade? [MAN.]
There's no more.
I swear.
Could he use this? - Answer him! - [STAMMERS.]
Not like that! He'd need the mature flower before he could use it.
But the plant can't grow properly without Jamaican soil or sunlight.
It just withers.
Come on, man.
Get outta here now.
This whole room is a nursery so he can have a never-ending supply to power himself up.
[DANNY.]
Well, not anymore.
[LUKE.]
Well, that's the end of that.
A bit much to burn the whole thing down, don't you think? Eh.
Only way to be sure.
Besides, I got Rand to purchase the building and the lot underneath it, so no harm done.
I mean, it's not like I'm gonna pursue a complaint, is it? [SIGHS.]
You're right, though.
Money is power.
I hate to admit it, but it's true.
Yeah, well, real power comes from someplace else, right? - Chi? - [SIREN WAILING.]
- You said it, not me.
- [CHUCKLES.]
Let's go.
[RIDLEY.]
IA is gonna be up our asses all over again for that one.
[SIGHS.]
She's going to prison.
That's all that matters.
No, that's not all that matters.
Detective Knight, my office.
IA investigation notwithstanding, I was very impressed with how you handled the situation with Detective Tyler.
Thank you, Deputy Chief.
You and I have had our differences.
Still do.
But I respect your sacrifice, even if the rest of the world doesn't know.
I was briefed on what really happened at Midland Circle.
And your work ethic, your determination to do right by Harlem, it should be rewarded.
Especially seeing how my tenure here is temporary.
I'm sorry, Priscilla.
What is it exactly you're getting at? Harlem deserves a legitimate champion, not just a vigilante.
And once I return to One Police Plaza, this precinct will need a new commander.
I think it should be you.
But I'm just a detective.
Detective first grade.
Best I've ever seen.
Still.
I mean, has that ever even happened before? We now live in a world with bulletproof black men, Mercedes.
There's no such thing as precedent.
The largest grow house in Harlem just went up in flames.
No sign of Bushmaster.
Luke Cage is doing our dirty work for us.
Now is the time to strike.
Right through Bushmaster's bumboclaat heart.
This is a good leverage play.
We're gonna go in and give Bushmaster's people an ultimatum.
It's all about the message.
No doubt.
Whatever you're gonna do to me, just do it.
[STRAINS.]
This don't feel right.
Ain't supposed to feel.
You just do.
We soldiers.
This feels right to you? Marching a dude down the block as we head to a restaurant? This is off.
I ain't doing this shit.
What? Shoot me.
I don't care.
We ain't got time for this.
You pull out, she gonna come looking for you.
Let her come.
I'm done.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[EXCLAIMING.]
[MAN.]
Easy, people.
Easy.
Don't move.
Listen, we don't have much money.
Just take what you want and go.
- Sit your ass down.
This ain't no robbery! - [GROANS.]
[MAN.]
Sit down.
Shut up.
[GASPS.]
[PANTING.]
Ingrid! Please don't do this.
Billie, it was you.
That's how he knew about Piranha.
That's how he knew how to get to me.
And where.
[BREATHING SHAKILY.]
Ms.
Dillard, please.
[EXCLAIMS.]
The name is Stokes.
Mariah Stokes.
[BILLIE NERVOUSLY.]
No - [GUNSHOT.]
- [SHRIEKING.]
- [MAN.]
Please, sir! Please.
- [GUNSHOT.]
[WOMAN SOBBING.]
No! No! No! Ah! [MAN.]
Please, sir! Please! [MAN GASPS.]
- [SCREAMING.]
- [GUNSHOTS.]
[SHUDDERING.]
[GASPS SOFTLY.]
Ingrid? Ingrid I'm sorry.
This is not what we talked about.
We're sending a message.
Just like we said.
[ANANSI.]
I'm so sorry.
[SOBBING.]
I'm sorry.
Let's see if your nephew is right about the cleansing power of fire.
I'm gonna haunt you for the rest of your days.
You're gonna eat, but you won't taste.
You're gonna sleep, but you won't rest.
Everything you love, you gonna lose! You hear me? [CRYING.]
You hear me? You hear me? [GROANING.]
[YELLING.]
Jesus! Die already! Bushmaster will come to us now.
He has to.
He was wrong, Hernan.
I'm no one's slave.
I'm free.
B-I-G Yeah B-I-G Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, Biggie Uh-huh B-I-G I just want you To feel this right here 'Cause this is real special The king and I B-I-G Let's go And we've waited Through the suffering and pain The bitches ride the dick like the A-train That's why I flip Keep a burner to my hip Take a hooker to the crib You know she got to strip Stay dipped, take out of state trips Don't drink a lot of Hennessy I only take a sip I'm a skipper, like a captain Rappin' is my specialty And the best is me You're lucky I don't run you over in the SUV And if you feel some kind of way You can S-M-D Me, Fizzy and the King That's a special three Far as money, less you work The less you see Put hands on 'em They just wanna S-U-E You could never do what I can do Unless you me 'Cause dog, I'm a low cat I bring that dough back No matter how they feel about me Just let 'em know that I got love for New York City New York City And they got love for me and B-I-G They always gonna hold us down We got that work in New York City Ooh Where they be talkin' real fast All about the cash New York City, New York City And we've waited through The suffering and pain The bitches ride the dick Like the A-train That's why I flip Keep a burner to my hip Take a hooker to the crib You know she got to strip Stay dipped, take out-of-state trips Don't drink a lot of Hennessy, I only take a sip I'm a skipper, like a captain Rappin' is my specialty And the best is me Remember me and you smokin' In the Lexus Jeep And you schoolin' me On how to bless these streets Told me to "Get your money, Kiss, F these beefs" Get your paperwork right And you can catch these thieves The game is forever More sweet and sour chicken? Mmm-mmm.
No thanks, Connie.
I'm good.
Do you have any more of this mu shu pork? I've been everywhere, but this is by far the best I've ever had.
You guys certainly worked up an appetite.
Most definitely.
You okay? Yeah, everyone keeps asking me that.
I'm fine.
We have more places to rent if you need a place.
[CHUCKLES.]
Yeah, so I can blow that one up, too? No, I can't take the risk.
Don't worry about it.
We're insured.
[LUKE BREATHES DEEPLY.]
Uh-oh.
You have that look in your eye again.
You got some Zen shit to say? Nah, dude.
Look, I just wanna eat my mu shu and take a long-ass nap.
Good.
'Cause there's no way you can convince me that there's some mystical force within that I can channel to solve all the problems that we've talked about.
[CHUCKLES.]
Come on.
Are you kidding me? Even after the way you fought? I saw it.
You had this this look on your face.
This flow.
[SCOFFS.]
I was in the zone, man.
It was like a runner's high.
Nah.
You had everything aligned.
Mind, body, spirit.
Look, I know it can be a lot, taking on everything by yourself.
But you need to realize Harlem was here long before you.
And it will still stand long after you.
Easy for you to say.
People always talking to me about walking away.
But nobody understands what it's like to have these abilities.
I get it.
But you don't have to carry this burden by yourself.
Yeah.
You're downtown.
I'm uptown.
Same island.
Same city.
We're just defending different neighborhoods, together.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY.]
You're on that Matt Murdock shit.
Look, I'm just living my life day to day.
In Harlem.
Come on, man.
That's bullshit.
You know it.
You heard the call just like I did, from inside.
You don't run from sirens.
You run towards them.
And that? That, my friend, is what makes a hero.
Maybe.
Not too long ago someone told me that, uh, "Not every siren is for you.
" [SNICKERS.]
Yeah.
It sounds like Claire all day.
[SIGHS.]
Look, dude, I'm gonna be honest with you.
Claire, she asked me to come and check on you.
You talked to Claire? She's worried about you.
About your anger.
What it's doing to you.
How do you expect to defend a city if you're at war with yourself? [EXHALES.]
Why didn't she call me? You know why.
At least that's what she told me to say in case you asked.
I I didn't ask her why.
[SIGHS.]
Look, Luke you're not alone.
I've got your back.
So does Misty.
So does Jessica.
And I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but Claire she's got your back, too.
Yeah, well, sometimes you you gotta face things head on.
On your own.
Oh, boy.
You're starting to sound like I did.
It's not good.
Stubborn.
No.
I'm focused.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
Well, as you think, so you shall become.
- Hmm, Claire again? - Nah.
Well, close.
Bruce Lee.
[CHUCKLES.]
Yeah, yeah.
D.
W.
's gonna like that one.
Yep.
Definitely going on a T-shirt.
- Uh-huh.
- [LUKE CHUCKLES.]
Hey, look, man between me and you, that dragon that you fought that was metaphorical, right? It wasn't actually real? Man, I don't get you.
You can accept that you're bulletproof, right? And you can accept that my hand it it glows? But you can't accept a dragon? Hell no.
[SCOFFS.]
Whatever, man.
- [CHUCKLES.]
And I'm crazy? - Yep.
- You're the one seeing dragons, man.
- Come on.
One day, I'm gonna take you to K'un-Lun.
I'm gonna introduce you to Shou-Lao.
"K'un-Lun.
" "Shou-Lao.
" Where do you get these names from? Dude, have some respect.
- Okay.
- It's my history.
Okay, it's your history.
[FUNK MUSIC PLAYING.]
Oh.
Then where's the video of that shit? [MAN.]
You still the Hero of Harlem, right? My cousin's getting smacked around by the cops 'cause he has dreads.
Every Jamaican ain't down with Bushmaster.
Hey, hey.
You need to handle this, Luke.
My little sister can't even sleep at night.
What are you gonna do? Yo, I'm doing the best I can.
Okay? Look, I'm sorry about your bredren.
And I'mma handle Bushmaster.
A'ight? And young lady, I promise, I'm gonna put a stop to all of this.
No, you ain't.
You ain't no better than the damn cops.
Ooh, damn.
She got you.
That's some cold shit.
Let's go.
Man.
See, you ain't using your powers right.
Excuse me? If I was bulletproof and strong, I'd be running shit.
I'd be like, "Either you bend a knee, or you lay down, bitch.
" And if they didn't? Dracarys! Like straight flames for them niggas.
State Property and Game of Thrones do not mix.
Nah, when you high, that shit sounds right.
Man, you coming in? [SCOFFS.]
Thought you'd never ask.
No one from Rand will comment on why the skirmish happened, if anything was stolen, or what Luke Cage's rumored involvement was.
The police continue to search for McIver, also known as Bushmaster, who escaped police custody three days ago after setting off an explosive device inside a police armored van.
Three officers were severely injured in the blast, but McIver's body was never recovered.
[D.
W.
.]
You see this? "Sweet Christmas.
" Money green.
Huh? "Sweet sister.
" For the ladies.
And Power Man yellow.
That's where it's at.
All of these would be sold out if Harlem hadn't turned on you.
Yeah, like you ain't a part of that.
That ambush out there was your fault, D-Dub.
Everything went downhill after you sold that video to ESPN.
That was all you.
You're the one talking about, "Step to me," throwing tires 30 feet and hitting the dab.
And you go out there to capture it all, right? Look, that's my job.
I catch you as you are.
If your friends can't show you the truth about yourself, what good are they? [IN JAMAICAN ACCENT.]
Bushmaster got in your head, didn't he, boy? I whooped his ass, D.
W.
I broke him down.
And he's still a ghost.
[NORMAL.]
Well, shit happens.
Yeah, especially to me.
I feel like a fireman.
Always putting out fires.
Never enough water.
You're a black man trying to make a difference.
No black man has ever stepped forward in service without sacrifice.
You know what? That was halfway deep.
No way.
Is that the Luke Cage? [CHUCKLES.]
My boy, Danny Rand.
What's up, man? You got time for a selfie? - Whatever, man.
- [DANNY CHUCKLES.]
Oh, snap! Mr.
Rand, let me hold your dollar.
[LAUGHS.]
No, no, no.
I'm playing.
I'm playing.
But really, though - [CHUCKLES.]
- Misty tell you where I was? Oh, look, man, I'm so sorry about the office.
Oh, seriously, don't worry about it.
It's not even mine anymore.
I mean, it is, but I'm not running the day-to-day, so it's fine.
So how'd you find me? Harlem's Hero app.
[SCOFFS.]
I told you to copyright that shit.
- [LUKE.]
Tsk.
- Yeah, so you really work out of here? This place is cool.
Yeah.
Thanks.
I'm glad you approve of my lair.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY.]
So what's up, Danny? What's good? Bushmaster.
Yeah.
That's my fight, not yours.
When someone comes after my friends, I make it my fight.
"I make it my fight.
" This white boy got swagger, yo.
- [CHUCKLES.]
- [LUKE.]
He's got to.
He calls himself the Immortal Iron Fist.
Yo, that's hot! This cat understands the power of a brand.
[CHUCKLES.]
See? Finally somebody gets it.
What's your name? D.
W.
Friends call me D-Dub.
See, I became the Fist when I defeated Shou-Lao.
It's a dragon.
[LAUGHS INCREDULOUSLY.]
Wait! Time out.
You fought Bruce Lee? - You don't look that old.
- No, not Bruce Lee, a real I really appreciate you coming by, Danny, but I'm good.
Really.
No, you're not.
You read minds, too? D.
W.
, seriously, shut up.
Look, Harlem is a part of the city, right? And we agreed to defend Manhattan.
No.
Harlem is Harlem.
This ain't Shaolin.
K'un-Lun.
You're not gonna leave me alone, are you? No.
Whatever, man.
If you stay, you play by my rules.
Come on, man.
You know me.
I love a good fight.
"Power Man and Iron Fist.
" That's got a ring to it.
That's going on a T-shirt for real.
What do you say? You in? [THEME MUSIC PLAYING.]
Nandi, where are you? [MARIAH.]
Somebody needs to clean up all this voodoo shit.
This is your fault it happened in the first place.
[DONOVAN.]
That's why I called you.
I'm here to rectify the situation.
You are here because you got gypped by a Rasta nig.
I'm here because it's the right thing to do.
All of your holdings, Harlem's Paradise, your cash, everything has been restored.
Check your phone.
It's real.
How? One cannot sign a contract under extreme duress.
That's ironic.
It's been documented that Mr.
McIver tortured Raymond "Piranha" Jones.
[OBJECT CLATTERS.]
The asset transfer, therefore, was not legally binding.
I got it expedited.
That's what I do for my clients.
- What about the police? - [DONOVAN.]
What about them? They'll roll around in litigation for years and still lose.
Until then, your money is yours.
Your club.
Everything.
I hope this settles matters between us.
[SMACKS LIPS.]
Not by a damn sight.
[GROANS.]
Ahhh! Did you skim money off me? [STRAINING.]
No.
No.
Good.
[GROANS.]
I thought they called you Big Ben.
Call everyone home.
It's good to have the money, but we need the streets back.
I want Bushmaster's head on a goddamn platter.
We just have to find him.
Oh, we have help on that front.
[SHADES.]
Hmm.
[BREATHING DEEPLY.]
Y'all meditating or something? Sometimes in silence, you can find the best ways to communicate.
Yeah, you should speak less, D.
W.
You might learn something.
But for real.
What do you think? Why hasn't Bushmaster come back yet? Tell me about the fight again.
Step by step.
I don't know.
We went at it.
Toe-to-toe.
Blow-for Man, who am I, Larry Merchant? I whooped his ass.
End of story.
[SCOFFS.]
It's not the end of the story if he's still out there, is it? Did he bleed? Yeah.
So? Well, you don't.
Not even after I clocked you with this bad boy.
[CHUCKLES.]
[LUKE CHUCKLES.]
You got lucky.
Whatever, man.
That's beside the point.
The fact is, is that you don't bleed.
And if he did, then maybe he's injured.
You say he escaped? Yeah, he blew himself up.
Snuck a Hammer weapon into a paddy wagon.
Okay.
So, imagine the blast.
You could take the hit because the shrapnel would bounce right off of you.
You told me about your cellular regeneration.
Yeah.
I heal incredibly quickly.
My skin hardens, strengthens my muscles.
Something like that.
All right.
Doesn't sound like he has that, so if he is injured, then he'd probably have to go to a hospital or a doctor or something.
Yeah.
He would need a doctor.
Someone special.
Off the books.
[SCOFFS.]
Why didn't I think of that? You're right.
Let's go.
- Where're we going? - I'll tell you on the way.
Okay.
Let's do it.
See? Silence is golden.
I wasn't completely kidding.
Silence was good.
I've been a little distracted lately.
Yeah, I use it all the time.
Where do you find it? In my head.
My heart.
Man, I love these streets.
You can feel 'em, you know? They make you focus.
Not me.
You seem different.
Yeah.
Guess I am different.
Yeah, you seem settled.
I'm still.
You know, power comes from stillness, Luke.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY.]
No.
Power comes from getting shit done, Danny.
We're almost there.
Hey.
Have you seen Nandi? No, but I, uh I usually beat her in.
What's up? I wanna show you something.
Over here.
- [SIGHS.]
- Come on, Bailey.
This is dramatic.
You talk to Nandi this morning? - Chief, what is this? - Answer the question, Bailey.
No, I haven't seen her.
What's going on? When I left Nandi at Mother's Touch, she didn't know where Luke and I were going.
We didn't tell anyone.
To keep the safe house that Danny provided safe.
To make sure that Mariah and Tilda survived the bounty.
[CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY.]
I had no clue where you guys were going.
And neither did Nandi.
Until I came back to broker Mariah's deal.
I came into this room, and I told Ridley where we were.
When someone uses their key card to get in the room on the other side of this glass, there is a record of it.
- I didn't know that.
- [RIDLEY.]
Yeah, well, no one did.
Internal Affairs installed it two weeks ago.
And Nandi used her card at the same time Misty and I were in here.
We have other investigations.
She could've left something behind.
Luke could have called someone.
Or Mariah.
Mariah doesn't have a death wish.
And Luke isn't careless.
- Look, Bailey, my gut - Your gut? Your Your gut trusted Scarfe, right? Wow.
That was low.
Nandi's right.
You never liked her.
You never trusted her.
But I trust you.
Look, I don't wanna be right about this.
Nandi deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Well, then help us clear her.
Or bring her in.
Because she might have a direct line to Bushmaster.
[DANNY.]
So this is why you needed a safe house? Something bad happened here.
Looks like something he was wearing when I fought him.
He must have come back here after he escaped.
Probably came here looking for her.
Not just her.
It.
Nightshade.
What's nightshade? It's a plant Tilda sold Bushmaster before he attacked me the first time.
She thinks it has something to do with his healing, which gives him his strength.
This place kinda reminds me of an old apothecary back in K'un-Lun.
Any sickness, any pain, Old Ming would have a leaf or a remedy for it.
Sound like Ming had the K-Town chronic.
[CHUCKLES.]
What do you know about The Chronic? Which one? I mean, I know I'm supposed to say the original, but Chronic 2001 was kinda my favorite.
Really? Why that one? Uh, it was the last album I got from Tower Records before we boarded the plane.
[SIGHS.]
In K'un-Lun, our healers defined the body in terms of balancing the three principles of function.
There's Loong, mKhris-pa, Bad-Kan.
Circulation, heat and cold.
Now, you see, the last function, Bad-Kan, it encompasses our physical structure and our mental stability.
And if you manipulate it too much, then you could lose your mind.
Maybe that's what's going on with Bushmaster.
What is that? Grasshopper root? It says that nightshade is highly toxic.
That the more you take it, the less effective it is.
Bad-Kan.
You need more, more frequently, and it's less effective.
Like heroin.
Chasing the dragon.
[DANNY.]
Hmm.
You think this is the only source? Well, her notes say it only grows in Jamaica.
There are many strains of this plant, but the only one with the healing mojo is very distinctive.
Couldn't it be replicated? I don't know.
We have to ask Tilda.
All right.
How are we gonna find her? We gotta talk to her mother.
What are you thinking about? My grandmother.
My cousin.
Everyone who has ever stood on this very spot.
It really is the best spot in the whole club.
It's the roost.
Harlem is ruled from here.
And when it's right, it's like ruling the world.
You had it the whole time? I had to make sure that I could trust you again.
Buggy gave this to my grandmother.
She gave it to Cornell.
Peasant.
Wah gwaan? Hey, stop.
Run it back.
Right there.
Shit.
Why would she do this? I got a few million ideas.
- What you got? - Something.
Show her.
Yeah.
[MISTY.]
I talked to the DA's office.
We have a search warrant for her apartment and PC for an arrest.
Close it down.
You run her credit card numbers, her phone numbers? [BAILEY.]
Awaiting your permission.
Got an Uber hit.
Select Black.
Where? You don't scare me.
Ha! [IN JAMAICAN DIALECT.]
You're consumed with fear.
You've been scared your whole life.
You're like a frightened fowl waiting for your neck to get cut.
[DANNY.]
Oh, this place is nice.
It's also pretty dangerous, Luke.
Luke Cage is here with Danny Rand.
- I'm going out there.
- Why? So they won't come upstairs.
Not gonna tell me this place reminds you of some teahouse in K'un-Lun? Funny.
You got a plan if this goes sideways? I don't think I need one.
Look at 'em.
I don't think they want it.
Because you're bulletproof? Nah.
'Cause I just walked in here with a billion dollars.
I'm not so sure anybody wants to bust a cap in Steve Jobs.
Come on, dude.
You always have to make this about my money.
I told you, I don't even live off it anymore.
[CHUCKLES.]
You don't get it, do you? The glowing fist is the least powerful thing about you.
Especially up here.
Stillness is power? No, money is power.
That's what flows.
That's the one thing they respect.
Trust me.
Ah, Sugar.
Fell back, huh? My car was damaged.
Didn't leave me much of a choice.
We're not open till next week.
We have some cleaning to do.
I'm looking for Bushmaster.
Looks like you are, too.
I've moved on.
What you doing? No, you haven't.
You need to chill.
When you walked away from Rand, you walked away from your immunity deal.
Don't tear up the streets.
That man came at my family.
I will cut a mother when it comes to my family.
Speaking of Where's Tilda? [SCOFFS.]
She's not here.
What do you mean she's not here? Did you even go to Mother's Touch? Do you even care if she's safe? She's gone her own way.
Children do that eventually.
It's the curse of parenthood.
So how's that fine-ass daddy of yours? You know, there was something fun about him.
There's nothing fun about you.
I could have given your daddy something to pray about.
I'm sorry, Mr.
Rand.
May I offer you something to drink? I'm good.
Thanks.
You can tear shit up if you want to.
It's just gonna waste time.
You better find Bushmaster before I do.
Don't do anything stupid, Mariah.
Or actually, please, do something stupid.
So I can take this whole thing down.
Do your best.
You should call Tilda.
She might need you.
You stay out of my business, hero.
You just gave me an idea.
I wanna show you something.
You surprised me.
You're not even gagged.
One peep and he would've been up here.
My fate is sealed.
Yours, too.
There's nothing you can do to make me give away Johnny.
Ever.
Don't be so sure, rude boy.
[POLICE SIREN WAILS.]
[MISTY.]
Freeze! Misty.
[CHUCKLES.]
Bailey I'm sorry, Mark, this wasn't about you.
Why? Look, y'all can talk about that shit back at the precinct.
You have the right to remain silent.
- What? You not gonna turn around? - Sure.
[SCOFFS.]
- [NANDI GRUNTS.]
- [MISTY GROANS.]
- [BAILEY.]
Freeze! - I got her.
[POLICE OFFICER.]
Move in! Move in! [BAILEY SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY.]
[BOTH GROANING.]
Come on.
Get up! Get up and take this ass-whoopin'.
[BAILEY.]
You are under arrest.
You have the right to remain silent.
[LUKE.]
I hate to admit it I've never been up here.
[DANNY.]
My father went to Columbia.
He used to bring me here all the time.
[LUKE.]
It's beautiful.
[DANNY.]
Hmm.
It's still.
What are you doing? That was good.
Held your ground.
Dude, we don't have time for this.
Yeah, we do.
Now come on, hit me.
No.
[LUKE GRUNTING.]
See? You're off-balance because you're angry.
- Hell yeah, I'm angry.
- About what? [PANTING.]
What does it have to do with anything? Everything.
We got a job to do, man.
Yeah, don't you see? We're doing it.
You gotta rebalance your chi.
Oh, come on, Danny.
Power is stillness.
And stillness comes from effortless flow.
You need to be relaxed within.
Even when you're going full force.
When you clear your mind, everything comes into focus.
That's why we came up high.
Mariah she likes that perch because she can see everything.
Like a hawk.
But Bushmaster's laying low.
We don't need a bird's-eye view.
We need the perspective of a rat.
All right.
So who's the biggest rat you know? That one's easy.
You think you're better than me? You remember when Tasha Bowles stole that iPod? When we were at that away tournament in Philly? Of course I remember Tash.
She was our leading scorer.
You could've let that slide, but you didn't.
You told Coach Shaw.
And Tasha got kicked off the team.
[CHUCKLES.]
And we got our asses handed to us without her.
No snitch.
That was the rule, but you didn't care.
And everybody respected you for that.
Especially a shy 14-year-old player coming off the bench behind you.
You gotta trust your teammates.
Nothing is bigger than the team.
Not even friendship.
Or ego.
[SCOFFS.]
That's funny.
You know, I talked to Tasha when we got back from Philly.
Something about what went down just always bothered me, 'cause Tasha was good people.
So I reached out, and you know what she told me? She said that you and her made a deal.
She would steal the iPod, and you were gonna hit some wallets.
Except you never did.
Of course not.
I'm smarter than that.
You set her up so that she would get kicked off the team, so that our one-two punch would just be one.
You.
With her gone, the Temple and La Salle scouts would just see you.
We would lose, but you would shine.
And even now it's still the same.
And you have the nerve to sit up here and talk to me about "nothing is bigger than the team"? Why are you still mad? I got injured in the third quarter.
You came off the bench.
You took my spot.
I earned that spot.
You looking down on me all saditty, but what about you? [SCOFFS.]
Excuse me? You sold us out when you came in here asking for immunity for Mariah.
- Like I said, I stepped up.
- [SCOFFS.]
There is a bigger threat out there than just Mariah.
Ridenhour's dead because of that woman.
She's a cancer to Harlem.
Laundering gun money to finance her campaign.
Or killing her cousin Cottonmouth.
What about Candace? [CHUCKLES.]
I read Candace's file.
Silly girl.
She never should've trusted you.
That was entirely your fault.
After all of that, you still wanna let that bitch walk? You sold us out to Bushmaster.
He is a homicidal maniac.
Bushmaster just wants justice from Mariah.
Real justice.
Mariah doesn't get to win.
She's gotta go.
And if somebody wants to take her out and there's some cash left over? C'est la vie, bitch.
- I got my spot back.
One way - [BANGS TABLE.]
This isn't some high-school bullshit! You almost had our blood on your hands, and look at you.
Even now you won't own your shit.
And maybe you never will.
You're not even worth it.
[MARIAH.]
Untie him.
If he was gonna buck, he would've done it already.
He still could.
Then you'll have to shoot him.
Care for a drink? Rum perhaps? Nah.
I lost my taste for it.
[MARIAH.]
Some things are worth fighting for.
I understand my grandfather.
This is the smoothest rum I've ever tasted.
Enjoy.
Prison or death are watching you.
You don't have long to experience such things.
Longer than you.
I lied to your friend.
My grandfather built the distillery based on Quincy's formula.
Some of my earliest memories of my grandfather are stories my grandmother told about two dishwashers and their crazy dream of making their own rum and owning a nightclub.
Why do you think we fought so hard for Harlem's Paradise? The Italian gangsters took the liquor.
The Irish cops, protection.
But we kept the real estate.
Your grandfather was a slave.
Buggy Stokes was freer than you will ever be.
That's the problem with you Yankees.
You didn't have the strength to fight your masters then.
You're lazy.
You're content with the scraps.
You're happy to sing and dance for them.
Oh, please.
Every Jamaican talks that Maroon bullshit.
What, y'all didn't get your freedom What? 1962.
And then you got enslaved by the World Bank.
All you're known for is Marley, marijuana and murder.
Quincy McIver wanted to fight the Italians and the Irish.
He thought Buggy would've had his back.
Buggy could only fight for one family.
And he chose the right one.
He should've finished off the whole raasclaat McIver family when he had the chance.
[LAUGHS.]
What? You think this is funny? [BREATHES DEEPLY.]
I laugh at my own folly.
When Johnny declared war on you, I felt sorry for you.
I didn't want him to destroy you the way the Stokes destroyed his family.
But now I see you with my own two eyes, and I understand the temptation.
Your darkness matching his.
You deserve all the brimstone he's gonna bring upon you.
Where is he? I don't know.
And I wouldn't tell you even if I did.
But I'll tell you like I tell him.
When one seek vengeance, he must dig two graves.
That's not enough holes for me.
- [WHISTLES.]
- [DOOR OPENS.]
[LUKE.]
Turk.
Come on, man.
Not tonight.
Yep, tonight.
It's not what you think.
God damn! And you brought him, too? It's Danny.
Yeah, I know who you are.
Madame Gao was no joke.
I heard how you got in the mix and got my Asian brothers all shook and shit.
So you opened a head shop, huh? Hey, I followed the money, baby.
Colorado.
California.
Washington.
My cousin started this shit.
[CHUCKLES.]
We're making so much money selling legal gear to all the dispensaries, I haven't done any crooked shit in months.
Why'd I have to go through all this drama to find you? I have a reputation to uphold.
Being nefarious is good for business.
Hey, Luke [CHUCKLES.]
I like this one.
[LUKE.]
You smoke? You looking for Bushmaster? I heard he kicked your ass and bounced.
Hey, for the last time, man, it was the other way around.
Kicked my ass Wow.
[TURK.]
Yeah.
That's a nice one, right? - Got a lot of nice glass.
- Yeah.
- [LUKE.]
Mmm-hmm.
- [BONG SHATTERS.]
- Oops - [GASPS.]
So you gonna tell me what I need to know? Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Okay.
Word on the street is that the gangs are pissed that the Jamaicans are driving everyone out of the weed business.
- Why? - I don't know.
But they've taken over one of the biggest grow houses in the city.
Nightshade.
Where is this grow house? Abandoned warehouse out near Rucker Park.
That's all I got.
Your aura's dope.
Who you train with? - I trained with Master - Let's go, Danny.
Hey, you gonna pay for that? [LUKE.]
Bill me! [MAN SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY.]
Hurry up! [LUKE.]
We're definitely in the right spot.
Bet this place is a fortress.
- Do I look fazed? - Do I? ["7TH CHAMBER" BY WU-TANG CLAN PLAYING.]
[THUDDING IN DISTANCE.]
[YELLING IN DISTANCE.]
[GUNS COCKING.]
Patty-cake.
What? Fire it up and hit my hands.
I'm ready this time.
[DANNY GRUNTS.]
[YELLING.]
[DANNY AND LUKE GRUNT.]
[MAN GROANS.]
Luke.
Stillness.
Where's Bushmaster? [GASPS.]
Look, man, I don't know where he is.
- You're kidding me? - It's just us.
- Bushmaster doesn't come in here.
- You're growing all this nightshade, all this firepower, and he's never been here? We work on the plants, that's all.
Everything we do is to cultivate and protect this.
[LUKE.]
Where's the rest of the nightshade? [MAN.]
There's no more.
I swear.
Could he use this? - Answer him! - [STAMMERS.]
Not like that! He'd need the mature flower before he could use it.
But the plant can't grow properly without Jamaican soil or sunlight.
It just withers.
Come on, man.
Get outta here now.
This whole room is a nursery so he can have a never-ending supply to power himself up.
[DANNY.]
Well, not anymore.
[LUKE.]
Well, that's the end of that.
A bit much to burn the whole thing down, don't you think? Eh.
Only way to be sure.
Besides, I got Rand to purchase the building and the lot underneath it, so no harm done.
I mean, it's not like I'm gonna pursue a complaint, is it? [SIGHS.]
You're right, though.
Money is power.
I hate to admit it, but it's true.
Yeah, well, real power comes from someplace else, right? - Chi? - [SIREN WAILING.]
- You said it, not me.
- [CHUCKLES.]
Let's go.
[RIDLEY.]
IA is gonna be up our asses all over again for that one.
[SIGHS.]
She's going to prison.
That's all that matters.
No, that's not all that matters.
Detective Knight, my office.
IA investigation notwithstanding, I was very impressed with how you handled the situation with Detective Tyler.
Thank you, Deputy Chief.
You and I have had our differences.
Still do.
But I respect your sacrifice, even if the rest of the world doesn't know.
I was briefed on what really happened at Midland Circle.
And your work ethic, your determination to do right by Harlem, it should be rewarded.
Especially seeing how my tenure here is temporary.
I'm sorry, Priscilla.
What is it exactly you're getting at? Harlem deserves a legitimate champion, not just a vigilante.
And once I return to One Police Plaza, this precinct will need a new commander.
I think it should be you.
But I'm just a detective.
Detective first grade.
Best I've ever seen.
Still.
I mean, has that ever even happened before? We now live in a world with bulletproof black men, Mercedes.
There's no such thing as precedent.
The largest grow house in Harlem just went up in flames.
No sign of Bushmaster.
Luke Cage is doing our dirty work for us.
Now is the time to strike.
Right through Bushmaster's bumboclaat heart.
This is a good leverage play.
We're gonna go in and give Bushmaster's people an ultimatum.
It's all about the message.
No doubt.
Whatever you're gonna do to me, just do it.
[STRAINS.]
This don't feel right.
Ain't supposed to feel.
You just do.
We soldiers.
This feels right to you? Marching a dude down the block as we head to a restaurant? This is off.
I ain't doing this shit.
What? Shoot me.
I don't care.
We ain't got time for this.
You pull out, she gonna come looking for you.
Let her come.
I'm done.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[EXCLAIMING.]
[MAN.]
Easy, people.
Easy.
Don't move.
Listen, we don't have much money.
Just take what you want and go.
- Sit your ass down.
This ain't no robbery! - [GROANS.]
[MAN.]
Sit down.
Shut up.
[GASPS.]
[PANTING.]
Ingrid! Please don't do this.
Billie, it was you.
That's how he knew about Piranha.
That's how he knew how to get to me.
And where.
[BREATHING SHAKILY.]
Ms.
Dillard, please.
[EXCLAIMS.]
The name is Stokes.
Mariah Stokes.
[BILLIE NERVOUSLY.]
No - [GUNSHOT.]
- [SHRIEKING.]
- [MAN.]
Please, sir! Please.
- [GUNSHOT.]
[WOMAN SOBBING.]
No! No! No! Ah! [MAN.]
Please, sir! Please! [MAN GASPS.]
- [SCREAMING.]
- [GUNSHOTS.]
[SHUDDERING.]
[GASPS SOFTLY.]
Ingrid? Ingrid I'm sorry.
This is not what we talked about.
We're sending a message.
Just like we said.
[ANANSI.]
I'm so sorry.
[SOBBING.]
I'm sorry.
Let's see if your nephew is right about the cleansing power of fire.
I'm gonna haunt you for the rest of your days.
You're gonna eat, but you won't taste.
You're gonna sleep, but you won't rest.
Everything you love, you gonna lose! You hear me? [CRYING.]
You hear me? You hear me? [GROANING.]
[YELLING.]
Jesus! Die already! Bushmaster will come to us now.
He has to.
He was wrong, Hernan.
I'm no one's slave.
I'm free.
B-I-G Yeah B-I-G Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, Biggie Uh-huh B-I-G I just want you To feel this right here 'Cause this is real special The king and I B-I-G Let's go And we've waited Through the suffering and pain The bitches ride the dick like the A-train That's why I flip Keep a burner to my hip Take a hooker to the crib You know she got to strip Stay dipped, take out of state trips Don't drink a lot of Hennessy I only take a sip I'm a skipper, like a captain Rappin' is my specialty And the best is me You're lucky I don't run you over in the SUV And if you feel some kind of way You can S-M-D Me, Fizzy and the King That's a special three Far as money, less you work The less you see Put hands on 'em They just wanna S-U-E You could never do what I can do Unless you me 'Cause dog, I'm a low cat I bring that dough back No matter how they feel about me Just let 'em know that I got love for New York City New York City And they got love for me and B-I-G They always gonna hold us down We got that work in New York City Ooh Where they be talkin' real fast All about the cash New York City, New York City And we've waited through The suffering and pain The bitches ride the dick Like the A-train That's why I flip Keep a burner to my hip Take a hooker to the crib You know she got to strip Stay dipped, take out-of-state trips Don't drink a lot of Hennessy, I only take a sip I'm a skipper, like a captain Rappin' is my specialty And the best is me Remember me and you smokin' In the Lexus Jeep And you schoolin' me On how to bless these streets Told me to "Get your money, Kiss, F these beefs" Get your paperwork right And you can catch these thieves The game is forever More sweet and sour chicken? Mmm-mmm.
No thanks, Connie.
I'm good.
Do you have any more of this mu shu pork? I've been everywhere, but this is by far the best I've ever had.
You guys certainly worked up an appetite.
Most definitely.
You okay? Yeah, everyone keeps asking me that.
I'm fine.
We have more places to rent if you need a place.
[CHUCKLES.]
Yeah, so I can blow that one up, too? No, I can't take the risk.
Don't worry about it.
We're insured.
[LUKE BREATHES DEEPLY.]
Uh-oh.
You have that look in your eye again.
You got some Zen shit to say? Nah, dude.
Look, I just wanna eat my mu shu and take a long-ass nap.
Good.
'Cause there's no way you can convince me that there's some mystical force within that I can channel to solve all the problems that we've talked about.
[CHUCKLES.]
Come on.
Are you kidding me? Even after the way you fought? I saw it.
You had this this look on your face.
This flow.
[SCOFFS.]
I was in the zone, man.
It was like a runner's high.
Nah.
You had everything aligned.
Mind, body, spirit.
Look, I know it can be a lot, taking on everything by yourself.
But you need to realize Harlem was here long before you.
And it will still stand long after you.
Easy for you to say.
People always talking to me about walking away.
But nobody understands what it's like to have these abilities.
I get it.
But you don't have to carry this burden by yourself.
Yeah.
You're downtown.
I'm uptown.
Same island.
Same city.
We're just defending different neighborhoods, together.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY.]
You're on that Matt Murdock shit.
Look, I'm just living my life day to day.
In Harlem.
Come on, man.
That's bullshit.
You know it.
You heard the call just like I did, from inside.
You don't run from sirens.
You run towards them.
And that? That, my friend, is what makes a hero.
Maybe.
Not too long ago someone told me that, uh, "Not every siren is for you.
" [SNICKERS.]
Yeah.
It sounds like Claire all day.
[SIGHS.]
Look, dude, I'm gonna be honest with you.
Claire, she asked me to come and check on you.
You talked to Claire? She's worried about you.
About your anger.
What it's doing to you.
How do you expect to defend a city if you're at war with yourself? [EXHALES.]
Why didn't she call me? You know why.
At least that's what she told me to say in case you asked.
I I didn't ask her why.
[SIGHS.]
Look, Luke you're not alone.
I've got your back.
So does Misty.
So does Jessica.
And I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but Claire she's got your back, too.
Yeah, well, sometimes you you gotta face things head on.
On your own.
Oh, boy.
You're starting to sound like I did.
It's not good.
Stubborn.
No.
I'm focused.
[BOTH LAUGH.]
Well, as you think, so you shall become.
- Hmm, Claire again? - Nah.
Well, close.
Bruce Lee.
[CHUCKLES.]
Yeah, yeah.
D.
W.
's gonna like that one.
Yep.
Definitely going on a T-shirt.
- Uh-huh.
- [LUKE CHUCKLES.]
Hey, look, man between me and you, that dragon that you fought that was metaphorical, right? It wasn't actually real? Man, I don't get you.
You can accept that you're bulletproof, right? And you can accept that my hand it it glows? But you can't accept a dragon? Hell no.
[SCOFFS.]
Whatever, man.
- [CHUCKLES.]
And I'm crazy? - Yep.
- You're the one seeing dragons, man.
- Come on.
One day, I'm gonna take you to K'un-Lun.
I'm gonna introduce you to Shou-Lao.
"K'un-Lun.
" "Shou-Lao.
" Where do you get these names from? Dude, have some respect.
- Okay.
- It's my history.
Okay, it's your history.
[FUNK MUSIC PLAYING.]