No one knew quite what to expect when it was first announced that Marvel Studios was partnering with Netflix to produce a number of superhero TV shows within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The idea was to use the streaming service as an outlet for some of the more grounded characters from Marvel’s history. Even though they exist in the same MCU (there are occasionally allusions to Avenger activity in the shows), theirs is a more isolated setting. Thus far, the two series that have been produced—”Daredevil” and, more recently, “Jessica Jones”—have taken place almost exclusively in New York City, in smallish neighborhoods perfectly suited to heroes just tapping into their crime-fighting abilities.
It was a very different idea for Marvel, and we didn’t really know how it would turn out. But after the first year of Marvel/Netflix content, it’s only fair to say the whole concept has been a resounding success. The first season of “Daredevil” scored positive with 98% of critics at Rotten Tomatoes, and “Jessica Jones” wasn’t far behind at 93%. Critics and viewers alike almost universally appreciated the darker tone and adult style of these shows, neither of which was afraid to delve into bloody conflicts, horror scenes, or sexual relationships. In a way, it just all felt more realistic than the Marvel content we’ve seen at the cinemas, and now the foundation has been laid for a pretty extensive lineup of shows and seasons to keep it all going.
Next up in this lineup is the second season of “Daredevil,” which is set to appear on Netflix (for binge consumption, of course) some time this March. As for what we’ll be seeing in this second season after season one was essentially a lengthy tale of Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) discovering his powers as a superhero, the best clues might just be in the new characters being added.
First and perhaps most exciting of the bunch, Elektra will be brought into the fold, and she’ll be played by French actress Elodie Yung. Early images of Yung in the role are very intriguing, portraying her, as Cinema Blend put it, “sultry and quite sure of herself, not to mention about three seconds away from leaping up and putting her foot through someone’s throat.” That’s a solid description of the image, though it’s also worth noting that she’s not in costume. Traditionally a sort of ally/love interest for Matt Murdock, Yung looks the part of the temptress in this early image. It could be an indication that at least in her entry into the show, Yung’s Elektra will be more ordinary character than superhero.
This theory is also aided by the fact that we haven’t seen an image of Elektra carrying her trademark sai weapons. When Jennifer Garner played the same character in 2005, the sai featured prominently on the poster, and more recently the character has toted her signature weapons in multiple video games. In the popular apps Marvel: Future Fight and Marvel: Contest Of Champions the sai are used directly in attacks, and in the Elektra title at Betfair’s online gaming platform, the sai are prominent in the cover image as well as independently used within the game. In that particular instance, the game is more or less a slot machine, with the weapons functioning as results that can turn up on the slot wheel. In other words, we almost never see Elektra without the weapons. Odds are at some point she’ll take them up in “Daredevil” season two, but if she doesn’t, it might be due to Murdock’s preference for non-lethal crime-fighting. This was a major aspect of the first season and could conceivably carry over to Elektra if the two become romantically involved.
The other new character making his way into season two of “Daredevil” is the Punisher, to be played by Jon Bernthal of “The Walking Dead.” The first thing most fans will notice about Bernthal’s entrance to the show is that he looks almost exactly like the comic book drawings of how the Punisher is supposed to appear. The guy was about as perfect a casting decision as, say, Chris Hemsworth for Thor, so it’s already pretty easy to feel good about what he’ll bring to the show.
But looks aside, it appears that the presence of the Punisher might more or less dictate the tone of the second season entirely. In an article at Vine Report’s entertainment section, some of the show creators are quoted as suggesting that the moral conflict between the Punisher and Daredevil will be a central theme. As mentioned, Daredevil prefers non-lethal force in his actions, whereas the Punisher is traditionally known as a more reckless vigilante, or even a serial killer acting for good (as he determines it). That creates a natural conflict between the two that could carry most of the season, though it’s also been suggested that in the end they’ll both end up fighting Bullseye, Daredevil’s traditional nemesis who was absent from season one. Bullseye was once thought to be Jason Statham’s role, but now the character’s appearance is unconfirmed.
Add it all up and season two looks like it’s going to be all about moral and emotional battles. We’ll likely see Matt Murdock/Daredevil toiling between his attraction to Karent Page (Deborah Ann Woll) and Elektra while also battling the implications of a fellow superhero less afraid to get his hands dirty. It all sounds intriguing, and it’s nice to see that the new characters will have a real impact as opposed to a symbolic presence meant to please comic fans.
Garon Cockrell is the Founder and Editor of Pop Culture Beast and host of The Pop Culture Beast Show. He founded the site over seven years ago to have a place on the internet to write about the things he loved. Since then, Garon has become a best-selling author (Demonic and Other Tales), an award winning screenwriter (Best Screenplay 2013 Motor City Nightmares Film Festival), and a cast member on the top rated podcast, Never Not Funny.