As I said in the Black Panther editorial, every good Hero needs a good villain. On that makes us applaud the Hero for defeating. While this may sound shallow, think of how Iron man's foe made so much sense for him to face, Or the perfect foe Hulk found in the Abomination: An ego crazed beast who had more self control then the Hulk did, yet CHOSE to run wild through the streets to prove he's the ALPHA DOG. Hulk on the other hand had less self control and had to fight on two fronts, One, battling an enemy bigger/stronger then himself, And Two: Battling for his own resolve so he could protect rather then harm, AGAINST his enraged nature.
Batman finds perfect villains in nearly ALL his foes, and Even superman does in his. Problem being, he never fought any of them, and the one that WAS in the movie was portrayed like a clown.
Need proof?
Case closed.
For a Hero to have good depth in a film, he must be given the right amount of base: A moral he stands by. What he stands for, more then what he can do. Jean Grey can do pretty much anything, and she's annoying, not a hero.
The right amount of acting/portrayal of the character: Robert Downey's portrayal of Iron SOLD us on his character, same as Bale's sold HIS of Batman.
And of course the right amount of KICK-"BUTT" (I'm trying to stop swearing)
action!
But aside from this, he needs good foil, someone to go against what HE stands for. If Batman and his ensemble are correct, then a Hero is more then: “CHECK ME OUT, I'M SUPER DUDE!" It’s about being symbol, a standard, an ICON. And this Icon, this hero, needs a negative, an anti-icon. Something to challenge him/her for the argument of either which is better, or which is the more practical (or which will stand the test of time.) Or actually, one who simply has a good reason for being in the movie and fighting the hero other then: “I needz to fights the hero cause I'ze a baddie!"
For Luke Cage its a bit different, the one he has a MAJOR agenda against is his former friend: Willis.
The clashing natures are these: Luke is of the belief that life is what YOU make it. You DIE as who you decide to be, not what you were BORN into.
Willis, who later become super agile DiamondBack is a smooth operater who moves with the crowd and figures the best way to get ahead is by being best at what ever's out there, and that is, is CRIME.
Now he doesn't have super powers other then being really good with a knife, and being minorly stronger then average, so he won't stand THAT much of a threat against Cage who's invincable, but he will be the Red vs. Cage's blue throughout the movie.
As for a super villain to really test his strength, I think he needs a villain in the way of a Crime tycoon who WANTS the streets rotten and to STAY rotten for his business, "There's no profit in wholesomeness." For this character I choose Luke Cage's foil: Zebidaiah Killgrave. Not as Purple Man, leave that for a sequel.
But let him have muscle to do his dirty work: For that I choose someone who's strong enough to counter the Super powered Luke Cage, and who's interesting enough of a character to stand out among "Hench dudes". TOMBSTONE.
A right hand guy for Zebidiah, and not at all ah YES boss person despite answering to Killgrave, he just happens to be the one who experemented the serum (Which you'll find out about later) in Nigeria, and hence does more of the field work while Killgrave is the real brains of the out fit.
Now the setting: Luke Cage/Lucas Carl ia a street wise upstanding guy, working hard to play it right in a tuff neighborhood. Determined not to let his placement, or people around him get him down or have any bearing on who HE is. He used to hang with the wrong crowd but he's changed since Juvy. And is now being hownded by his old buddy Willis about re-joining the crew, he tells him he's shipping some FINE packages that weekend, BIGGER then crack baby, they'll be rolling in the cash. He refuses and tries to get Willis to get out too. This goes back and forth, until one day, Willis calls for Luke to come and get him because he's trapped at the docks and a rival gang is out for him.
Luke drives over there to see where he is, and is lurks near a warehouses that fits the discription of what Willis said.
SUDDENLY he see's an...Albino black man, who is just finishing snapping somones' neck with his bare hands. He then exits, cavalerly and obviously Cage is creeped out and out of there. But his car is nowhere to be seen, suddenly the rival gang emerges and see him as an enemy, he see's a car driving away with Willis in the back seat.
"HEY! STOP!" He yells.
But it drives out of site, before there can be any beating, Suddenly swat apears, and agents of "S.H.E.I.L.D., (whatever that is.). They bust him and other gang bangers from the rival gang who were hiding in around the docks waiting to start the "fight."
Likened to many of us, he gets busted for something he didn't do and is sent to RYKERS, which more or less is the Guantanamo bay for Meta people. His charges, transporting a drug that potentialy has mass destructive properties. Cage discovers he must have been set up, Willis REAL deep in something bad and used HIM as a scapegoat!
However, he earns his title as model prisoner, and knows how to handle himself even when challenged with a super villain inmate (Like Black Tarantla for instance.)
He gets the chance to volunteer in a project to test the Super soldier serum (Nice place to squeeze in SHEILD's name), and accepts. The doctor he works with is named Noah Burstein, a man who since his youth in the Vietnam War, slaved to crack the secret of the serum.
The tests go well, and his blood is perfect to use as examples of what happens when the serum hits the bloodstream. Sometimes, agents from Shield check to see how it’s going. One of them is Jessica Jones who he has an eye for, and gradually likewise. She's a super. who apparently can fly, or used to. When asked "How?" The explanation Noah Burstein has is: “Does it really matter Cage? We live in a new world. People can fly, do all sorts of things by all means of circumstances. Super powered or no, like those gang bangers in the streets. Or the crime boss you SAY incarcerated you falsely. The real question is, what will YOU do with what gift you’re given, IF you’re that lucky? Me? I've been given the gift of understanding, the serum at least a little bit, perhaps my reward will be to toy with it forever. But I choose to use my gift to benefit mankind by cracking it before someone with bad intentions does, and make sure it goes to the right people, if I can."
He says this of course to try to rehabilitate Cage, not knowing for sure that he's inocent but is almost sure after getting to know him.
One day, Fate of fates, a Jailbreak issue’s during one of his many test trials. Then Noah gets injured by prisoners who break into the lab. Luke notices one of them is the Albino black guy he witnessed at the docks, the night he was framed. They take some samples of the formula and run off leaving the Doc and Cage to die in the flaming room.
Luke is still strapped to the equipment which is now going hay wire.
The process does not kill him but empowers him with the ability to have impenetrable skin, and nearly endless stamina. He breaks out of the equipment and helps the Doctor out of the room. The prison is nearly over run so, for both their safety and...(Hey, he was imprisoned unjustly, what would YOU do?)..he escapes with the professor to NY city.
Well the News is going nuts with the story of dozens of super freaks running amuck now in NY. And that of the missing professor and convict Luke Cage, accused but not convicted of frequent drug shipment, and the kidnapping of Professor Noah Burstein, and some of his formula. Well obviously Luke Cage is doublely pissed about this set up were he's been framed TWICE, and at a loss of how to clear his name, "After all, I'm a nobody, people don't care about them unless their Guilty."
But Cage keeps up the ideal that, the show of true strength is to show how these circumstances won't change YOU, and how you can change them, and others while you’re at it.
A bank is robbed, later on by some escaped Ryker's cons (One of them being Diamond back/Willis, the rest being maybe even one of the wrecking crew or Black Tarantula). Seeing a friend of his is in the Bank as a hostage, and that the police can’t do a thing until MAJOR back up shows, he decides to take action.
He charges into the Bank form the other side by running through the wall of the neighboring building, and has a face off with the Convicts. The fight is vitorious on his part, and he catches Willis. He questions him why he backstabbed him, and who it the albino guy was framed him was.
Willis yell's "Because you were leaving me man! Leaving the crew, YOU walked out on ME! Trying to make something of yourself, LOOK AT YA! A fugitive of the Law."
Luke hoists him against the wall, "YOU GOT ME IN THIS ***S!"
Willis shrugs:"You gotta cut corners to get ahead, and I told you NO ONE was keeping me down again, not even you."
Luke:"Give me one good reason not to smash your head in now!"
Willis smiles:"You'll be to buisy saving them."
He turns around to see Black Tarantula about to do away with a hostage. He chuck Diamondback through a wall and rushes to the hostages' aid. Meanwhile Diamondback gets up, hurt but still alive because of SOME kind of super power, and runs out through a back entrance.
Even after the praise of some of the public, the cops are under orders to take him in because of his crimes, but the Doctor protests Cages case, and vouches for him. Another person coming to his defense is surprisingly the funder of his serum tests, SHIELD.
The SHIELD agent in charge is head Deputy Officer, Gabrial Jones. He explains to Cage why everythings gone down like it has. Like a Cage suspected he was framed for the transaction of carrying drugs through ports. What cage didn't know was that the substance wasn't Dope, or weed, it was equipment for trying to recreate the serum in the first place. A corporate Weapon's dealer named Killgrave has been paid heavily for delivering samples of the serum's prototype, and the essential equipment for its production. Other wise it would be like wanting to make a
Nuclear bomb without Plutonium. Kilgrave's plan for the rest of the stuff was to siphon bits of the serum to kids on the streets. It temporarily gives you super strength/indurence, a super hero for a day...if you pay enough.
Take drug transaction to a NEW level, make them temporary super people, and be the owner and producer of the new "CRACK."
As for Cage's two timing friend Willis,
he was working runs for Killgrave, and needed a fall guy, Cage had tried to intervene for Willis to quite the gang before, and he had to choose between using Cage for their fall guy, or being jumped out. Also, he was offered this "miracle drug" of super powers if he did, which is why he was able to be as strong as ten men and able to use his knives to cut through things like they were battle axes.
Meanwhile Willis is reporting back to Killgrave, but he isn't happy. He asks him why he came to his office building where he could be easily followed? Doesn't he realise he'll have to relocate his operation to the place they were before to save time?
"I'm sorry mister Killgrave, Willis says "I'll make it up to you." Killgrave thinks it over I know a way you can. Since we need a false trail to lead SHIELD on, we could really use a body....Tombstone?"
Tombstone apears behind WIllis and cracks his knuckles.
Later SHIELD operatives find Willis dead in his apartment with his girlfriend. By the handy work, they can tell they were killed by one of Killgrave's SPECIAL muscle: Tombstone.
A Nigerian who as youth was Albino, and often made fun of for it. He had a rare blood type likened to Cages' was asked to help AIM "Killgraves' Cliants" test the prototype serum. Even more so then Cage, there was a 70-30 percent chance it would kill him, but it didn't. The first thing he did was destroy his village and everone in it.
Since then became a personal hitman for Killgrave and his right hand man as he became more familier with the buisness.
Showing him a picture, He sees how Tombstone is the albino black Guy at the docks. A problem they now face is that Cage is maybe the only other person besides Willis who knows where Killgrave's meet is, because that’s where he'll be in transaction with his EMPLOYER'S over the serum and such.
Also in problem category, their agent Jessica Jones has been apprehended by Killgrave while trying to get a lead on the transaction where abouts. Cage again volunteer’s, this time to help them nab Kilgrave and save Jones.
In the raid, Cage meets Tombstone and they clash finally. Meanwhile Killgrave attempts to escape with two tankers filled with the DRUG.
After K.O.ing Tombstone, Cage and Jessica (Who was being tortured to get information) Nab Killgrave, by crashing his tanker truck, which in turn blows up on him, while Luke shields Jessica from the blast.
In the end, Luke Cage is cleared, and is a neighborhood hero for hire. And happens to be dating Jessica Jones *wink wink*.
Meanwhile, in Ryker's, likened to the Sterns(the Leader) in the Hulk, we see how in his medical bed, Killgrave can now move people with his mind.
As for the cast, other then who they confirmed already...
Luke Cage- Tyrese Gibson
TombstoneAdewale- Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Jessica Jones/Agent- JewelSummer Glau
Willis Stryker/DiamondBack-James Hector
Black Tarantula- Amaury Nolasco
Killgrave/PurpleMan- Mads Mikkelsen
For the Native American Gabe JOnes- Lou Diamond phillips