Luke Cage Recap, Ep. 3 – Who’s Gonna Take The Weight

The murder of [REDACTED] in the last episode of Luke Cage not only shook up Luke, but also the neighborhood, and even Mr. Stokes himself.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Now that lines have been crossed and outlined on the barbershop floor, Luke Cage is about to embark on a mission that’s guaranteed to have Cornell Stokes foaming at his cottonmouth. Nonetheless, Luke is a man who fears nothing because nothing can hurt him, but is his thirst for vengeance causing him to forget that the people around him are very much mortal and very much in play?

But Luke isn’t the only man that poses a threat to Cottonmouth’s operation as Domingo Colon is still pretty hot about the business deal gone bad in episode 1.

Here’s what went down in Episode 3: Who’s Gonna Take The Weight?

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Photo: Netflix

1. In Memory Of

No one was prepared for the passing of Pops, much less Luke. After a spirited debate with Mr. Stokes about how humble or luxurious Pop’s Casket would be, Luke went on to find out that Pop’s barbershop was in debt for 80 large. Knowing he had to take action to keep the neighborhood landmark from falling into the hands of thirsty developers, the wheels inside of Luke’s head begun to churn in a direction that would get any mortal man killed.

2. Wrecks & Effect

That cat Chico must had 9 lives because he actually survived the barbershop shooting. Luke stopped by his hospital room and convinced him to give up the locations of all of Cottonmouth’s stash houses and gave him something to think about when saying he should do his part (i.e. drop dime on Cottonmouth) to honor Pops memory. After bum rushing most of Stoke’s operations, breaking down his men, and leaving the money for the cops to collect, Stoke decides to put all his eggs in one unbreachable basket: Fort Knox. Well, his version of Fort Knox anyway.

3. Siempre En Domingo

Having his stash houses hit so mercilessly got Cotton thinking Selena’s baby brother, Domingo Colon is the one pulling the strings. He decides to meet with Senor Sunday but things got chippy real quick. After flagrantly disrespecting Cotton by discarding candy wrappers and half-eaten candy bars on his floor (the bite size joints you get at the bodega for a quarter too no less), Domingo basically lets Cotton know that it’s on like a candle on Dia De Los Muertos.

4. Rampage Like The Last Boy Scout

Luke Cage proved that Cottonmouth’s version of Fort Knox was nothing more than a jungle gym to him. Using a car door as a shield, Luke busted in there like he paid the bills and gave many men the business end of a beatdown to the tune of Wu-Tang’s “Bring The Ruckus.” When the dust cleared and the cops were called to the scene, Luke had already laid down the law and dipped with a duffle bag with cash to save the barbershop and open up a few more. Unfortunately, he also got made by Detective Misty Knight because evidently she’s great at what she does.

5. Crooked I

Turns out Misty’s partner, Detective Scarfe was on Cottonmouth’s payroll the whole time. As soon as Chico called him talking about turning state’s evidence, Scarfe scooped him up, fed him a burger, and gave him the American Me lesson by strangling him with his work tie. “Don’t look at me Little Puppet!” If y’all wasn’t watching gangster flicks in the mid-90’s y’all won’t get that reference. Anyway…

6. Set It Off

It was only a matter of time before Cottonmouth found out Luke was behind his fortune being lost in a matter of days. After detective Scarfe gave Stoke’s the 411 on Luke and his whereabouts, Stokes took it upon himself to track him down and blow up the spot… with a bazooka. Now that’s next level villain weaponry. It couldn’t have come at a worse time either as Luke was sharing a touching moment with his land-lady, Mrs. Wu. Is she the latest person in Luke’s circle to become collateral damage?