Realizing that the Hand needs the Iron Fist, Luke, Jessica, Matt, and Stick decide to keep Danny safe over his objections. Meanwhile, Alexandra faces dissent among the Hand.
- Apologetic Attacker: Jessica apologizes just before knocking Danny out.
- Asshole Victim: Zigzagged. Stick might not have been a villain, but between his willingness to kill Danny, his manipulations of Matt, and treatment of Elektra it's hard to be too upset.
- On the other hand, he was a father-figure of sorts to Matt, and regardless of his questionable decisions, he always did what he thought was right, even if he didn't like it. He had no pleasure when he was about to kill Danny, and in fact, his death resulted from his hesitation to kill Elektra.
- Alexandra is a less sympathetic example.
- Barehanded Blade Block: Luke during his part of the fight with Elektra.
- Big "NO!": Matt when his attempt to talk Elektra out of killing Stick fails.
- Cannot Tell a Joke: Matt's attempt to joke that he occasionally dresses up as Daredevil to rough up tenants late on rent falls flat on Jessica.
- Continuity Nod:
- Luke reminisces to Danny about the time Cottonmouth blew up Genghis Connie's with a rocket launcher and the time Jessica shot him.
- When Matt and Jessica are in Matt's apartment, Jessica asks Matt how he affords the place. Just like when Karen stayed over, Matt points out the billboard across the street, although since it's the middle of the day, he actually has to tell Jessica about the billboard, unlike with Karen who he didn't have to explain this to because she first came by while it was nighttime.
- Matt mentions the giant hole that he and Elektra found under Midland Circle where they were attacked by Nobu's ninjas.
- Dead Star Walking: While it happens toward the end of the season, it's worth noting that Sigourney Weaver was the biggest star attached to this project and was advertised quite a bit. Having her killed off with two full episodes to go is a bit of a surprise.
- Destination Defenestration: After killing Stick and knocking out Matt, Luke and Jessica, Elektra escapes with Danny by jumping out a window, using a car parked below to break her landing.
- Didn't See That Coming: Alexandra thought the Black Sky was her tool. Turns out there's nothing to stop her from taking her place.
- Diegetic Soundtrack Usage: Matt plays a few chords of the theme song on the Raymonds' piano.
- Disc-One Final Boss: Alexandra is killed by Elektra, who proceeds to take control of the Hand.
- The Dog Bites Back: The Fingers really shouldn't have implied to Elektra that she was replaceable.
- Enemy Civil War: The Hand leaders openly talk about the fact that they've all tried to kill one another over the years despite working for the same goal. Gao and Murakami try to deal with Alexandra themselves, only for Elektra to do the deed.
- Evil Feels Good: Elektra is mildly aroused by killing Alexandra.
- "Friends" Rent Control: Jessica expresses disbelief that Matt is able to afford his spacious apartment given he doesn't make much as a pro bono attorney. Like with Karen before him, Matt points out the giant billboard across the street, and jokes that he does some favors for the landlord in return for reduced rent.
- Fighting Your Friend: When Matt, Jessica, and Luke decide it's best to keep Danny as far away from the Hand as possible, he doesn't take too kindly to it and fights the entire team.
- Foreshadowing:
- Stick spends a lot of time meditating and is shown drinking a strange liquid. It's implied that this is what makes him immune to the gas he releases a bit later to knock out Luke.
- Danny tells Luke that they should be working out there together, a reference to their future team up.
- Hope Spot: Matt and Jessica return to the hideout to find Elektra is attacking Stick. They get there just as she's overpowered him and is about to finish him off with one of her katanas:Matt Murdock: ELEKTRA! Listen to me.
Elektra Natchios: [softly] Matthew...
Matt Murdock: You don't have to do this. All right? You don't belong to them. This is not who you are.
Elektra Natchios: It's good to see you.
[After a momentary pause, Elektra suddenly stabs Stick in the heart]
Matt Murdock: No! [Matt charges Elektra, only for her to deliver a spin kick that throws him backwards and knocks him out] - Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Elektra kills Alexandra by impaling her from behind with a sai.
- In the Back: How Elektra kills Alexandra.
- "It" Is Dehumanizing: Elektra tires of Alexandra treating her as an "it" and Alexandra referring to Matt by his nighttime alias instead of by name and makes this clear.Elektra Natchios: His name is Matthew. [pulls her sai out of Alexandra] And my name...is Elektra Natchios. You all work for me now. [decapitates Alexandra's dead body] Any questions?
- Killed Mid-Sentence: Alexandra is rather abruptly killed by Elektra in the middle of a speech.
- Klingon Promotion: Elektra kills Alexandra, then takes her place as the leader of the Hand.
- Kung-Fu Sonic Boom: Just as Stick is talking about other abilities granted by the Iron Fist, Danny stumbles onto this one entirely by accident when punching Luke.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Matt plays the theme music on the piano.
- Let Me Tell You a Story/I Have This Friend: Matt and Jessica go question John Raymond's family again to find out more about what he may have been doing that got the Hand to target him. His daughter believes her dad was a man who didn't care about his family. So Jessica tries to get through to Lexi by explaining in the third person the story of Matt's relationship with his own father.
- Let's Split Up, Gang!: The team splits up. Matt and Jessica leave to talk to the architect's daughter while the rest stay behind. This leads to Danny getting captured, Stick getting killed, and the rest being knocked out.
- Luck-Based Search Technique: Looks to be the case when Matt decides to flex his hitherto-unknown piano skill in the Raymonds' home, and winds up uncovering something John had hidden in the piano. Granted the one hammer not hitting right would be unnoticed by most people, but still.
- His daughter had said her father had stopped playing the piano, and that she didn't play it herself. Matt guesses correctly that her father might have hidden something there; playing the piano just confirms it.
- Mook Chivalry: A justified heroic version. Matt gets taken out by Elektra when he lets his guard down, leaving Jessica alone to fight her, and she gets taken out just in time for Luke to recover and then get taken out in turn. If they worked together they probably would have won, but circumstances made them take her on one-on-one and lose.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Elektra gives a brief glance back at Matt and appears to have a remorseful look on her face before escaping out the window with Danny.
- Mythology Gag: The scuffle that ends with a Kung-Fu Sonic Boom may remind some folks of how the early clash between Captain America and Thor in The Avengers also ended with a similar boom from a certain hammer hitting a certain shield.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Stick decides to kill Danny to avoid the Hand capturing him but first uses gas to knock out Luke Cage and Danny. Because of this, he gets killed, Danny is captured anyway, and if Luke hadn't been knocked out for the first part of it, he could have been more helpful.
- Noodle Incident: Apparently at one point in the past Madame Gao led a coup against Alexandra.
- Off with His Head!: Elektra decapitates Alexandra after impaling her through the back.
- She's Back: At the end of the episode, Elektra apparently has all of her memories back and kills Alexandra. She still is on the side of the bad guys apparently however.
- Suddenly Voiced: Murakami, Bakuto and Madame Gao are left completely shocked when Elektra suddenly kills Alexandra and asserts herself as their leader, since they've never heard her speak more than individual short sentences at most.
- The Starscream: Elektra takes control of the Hand after removing Alexandra.
- Surprisingly Sudden Death: Alexandra's death at Elektra's hands comes in the middle of a speech she's giving to her fellow Fingers.
- Take a Third Option: Stick comes to the conclusion that there's another path for the Defenders to take besides "run" or "fight." Unfortunately, he decides that the alternative is to kill Danny to keep the Hand from using him.
- Unstoppable Force Meets Immovable Object: Iron Fist punches Luke Cage = Kung-Fu Sonic Boom that knocks down everyone in the room.
- Violently Protective Girlfriend: Matt and Elektra are exes, sure, but Elektra skewers Alexandra right after Alexandra tells her to kill Matt, Jessica, and Luke.
- Wham Episode: Stick decides Murder Is the Best Solution so he tries to kill Danny so that the Hand can't use him. Elektra shows up, kills Stick, incapacitates all the other Defenders, captures Danny. Oh, and while Alexandra is lording over her victory, Elektra decides to kill Alexandra and takes over as the Hand's new leader.
- What the Hell, Hero?: The team call Matt out on not telling them about the hole under Midland Circle.
- White Shirt of Death: Alexandra's wearing her usual white outfit when she's killed, making her murder at Elektra's hands look that much more gory and dramatic.
- Worf Had the Flu: Under normal circumstances, Elektra would have been unable to do anything to Luke beyond annoy him. However, as a result of the incense that Stick drugged him with, he is taken down rather easily. In fact, it was impressive Luke was even able to stand up and fight, considering Danny passed out immediately.
