The Black Sky is probably the first seed of the mystery that will ultimately lead to Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist teaming up to become The Defenders. We’ll have more on Black Sky once we actually, y’know, figure out what the hell it is.

– That shipping container reads “Asano Robotics.” Yoshida Asano is an Iron Man villain by the name of Samurai Steel. I’d say the odds of seeing Samurai Steel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are virtually zero, but then again, I never thought I’d see an R-rated Daredevil series, either, so what the hell do I know?

Anyway, whether Yoshida Asano has something to do with the whole “Black Sky” thing, or if that’s just pure mysticism remains to be seen. (I don’t speak a word of Japanese, so I owe everything on this catch to Opello down in the comments!)

– On Ben Urich’s board, of course Daredevil is the Jack of Hearts (he’s got a troubled romantic history, likes red, his Dad’s name was Jack, and let’s never forget that great Bob Dylan song), and the Kingpin is the “king of diamonds.” Wilson Fisk always had a fondness for a diamond tie pin in his early appearances in the comics, so that makes this even more appropriate.

– Okay, so it turns out that the scary guy that Stick is talking to at the end of this episode is totally Stone (thanks to a sharp-eyed Tweeter for this one), and he’s played by Jasson Finney. Stone is one of Stick’s crew of warriors known as the Chaste. Other Chaste members have similarly flashy names like Shaft (not that one) and Claw.

Check out this panel of John Romita Jr. artwork from Daredevil: The Man Without Fear. It’s pretty much that last shot!

So this is now another Frank Miller creation that has made his way into this show. For now, all you need to know about Stone is that he’s really tough to hurt, he’s another Stick pupil, and he loves fighting ninjas. I expect an all-ninja extravaganza for season two at this point.

Episode 8 “Shadows in the Glass”

– Consider this episode “the secret origin of the Kingpin.” While I don’t remember these particular dismemberment details from his early life, it does set up the Don Rigoletto connection, via his father. In the comics, Fisk was Rigoletto’s bodyguard, who then betrayed and murdered him. Clearly, Don Rigoletto is no longer a consideration, and you don’t get to be the Kingpin of Crime by waiting for folks to retire.

– And, of course, the episode’s climax, with Wilson Fisk emerging as a “pillar of the community” to make life even more difficult for Daredevil is about as classic an interpretation of the character as you’re likely to see.

– As promised, there’s our first look at Melvin Potter, fitting Leland Owsley for his new suit. Note the “Revenge of the Gladiators” poster on the wall, which features a yellow and blue color scheme that definitely recalls Melvin’s villainous activities as the Gladiator. We’ll get to more on Melvin in a few episodes, though. Right now, let’s just focus on the colors of the overcoat that Potter is working on for Leland look very much like Leland’s comic book counterpart, “The Owl.”

– That bit where Ben hesitates before deleting his big story is something we saw Joe Pantoliano’s Ben Urich do in the Daredevil movie of which we aren’t supposed to speak. But that was one of the good moments in that film, and I’d like to think this is an intentional nod. (thanks to the radar senses of Alexander on Twitter for pointing this out)

But now it’s time for episode nine…

Episode 9 “Speak of the Devil”

– It’s not a Daredevil story without ninjas! That isn’t just any ninja that DD is facing off with during the opening…it’s a member of Marvel ninja clan, The Hand. So, it’s official: Nobu is the head of The Hand. Fisk asks him to find someone “from your organization” to deal with Daredevil. This is very exciting.

The Hand were introduced in 1981’s Daredevil #174 by (who else?) Frank Miller. Since then, they’ve become the go-to ninja army of choice for Marvel. And yes, the Hand has HYDRA ties, but it’s going to be ages (if ever) before we even see a whisper of that explored on film. There’s only so much time, y’know.

Our favorite blind asshole, Stick, has a group of warriors known as the Chaste, and their primary function is to keep the Hand from getting too powerful. Remember the big scary guy that Stick is chatting to at the end of episode seven? That’s one of his Chaste warriors. I would watch an entire show about the shady backroom dealings of magical ninjas and the blind bastards who hate them.

Now, whether or not Nobu is (or was) uber-ninja Kirigi is another story:

…okay, anyway, Nobu is probably not Kirigi. Maybe Nobu will be back, as The Hand doesn’t always stay dead. Maybe they’re saving Kirigi for season two. Either way, I want more ninjas. We just got to watch a flaming ninja fight Daredevil. Life is good.

– Now, in the comics, when Hand ninjas die, they don’t just die. They kind of crumble into ash. Well, there was a distinctly less magical reason for that in this episode, but Nobu bursts into flames, and dies, which I suppose qualifies as turning into ash. That was totally on purpose. (thanks, Autonomous!)

– It looks like Matt deliberately overplays his blindness during the “handshake” with Ben Urich during their meeting at Matt’s office. He knows that Ben is smart enough to put it together who he is…and in the comics, that’s exactly what happened during the “Marked for Death” storyline, which was, coincidentally, Frank Miller’s first arc as Daredevil artist. Urich is a trusted keeper of Matt’s secret identity. Which, as far as secret identities go, tends to not be all that secret.

– On the packets of heroin, there’s a strange symbol. That’s the symbol of Davos/Steel Serpent, a native of the mystical/alien city of K’un L’un, and Iron Fist enemy. Basically, this pretty much cements the K’un L’un and Iron Fist connection for that upcoming series, and I suspect it factors heavily into the Black Sky mystery, too (thanks to Courtney down below for pointing this out and Douglas Sturk for the screenshot!).

– So the two jerks who jumped Karen are named Joseph Pike and Stewart Schmidt. Pike is another low-rent douchebag from the comics, a criminal informant, and a Josie’s bar regular. He first showed up in the Frank Miller drawn Daredevil #165 in 1980. I’ve got nothing on Schmidt, but there does appear to be a fictional Stewart Schmidt who lives in the comic book version of Marvel’s Manhattan. I don’t think I have any comics with him in them. Please don’t think less of me.

– There’s plenty of precedent for Daredevil getting brutally beaten down by the Kingpin, so just consider the beatdown in this one of those “iconic moments.”

Episode 10 “Nelson vs. Murdock”

– During one of the Columbia University flashback sequences, Foggy blurts out… “The Greek girl…whatever happened to her? She was smokin’.” That was, without question, a reference to Elektra Natchios. Try and forget about Jennifer Garner for a second and understand that Elektra is one of the most pivotal figures in Matt’s life, and her proper introduction will probably be the driving force of Daredevil season two.

Elektra is another pupil of Stick, although she makes even more questionable life choices than Matt, working as a bounty hunter, enforcer, and aide to evil ninjas The Hand at various points in her career. Matt and Elektra have a, shall we say, complicated relationship.

– In Ben Urich’s office there are framed front pages from the Bulletin with the headlines “Battle of New York” and “Terror in Harlem.” Now we know Ben got the big bylines for the events of The Avengers and The Incredible Hulk. There’s also one that reads “caught cheating,” which I would really like to imagine involves Tony Stark’s love life, but if anybody has any better ideas, I’d love to hear ’em.

– Roxxon is mentioned in the Landman/Zakk boardroom. Roxxon has come up a few times, mostly in the Iron Man movies. Basically, they’re all-purpose corporate douchebags, and they’ve been doing douchebag corporate things since 1974 in the comics. But it should be noted that their corporate douchebaggery extends all the way back to the ’40s in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It’s kinda fitting that a Marvel staple like Roxxon is ultimately what drives Matt out of corporate law.

– During the fundraiser, we’re introduced to Senator Randolph Cherryh (thanks to Ryan in the comments for catching his name), a corrupt politician (aren’t they all?) who was introduced in Frank Miller and Klaus Janson’s Daredevil #177 (1981). Kingpin lovingly refers to him as a “simpering slave” in that comic, by the way, in case you were wondering what their relationship is like.

– Owsley mentions someone named Van Lunt, a guy who is obsessed with astrology. This would be Cornelius Van Lunt, the unfortunately ridiculous Marvel supervillain known as Taurus. (Thanks, JackRussell)

– What seems like a throwaway remark by Owsley is actually a nod to The Defenders comics, too. ““Make sure Richmond’s on the guest list. He won’t come, but he’ll get pissy if he isn’t invited.” He’s talking about Kyle Richmond, known as Nighthawk. Richmond was kind of a spoiled, rich toolbag before he became the super strong Nighthawk, and he eventually became a key member of the classic Defenders lineup. He first appeared in Avengers #71 in 1969, but he first met Daredevil in Daredevil #62.

It’s gonna be a long time (if ever) before we see him on screen, but this was a cute nod (and thanks to Brad for pointing it out to me!).

– Also, James Hunt notes that Foggy’s discovery of Matt’s secret identity is similar to how it went down in Daredevil #347. To be fair, Matt was drunk when that happened, not recovering from a serious ninja whupping.

Episode 11 “The Path of the Righteous”

– So, let’s talk about Melvin Potter for a moment. Melvin Potter, like I mentioned up above, is also the supervillain known as the Gladiator. You can spot a Gladiator-themed movie poster in his workshop. While there is a Revenge of the Gladiators movie, I’m not sure this is a poster for the real one. The best thing about that poster, though, is that the yellow and blue color scheme is definitely consistent with what Melvin liked when he became…The Gladiator.

See for yourself:

When Matt first breaks into Melvin’s workshop, you can see a design in progress on a drawing table:

(thanks to SuperStuff for mentioning that, as I totally missed it on the first viewing!)

That’s pretty much exactly the design we see in Alex Maleev’s Gladiator redesign for the excellent Daredevil comic book story “The Golden Age.” That’s a story that I’d love to see explored in a future season of this show if given the chance. Anyway, check it out…

So, this workshop fight is awesome for about a million reasons. First of all, it’s Daredevil vs. the super strong Gladiator in all but name. That’s cool. But then, Melvin throws a freakin’ saw blade at him. That’s really cool, especially since the comic book version of the Gladiator is fond of wearing throwable saw blades on his arms.

But that’s not all…

-The “Betsy” that Melvin keeps referring to is Betsy Beatty, a social worker who helps Melvin work through his criminal issues. Poor guy is smitten with her. Anyway, what makes the whole Betsy thing even cooler is that she first appeared in Daredevil #166 (1980). It’s notable because it’s another one of Frank Miller’s early issues, and it’s another indication about the general direction of the show: so much has been pulled from that “Marked for Death” storyline in the 1979-1980 Daredevil comics, that it means that Elektra, Bullseye, and loads more ninjas aren’t far behind when it’s time for season two!

– “Do you really think this is the first time I’ve shot someone?” Holy moley. See? Haven’t I been telling you that Karen Page has a seriously dark past? It’s a shame about Wesley, though. He might just have been the best villain Marvel has produced this side of Loki so far.

Episode 12 “The Ones We Leave Behind”

– You can see the “Van Lunt” name (he’s the ridiculous Taurus villain that was mentioned in the section on Episode 10 up above) on the door, where the Nelson and Murdock hand-lettered sign is pasted over. It’s a cute touch. (thanks, Ed Kauffmann! That would have slipped by me.)

– Karen shouldn’t joke about “the hard stuff” given her history with narcotics (again, Daredevil #227, “Born Again” etc). Also, after we just saw Foggy in flashbacks at Columbia, are we really supposed to believe that guy only “smoked a doobie once?” Seriously, Foggy? Once, my ass. You don’t get a nickname like “Foggy” unless you’re engineering gravity bongs and hooking up UV lights in your dorm closet for some non-credit botany.

– Before Marvel Comics was, well, Marvel, they were Atlas Comics. Aside from some half-hearted attempts to revive Captain America, the original Human Torch, and the Sub-Mariner in the post World War II years, they don’t have too much in common with the Marvel Universe you’ve come to know and love. On the other hand, the great Jack Kirby continued to hone his craft on a host of books during the Atlas years.

Now, let’s pretend for a moment that Atlas Investments is, in fact, actually a front for Marvel’s Agents of ATLAS superhero team, which consisted of characters from those forgotten 1950s comics revived for the modern age. Like many little background gags here, don’t expect this to necessarily pay off, but it’s fun to see, nonetheless.

– Matt gives Ben Urich a crucial piece of his secret identity, during their chat, talking like a boxer. This is such a perfect, classic interaction between Ben Urich and Daredevil, that I was really hoping we’d get to see Vondie Curtis-Hall in the Spider-Man movie next. Ummm…obviously that won’t be happening. Holy moley.

– So, Madame Gao probably wasn’t kidding when she said she spoke “all” of the languages, because there’s clearly more to her than meets the eye. Where’s her home that is “considerably further” away from China? My current guess is K’un L’un, the mystical city where future Marvel/Netflix star Iron Fist gets his superhuman martial arts abilities.

A few folks down below, notably Rukhavi118 are making a compelling case that she is actually Crane Mother, a character with connections to Davos/Steel Serpent…the character whose emblem appears on the heroin baggies (see above). Until somebody can tell me otherwise, I’m willing to go with this.

Crane Mother first appeared in early issues of The Immortal Iron Fist by Ed Brubaker (the writer who first gave us The Winter Soldier), Matt Fraction, Travel Foreman, and David Aja. I suspect that series holds more answers about the future of Marvel’s assorted Netflix series, as well.

Even if we’re all wrong, I’ll bet good money that whatever Madame Gao really is, she and the mysterious “Black Sky” will be among the connecting threads as we head towards the big team-up, The Defenders.

Episode 13 “Daredevil”

– Holy moley. The song that plays during Ben Urich’s funeral is “Many Rivers to Cross” by Jimmy Cliff. It’s a beautiful, perfect tune. It has nothing to do with Marvel Comics, but you should totally check out the movie The Harder They Come and its incredible soundtrack, which was my first exposure to the wonders of Jimmy Cliff.

– So, Leland Owsley sure appears to be dead, so he won’t be the Owl. Unless, of course, he isn’t dead. But his son is mentioned several times in the course of this show, and Bricketh in the comments pointed out his name is “Lee.” That sounds like Leland Jr., to me, so don’t rule the Owl out for future seasons just yet!

– For more musical amazingness, that bit of opera playing during the “everybody gets arrested” sequence appears to have been carefully chosen. It’s an aria from Puccini’s Turandot, called “Nessun Dorma” (“None Shall Sleep”), and that’s Luciano Pavarotti singing. The lyrics are kind of appropriate…here are some excerpts:

But my secret is hidden within me; none will know my name! No, no! On your mouth I will say it when the light shines!

Vanish, o night! Fade, you stars! Fade, you stars! At dawn, I will win!I will win! I will win!

Gosh, does that sound like anyone we know?

And no, don’t let my Italian last name fool you…I know nothing about opera. I had to Shazam that aria just like everybody else.

– Thanks to Smitty for setting me straight on this one: Stan Lee DOES have an appearance in Daredevil…just not the one we expected. He’s hanging on the wall in the police station! Check it out:

– Now, once we get back to Melvin Potter’s workshop, there are two ridiculously cool bits of Marvel-ness on display. The first is Stilt-Man’s legs:

Yeah, you read that right: Stilt Freakin’ Man now officially exists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Just let this sink in for a minute or two. This guy:

The other is the blueprints for Gladiator’s buzz saw arm things. You don’t need me to tell you how cool buzz saw arm things are.

– Not only does Daredevil get his iconic, horned red costume from Melvin Potter, but he gets that perfectly balanced billy club. In the comics, that little stick is to Daredevil what the shield is to Captain America. Then again, the action sequences up until this point have been so cool that I hardly missed it.

– The artist’s impression of Daredevil on the front page of the New York Bulletin was done by awesome Daredevil artist Alex Maleev, who collaborated with writer Brian Michael Bendis on a nice long run of Daredevil comics that are a huge inspiration for the tone of this show!

– We finally get to see Kingpin in his white suit. Probably not how we intended.