It's probably pretty ridiculous to cite this as my favorite episode so far, given that we're only three episodes in, but it is true.
You'd think that this is due to the fact that this is the most action heavy. That's certainly a benefit, no doubt. Seeing Luke storm Stokes' stronghold is what the tropers would call a crowning moment of awesome, but the episode does a great job of bringing more to the table than that.
The episode is filled with several dialogue driven scenes that not only continue to maintain the last episode's momentum in terms of character development, but also bring a fair dose of humor and thought to the table.
I really liked the scene between Misty and her partner discussing the role of cops in a world of superheroes. Not only was it a great way to showcase the two's camaraderie, but it presented both sides of the issue in rather logical ways.
Misty raises some good points, talking about the cons of vigilantism and noting that cops adhere to rules. I'm not sure about her argument that they don't know what they're doing. So far, it seems like they're all pretty competent. Now, taking the inhumans into account, this would make more sense, but I'm not sure if that's what the writers were talking about.
Her partner, Scarfe, counters by saying that they're achieving successes the cops haven't been able to and it saves him a lot of paperwork.
To Luke's credit, he does manage to cripple Stokes' organization in short order. He also utilizes quite a bit of strategic thinking, even comparing his endeavor to a chess match at one point. I did find it a bit odd that he made a point to say that robbing Stokes wasn't going to work, and then he proceeds to rob him. The early strikes are staged, as he doesn't take anything, but when he attacks Stokes' central HQ, he does take a duffel bag full of cash.
Still, he manages to give the cops plenty of evidence to work with and even manages to stage a false flag operation to start a war with a rival gang. All in all, his plan was rather elegant in its simplicity. It wasn't "Death Note" level stuff, but he still played Stokes like a harp from hell.
Stokes himself continues to be a charismatic and fascinating villain. While his attempt to make amends by paying for Pop's funeral arrangements doesn't go well with Luke, it does seem genuine on his part.
He's also developing an interesting dynamic with Mariah. It makes sense given the familial connection, but both have very different perspectives on what they're doing and how to get it done and it makes for some engaging scenes to watch.
Overall, the episode did a good job of addressing some of the weaknesses of its predecessor, but some still exist. I do hope that the show takes a break from using a club performer as an overlap with a montage of events elsewhere. Doing it once or twice is OK, but it's been used three times in a row and we're three episodes in. If this is going to be a once an episode thing, it might lose its effectiveness.
This episode also makes you lament Luke's aversion to profanity. 99% of the time it's an endearing and admirable trait, but when you see him throw a couch out a window during his siege, you wish he would have been able to make the Dave Chappelle reference.
I have to say, I'm not sold on Domingo, Stokes' aforementioned rival. The confrontation between the two is appropriately tense, but he comes off a bit sillier than you would expect. He may prove to be a menacing antagonist yet, but right now, I'm not seeing it.
Overall, this episode brought a little bit of everything. There's strong dialogue, some decent plot twists, and some impressive action sequences. The show still has some kinks to work out, but it looks like it's on an upswing. Hopefully, the show can keep the good momentum going.
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