[classical music playing]
[record skipping]
- You okay? - [sighs] Yeah, I mean...
my head's still attached.
- You didn't have to kill him. - [Stick] Eh, it was him or the kid.
[Danny] They could've stopped him.
[Stick] Couldn't take the chance, especially now.
[Luke] What do you mean, "Especially now"?
[Stick] We got our answer.
He's what they've been after all along.
[Luke] Yeah, well, we knew that.
We didn't know the Iron Fist was the key to what the Hand seeks.
The word isn't accidental.
You think he's a key? To what, their survival?
A key implies a lock.
- I assumed it was a metaphor. - [Stick] It's not.
So you literally think Danny opens something?
And that something is worth dying for.
I'm a weapon. I'm not a key.
- [Stick] That you know of. - What could I possibly open?
[scoffs] You tell me. Must be why they haven't killed you.
They haven't killed me because they want me on their side.
The Iron Fist's chi is a weapon. That's true.
But I've heard stories about it being used for more.
To seal things shut. Or opening them again.
So the Hand is in New York because he gives them access
or opens something up?
Come on, guys. [chuckles]
That's insane.
Well, it doesn't matter if you think it's true or not.
It's something they believe is true.
He was a member of the Hand.
An organization formed by lying psychopaths.
You can't trust a word he said.
[Matt] I understand that, Danny,
but the way I see it, we only have one move.
Whoa. What do you mean?
To keep the Iron Fist as far from them as possible.
It sounds crazy, but I don't think we have any other way.
I dedicated my life to this fight. You need me.
We all need each other.
This is exactly how they work.
They divide us. They get into our heads. They weaken us.
They make you question the people you trust.
Danny, just take a deep breath and calm down.
Stop telling me to calm down, Luke! This is what they want!
They want you to be distracted. [stammers] They want you to turn on me.
[Matt] Sowande wasn't lying.
[Danny] And how do you know?
His heartbeat didn't waver. Not for a second.
And where was his heartbeat when he came up behind me?
It's the Hand. You know how they can operate.
And now we know what they need. It's you, kid.
Stick, you're falling for their trap.
If Alexandra gets a hold of you, the war's lost.
I can't allow that.
Listen, Stick, maybe we should just... uh, let him lay low, or just...
Maybe we should just hide him.
We're running out of time!
They're hunting our friends, our families, and they're not gonna stop there.
You heard what he said. This ends with New York in ruins.
They want me on the sidelines 'cause I'm the only one who can destroy them.
Jess?
How do you suggest we hide him?
Fine.
I'll go back to doing this without you if I have to.
I've already lost one city. I'm not losing another.
Me neither.
Really?
[scoffs] You're gonna try and keep me here against my will?
I hear what you're saying, Danny, but...
And no one loves this city more than I do, but you can't leave this room.
[scoffing]
Whatever.
[huffs]
- You sure you want to do this? - No, I don't want to, but if I have to.
Same way you had to keep your girlfriend secret?
- We're past that. - No, we're not.
- Danny, we're all on the same side here. - It doesn't feel like it.
- Not anymore. - Don't do this.
[breathing heavily] Hey, you guys seriously need to back off.
You just stay here. We can keep you safe, all right?
You just need to calm down.
Well, that's the problem, Matt.
I'm all out of calm.
[grunts]
[both grunting]
[grunts]
Hey! Enough.
[grunts]
[Matt groans]
[Jessica grunts]
[groans and spits]
Don't make me use this. [grunts]
[grunts]
[energy pulsating]
[groans]
[coughs and groans]
[panting]
- [straining] - [grunts]
- Sorry about this. - [groans]
[theme music playing]
Nice way to spend your time fresh out of prison.
[chuckles] Yeah.
I can't believe this is what it took for us to talk again.
I'm not good at keeping in touch. But you could've called.
Fair enough.
You think that'll hold?
Well, it's a constrictor knot. Harder he pulls, harder it cinches.
Rope's not your concern.
I'm gonna assume it's his Fist.
When he summons it, shit goes sideways.
[Luke] How long do we have?
Hard to say. Eh, maybe an hour.
And we need to figure out what he's the key to.
Their headquarters is Midland Circle.
[Luke] Yeah, we knew that.
Matty, you ever go back to that place?
Go back? What, have you been there before?
Yeah. Um, last year, when I was investigating the Hand,
the, uh, trail led me to a construction site,
which is now Midland Circle.
Uh, there was a hole there. Hundreds of feet deep.
In the middle of New York?
- [chuckles] Yeah. - And you're just now remembering this?
[Stick] You sense anything at the bottom of that hole?
I don't think so. I kept tabs on it.
Once the building was finished, my sense was the hole was gone.
- [Stick] You sure? - [Matt] I'm not sure of anything anymore.
You didn't answer her question.
How come we are now just hearing about this?
- It wasn't important, Luke. - Try again.
What? No. [stammers] We had enough to worry about.
What aren't you telling us?
I was with Elektra.
[Luke sighs]
It was a mistake not telling you guys about her. I realize that...
The next time you conveniently forget shit that affects the rest of us...
You're not exactly an open book yourself, Jessica.
- What is that supposed to mean? - Well, no one's digging into your past.
My past is none of your goddamn business, and it's not actively trying to kill us.
- [Stick] Clock is ticking. - So if we need more answers,
going back to Midland Circle is the only play.
We barely made it out last time, and they're gonna be waiting for us.
- Yeah, she's right. - So how do we find whatever he opens?
The architect?
My client's husband. The one your girlfriend tried to kill.
He designed the place.
What, you think he knows how Danny ties into this?
[stutters] It's worth a shot.
- Well, I guess you two better get going. - [Jessica sighs]
[Matt] What about you?
Somebody's gotta stay and watch him.
Preferably somebody who can take a punch.
I know you're awake.
[both chuckle]
Yes, I am.
- [groans] - You've been sleeping for hours.
[sighs] Thank you.
I like it here.
Back in New York?
No.
Back with you.
[Matt chuckles]
[sirens wailing]
[horn blaring]
[sniffles]
[sighs]
- Well, Danny's still knocked out. - Good.
[sighs] You know, after years of tracking these assholes,
you hear about all the shit they've done.
And even after you take 'em off the count and they're dead...
it's still enough to keep you up at night.
Where'd you find this piece of shit?
Warehouse on 151st and Amsterdam.
He was hiring kids out of Harlem.
Using them as a cleanup crew.
Destroying bodies at an abandoned warehouse in Chinatown.
Our headquarters. Those bodies were the last of us.
[sighs] Watch the kid. I'll take care of this.
What do you mean, take care of it?
I mean, Hand-related or not, that was a homicide, man.
You are right again. Less you know, the better.
[scoffs] What are you gonna do, get rid of the body?
Yeah. Something like that.
Yeah, you're right.
Less I know, the better.
So you wanna tell me how a pro bono lawyer
can afford a loft like this in New York City?
You can't tell now, but there's a neon billboard across the street.
Keeps most people up at night...
not me.
Got it.
Plus, I occasionally help the landlord out.
Not proud of it, but I put on the suit and rough up people late on rent.
I hope that's a joke.
[chuckles]
Sorry about the mess.
[sighs] It's all right. You should see my place.
What, do you work from home?
I used to have a partner. We had an office.
And?
Now we don't.
You ready?
Yeah.
Everything okay?
Yeah. Uh, yeah.
Let's go.
[Alexandra] An operative discovered this at one of Sowande's warehouses.
Delivered, no doubt, by our old friend Stick.
Sowande has been with us since we departed K'un-Lun.
His loss will be felt throughout our entire organization.
[in Japanese] It has happened.
This is what mortality looks like.
- [Gao] A loss we could have prevented. - He got himself captured.
- We didn't even try to find him. - Oh, please.
- Let's not pretend to mourn this loss. - Pretend?
As if our time together has always been peaceful.
As if there's never been any discord.
As if we haven't all survived assassination attempts
by those across from us in this very room.
Now, more than ever, it's time to show unity.
[in Japanese] We were unified.
Until you brought the Black Sky into the fold.
Where is she?
- She's safe. - What does that mean?
I don't think I have to answer to you.
But considering the events of the last few hours,
I thought it best to keep her isolated.
Because you think we will kill her?
No.
I think she might kill you if she even senses your disloyalty.
We mean no disloyalty.
Our goals are in alignment, as they have been for centuries.
I am not so sure anymore.
We must honor Sowande by continuing to fight for what he lost.
- [tapping cane] - Life itself.
Our leader has brought us this far.
And I for one will continue to follow her,
until we have the Iron Fist. Until we get what we need from New York.
[Jessica sighs] I think it's up here.
- [Matt] You think? - I don't know.
All these brownstones look the same, don't they?
- [chuckles] - Oh, shit.
- Sorry, I keep forgetting you're... - Don't worry about it. Happens.
So, what do I need to know about the architect?
[sighs] His wife hired me to find him.
He didn't tell her much.
Especially not about some secret tunnel under New York.
Not a tunnel. It's a hole, straight down.
Right. Well, right before he shot himself,
he said "they" were going to take down the city.
Obviously, we know now "they" are the Hand.
- Was he one of them? - He said he was one of the good guys.
And you believed him?
I don't read heartbeats, but I do read people.
He was desperate. He started stockpiling explosives.
And you think his target was Midland Circle?
Maybe. [sighs] Actually, I think this is it.
- You think? - [sighs] Ninety-nine percent.
Ninety-two percent. But that's still a lot.
- Lexi, right? - My mom isn't here.
You have any idea when she'll be back?
What do you want?
- Just to talk. - About my dad again?
About what happened.
You said so yourself. He got mixed up with the mob or something.
- [Matt] Wasn't the mob. - Sorry. Who are you?
- He's a lawyer. - A what?
Lexi, my name is Matthew Murdock. We think there's more to your dad's story.
If you could just answer a couple of questions, it'd be a tremendous help.
Okay.
[Alexandra grunts]
[sighs]
Closed door used to mean something.
My apologies.
In all the time we've known each other, I've never seen you like this.
Your position is one of great power.
But it is a burden as much as a blessing.
Which is why I've convinced the others to follow your lead.
[Alexandra] You and I have always understood each other.
Under a single condition.
We will seek out and capture the Iron Fist ourselves
without the Black Sky.
It's not like you to show such a lack of faith.
And it's not like you, Alexandra, to show such...
Weakness?
Our brothers, while clumsy in delivery, speak the truth.
The Black Sky has always been your prophecy, your vision.
- And you have failed. - I don't agree.
She is essential to our success. You must talk to them.
I've tried.
Ever since her resurrection, we are no closer to the Iron Fist,
or the substance, or returning to K'un-Lun.
The only thing we're closer to is death.
How can you not see what I see?
Oh, she is skilled, yes...
I'm not talking about her abilities.
She has a strength that you and I can only imagine.
[chuckles] Even if I did, the others do not feel the same way.
The others want my seat at the table.
As you said, it has happened before. I was there.
Gao, you were the one who led it.
Past is the past.
Right now, I may be your only ally.
And you don't believe the Black Sky is enough to save us?
I have learned not to believe in anything.
But our time together is not over.
Not yet.
Consider my proposal.
We could be ready to move tonight.
You were right.
[grunting]
[gasping and coughing]
I'll be right here when you're done.
You've got me tied up like a prisoner.
Not "like." You're definitely a prisoner.
It's not a good look.
Where's Matt? Where's Jessica?
They're digging up info on Midland Circle. We think that's where it all started.
"We"? As in the rest of you who worked against me?
[sighs] Look.
If you'd listened instead of fighting us,
you would've been around for the conversation.
And I think you would've agreed.
Midland Circle's suspect. Especially now that we found the hole.
What hole?
Murdock thinks there's something weird about Midland Circle.
And they got you on guard duty. [scoffs]
Nah, that depends on you.
Big mistake.
[grunting and choking]
- [chuckling] - [breathing heavily]
Don't you see what's happening?
You've got me tied up like I'm the enemy,
and they're out there trying to kill the people we care about.
- Misty's keeping everyone safe. - For now.
But I care about a lot more people than we can fit in a police station.
And I know you do, too.
This city is at stake.
Me and you...
Luke Cage and the Iron Fist...
we belong out there.
Together, on the front lines.
Look, I don't like to fight.
But if I have to do it, I do it smart.
Locking me up is not smart.
Neither is fighting three people that happen to be on your side.
[breathes heavily]
The moment I can refocus my chi, I'm getting out of this chair.
I'll be waiting.
[sighs]
What's he doing?
- [exhales heavily] - [Luke] Meditating.
I think.
He said something about crane pose and centering his animal.
Then I tuned him out.
Anima.
- What? - He's centering his anima.
Mmm, sure. Uh, I'm not into that mystic stuff.
It's not "mystic stuff."
It's just a different way of viewing the world.
- Quite different. - Yeah.
It's about perspective.
[chuckles] Hey, why don't you tell me again
about how you punched the dragon and got your magic hand?
During the final trial of Shou-Lao the Undying,
- I plunged my fist into his molten heart. - Dude, I was kidding.
[scoffs]
[sighs heavily]
[sighs]
Molten heart, huh?
I bet that must've hurt.
[chuckles softly] Yeah.
Like you wouldn't believe.
Hmm.
I took a direct hit from a rocket launcher once.
Got blasted in the face with a shotgun.
By Jessica.
Our Jessica?
[chuckles] Trust me, I'd face a dragon over Jessica Jones any day.
[both chuckling]
What happened between you two?
We had a moment.
But we both had to go on our different paths, so we...
[breathes heavily]
Different paths?
[chuckles]
You know, you're starting to sound like me. [chuckles]
[both chuckling]
[Lexi] I don't know what you think you're gonna find. It's simple.
My dad abandoned us and got himself killed.
[sighs]
- I know it's probably hard to understand... - Actually, it's not.
Your dad didn't wanna hurt you or your mom.
Yeah, well, she cries herself to sleep every night now. So...
[Matt] Lexi, did your dad have an office in the house?
No, he... he kept work and life separate. Some good that did him.
You know, Lexi, you remind me of a friend of mine.
His dad was a boxer...
who got in way over his head and got himself killed.
And for a long time,
my friend thought his dad abandoned him, too.
Until one day, he learned the truth,
that his dad was actually killed because he wanted to stop being a criminal.
Because he wanted his son to be proud of him.
Whatever. I'm just trying to say that my friend's dad was a good guy
and maybe yours was, too.
[Alexandra] Her name was Elektra Natchios.
You are not her.
You are much more than she ever was.
There was a man.
They call him the Devil of Hell's Kitchen.
And in this other life, he let Elektra die.
Is he the one I faced in battle?
He may try to deceive you again and turn you away from us.
That won't happen.
There's something else you should know.
Something about me.
I'm dying.
You cannot die. The Hand lives forever.
We want to.
But even our bodies have always had limits.
And when death doesn't come from outside forces...
sometimes the organism tries to end itself.
The thing I need is a substance that we first discovered at K'un-Lun.
And for years, it served to bring us back from death.
I used the last of it to bring you back to life.
Why?
Because I knew you would be our salvation.
And then seeing you,
I realized that after all this time, and even with the others at my side...
I was tired of being alone.
If we don't find more of this substance,
we'll both die?
Yes.
You need to make sure that doesn't happen.
You are the Black Sky.
And when this is over, you and I, the two of us...
Will serve life. Always.
[Stick] Your heart rate is slowing down.
Hmm. Breathing.
That's how good chi is born... [inhales deeply]
and bad chi is expelled from the body. [exhales heavily]
[scoffs]
It's a little more complicated than that.
Not by much.
You know, from the others, I could've expected this.
But you of all people should understand.
We are at war.
And winning that war is our duty.
Fighting it, maybe. But winning it...
[sighs] is gonna take something else.
- You trained with the same elders I did? - No.
Then what makes you think tying me up is the right choice?
It seems like you're just making this up as you go along.
I am, kid.
That's what survivors do.
To be honest, [sighs] I don't even know where to start.
[Jessica] Start at the beginning.
[chuckles] My dad was... was one of those guys...
He was so nice, it was boring.
[chuckles]
- And then? - Uh, and then he changed.
He worked more, which... which wasn't that weird, but...
But then he stopped sleeping.
I could hear him at night, pacing down here.
[sniffles] He stopped eating with us.
He stopped eating, period.
He'd sit at the piano sometimes, but he wouldn't play.
Not like he used to.
He didn't do anything like he used to.
I missed him.
[sniffles] Long before my mom came to you.
Long before he died.
- Do you play? - Excuse me?
- The piano. - Uh, no. You?
Uh, yeah. I learned a little in church, growing up.
- Dude, what are you doing? - Just... Do you mind?
- Oh, it's straight ahead. - Here?
Yeah.
[Matt] Uh, I wasn't very good, but...
[playing slow tune]
- Come on, we should go. - Just give me a second here.
[continues playing piano]
- [sounding note] - [object rustling]
- You hear that? - [Jessica] Mmm-hmm.
- D-sharp. - [sounding note]
The hammer's ruffling something before it hits the string here. Here.
Whoa, what are those?
[Jessica gasps]
Looks like the plans to the building your dad was working on.
[Lexi] In the piano?
He didn't want them to get into the wrong hands.
And yours... the right ones?
Lexi, I promise, whatever your dad was doing,
we're on your side now.
But we're gonna need a minute here, okay?
He was gonna blow it up for sure.
- Oh, shit. - What?
This isn't for the building.
No, this is something else. This is something below the building.
- The hole? - No.
Whatever this is, it's at the bottom of the hole.
There's something under Midland Circle.
- [Luke] How you feeling? - [Stick] Never better.
But you and the kid ain't drinking buddies.
Don't let him get your guard down.
He's frustrated, that's all.
Yeah? Give him a second, he'll take us both out.
Yeah, so he said.
[Stick] I heard the girl say you were fresh out of prison.
Yeah?
- That's behind me now. - No, it's not.
Never is. Not really.
- No matter how many punches you pull. - What's that supposed to mean?
That means when the shit hits the fan,
you could do a lot more damage if you let yourself go.
I'm not here to do damage. I take no joy in watching people get hurt.
I'm here for answers. That's it.
I was in the joint, too.
Before I went to war with the Hand.
When I was a kid. Ten years.
That was a lot of fun, being blind on the inside.
Then I met these people who taught me how to fight for real.
Taught me how the world works for real.
When I got out, I had purpose.
These people, these the ones you call the Chaste?
Yeah.
Closest I ever had to family.
[sighs] Aside from Matty.
And Elektra.
- Sorry for your loss. - Thanks.
It's nothin' compared to what comes next.
[strikes match]
What's with the incense?
Mmm... Helps me meditate.
Ask for guidance.
Forgiveness. That kinda thing.
So the architect discovers a structure underneath his building.
And whatever it is, it's bad enough that he dies trying to blow it up.
Right, he wanted to destroy it.
But he didn't want to blow it up. I think he wanted to collapse it down.
Are you sure the structure in the hole is man-made?
Could it be some sort of bedrock?
Thirty stories deep, in a perfect dome?
All right. Fair enough.
Jessica?
How'd you know?
About what?
[sighs] About my dad.
A crime-fighting blind lawyer,
I figured there had gotta be a good story there.
Or a shitty one.
You took my case, I took yours.
I just think we'll work better together if we trust each other. Don't you?
That is the nicest thing you've ever said to me.
Yeah, don't get used to it.
[Luke] So much smoke.
What is this stuff?
Eh, little of this, little of that.
[coughing]
Kid was right.
This is war.
And they need him to win it.
We assumed we only had two choices.
Run or fight.
Well...
I found a third option.
[grunts]
Something's wrong.
Luke! Luke!
[panting]
You won't feel any pain, kid. I promise.
You don't have to do this.
Alexandra said I didn't know what you were. She was right.
You were our weapon. But they made you theirs.
- What are you talking about? - You served K'un-Lun as well as you could.
With any luck, you'll see it again.
I would imagine it's beautiful.
Stick...
you need to listen to me.
I wish there was another way, kid.
But there are things in this world far worse than me.
Stick!
- You can't have him, girl. - You no longer get to tell me what to do.
[groans]
[grunting]
[groans]
[Matt] Elektra!
[panting]
- Listen to me. - [softly] Matthew.
You don't have to do this. All right?
You don't belong to them. This is not who you are.
It's good to see you.
[Matt] No!
[groans]
[Jessica grunting]
[groans]
[Luke grunts]
[grunting]
[groans]
[panting]
[car alarm blaring]
[in Japanese] May I join you?
You like to dine alone, I know.
But I feel the need to make amends.
[in English] I thought that entire vintage
had been destroyed in the fires at Marseille.
You'd be surprised what you can find at the bottom of the Balearic Sea.
Go on.
I did not originally want to leave K'un-Lun with you.
Do you remember?
I do. You wanted to stay with the elders.
You wanted to...
[chuckles] use our discoveries only for good.
It's time for you to know the truth.
I did not want to stay in K'un-Lun at the time.
I simply did not want to leave with you.
Well, that's no surprise.
Your own strength was always your singular focus.
It's gotten me this far.
I'm still waiting for my apology.
[cork pops]
I assume you've spoken to Gao.
I have.
Regardless of what has come before, we were meant to fight this war together.
Of course. Which is why...
I wanted your last meal to be a good one.
You came alone...
to face me?
[tsking]
[in Japanese] Foolish.
[in English] But then you always were... a lone wolf.
An interesting metaphor.
But if you knew me at all...
you'd know...
I hunt the wolf.
[door opens]
If you knew me at all,
you'd know I always win.
[Murakami in Japanese] In the boardroom...
Mr. Rand, I know I speak for all of us
when I say how nice it is to have you with us again.
This time, for good.
This war...
[grunts] it isn't over.
[Alexandra] Well, the thing about war is...
it only works if both sides believe they're the good guys.
You fight to defeat us. We fight to get back what was once ours.
And what is it that you want?
To return to K'un-Lun.
That's impossible. You destroyed it.
I saw.
You saw what you wanted to see.
The truth is, you and I, we're not so different.
We share the same home.
We both want nothing more than to return to it.
And now, without death standing in our way,
I believe we can, together.
No.
[scoffs] We are not the same.
- I know. - [breath trembling]
But in the end...
and this is the end...
you'll do what everyone else does for me.
You'll serve.
[grunting]
Where are you taking me?
Well, now that he's taken care of, we can proceed as planned.
[in Japanese] Little has gone as planned.
Yes, we have the Iron Fist, but at what cost?
[in English] Is any cost too great for our survival?
When it's the life of one of ours, yes.
[Gao] We must look to the future.
It's our greatest asset.
[Bakuto] From this moment forth, our sole focus is to secure the substance.
Before his allies come for him.
We cannot underestimate them.
Do not underestimate me!
Kill Luke Cage.
Kill Jessica Jones.
And the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, whoever he is.
I'm so happy you're all on board with the plan.
But let me remind you, I neutralized our enemies.
I brought you the Iron Fist.
I was able to keep the most important operation in our history running
while you succumbed to chaos and conflict.
I have proven myself to be the one and only true leader...
His name is Matthew.
[grunts]
And my name...
is Elektra Natchios.
You work for me now.
[grunts]
[sighs]
Any questions?