(Note: This post contains spoilers for the finale episode of “The Defenders.”)
The latest Marvel show to come to Netflix, “The Defenders,” unites almost all of the superheroes that have appeared on the streaming service to face a threat that none of them can handle on their own. But in addition to advancing the stories of four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s existing heroes, “The Defenders” also sets the stage for another to show up in the future.
That hero is Misty Knight (Simone Missick), who has been part of the Netflix Marvel orbit for a bit now. A detective for the New York Police Department, Misty worked with Luke Cage (Mike Colter) in the past. In “The Defenders,” she’s his go-to person he goes to as he tries to solve the mystery of who’s recruiting kids from Harlem into their criminal enterprise, and then getting those kids killed.
Misty is a big part of “The Defenders,” where she’s continually hassled by her superiors for not keeping Luke and the other heroes from interfering in the NYPD’s investigation into The Hand. In the final episode of the season, Misty gets the setup for her eventual transition into superhero-dom. She follows Luke, Danny Rand (Finn Jones), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) and Daredevil (Charlie Cox) to Midland Circle, the building where The Hand has set up shop in New York.
When Misty enters the building, she finds Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) and Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick) planting C4 on the building in order to bring it down on The Hand’s underground dig site. Claire and Colleen are fighting off soldiers of The Hand, led by one of the organization’s leaders, Bakuto (Ramón Rodríguez), when Misty arrives. She saves Claire from being killed by the sword-wielding Bakuto, but he cuts her arm off as they fight. Comic fans will recognize Misty losing her arm as a key moment.
Claire and Colleen manage to save Misty before the building is destroyed, and Colleen finds her in the hospital sometime later. She mentions that Danny owns the hospital, and that it has some cutting-edge programs that’ll help her recover. It’s a big hint about where Misty, and the new arm she’ll get, are headed next.
In the Marvel Comics, Misty is also a police detective and loses her arm in a bombing. She leaves the force to avoid a desk job, and later receives a state-of-the-art bionic prosthetic arm to replace the one she lost. That arm comes from a familiar source: Tony Stark, otherwise known as Iron Man.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Misty will be getting her new arm with the help of Danny Rand, but the effect is likely to be the same. In the comics, her bionic arm gives Misty a dose of super strength and, paired with her formidable detective skills, makes her a formidable hero.
The comics also see Misty often working with the Iron Fist, Luke Cage and, in particular, Colleen Wing. In fact, the two women team up to form the superhero duo known as the Daughters of the Dragon.
Between Misty almost getting the full origin story treatment in “Luke Cage” and “The Defenders,” and Colleen struggling with not being allowed to fight alongside the more-super Defenders in the last episode of the series, it’s not a stretch to imagine the two characters striking out on their own as the Daughters of the Dragon. Marvel’s head of television, Jeph Loeb, also previously mentioned that Misty could get her own spinoff from “Luke Cage.” With the conclusion of “The Defenders,” all the seeds are planted for that possibility.
Everyone Who Has Ever Been in The Defenders, From Daredevil to Doctor Strange (Photos)
Netflix's "The Defenders" finally brings Marvel's "street level" super hero team to television, but the four leads aren't the only Marvel characters who've staffed the group. In the comics, The Defenders have had dozens of incarnations over the years -- fitting since the team is defined by its lack of organization. No bylaws, just a convenient team-up of whoever is available whenever something needs stopping, even if the team doesn't like each other. Here's who has signed up as an official team member since the comic's 1971 debut.
(Note: We're not counting those who joined the team for a single battle in the 1970s, the so-called "defenders for a day.")
Netflix
Jessica Jones
Marvel's cynical detective/drunk is the most recent addition to the comic-book Defenders, making her team debut in June, 2017 in a version that includes Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, just like the Netflix series.
It's highly unlikely we'll ever see him on TV, but the version of the growing/shrinking hero played by Paul Rudd in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a member of the 7th comic book incarnation of The Defenders, starting in 2012.
Black Cat
The former cat burglar-turned on-and-off-again Spider-Man girlfriend was a member of the 2011 version of the team.
Red She-Hulk
Another member of the 2011 team, Betty Ross (Bruce Banner's love interest), made use of her recently-acquired Hulk-like super powers.
Loa
The teen mutant was a member of the underwater Deep's Defenders, striving to liberate an occupied Atlantis.
Lyra
Another member of the Deep's Defenders, she's inherited her powers from her father, the Hulk. (The Defenders love having Hulks around.)
Warlord Krang
This Jack Kirby/Stan Lee supervillain is also a mercenary. He joined a version of the Defenders that was originally assembled by Tony Stark, called, The Initiative.
Paladin
Another mercenary member of The Initiative.
Junta
Another Initiative mercenary, Junta debuted in the "Black Panther" comics.
Atlas
This supervillain-turned-nominal hero was recruited for the mercenary version of The Initiative
Colossus
The invincible Russian was a member of The Initiative when it was still run by Tony Stark. Sadly, he didn't team up with Deadpool.
A member of The Initiative assembled by Tony Stark, Blazing Skull is a very old Marvel character, debuting back in 1941.
Ardina
A counterpart to Silver Surfer, she was recruited to fight The Order, a version of The Defenders that went rogue and tried to take over the world.
Red Raven
An associate member of The Defenders-gone-bad team, called, The Order.
Drax the Destroyer
Long before he was a Guardian of the Galaxy, Drax hooked up with a lot of Marvel heroes, including Secret Defenders, the 1990s version of the team launched in 1993.
Deathlok
Another Secret Defender.
Dagger
One-half of the superhero team Cloak & Dagger, she has light-based powers and was a Secret Defender.
U.S. Agent
This guy once replaced Captain America before establishing his own off market brand of super patriotism. Also, he's a Secret Defender.
Cadaver
Another Secret Defender.
Sepulchre
Another Secret Defender.
Deadpool
Even the Merc with the Mouth was a Secret Defender. Too bad Fox owns his movie rights.
He was in the Secret Defenders because you couldn't make a comic in the '90s without putting Wolverine in it.
Spider-Man
Just your friendly neighborhood Secret Defender.
Ghost Rider
Another Secret Defender.
Moondragon
She was a member of the 1980s version of the team, the New Defenders.
Overmind
Another Jack Kirby/Stan Lee creation, the occasional Fantastic Four villain was later turned into a hero via weird comic book plot stuff, and joined the original Defenders.
This sentient nebula that can take humanoid forms was a member of the New Defenders.
Red Guardian (Dr. Tania Belinsky)
This Soviet Neurosurgeon-turned-communist-themed here joined the original Defenders. (She later changed her super name to Starlight.)
Hawkeye
Clearly, Avengers love moonlighting. He was briefly a member of the original Defenders.
Iceman
Bobby Drake has been a member of two teams -- New Defenders and Secret Defenders.
Warren Worthington AKA Angel ALA Archangel
Angel the flying mutant was a member of the New Defenders. Later, in his Archangel persona, he joined Secret Defenders.
Beast
Hank McCoy was recruited into the original Defenders and stuck around for the New Defenders.
Gargoyle
He was an original Defenders member, and later part of the New Defenders.
Hellcat AKA Pasty Walker AKA Trish Walker
Jessica Jones' best friend Trish is a super hero in Marvel comics, and was a Defender twice. Will her TV counterpart follow?
Hank Pym (the Original Ant-Man)
The scientific genius played by Michael Douglas in the MCU has twice been a Defender: In the '70s he was recruited in his Yellowjacket persona, and as Giant Man he was a Secret Defender.
Son of Satan
The child of a demon and a human woman, this hero was a member of the original Defenders and the Initiative team.
Clea
Doctor Strange's disciple and later girlfriend was a member of the original Defenders and, later, The Order.
Daredevil
He was a Defender for a Day back in the '70s, but Matt Murdock has since joined the team for real in its latest incarnation.
Bruce Banners cousin, Jennifer Walters, got some of his Hulk powers after a blood transfusion. But she got to keep her wits, and, in addition to other superhero teams, she's been in The Order, the Initiative Team and the 2011 Defenders.
Luke Cage
Power Man has been on a lot of Defenders teams: the '70s original, the Secret Defenders, and the newest version.
NightHawk
This Original team member was also in The Order and the Initiative team.
Valkrie
She'll be seen kicking ass in "Thor: Ragnarok" later this year, but in the comics she's been a member of the original team, the New Defenders, and The Order.
Iron Fist
Like Daredevil, Danny Rand was a Defender for a day back in the '70s. He later joined the team for real as a Secret Defender, returned for the 2011 version of the team and is a member of its current incarnation.
Namor
The Sub-Mariner was an early Marvel creation (1939!) and later repurposed as a Fantastic Four frenemy. He's a cofounder of The Defenders and later was part of The Order, the Deep's Defenders, and the 2011 team.
The Hulk
Did you know The Hulk is a founding member of The Defenders? It's true. He was also in Secret Defenders, The Order, and the 2011 version of the team.
Silver Surfer
The former herald of the devourer Galactus has been part of five incarnations of The Defenders, including the original 1970s team.
Doctor Strange
The sorcerer supreme (played in the MCU by Benedict Cumberbatch) isn't just amazing at magic, he also founded the comic book Defenders, and has led five incarnations of the team.
The comic book version of Marvel’s street-level supergroup has had a whole lot of members since the 1970s
Netflix's "The Defenders" finally brings Marvel's "street level" super hero team to television, but the four leads aren't the only Marvel characters who've staffed the group. In the comics, The Defenders have had dozens of incarnations over the years -- fitting since the team is defined by its lack of organization. No bylaws, just a convenient team-up of whoever is available whenever something needs stopping, even if the team doesn't like each other. Here's who has signed up as an official team member since the comic's 1971 debut.
(Note: We're not counting those who joined the team for a single battle in the 1970s, the so-called "defenders for a day.")
Netflix
