Marvel's Netflix TV shows have been going downhill for a while now. While there's been the odd highlight - The Punisher, for example - Iron Fist, The Defenders, and Jessica Jones season two were all major disappointments, hence why there didn't appear to be a lot of excitement for Luke Cage's second season before it debuted last week. Thankfully, it managed to massively exceed expectations.
Season two was an amazing ride and left Luke in a very different placeto where we first found him. The show also avoided going downhill the same way season one did when it introduced Diamondback.
Now, we're taking a look at Luke Cage season two's best Easter Eggs, references, and cameos. It goes without saying that major spoilers can be found below, so read on at your own risk! However, if you're curious about what's to come or have watched the show, click on the "View List" button for the full list.
"Where's My Money, Honey?"
This is a pretty hardcore reference which comes in the sixth episode when Luke is attempting to rescue Piranha from Bushmaster's men. When the businessman/gangster points out that Luke is a "hero for hire," Power Man is quick to respond with, "Then where's my money, honey?" This line was pulled straight from Luke Cage: Hero for Hire #9 when Luke was hired by none other than Doctor Doom.
Meet Nightshade
One of the biggest shocks in season two comes when Mariah's daughter Tilda decides to poison her mother. However, she later learns that Harlem's Paradise has been left to Luke instead of her and the last time we see her, she's the spitting image of her comic book counterpart, Nightshade. Now, the signs are all pointing to a power struggle between the villain and Luke when season three airs!
Iron Fist Loves Pork
In one of the season's weirder references to what's come before, we get a throwback to the events of The Defenders when Luke and Danny meet for Chinese food. As you may recall, the team seeks refuge in the Royal Dragon Chinese restaurant in that series and Iron Fist made his love of pork clear much to the dismay of his fellow heroes. In Luke Cage, he does the same thing! I bet you didn't catch that.
Captain America
This is a pretty obscure reference but one fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will no doubt appreciate. When Bushmaster confronts Mariah, she says that he should basically leave sleeping dogs lie as some things are better off left dead or "frozen in the ice." That has to be a nod to Captain America and it seems highly likely that the villainous Harlem mobster isn't a fan of Steve Rogers!
Daughters Of The Dragon
Iron Fist's Colleen Wing makes a brief appearance in Luke Cage season two to help put Misty Knight back on the right track and while that sadly doesn't include forming the Daughters of the Dragon, we do at least get a taste of that when these two team up in a fantastic bar fight which sees them take down a gang of thugs. Is it too soon to start campaigning for a spinoff show for these kickass ladies?
Power Man
Luke is referred to as Power Man a few times in season two, including fairly early on by Claire. However, the coolest nod to his comic book moniker comes when D.W. shows off a new hoodie with the classic "Power Man" comic book logo on it and points out that "Power Man and Iron Fist" has a nice ring to it. When we're finally going to get that Heroes for Hire spinoff obviously isn't clear.
Night Nurse
By now, you obviously don't need us to tell you that Claire Temple is secretly Night Nurse but the show finds a fun way to tackle this when she and Luke get intimate to Gregory Isaacs' classic "Night Nurse" track. This is a fun nod to her comic book origins and while Claire's departure is actually welcomed (she's a chore to watch in those opening episodes), we'll no doubt see her again before too long.
Hell Up In Harlem
Look closely at one of D.W's many t-shirts in episode two and you'll notice that one features a mockup of Luke's battle with Diamondback from the season one finale along with the slogan, "Hell Up In Harlem: The Battle For Lennox Avenue." However, did you know that there was actually a 1973 blaxploitation movie titled Hell Up In Harlem and that this is a pretty awesome nod to that?
Bulletproof Love
During the opening few minutes of Luke Cage season two, a mural can be seen with an amazing illustration of Harlem's hero alongside a tag reading, "Bulletproof Love." This has to be a reference to the song which was written and performed by Method Man for the show's first season and Luke even mentions later on that the rapper (who made a cameo in season one) wrote a tune about him.
The Battle For New York
Once again, it appears as if Luke Cage is set in the past because there's no mention of the Sokovia Accords or Thanos' attack. Instead, we get yet another reference to the events of The Avengers when Misty Knight mentions how serious it is to be caught in possession of any weaponry tied to the "Incident." This makes the show feel extremely dated but we still get references to Donald Trump!
The Defenders
The events of The Defenders are very briefly touched on when Matt Murdock's sacrifice is mentioned and it's now clear that in the weeks (months?) which have passed since the events of that series, Daredevil hasn't resurfaced. On the plus side, we do get an appearance from Foggy Nelson and he's clearly moved on from his Nelson & Murdock days because he's a pretty high profile lawyer these days.
The Hulk
Desperate for money, Luke appears at one of Piranha's parties in order to get the cash he needs to settle a lawsuit. However, he's quickly hassled by some drunks, one of whom smashes a bottle over his head and asks, "Who's tougher, you or the green monster?" That's a pretty blatant nod to The Hulk and it's just a shame we'll probably never actually get to see Power Man cross paths with the Jade Giant.
The Godfather
In the closing moments of season two, Luke Cage takes over Harlem's Paradise and seemingly becomes a gangster in order to keep Harlem safe. Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of nods to The Godfather here, including D.W. referring to him as "Luke Corleone" and the door closing on Misty just as it did in the classic movie. The question now is, is Power Man destined to ultimately become a villain in the MCU?
What did you guys think of Luke Cage season two? Did you catch any Easter Eggs we missed? As always, be sure to let us know your thoughts on that and more in the comments section below.