All caught up? Good, then let’s keep going. “A.K.A You’re A Winner” brings Luke Cage back into the fold in a big way and his reappearance ends up changing Jessica’s life in a big way.
1. Luke Returns
Bae, I mean Luke Cage, I have to keep it professional here, is back! Luke has turned out to be everything I wanted so it was really nice to see him back, until later in the episode but we’ll get there. Luke comes back into the picture to ask for Jessica’s professional services. She’s the only one he thinks can help her find the brother of a woman who can give him details about the night his wife died. Jessica and Luke immediately radiate the heat they had earlier this season and under their working together, you can absolutely feel that they want to jump on each other. Which they do, and it’s great but what’s even greater is how they work together. Their powers sort of compliment each other and they both have a wealth of experience that combines for a scary team for mobsters. I loved every single scene the two shared together, yes, including how it ends for them in this episode because Colter and Ritter just have it. This is a big part of why I rarely comment on casting decisions because those who do it, know way better than me. I wasn’t a fan of Ritter before this show and I had never even heard of Colter. It just goes to show what I know given how much I’m enjoying the two of them on this show.
2. There Is No Witty Caption For This
Of all the uncomfortable but important moments on this show, this might be at the top of the list at the best executed. Last episode we saw Hope ask Jessica for money but we didn’t know why. In this episode, we find out the awful truth. Hope is pregnant by Kilgrave and she paid the other inmate to beat her up to force a miscarriage. It doesn’t work and now Hope needs help from Jessica because a doctor won’t be able to get to her for an abortion for another 2 months. I’ve never been in this situation but I was almost in tears at how great this was executed. This young woman is in an impossible situation and turns to the only 2 women in the world who could help her and not a single person in this situation is judged. This is so heavy to see on a television show and this is the only time I’ve ever seen it handled so well. Hope would never be okay if she had to carry that child, evidence of what this monster did to her and it was a brutally honest moment that will hopefully help someone out there. I was taken out of the show for a minute and thought of those who have been hurt in this way and my heart goes out to them all.
3. Jeri Can You Not?
Jeri is kind of a silent non hero in this story. Villain is a strong word and I’m not fully ready to use that just yet. She’s leaving her wife for a younger and much blonder woman and she ends up buying Hope’s fetus. Jeri has some good qualities but she’s not doing herself any favors with this. She’s definitely up to something and it’s very obviously not something good.
4. Kilgrave Goes Shopping
So here’s a weird thing: Kilgrave buys a house legitimately. He offers a guy money out of the blue and doesn’t use his power right away. For some reason he wants this house legitimately. That reason? It was Jessica’s childhood home. If this were anyone else I would be surprised but Kilgrave has no chill and is just going to keep doing stuff like this. What’s his end game here? Is he going to use his power to make Jessica be with him again and why would he need her childhood home to do that? Whatever the reason, it won’t be good and he and Jessica are once again on a collision course.
5. The Truth Comes Out
Proving that this show can still get sadder, Luke and Jessica reach a horrible conclusion to this phase of their relationship. After saving the day, Luke gets the information he needs about the night his wife died. He got the name of the bus driver who was listed as being a drunk driver in the accident. Kilgrave messed up so much of this night that Luke now believes this was the man who killed his wife Reva and sets out to kill him. Thankfully for the driver Jessica gets there to stop it. By now we know she killed Reva under Kilgrave’s control and with Luke ready to murder someone, she has to tell him and wow does this hurt. The two of them grew so close, to where he even knew about what Kilgrave did to her and it comes crashing down on top of them thanks to this secret. Jessica didn’t mean to kill Reva but keeping the secret and having this relationship with Luke was just too much for him to handle and he loses it. Jessica is wrong for hiding this from him but how awful is it that Luke called her “a piece of shit” especially after all the things she’s been through and all the self hate she has. I’ve had that argument in past romances and let me tell you, that’s not a good feeling you’re left with. Jessica and Luke will eventually get back into each other’s lives but the how and why is still up in the air. Will it be here or will it be in his series?
