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EPISODE 11: ".380"
SYNOPSIS: The Punisher's war continues, and so does the body count in Hell's Kitchen. Murdock tries to finish what the DA started.
REVIEW: Last season, the single story focus of Matt Murdock versus The Kingpin gave the season a clear direction. The show was free from too many subplots and drove home the evolution of Daredevil from vigilante to costumed superhero. With season two, we have been dealing with mutliple plot threads including Frank Castle's quest for vengeance and Daredevil's discovery of the war being waged between The Chaste and The Hand. Well, this episode brings everything together as we learn that the drug dealing crime boss known as The Blacksmith is the man behind both of our heroes journeys. Bringing together pretty much every element of the two seasons to date plus the return of some familiar faces gives us a very strong anti-penultimate hour of this season.
The episode starts with Matt going toe to toe with The Hand as they attack the hospital. Claire tries to aid Matt but in the process one of her fellow nurses is stabbed through the chest with a sword and Claire herself is launched through a window, forcing Matt to rescue her and crash through a lower story window. The Hand make off with the zombie-like victims and leave behind their fallen ninjas. Matt and Claire, after dressing their wounds, talk about what happened but Claire is done with Matt claiming that he is protecting his city. Matt heads off to meet Karen who has been picked up by the police following the attack on her apartment. Meanwhile, Claire meets with her union representative and hospital leadership who want to cover up what happened, including the fact that the dead ninjas seem to have died before as indicated by the autopsy scars on their chests. Claire refuses to comply with the cover-up and quits.
Karen and Matt meet at the police station where he questions her actions in keeping Frank Castle safe. Karen tells Matt that she doesn't need protection and that Frank did not commit the crimes he is accused of including the death of D.A. Reyes. Karen heads home and slips her police bodyguards and meets Frank. The two head off to a local diner where he tells her he can tell she is in love with Matt and that no matter his lies or pain she can still be with him, something he cannot do with his wife. Castle then sends Karen to hide as he deals with two thugs. A fight breaks out and Castle kills both men, brutally caving in one's face until he reveals The Blacksmith's location at the pier. Castle then tells Karen to stay away from him and to call the cops. At the same time, Matt confronts Blake Tower and asks for details about The Blacksmith which leads him to Chinatown. There he finds Madame Gao who he had thought has left town. Gao is cryptic but the two make a deal in which Matt will find and stop The Blacksmith. Gao sends Matt to the same pier as Castle.
When they convene at the ship, Frank takes down everyone on the ship, finding an older man below deck. Frank demands that the man admit that he is The Blacksmith, which he does under duress. Daredevil shows up and tells Frank he can tell from the man's heartbeat that he is not The Blacksmith. Frank doesn't care and is about to kill the man when Daredevil stops him. Again, the two vigilantes fight onto the deck of the ship and Matt tells Frank that they both want the same thing and that they have to work together. Frank tells Daredevil that his methods won't work but Matt gives himself the sign of the Cross and says he is willing to use Frank's methods for this particular case. Franks scoffs at this and tells Daredevil that once you cross that line you can never go back. It is at that moment that the shit hits the fan. A crew of armed men arrive and Frank seems to recognize one. He says hello and they open fire, setting the entire ship ablaze. As the explosions die down, Karen arrives with the cops and assume Frank has been killed.
In other plot elements, Marcy visits Foggy in the hospital and tells him despite losing the Castle case, his performance in court has raised eyebrows around town and he is a hot commodity. Foggy gives her the okay to float his name since he believes his partnership with Matt has come to an end. We also see Stick again, who learns the news that his planned hit on Elektra has backfired and she is coming for him. Stick hands something to one of his men to keep the plan on track but Elektra takes them out. They crash in front of Matt's apartment and let him know what Elektra is about to do to Stick. We also see The Hand continue their plan with The Rising as the returned children voluntarity slit their wrists to pump their blood into the mysterious sarcophagus. What this means still remains a mystery. The episode ends with Elektra confronting Stick and their battle about to begin.
What makes this episode fall just short of a perfect rating is the fact that it forced in Claire Temple who should have a heck of a lot more screen time. I appreciate the developments for Foggy, Claire, and Elektra, but they feel like afterthoughts to the main story whereas they deserve a lot more screen time. While I am a big fan of the cable-style 13 episode seasons, I almost wish they added a handful more hours to explore these supporting characters a bit more fully. Nevertheless, we are on the verge of discovering more details about The Chaste, The Rising, and The Blacksmith and with only two episodes to go, we better hold on to our seats.
MARVEL UNIVERSE REFERENCES: No overt references this episode.
EPISODE GRADE:
NEXT ON DAREDEVIL: "The Dark at the End of the Tunnel" – Daredevil goes underground to save an old friend. Karen follows a dangerous lead. The law firm of Nelson & Murdock may have reached its final chapter.