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Episode 1 - The H Word
- While it's minor knowing that he would be released soon, seeing Luke still serving time for a crime he didn't commit.
- Matt is still suffering guilt over Elektra's passing. He confesses to Father Lantom that he still doesn't know if he should give up on Daredevil, or continue to fight crime in the suit to honor her legacy.
- On Luke Cage's return to Harlem, we learn that Candace Miller, the sole witness to Cottonmouth's murder who got killed by Shades in the final minutes of Luke Cage (2016) season 1, had two brothers. One of the brothers has now been killed due to getting employed by the Hand, and Misty hires Luke to track down the third brother because she doesn't want him to meet the same fate.
- Moreso when you remember that Candace died because of a mistake Misty made (forgetting to lock her phone, which Shades grabbed when it was dropped during Luke's skirmish with Diamondback, and then used to lure Candace out of hiding). Misty blames herself for Candace's death, and if she failed Candace and one of her brothers, maybe she can redeem herself by getting Cole out of the criminal lifestyle.
- On the way back to New York, Danny has a nightmare about what may have happened to K'un-Lun. According to Colleen, this is a frequent occurance.
Episode 2 - Mean Right Hook
- Jessica's unorthodox methods which she prided herself have backfired on her spectacularly as John Raymond has shot himself in her apartment and she's now been arrested. It is not helped by how utterly broken she is while under interrogation from Misty, at least until Matt shows up:Jessica Jones: Am I being charged with something?Misty Knight: Not yet. But you might have interrupted a citywide investigation. You stole evidence from my crime scene. And you got my one lead killed.Jessica Jones: I was trying to help him.Misty Knight: But you didn't.Jessica Jones: His family was worried.Misty Knight: Yeah? Well all they'll have to worry about are funeral arrangements.
Episode 3 - Worst Behavior
- Cole is murdered in his cell for talking to Luke. His mother is in tears when she gets the word. Made worse by the fact that her other son died shortly before, and her daughter Candace was murdered by Shades to keep her from testifying against Mariah.
- Just the way she slowly says and then screams "all my babies are gone!"
- Even Luke is close to crying in this scene.
- Matt visibly tears upon realizing that he's fighting the resurrected Elektra.
Episode 4 - Royal Dragon
- Matt is trying to warn the others what's in store for them when working with Stick/against the Hand and has to walk away to brood by the window and pull himself together. Elektra's resurrection hasn't cancelled how painful her death was for him.Danny Rand: There's nothing we can't handle together-Matt Murdock: All right that's great, Stick, but why are you here? What are you expecting us to do about it? And don't bullshit me, because I know when you're lying.Danny Rand: Hey, maybe you should just back off a little bit. In the past few minutes, he's given me more information than I ever got from K'un-L'un.Matt Murdock: That's because he wants something. And because what he wants to and will put everyone that we care about at risk!Danny Rand: Yeah, you've said that-Matt Murdock: And I'll keep saying it!Danny Rand: [getting frustrated] I've lost plenty in this war! Don't talk to me like I'm some kid!Matt Murdock: Then don't act like some kid!Danny Rand: [stands up, anger building] What did you just say?!Luke Cage: Danny, calm down.Danny Rand: You calm down, Luke-Matt Murdock: You don't get second chances with these people. All right? If you're not careful, next thing you know, you're—you're dead! Or worse, you're holding the people you love the most in the world and you get...[chokes] you get the privilege of watching them die. Right... maybe this city is at stake. Maybe this fight is important. I get that. I'm just saying, imagine knowing for the rest of your life you only made it worse by getting involved! Jesus...[walks away]
Episode 5 - Take Shelter
- Sowande's Breaking Speech, pointing out how Danny failed K'un Lun, how Cole died despite Luke's attempts, how Raymond killed himself on Jessica's watch. At the latter, Jessica starts to pace away... until Sowande quips, "What's the matter? Did I get into your head the way he did long ago?", casually bringing up Kilgrave. Jessica has to be held back from punching his face in.
- Colleen's encounter with a resurrected Bakuto.
- Elektra breaking into Matt's apartment, and curling up in his bed. While we can only speculate what she is thinking, or remembering, the content look on her face is clear as day.
Episode 6 - Ashes, Ashes
- In Loving Memory of Elektra Natchios
- "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. -Revelation 21:4"
- Elektra steals the bookmark from Matt's braille bible.
- Elektra killing Stick. For all his faults, he still had good intentions and its double-tragic to see him get killed by what was basically his adopted daughter.
Episode 7 - Fish in the Jailhouse
- Matt realizing that Stick is dead after waking up. Despite all the conflicts and hardship they had, he was still the closest thing Matt had left of a father figure.
- More specifically, Matt pauses in the middle of explaining to Foggy what happened to process that Elektra, the woman he dated in college and thought was dead, killed Stick. He's so shocked and horrified he has trouble processing it, and ends up crying before finally being able to collect himself enough to give a statement to Misty.
Episode 8 - The Defenders
- In the precinct, Karen and Trish talk about the Hand and this exchange:Trish Walker: They came after me, too. I thought Jessica was exaggerating, I didn't know it was this bad.Karen Page: Yeah, well it is.
- The look on Karen and Foggy's faces when they realize Matt didn't come back.
- Just the way that the camera keeps lingering on the empty doorframe. In that moment, you're put into the same position as Karen and Foggy, hoping that Matt'll show up and walk through the door...but he doesn't.
- For Karen, Matt's "death" has to hit really hard. She had an instantaneous crush on Matt from the moment they met, and he let her stay with him while he cleared her name. They even dated briefly, and as Daredevil, Matt saved her life twice (from Fisk's assassin, and from the Hand). And while Matt has made clear to Karen that he wants to rekindle the spark they had, he's "died" before she had the opportunity to come clean with him about what she did to James Wesley, as well as the other things she's kept from him and Foggy.
- In Karen's last scene, she's lighting a candle in Matt's church, and asking Foggy to stay with her to pray. The show could've chosen another way to show Karen grieving but they chose this. She is clearly in a lot of pain to be going to church to pray and hope for Matt to be alive to come to her. And much more when you remember that Karen made remarks in Daredevil season 1 following Elena Cardenas' death that she wasn't a religious person ("My parents were. That's probably why I'm not").
- Matt's "death" proceeds to shadow Karen into The Punisher (2017). As Deborah Ann Woll has put it in interviews, she's playing Karen as someone completely overcome by grief, even if Matt isn't so much as mentioned in that show. She has a shrine to him on a table in her apartment in a place where it can't be ignored (a picture of Matt, Karen and Foggy celebrating St. Patrick's Day at Josie's). When she talks to Frank about loneliness and wanting him to have an "after", she's very much speaking about her need to know that moving on IS possible, that she won't be stuck grieving Matt for the rest of her life. To some degree, it also is an underlying factor to Karen's seeming recklessness throughout the whole situation with Lewis Wilson - from Karen telling Frank he doesn't need to protect her, to her provoking Lewis by calling him a coward on the radio. She's someone who just no longer gives a shit about anything. She lost Matt; she and Foggy don't seem to be in touch, she almost doesn't care what happens to her at this point.
- It isn't hard to imagine that Karen has shut herself down and buried herself in work to numb her grief, especially given how many people she feels have died from being around her, such as her brother, Daniel Fisher, Elena Cardenas, Ben Urich, and now Matt.
- Meanwhile, with Foggy, remember how one of the things he said in "Nelson v. Murdock" upon first learning Matt's secret was "You're gonna get yourself killed if you keep this up. You know that, right?" While he acts stoic and composed speaking to Claire and Luke, it's clear he's hurting too. His best friend is dead and he blames himself, because not only did he fail to convince Matt of the danger of his superheroics, Foggy was also the one who enabled Matt to go down into that hole and get killed by bringing the suit to the precinct. The dilemma of Matt and Foggy's disagreements regarding Daredevil, and the narrative danger it poses to their friendship, is quite interesting to explore, especially the emotional impact created by him "dying" in this way. Because while it'd be great for Matt to have a stable superhero career and for him and Foggy to not be constantly fighting about it, there's power in proving Foggy right. Foggy spent season 2 and The Defenders living in fear of Matt dying in the line of duty, having near-death scares such as when Frank shot Matt in the head, trying to convince his friend to stop, and then when he finally starts trusting in the idea that maybe Matt will be okay, and offers him help and support, Matt gets killed. And this means it is likely going to take a massive effort for Foggy to get back around to supporting Matt's superheroics in season 3.
- In fact, in Jessica Jones season 2, when Foggy makes a brief cameo trying to help Jeri fight back against her partners who are trying to kick her out, he seems to be trying to make a BFF out of Jeri to form a replacement for Matt. When he then shows up in Luke Cage season 2 to rep Luke (who is being sued by Cockroach), it's more obvious that Foggy, like Karen, is burying himself in work to numb his grief, which briefly displays itself at one point:
"Given my history on the subject, I can't believe I'm even gonna say this, but [sniffles, then quickly regains his composure] ...if you're gonna fight crime, have you considered wearing a mask?" - The choices of Psalms in the church are more telling considering the contents of them:
- Psalm 142:
I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.
I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.
When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way.
In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me.
Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.
I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."
Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.
Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.- Psalm 143:
O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.
Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you.
The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in darkness like those long dead.
So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed.
I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.
I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD, for I hide myself in you.
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.
In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.
- Misty's despondency after losing her arm, especially if you aren't familiar with the comics and don't know she gets a cool robot arm out of it.
- While also Heartwarming, the moment where Matt and Elektra come to not only accept their death, but are looking forward to it;Matt: This is what we get isn't it? For ever thinking we could make this work.Elektra: Who says we didn't? We're together. Something I've wanted since I first laid eyes on you. We can have it forever.
- After everything Jessica has been through, dealing with Kilgrave and after that, from the drinking to flat out avoiding her home/office, isn't helping. Suggesting grabbing a coffee with Luke sometime. He simply shakes his head and walks off. Every form of solace she tries to find isn't helping what she did to Kilgrave and all the people she couldn't save. She is a longshot away from healing her own wounds.
- Jessica seems to be taking Matt's supposed death a lot harder than Luke or Danny. Luke is happy enough to keep moving forward, and Danny is taking up Matt's mantle as protector of New York, but Jessica is heavily dwelling on the fact that she couldn't save Matt from himself.
- Of all the Defenders, Jessica and Matt seemed to have the best understanding. They were starting to trust each other and liked knowing someone who was similar to them and who, unlike Luke and Danny, shared their cynicism and felt that they had failed the people they were trying to protect. They were clearly on track to becoming close friends, and now Matt represents one more person who Jessica feels she let down. It's possible that this will make Jessica end up having a major relapse in the progress she'd been making towards her own life since Kilgrave's death. Her state of wellbeing at the start of Jessica Jones season 2 is definitely a combination of losing Matt and everything related to Kilgrave. Between that and being forced by Trish to confront her past with IGH, and it's no wonder Jessica is left bouncing around from one extreme to another.
- As for Luke, well, Luke Cage season 2 reveals that he's become even more aggressive in his determination to bring down Mariah Dillard, to the point that Claire can't help but notice that he's acting a lot like Matt had during his investigation of Wilson Fisk.
