‘Daredevil’ season 2, episode 12 review: Did Elektra kill Stick and is the Punisher alive?
We were not a fan of the last episode of “Daredevil” which was full of problems and writing that wasn’t up to it’s usual standards, but we are going into this episode with a clear slate and hoping that they will wrap up this Elektra/Stick story that has been dragged out way longer then it needed to be and we will finally find out who the Blacksmith is and if Matt can get justice before Frank does.
Elektra shows up at Stick’s place and tries to kill him, but when Matt arrives to save the day he also brings along a group of Ninja’s that kidnap Stick. Why did they take him hostage instead of killing him? Clearly he knows something that the Hand needs to know and Matt is using that to buy enough time to help free him. He asks Elektra for help, but she says no and that she still plans to kill him if she gets to him first.
We had Matt fighting more ninjas, which normally we enjoy, but this time there were major issues with this fight scene. We had Matt claiming that he can’t hear them using their weapons so he can’t track them (even though he’s fought tons of assailants that never had any weapons). Then he claims that he can’t hear their heart beats, so one of two things is happening here: either they have masked their heartbeats, or they were removed autopsy style like their ninja friend in the last episode. If the latter is true then Stick telling him to listen to their breathing would be a bust as well since they wouldn’t have any lungs either. Matt can hear conversations twelve blocks away but these noisy ninjas are a problem… the same ninja’s he’s fought all season?
Eventually, Matt finds Stick before Elektra and is able to save him from the minions of the Hand, but once they are about to escape, Elektra shows up to kill Stick… and so has Nobu (and some more of the never ending ninjas). What’s really going on here? Turns out that Elektra is the Black Sky and Nobu offers her full and total power saying that the hand is there to serve only her… and Stick knew the whole time what she was. At first it looks like she’s going to choose the Hand, but eventually she chooses Matt and Stick after Matt once again tells her that he believes in her to make the right choice.
Brett is convinced that Frank is dead, but Karen isn’t so sure. She realizes that her expose on Frank is over, so with Ellison’s gentle nudge, she goes to speak to Frank’s Colonel to change the piece into a profile on Frank. While she is looking at the photos on his wall she sees a picture of him, Frank and a man named Gosnell that was working with the Blacksmith…. and the Colonel. He pulls a gun on Karen and forces her to get in the car and drive, but as they are driving their car is smashed. When she gets out of the car, both the Colonel and the driver of the other car are gone. As expected the other driver is Frank and once he gets the Colonel alone he kills him, despite all of Karen’s begging not to.
This was better then the last episode, at least the story was a little more well thought out, but this felt like a lot more of the same. Too many ninjas and not enough substance. This series has proven it’s self to be a lot smart then this, and with only one episode left we hope that they can win us back. Episode grade: C+
What did you think of this episode of “Daredevil” and how do you want to see it all end? Leave us a comment below and tell us your opinion.