Original subtitles

He shot you?

With a Judas bullet?

Point blank.

Honestly, I don't know how I'm still standing.

I'm lucky.

Damn lucky.

I think that second bath in the barn

may have strengthened the abalone shell on your skin.

The Velcro effect is even tighter now.

So you're saying I'm even more indestructible than I was before?

I think we need to test you.

Wow, Bobby, when you said the Jets, I thought you meant Jersey.

Budget and timing, brother.

Budget and timing.

Hey, beautiful. Mmm.

- This will be our lead story, right? - I'm thinking it's the whole A-block.

Did you invite the press?

Hell, no, man. They messin' with my exclusivity.

It's that Harlem's Hero app.

That guy you took a photo with on the subway, he tagged you.

Oh, there he is. Hey, Todd.

Hi.

You're Luke Cage.

And you're Todd Bowles.

Good to meet you, Coach.

- Sweet Christmas. - Don't look at me, brother.

I just do the man's taxes. He wanted to see you up close.

Jasmine, it's Michael. I'm with Jemele, we're at a Harlem Jets practice.

Todd Bowles just walked up.

Bring in Shefter on this...

Let's see what you're made of, Cage. Let's go.

Hey, Jemele, Luke Cage is about to attempt the broad jump,

and I'm telling you, it's about to be sick.

All right, Cage.

Show me what you got.

That thing weighs 400 pounds.

I'm sorry, 400 pounds.

That's 24 feet, Jemele. 24 feet!

Eh, that's only 11 feet longer than the world record in broad jump.

Let's see what Cage got in the 40. He comin', Deion.

Three point 7-2.

Whoo! Swear this dude's faster than Usain Bolt.

Are you serious?

He handled a 400 pound tire like it's nothing.

Human beings shouldn't be able to do that.

I've seen a lot of workouts in my day, but this is crazy.

He is definitely going on The Six tonight.

If I'm a Nike, Adidas or Under Armour rep, I'm doing a praise dance right now.

- Dude is a gold mine. - Preach.

- How do you feel? - Like it's good to be me.

I'm sorry. I'm John Epps. I'm a scout for Nike.

I just... I've never seen anything...

I think the answer you're looking for

involves a dollar sign and three or four extra commas.

- Come on, step into my office. - Come on, come on.

Right there, right there.

What if there's something out there worse than a Judas bullet?

What if I can't help you?

Nothing can hurt me. Okay?

You made sure of that.

Now is not the time for alternative facts.

I thought the Judas was the one thing that could kill his ass.

Maybe he's got some new armor or some shit.

Who are you again?

Go.

It's not even 9:30 in the morning.

Do you think you wanna lay off?

We cannot go legit without Arturo's $20 mil.

Like I said, flip the Basquiat.

No. No. No.

There's no reason to sell the gun business.

I am out.

This shit took my mother, it took my grandmother, my uncle.

It took Cornell.

What if Arturo's already talked to the cops?

It's not what they know, it's what they can prove.

And they can't prove shit.

Comanche and I are gonna get every dime of Arturo's money.

And this weight is not yours to carry alone, baby.

This is what I'm here for.

This is what I do.

- You're on light duty, which means... - Riding the pine.

The job's not always jumping out hot.

- You know that. - Yeah, but I've always been a starter.

- Not always. - Nandi.

Same academy class?

Misty was a year behind me at DeWitt Clinton. Both varsity.

She took my spot when I twisted my knee.

- I earned... my spot. - Mm.

And never gave it back.

She was nice with hers. I'll admit.

Eyes in the back of her head and a sick crossover with handles like a...

I'm so sorry. I... I wasn't thinking.

You and me both.

Look, I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.

But since you're feeling all guilty and shit, I would like my desk back.

- There's another desk right over there. - Mine will do just fine.

Hey, Misty.

Welcome back.

Hey. Congratulations on the promotion.

- Well-deserved. Yeah. - Thank you very much.

Hey, partner. We've got Arturo Rey III on ice.

Let's go melt him, then.

- Captain? - Interrogation 1. He's all yours.

Detective Knight, if you will.

I wasn't kidding, Detective. You're on light duty.

He's not gonna talk to them. He can sense the green on both of 'em.

Look, let me in there. I lost my arm, not my damn nerve.

No.

- Mi Luke Cage. - No, mi Luke Cage.

You can't burn me. You can't break me. I'm invincible. Mi Luke Cage.

Hey, now. Luke Cage? Who's that?

Go on, show him.

I'm Luke Cage.

You can't burn me. You can't blast me. And you definitely can't break me.

You want to test me? Step up. I'm right here.

You want me to test you?

Just tell him not to test me.

You hear me?

Easy.

- What are you doing here? - I came in for a shape up.

You know how hard it is to maintain a baldy.

- Can you cut me? - Oh, no. I'm not a barber, brother.

And there's no one here at the moment, and we're... we're moving location.

You know, you just could have gone to Denny Moe's on Frederick Douglass.

They're open.

Thanks for the tip.

Come by and see me sometime, Carl.

You know my name, Dad.

Uh...

- You look alike. - No, we don't.

Well, I don't mean in skin tone.

But that swagger, you got it from somewhere, like it or not.

Ooh. Brother, you are trending on Twitter.

Like the youngsters say, you about to get pizaid for rizeal.

That kind of money comes with strings.

I don't need no leash.

Hey, guys.

Hey, Claire.

What happened? What's wrong?

- My father's in town. - That's great.

- He was here? - Yeah, he just left.

How'd it go?

We have nothing to talk about.

He's your family.

Family?

All that means is low expectations, disappointment and death.

Um...

I thought we were family.

Or getting there.

- You know what I mean. - I don't.

I'd be ecstatic if the father who thought he lost me was reaching out to me.

We're different, Claire. Okay? 'Cause he lost me a long time ago.

Breaking an olive branch is not an act of bravery.

Why are you constantly questioning my bravery?

I appreciate your concern, but I will deal with him when I am ready.

I was angry with my father, too.

And he died before I could make amends with him.

I don't want you to make the same mistake I did.

How did it go?

What are you doing here messing up our investigation?

What is your problem, Nandi?

Everyone knows you're a hero, Misty. The legend.

- You're Jordan playing for the Wizards. - But he's still Jordan.

You got your pension. The mayor knows your name.

What? You don't have enough people feeling sorry for you?

Misty.

We're friends, but I'll always tell you the truth.

Your injury makes people feel uncomfortable.

And there are still plenty of people that are ticked off about what Scarfe did.

But you're not one of those people, right?

No.

I know that look, Misty.

What?

I am not gonna go and talk to Arturo. He's lawyered up.

It would be against the rules.

'Cause you're all about the rules. Right?

Who are you supposed to be? The short arm of the law?

That's good.

We got you dead to rights on a Judas bullet charge. Federal.

You know what you get when you get caught in possession

of weaponry related to the incident?

It's like being caught with a nuclear weapon.

You could end up in a black site.

Look, we both know Mariah Dillard is your connect.

Why protect her?

You're a businessman, right?

Cut a deal. Spend a cushy five at Club Fed

instead of hard life at the ADX.

Detective.

As always, I find your charm disarming.

- This interview stops now. - Like hell it does.

Your client got caught with a...

Caught by whom? Luke Cage? A known vigilante.

It was a citizen's arrest.

After assaulting and apprehending my client,

did Mr. Cage bother to read him his rights?

No matter what, we got him on a Judas bullet charge.

Regardless, my client has made bail. He walks right now.

See you in court. If it even goes that far.

You need a hand uncuffing my client?

Talking without authorization to a perp after he's already lawyered up?

You are this close to being suspended. I hope it was worth it.

- Hello? - Luke, it's me.

Ben Donovan just sprung Arturo Rey.

Shit.

Look, I wish there was something I could do,

but Mariah's favorite lawyer is just too damn slick.

- Okay, thanks for letting me know. - You got it.

You cursed, brother. Pop's rules still apply.

I ran out of change.

Arturo Rey shot you with a Judas bullet.

Even if he makes bail, he's gonna eventually go down.

Maybe, but the product is still out there. He's gotta go.

No way Mariah can sell to him now. He's too hot.

Those guns won't hit the streets of Harlem. That's a win, right?

Well, if Mariah can't sell to Arturo Rey, will she move on to one of these two cats?

Absolutely.

Money is like nature. It always finds a way.

Look, I don't know about this Jamaican cat,

but if what y'all told me about Cockroach is true,

giving him control of Hammer weapons

is like giving a Crip or a Blood a suitcase nuke.

Well, Nigel and Cockroach are both connected to Mariah and the guns.

All you need is one of them to talk.

- Where you going? - To fumigate.

I don't know where Cockroach is, man! I don't!

I don't! On my mama! I wouldn't lie to you, man!

Heard your mama's a liar, too.

Where's Cockroach?

No one's seen him since he went to Harlem's Paradise.

- He got any people? - His baby mama.

She got a name?

Powell. Drea Powell.

Yo! Yo, are you gonna leave me like this?

Yup.

You shouldn't be here.

You should have never come back.

I've come to see my family.

The man who saved my life.

You gave me power.

Your power doesn't come from me.

It comes from within.

Anyway, you know, we're all right and everything's fine.

- You've come for the family you lost. - Come on. You did, too.

This restaurant is named after my mom.

She was a good woman.

It was a long time ago.

But not for me.

I must bring Mariah Stokes to her knees. Burn everything down, yeah?

Maybe she's smart enough to walk away, like you should.

Coward.

You been at it again?

I need more nightshade.

The more you use, the more it hurts.

Nightshade works like a steroid, you know?

I know a place in Harlem.

In sports today,

Luke Cage put on quite a display on the field as he ran a 40 in 3.72 seconds.

- That's faster than Usain Bolt. - Luke Cage.

Now he's disrespecting Usain Bolt?

- He protects Harlem for the Stokes? - The opposite.

- They call him the Hero of Harlem. Hmm. - Hero?

I would break the fool.

He won't trouble you. He'll only fight against Mariah.

- What makes you want trouble with Cage? - Harlem's my birthright.

The people are calling Luke Cage's name. I can't have that.

Mariah has the crown, but he has their heart. I need both of them. Simple.

- Hmm. Easier said than done. - Mmm.

Luke Cage is a hard man to kill. No bullet can kill him.

I don't have to use a bullet. Understand?

What do you mean,

numbers are down for the Family First Initiative fundraiser?

The scandal and controversy around your cousin

has affected opinions about you.

What? Should I give away turkeys like Nicky Barnes did when I was a kid?

Mmm-mmm. What's your daughter, Tilda, doing?

She's a doctor, right?

Following in the steps of her late father, Dr. Jackson Dillard.

You haven't been seen publicly with her

since your first campaign run 12 years ago.

What happened?

I have no idea where she is.

Don't lie to me.

You hired the best.

I'm the best.

She just opened a holistic boutique on Lenox.

You know our people. Everyone loves a family reunion.

We play it as,

"Mariah Dillard, promising black female politician on the rise,

felled by tragedy and controversy, hits rock bottom.

Then, at her lowest point, she reunites with her child."

Your renewed relationship with your daughter

gives you the strength and the drive to do better.

With your daughter by your side,

you come out looking as warm, yet powerful, as Michelle.

Mama Harlem.

You see it, right?

"Go."

Like I'm some damn dog.

You, you... You don't say a word.

By the way, what's up with all this American Gigolo shit you on, man?

I ain't making no judgments, all right?

Look, you get in where you fit in.

Literally.

I just wish Rackham had picked us for that experimental shit, you know?

Think about all the shit we'd be running if we were bulletproof.

- We'd be unstoppable. - Stop talking. We're here.

What are you doing in my store?

Our lawyer got you out,

and a judge we control allowed us to bail you out.

You should show me a little more respect.

You and the defective Judas bullet is why I was even locked up.

You and Mariah set me up.

Why would we set you up? You're our customer.

- Not anymore, I'm not. - What? We had a deal.

You said you got a judge.

I'll give you your money,

when I get off free and clear.

Or I'll go back to that one-armed detective and tell her what I know.

She's got a hard-on for that old bitch of yours.

Oh, you don't like me saying that. Oh.

Damn, my nigga. That pussy must be ridiculous.

What the hell were you thinking? How y'all gonna get the money now?

Let's go.

Now.

Grab the surveillance tapes.

Need a hand?

Okay.

Everybody take a good look.

I lost an arm.

This is who I am now.

Now, it doesn't mean I need your pity or your jokes.

Or you staring at me while I'm trying to do my goddamn job.

Take a good look.

We good?

Let's get back to work.

Bailey! Tyler!

Arturo Rey is dead.

He was found in his furniture store a few minutes ago. Bullet to head.

What are you doing in my store?

S how me a little more respect.

Come on, Misty. What the hell are you doing here?

You can't be here. You know that. Go home.

What'd you do? Run here?

Thanks for calling me. I can't believe they already killed him.

Mariah and Shades?

That's what my gut tells me, but no fingerprints,

the tape from the camera is gone,

and with Arturo Rey III dead, who knows when we'll get another chance?

What about him?

Cockroach?

You think he's connected to Mariah?

He's her next gun buyer. He's ghost right now.

Only lead I've gotten is his old girlfriend, Drea Powell.

Dawn, I need you to get me an address.

Drea Powell.

Just text me everything you find on her. Thanks.

How are you doing with everything else?

I'd be a lot better if people stopped asking me that question.

I've got an address on Drea Powell,

and it looks like it's the last place we arrested him at.

Seven-fifteen 147th.

Baby, I can't thank you enough for your help.

I've been suffering with these headaches for weeks,

and nothing I tried helped until I came to you.

That stuff made me feel better as quick as I took it. What you put in it?

Just a mix of oils, peppermint, lavender and basil.

No, no. Free of charge.

The last two didn't work.

I am just happy that we found a mixture that did.

I'm gonna tell everyone I know to come to you.

That means so much. Thank you.

- Good day. - Hello.

What, baby?

I'm waiting...

on the "you've thrown your life away, Tilda" speech.

Telling me I wasted $200,000 on medical school,

wasted my time and my talent,

only to end up working in a shop peddling snake oil.

It's anthroposophic medicine.

An approach designed to stimulate a patient's power of self-healing.

I think it suits you.

My only quibble is, why you would name this place Mother's Touch?

There are studies that show

mothers have healing effects on their sick children.

When they care.

I suppose I had that coming.

Look, um, it's not my birthday,

and there's no funeral or holiday, so what are you doing here, Mariah?

I'm your mother. You don't call me by my first name.

Respect me.

What do you need from me?

You.

I need you.

I don't have a time machine, Tilda.

I just have me, right now.

And I'm here asking you for a second chance.

Whatever's happened between us, I want to put it behind us.

We start over.

I can be the mother you always wanted me to be.

I know somewhere there is another shoe ready to drop.

I know you.

Good night, Mother.

Not "Mommy"?

I respect your boundaries.

You know where I'll be.

I do love you, T.

- Whoa. You're Luke Cage. - I am.

How are you, young man?

Did your old man give you that?

He was beating up my moms.

I tried to stop him, but I ain't strong like you.

You're plenty strong, kid.

- Do you know where he is now? - Who are you talking to?

Go to your room. Now!

Miss, I'm not here to cause any trouble. I just need to know where Dontrell is.

Psst.

- You looking for Dontrell, ain't you? - I am.

He's always beating on that poor girl.

- And her boy. - Do you know where I can find him?

He runs a dice game over at them warehouses.

- Thanks. - Oh, wait.

Give me your number. I see him, I'll call you.

I might just call you anyway.

You, uh, want some coffee?

No, thanks. I gotta run. Here you go.

If you find him, I hope you beat his ass.

You have a blessed day.

Thanks.

We have a problem.

What's going on?

We had to end our negotiations with Arturo.

What do you mean, "end"?

What? Why?

He was talking puta or some shit, so he had to go adiós.

Did you get the money?

Why did you kill him before you got the money?

What the hell were you thinking about?

You.

Us.

Arturo threatened to talk to Misty Knight. Comanche's right. He had to go.

We need that cash. I have nothing.

You have nothing? Seriously?

You still got two other buyers plus that boss-ass painting hanging up in the club.

Shit ain't hard to figure out.

Leave.

Again.

I am going to break my foot off in his ass one day,

and I don't care if he ain't got a neck.

I'll handle Comanche.

But Che's right. We still have two buyers.

Who? Cockroach and Nigel?

The first is too impulsive. The latter too ambitious.

- Neither one is a good option. - I messed up. I admit it.

But I couldn't let Arturo snitch, or do anything to bring you down.

I'm gonna get our money to Piranha on time.

I promise you that.

Anybody else wanna gamble tonight?

Where you think you're going?

Oh.

I don't know what you heard.

You think I'm gonna let you take Mariah's guns and turn Harlem into a war zone?

Think that's gonna help you?

Actually...

yeah.

Yeah.

Okay, well, the numbers look good.

Look, I'm gonna run these by Luke and our lawyer, and we'll get back to you.

Talk soon.

- Hey. - Hey.

- Who was that? - Nike rep.

You won't believe what I'm talking these cats into.

Luke might be bulletproof, but he leads with his heart and his chin.

I'm here to protect him.

You're a good man, Bobby.

I'll still take my 10%, no more, no less, like a good manager should.

What's on your mind, Claire?

I want to protect Luke, too.

I just don't know how. I...

I mean, he's the man I want to be with. There's no doubt in my mind.

But he's not whole.

- He won't reconcile his past... - You mean his father?

I've been here. It doesn't work.

For what it's worth, Claire,

sometimes you gotta let a man heal on his own.

Just be his woman and not his mother.

Parenthood can be complicated, especially when they're grown.

Sou sound like you're speaking from experience.

Oh, I am.

- Son or a daughter? - Daughter.

And I used to be quite the player back in my day.

Cool Daddy Smooth.

At least in my mind, I was.

A beautiful daughter is God's revenge.

Speak of the devil.

Hey, baby.

What?

I gotta go.

Force of the blast took my shoulder out. Blew me right out the window.

- And you couldn't get it back in? - Couldn't get leverage.

Yeah, that Lethal Weapon shit only works in the movies.

- I hate to say that I told you so... - Don't lecture me, Claire.

You're not invulnerable, Luke.

Matt wasn't, and neither are you.

Matt was nothing like me, okay?

You are more like Matt than you want to admit.

Trust me, I know.

Of course you do.

Because you're always running around, falling in with people with abilities.

Yeah. Jessica, Danny, Matt, me.

No matter who, how are you always involved...

Stop it! You're not mad at me.

I'm not mad at anyone.

All those red X's, you're obsessed. And it's not just with Mariah. Your father...

- Why do you keep coming back to him? - Because you won't.

- He hurt you. And he hurt your mother. - Look, lies have ripple effects, Claire.

He lied to me and Willis our whole lives.

That's how Willis became Diamondback and framed me.

That's why I went to Seagate.

And I know Reva isn't blameless.

If she hadn't helped me disappear and stolen the data from Dr. Burstein,

we wouldn't have ended up in New York, Kilgrave might have never found her.

I would have never met Pop. And they both would still be alive.

And all that's done now.

And you got your name and your life back.

But this wound with your father is another Judas bullet.

And if you remove it, you heal yourself.

But if you don't, it is slowly killing who you are from the inside,

and you're... too close to see it.

- You wanna help me, Claire? - Yes.

Then stay out of my goddamn head.

May I help you?

I heard you're the woman to see for the items I need.

Is there a problem?

This stuff is used for Obeah.

Gimme what I want and I'll leave. Understand?

That's far too much.

Well, you've been so generous and helpful.

I'm gone.

Jamaicans reached out.

- They got the cash. - Nigel?

Some other Yardie.

Can't understand a word these guys say half the time.

- What about Cockroach? - Forget Cockroach.

The Jamaicans'll never give us what Arturo was gonna pay.

It's enough to get us clean. We'll make up the rest.

Hey. I'm sorry, baby girl, but you're in the wrong section.

I'm here to talk to my mother.

Sweetie.

What are you doing here?

Your pain.

It's real.

You have one more chance, Mommy.

One chance is all I need.

So, she's with you?

Yes.

Hernan and...

Darius.

Tilda.

What a pleasure.

Could you give us a moment?

Of course.

Come on. Sit, sit.

Whoo.

Wow.

Baby girl just took your slot, son.

"'Vengeance is mine, ' sayeth the Lord."

Romans 12:19.

Why is that?

Let's look at the first part of that verse.

"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourself,

but leave room for the wrath of God."

Well, now, God trusts us with so much.

Why not wrath?

It's because wrath is toxic.

The soul can't tolerate it.

And it only takes a few drops. Oh, yeah, a little dab'll do ya.

It poisons you.

And there will be times when you are tested.

Times when your blood boils.

But vengeance belongs to the Lord.

Vengeance belongs to the Lord

because sometimes, whether we want to admit it or not,

Father does know best.

I'm reminded of an old Cherokee legend.

Think I'm playing with you, bitch, huh? I will kill you!

I know you snitched me out to Luke Cage!

Grandson comes to his grandfather. Now, the little boy is angry.

One of his little friends has done him a great injury.

And the little boy wants some retribution.

That little boy wants some vengeance.

Now, the grandfather, he understood the grandson.

Mmm-hmm. He understood that it's our nature to hate those who have harmed us,

to wanna wish them harm.

But he tells the grandson...

Get off her!

...that hate only wears you down.

It does not hurt your enemy.

It's as if there are two wolves living inside you.

One wolf is good. He only fights when it is right to do so.

That other wolf is hateful.

He fights no matter the reason.

It's as if these two wolves are both fighting to dominate your spirit.

And the boy asks his grandfather, "Which wolf is stronger?"

And the grandfather looked into his grandson's eyes, and he said,

"It's the one you feed."

Luke Cage.

Where?

Now?

Bet you a man now, boy, huh?

Want some of this?

I want some.