- "People are scared but they can't be paralyzed by that fear. You have to fight for what's right every single day, bulletproof skin or not. You can't just not snitch or turn away or take money under the table because life has turned you sour."
- ―Luke Cage
You Know My Steez is the thirteenth and final episode of the first season of the television series Luke Cage.
Synopsis[]
With all of Harlem bearing witness, Luke takes on the fight of his life in hopes of emerging as the defender his city needs.
Plot[]
In the 1990s, Willis Stryker helps Carl Lucas become a boxer, eventually leading to the latter winning an important match. In the present day, Diamondback throws a grenade at Pop's Barber Shop, causing an explosion that makes everyone scatter. Misty Knight loses the cellphone that she used to contact Candace Miller, and Shades loses the files that proves the innocence of Carl Lucas. Before they escape, Shades picks up Knight's cellphone as he follows Mariah Dillard. Cage tells Knight to keep everyone safe as he prepares to fight his half-brother. A fight ensues between Diamondback and Cage. The battle makes its way through the streets of Harlem. As they continue to fight, some Harlem residents arrive to give their support to Cage.
Using the battle as an example of violence in the neighborhood, Dillard gives an interview explaining that what is happening is out of control, and that those kinds of things are what her campaign is trying to avoid. She mentions that Luke Cage could potentially be escaped ex-convict Carl Lucas. Eventually, Claire Temple arrives at Pop's Barber Shop and sees the brutal fight between Cage and Diamondback. After a lengthy duel, Cage manages to defeat his half-brother. In the middle of her interview, Dillard is arrested by Knight for the assassination of her cousin, Cornell Stokes.
Unbeknownst to them, Shades texts from Knight's cellphone, pretending to be her, in order to agree a meeting with Miller, later he kills her so as to make the evidence against Dillard useless. Meanwhile, in order to testify for the charges he is being accused of, Cage arrives at the 29th Precinct Police Station with Temple and Knight. He explains everything that has recently transpired to Priscilla Ridley, Knight, and her partner, in order to prove his innocence. Ridley confronts Dillard with all the evidence the Police Department has. However, Dillard continues with her lies, even when Misty presents her the declaration of Miller accusing her of killing Cottonmouth. However, Knight and Ridley are shortly informed of the death of Miller. Knowing that her death makes her statement useless, they are forced to free Dillard without charges.
Knight reveals to Cage and Temple that due to Miller's death, Dillard was free to leave. Suddenly, two officers from Seagate Prison arrive and arrest Cage for his escape from Seagate as Carl Lucas. Cage surrenders without opposing, to the dismay of Temple, Knight, and Ridley. Before leaving, Cage and Temple share a kiss. She reminds him that she knows a lawyer that might help him. He finally accepts before being taken to Seagate. Knight sees Miller's corpse and decides to enforce justice on her own. She decides to spy on Dillard in order to obtain new evidence to bring her down.
Bobby Fish stays at Pop's and finds the file with the information for the innocence of Luke Cage. As she leaves the Police Department, Temple notices Colleen Wing's advert for self-defense classes. Later, at the hospital, Noah Burstein is assigned to take care of Diamondback. However, he secretly decides to use Diamondback as a test subject to recreate Cage's powers. Some time later, Harlem's Paradise reopens to the public by holding a party. Knight arrives in order to continue spying on Dillard.
Cast[]
Main Cast:
- Mike Colter as Luke Cage
- Simone Missick as Misty Knight
- Theo Rossi as Hernan Alvarez/Shades
- Erik LaRay Harvey as Willis Stryker/Diamondback
- Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple
- Alfre Woodard as Mariah Dillard
Guest Stars:
- Clifton Cutrary as Teenage Carl Lucas
- Jared Kemp as Teenage Willis Stryker
- Ninja Devoe as Aisha Axton
- Jeremiah Richard Craft as D.W. Griffith
- Michael Kostroff as Doctor Noah Burstein
- Sônia Braga as Soledad Temple
- Ron Cephas Jones as Bobby Fish
- Karen Pittman as Inspector Priscilla Ridley
- Tijuana Ricks as Thembi Wallace
- Deborah Ayorinde as Candace Miller
- Justin Swain as Mark Bailey
- John Clarence Stewart as Alex Wesley
- Lee Sellars as Sergeant Jake Smith
- P.J. Marshall as Lieutenant Mario Green
- Andre Jackson as Marshall Johnson
- Ben Horner as Marshall Franco
- Darius Kaleb as Lonnie Wilson
- Jade Wu as Connie Lin
- Clem Cheung as Jin Lin
- Mike Britt as Eddie Axton
- Anthony Aroya as Victor
- Corri English as Alicia
- Joshua Rivera as Farley
- Robyn Payne as Female Reporter
- Tristan Laurence as Male Reporter
- Robert Siverls as Man
- Sharon Jones as herself
- Fab Five Freddy as himself
- Mahershala Ali as Cornell Stokes/Cottonmouth (uncredited)
- Derrick Williams as Boxing Trainer (uncredited)
- Justin Clarke as Thug #4 (uncredited)
- Ludovic Coutaud as News Reporter (uncredited)
- Lynn Marocola as FDNY Paramedic (uncredited)
- Maggie LeVine as Detective (uncredited)
- Merritt Matthew Chase as Harlem Precinct Detective (uncredited)
- Monet Marquis as Club Patron / Crowd Member (uncredited)
- Roger Brenner as FDNY / EMT (uncredited)
- Ryan Burton as Fight Watcher (uncredited)
- Leroy Phillips Jr. as Onlooker (uncredited)
Appearances[]
Locations[]
- New York City, New York
- Pop's Barber Shop
- Soledad Temple's Apartment
- 29th Precinct Police Station
- Harlem's Paradise
- Red Rooster
- Crispus Attucks Complex (flashback)
- Chikara Dojo (mentioned)
- Dunkin' Donuts (mentioned)
- Savannah, Georgia (flashback)
- Georgia (mentioned)
- Seagate Penitentiary (mentioned)
Events[]
- Duel at Malcolm X Boulevard
- Assassination of Candace Miller
- Arrest of Luke Cage
- Murder of Cottonmouth (mentioned)
- Raid of the Crispus Attucks Complex (mentioned)
- Assassination of Jackie Albini (mentioned)
- Attack on Pop's Barber Shop (mentioned)
- Escape from Seagate Prison (mentioned)
Items[]
- Diamondback's Battle Suit
- Judas Gauntlet
- Hammer Industries Assault Rifle
- Judas Bullet
- Stokes' Revolver
Vehicles[]
To be added
Organizations[]
- New York City Police Department
- Stokes Crime Family
- WJBP-TV
- WKGU News
- WZTM News
- WNJG
- United States Marshals Service
- Fire Department of New York City
- Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
- Hammer Industries (mentioned)
- Black Panther Party (logo)
Mentioned[]
- James Lucas
- Etta Lucas
- Dana Stryker
- Matt Murdock
- Cottonmouth
- Mama Mabel
- Jackie Albini
- Damon Boone
- Rafael Scarfe
- Donnie Chang
- Colleen Wing
- Biggie Smalls
- Chester Himes
- Michael Connelly
- Harry Bosch
Trivia[]
- You Know My Steez is a song from the album Moment of Truth of the hip-pop duo Gang Starr.
Behind the Scenes[]
- Cheo Hodari Coker had planned to have Prince appear in this episode prior to the latter's death.[1]
Music[]
Song title | Artist | Location(s) |
---|---|---|
You Know My Steez | Gang Starr |
|
100 Days, 100 Nights | Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings |
|