It looks as if The Defenders will have a lasting impact on the various Marvel/Netflix heroes, for better or worse. Almost immediately after Marvel regained the rights to Daredevil, they crafted a plan to bring the Devil of Hell's Kitchen and a number of other street-level heroes to life on Netflix. And while each individual show was designed to highlight one central hero, the plan has always been building towards a massive team-up in the form of The Defenders. But as the various shows have proven, these are not characters who work well with others.
Out of all the actors involved in the series, Mike Colter has been the most vocal when it comes to opening up about the upcoming miniseries. He let us know a few weeks back that, like the heroes, the Marvel/Netflix villains will come together in The Defenders. By doing so, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Matt Murdock, and Danny Rand will all be forced to put aside their differences, call their other friends, and work together to stop a huge threat. Still, it won't be an easy ride, and the heroes won't be leaving the mission the same as they were before.
MCU Exchange and the It's All Connected podcast were on hand at Houston's Comicpalooza, where Colter spoke about The Defenders and what the aftermath of the series will mean for each character and their respective show:
"The great thing about Defenders that I think is unique – and this doesn’t give too much away – is that where we start at in the Defenders as far as a team, as individuals, our journey and the psychology behind all our characters, we start at such a weird place. And there’s a lot of things that happen that ultimately, where we end up is back to where we started in a sense. We’re kind of changed in a way but somehow some things have to go back to the way they were. Some people will be completely changed by the end in different directions. Some will be irrevocably changed for good. So it’s gonna be unique to see where they leave everybody off individually. So immediately after the Defenders, everybody bleeds off into their own show."
While Colter doesn't reveal anything concrete, it's interesting to note that while he describes the negative effects of the series, he also says that some characters will be changed for the good. Daredevil was the first to embrace his role as a hero, but the other Defenders haven't been as eager. Danny hasn't had as much trouble with the transition given his training as a protector, but Luke spent his entire series bouncing back and forth between reluctant hero and anointed savior. Jessica, meanwhile, seems the least likely to start hitting the streets and fighting villains. And while each character has worked alongside other people, it will be hard for so many big personalities to be joined together.
Colter's words follow his confirmation that Madame Gao will be returning for The Defenders, so some more news from the convention could follow. In the meantime, the marketing for the show has continued along with a new Defenders photo teasing the team together in their street clothes. One thing many fans are hoping to see by the end of the season is the team all suited up and heading into their next set of adventures. Of course, the comics rarely put Luke or Jessica in a costume, and Matt has already leaned into his. So while Danny getting his costume in The Defenders would be fun to see, we still don't even know if his show will get a second season.
NEXT: Summer 2017 TV Show Premiere Dates
The Defenders arrives on August 18th, with The Punisher coming later this year. Daredevil seasons 1 and 2, Jessica Jones season 1, Luke Cage season 1, and Iron Fist season 1 are now available on Netflix. Premiere dates for the next seasons of Jessica Jones, Daredevil, and Luke Cage have not yet been revealed.
Source: MCU Exchange