Luke Cage: Season 2 Ending Explained

Luke Cage: Season 2 Ending Explained By Deffinition

Luke Cage Season 2 follows the titular character on his journey to take down Mariah, Shades and Bushmaster. As with all Netflix Marvel series there are a couple of things to unpack from the finale and throughout this video I will be dissecting the end of the season as well what could happen in Season 3.

[spacer height=”20px”]

There will be several spoilers so if you don’t want the show ruined for you, now’s the time to turn off.

[spacer height=”20px”]

You have been warned!

[spacer height=”20px”]

The Defeat Of Bushmaster

Throughout Season 2 we see that the antagonist Bushmaster possesses similar powers to Luke Cage. His bulletproof skin gives him a huge advantage when invading Harlem and this eases his quest for revenge.

[spacer height=”20px”]

Unlike Cage, Bushmaster uses a powerful nightshade compound to get super-strength and bulletproof protection. Sneaking into Harlem’s Paradise through a tunnel from Prohibition, which Mariah’s daughter Tilda has told him about, he seeks to murder Mariah once and for all but Luke intervenes.

[spacer height=”20px”]

He chokes out Bushmaster as Mariah screams, “Kill him! Do it! Break his goddamn neck, Luke!” However, Luke sees Misty, who urges him to stop. Bushmaster escapes and flees through the tunnel again before the police can apprehend him.

Shades

Shades and Mariah share a strange relationship throughout Season 2 and this comes to a head during the finale. Horrified that Mariah murdered so many people during the Rum Punch Massacre, Shades decides to cooperate with Misty’s investigation against the Queen Of Harlem. This grants him immunity from persecution and even though Luke views it as a power play, Shades confirms that he has now been labeled a snitch so will not be able to progress in the mob.

[spacer height=”20px”]

However, after Mariah dies, when her daughter kisses her on the lips with poison laced lipstick, his immunity becomes null and void. This is due to the fact it was reliant on Mariah being convicted. Therefore Shades is arrested by Misty for the murders that he confessed to. Whether or not he stays in prison remains to be seen. Either way, Shades could return in season three as an adversary or even as an unlikely ally.

[spacer height=”20px”]

The Sheriff Of Harlem

In a shocking twist, Luke takes over Harlem’s Paradise and follows in the footsteps of Cotton Mouth and Mariah. Left as inheritance to Luke, Mariah believed that the club would sway the character’s morality and turn him into an overlord much in the same way she was.

[spacer height=”20px”]

In order to stop another crime Lord taking Mariah’s place, Luke fills the role but proclaims himself as the Sheriff Of Harlem in an attempt to distance himself from what came before.

[spacer height=”20px”]

Personally, believe that this position will put him at odds with other characters from the Marvel Universe and I predict a third season that may see appearances from the likes of Jessica Jones and Daredevil, who will return to steer him back on the right path.