There was an concept, to convey collectively a gaggle of Marvel heroes on tv, throughout the daybreak of the streaming period, that would push the boundaries that the movies by no means might. This is the story of The Defenders Saga. Marvel Television took an identical tactic to the MCU movies, the place they might introduce every hero of their separate collection earlier than teaming them up collectively. The unique plan included the heroes Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, who would unite to hitch a staff known as The Defenders. Along the best way, different characters have been launched to the supporting forged like Misty Knight, Colleen Wing, and Elektra. The Punisher, who was launched in Daredevil season 2, was given his spin-off collection.
Originally airing on Netflix to nice business and important success, after Disney introduced they might be launching their streaming service Netflix started canceling all of the collection, with the final two, The Punisher season 2 and Jessica Jones season 3 airing in 2019. Then in 2022, the collection was faraway from Netflix and introduced over to Disney+ the place they have been rebranded as The Defenders Saga. Disney+ added parental controls (and a few controversial scrubs and edits) with the addition of the extra mature-rated collection, and now viewers might watch all the Defenders Saga alongside the principle entries of the MCU.
Updated December third, 2022: This article has been up to date with new up-to-date info concerning Daredevil’s future within the MCU following She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and the announcement of Daredevil: Born Again.
While these varied reveals’ place in canon has been up for debate, the looks of Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock (or Daredevil) in each Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law in addition to Vincent D’Onoforio as The Kingpin in Hawkeye and an upcoming position in Echo hints that these collection and characters are one way or the other extra related to the MCU than ever earlier than. With the announcement that Daredevil: Born Again will premiere on Disney+ someday in 2024 and can proceed the story of the Netflix collection, audiences could need to compensate for his story in addition to his fellow Defenders. If audiences one way or the other missed these collection whereas they have been airing, now is a superb time to catch up. Yet with six collection mixed that collectively make up 13 seasons of tv with a complete of 161 episodes, there definitely is so much to sort out. Take a take a look at tips on how to watch all of The Defenders collection in chronological order and order of launch.
Marvel’s Defenders Saga in Chronological & Release Order
The Defenders Saga collection’ chronological order is identical as the discharge order. While every season accommodates particular person episodes which function flashbacks to earlier within the timeline, the viewing order of the collection is identical as its launch.
- Daredevil (Season 1) – April 10, 2015
- Jessica Jones (Season 1) – November 20, 2015
- Daredevil (Season 2) – March 18, 2016
- Luke Cage (Season 1) – September 30, 2016
- Iron Fist (Season 1) – March 17, 2017
- The Defenders – August 18, 2017
- The Punisher (Season 1) – November 17, 2017
- Jessica Jones (Season 2) – March 8, 2018
- Luke Cage (Season 2) – June 22, 2018
- Iron Fist (Season 2) – September 7, 2018
- Daredevil (Season 3) – October 19, 2018
- The Punisher (Season 2) – January 18, 2019
- Jessica Jones (Season 3) – June 14, 2019
Daredevil – Season 1
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The first collection to kick off a brand new period of shops within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daredevil season 1 launched audiences to Matt Murdock and his supporting characters Karen Page, Foggy Nelson, Ben Ulrich, and the villains of Hell’s Kitchen, together with the rise of Wilson Fisk because the Kingpin. Released earlier than Avengers: Age of Ultron, Daredevil is established to be going down after The Avengers, and it was the battle of New York that allowed the Kingpin to amass as a lot energy.
The collection acts as a 13-episode origin story for Matt Murdock’s early profession as against the law fighter, with him getting his signature crimson go well with and his battle together with his arch enemy, Kingpin. By the tip of the collection, Daredevil is a totally shaped costumed crime-fighter whom the folks of Hell’s Kitchen know. Importantly, Daredevil meets Claire (Rosario Dawson), who will join the varied Defenders.
Jessica Jones – Season 1
The second installment within the Defenders Saga was additionally the final MCU entry of 2015, launched after the occasions of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man. The collection introduces Jessica Jones and establishes her early historical past, having gained powers, however was emotionally and sexually manipulated by the villainous Killgrave. Jessica Jones obtained rave evaluations for its depiction of trauma and sexual assault and confirmed a extra mature aspect of the MCU.
The collection introduces audiences to Luke Cage, who will spin off into his personal collection constructing as much as The Defenders, and likewise introduces Trish Walker, Jessica’s adoptive sister who will turn into a significant participant within the character’s story to turn into a tragic villain.
Daredevil – Season 2
Similar to Iron Man 2 being made to rapidly money in on the success of the primary entry and match into the construct for the team-up, Daredevil season 2 was rapidly greenlit after the large hit of the primary season. The season is break up into two halves, with the primary half specializing in Daredevil’s battle with Frank Castle aka The Punisher. While The Punisher nonetheless components all through the collection, the character turns into extra part of Karen Page’s story whereas Daredevil turns into preoccupied with the return of his outdated flame, Elektra. The second half with Elektra is supposed to assist lay the groundwork for the then-upcoming The Defenders.
By the tip of the season, The Punisher is freed and goes off to start out his journey, whereas Matt has retired from being Daredevil, as he misplaced Elektra and his two closest pals.
Luke Cage – Season 1
Essentially a spin-off to Jessica Jones, Luke Cage follows the title character and explores his origin extra and his relationship together with his half-brother, in addition to organising his relationship with cop Misty Knight and Claire Temple from the earlier collection. Luke Cage was so anticipated that Netflix crashed when the collection premiered, and the collection was famous for exploring race and politics. Its premiere in 2016 occurred proper because the Black Lives Matter motion was changing into a extra international and family idea and the highly effective picture of seeing a bulletproof Black man was one that would not be understated.
The collection is notable for that includes two performers who would play separate characters within the MCU. The first is Alfre Woodard, who within the collection performs Mariah Dillard, after being in Captain America: Civil War as Miriam Sharpe. The second is Mahershala Ali, who stars in Luke Cage as Mariah’s cousin, the villainous Cottonmouth, and some months later would win an Academy Award for showing in Moonlight. After profitable his second Academy Award for Green Book, Ali reportedly known as Marvel Studios and is ready to play Blade in an upcoming movie, and has already lent a voice cameo on the finish of Eternals and whose solo movie is ready for launch on September 6, 2024.
Iron Fist – Season 1
The ultimate member of The Defenders, Iron Fist launched audiences to Danny Rand, a wealthy child who was raised in an historical misplaced metropolis to be the last word warrior after his dad and mom died. Iron Fist was the collection most closely targeted on organising The Defenders, because the collection defined extra of the lore of the franchise with the villainous group The Hand.
While sure characters like Colleen Wing obtained optimistic evaluations, Iron Fist was the primary true misfire for Marvel, with many discovering the collection the weakest of the Defenders lineup. It appeared low-cost in comparison with the opposite choices, and most of the most fascinating components of Iron Fist’s mythology have been not noted or destroyed by the tip.
The Defenders
Two years after Daredevil kickstarted the franchise and after 5 separate seasons, The Defenders lastly united the varied heroes of New York to battle The Hand, beneath the management of Alexandria (Sigourney Weaver) and a resurrected Elektra.
While many had points with the collection’ general story and villains, the spotlight of the collection was the character interactions. While Jessica Jones and Luke Cage already had a longtime relationship dynamic, the collection has enjoyable with the varied pairings. Similar to the comics, Luke Cage and Iron Fist have a profitable rapport, and Jessica Jones and Daredevil have an preliminary mistrust of each other that grows into mutual respect. Even the supporting characters get an opportunity to shine collectively, like Misty Knight and Colleen Wing.
After The Defenders, the characters break off and go their separate methods, and whereas there will likely be just a few minor team-ups, that is the final time all 4 are collectively. The collection was the bottom watched of the bunch, main Netflix to not make season 2, leaving it as a miniseries.
The Punisher – Season 1
While not formally a member of The Defenders, The Punisher collection very a lot occupies part of the street-level world the Defenders Saga was creating. Spinning off from Daredevil season 2, The Punisher was a slight palette cleanser to give attention to a special hero and one which expanded Frank Castle’s backstory from what audiences have been advised in Daredevil season 2.
While many incarnations of the Punisher have targeted on the person going after criminals, The Punisher focuses on the character’s navy background and the PTSD he and different veterans undergo from. Reworking the character’s origin story to the place his household was murdered as a part of a navy conspiracy reworks his total struggle on crime, to one thing a lot bigger. Interestingly, the collection ends with Castle having introduced justice, and had the collection not continued it will have made a becoming finish for the character of the Punisher having discovered peace.
Jessica Jones – Season 2
In 2018, Marvel and Netflix launched seasons specializing in all 4 of the Defenders, performing as a sequel to the collection showcasing the place the characters have been. The first up was Jessica Jones season 2, launched on March 8 (in honor of International Women’s Day), nearly three complete years after the premiere season. Jessica Jones season 2 reveals that the principle character’s mom remains to be alive and has been given superpowers herself, pulling Jessica between the organic household she will be able to reclaim, and the adoptive household she made with Trish Walker.
The season ends with Jessica Jones and her mom nearly discovering happiness earlier than Trish kills Jessica’s mom in an try to be a hero, an concept she has grown hooked on heroism. This varieties a rift between the 2 that can develop into the following season.
Luke Cage – Season 2
Released in the summertime of 2018, Luke Cage season 2 has the character’s standing because the Hero of Harlem thrown for a loop when a brand new villain seems on the scene that manages to harm him, whereas additionally coping with the continual risk of Mariah Dillard. The collection ends with Luke Cage taking up the felony group with the concept of reforming it because the Sheriff of Harlem, however the implication is that Cage might turn into corrupted by his new energy.
The collection additionally picks up from The Defenders, seeing Misty Knight adjusting to her new cybernetic arm after hers was reduce off within the team-up collection. Both Iron Fist and Colleen Wing present up, establishing the ties that have been shaped in that collection. The Luke Cage and Iron Fist team-up episode is a pleasant callback to the character’s comedian guide historical past, as is Misty and Colleen’s pairing a reference to their working relationship within the comics the place they’re dubbed the Daughter of Dragons.
Iron Fist – Season 2
After the disappointing response to Iron Fist season 1, the collection underwent a slight overhaul in season 2 with a shortened episode order. Following Matt Murdock’s supposed loss of life on the finish of The Defenders, Danny Rand is impressed to turn into a vigilante to fill the opening left in Daredevil’s absence. The collection provides two new main threats: ‘Typhoid’ Mary Walker (Alice Eve) and Davos (Sacha Dhawan).
Mary Walker is a special-ops agent whose dissociative identification dysfunction was triggered when her squad was attacked within the fictional MCU nation of Sokovia with ‘Mary’ being a sort candy persona, ‘Walker’ the fighter, and a mysterious third that could be a serial killer. Davos seeks revenge on Danny for changing into the Iron Fist, and by the tip of the collection is taken into custody aboard the Raft whereas Colleen Wing turns into the brand new protector of New York City whereas Danny goes to journey the world.
Daredevil – Season 3
Daredevil’s season three sees Matt Murdock recovering after the occasions of The Defenders, being taken care of by nuns, to find one in every of them is his long-lost mom. When Wilson Fisk is launched from jail and begins working his felony empire beneath home arrest, even hiring a disturbed FBI agent to put on the Daredevil costume to tarnish the character’s legacy. Matt should resolve to have a standard life, or turn into against the law fighter as soon as extra and convey steadiness to town. The season digs deeper into Matt and Karen’s historical past.
The collection ends with Matt, Foggy, and Karen all reunited and dealing collectively, with Daredevil persevering with his struggle on crime. Meanwhile, Dex undergoes experimental surgical procedure to repair his backbone, and as he opens his eyes, a touch as to his future as Bullseye is revealed. Shortly after the collection premiered, Netflix canceled the collection and plenty of thought it will be the tip of Daredevil. Yet Charlie Cox reprised his position as Matt Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021 and in 2022 suited again up as Daredevil in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Daredevil will proceed in his Disney+ collection, Daredevil: Born Again.
The Punisher – Season 2
Picking up after the final season ended, The Punisher season 2 finds Frank Castle making an attempt to regulate to life after having killed everybody answerable for his household’s homicide. The collection strikes Frank out of New York, as he wanders the mid-west and finds himself defending a younger woman from being murdered. The collection digs deep into the concept of if Frank Castle can go on not being The Punisher; if he cannot, can the image of deadly power nonetheless do good? The collection ends with The Punisher as a personality that might proceed for years.
Jessica Jones – Season 3
The ultimate piece of the Defenders Saga, Jessica Jones season 3 premiered after it was already confirmed by Netflix that it will be the ultimate season. The collection finds a serial killer after Jessica, who should staff up together with her adoptive sister Trish. However, Trish has turn into unhinged and after brutally murdering somebody, it attracts her and Jessica into battle with each other. In the ultimate episode, Luke Cage visits Jessica providing the 2 one ultimate reunion after how shut they’ve turn into, hinting that in the future they might discover their approach again to one another like within the comics.
Trish Walker finds herself being taken to the supervillain jail the Raft, which additionally contains Luke Cage’s half-brother Diamondback and Iron Fist’s adoptive brother Davos. With what number of sibling-type relationships outline the collection (and the MCU), it’s becoming for Jessica Jones and this nook of the Marvel Universe to finish on a private battle the place sisters are turned in opposition to each other. After 4 years, The Defenders Saga got here to a detailed, however the door stays open. Daredevil and Kingpin’s return to the MCU offers hope that the remainder of the Defenders will make their grand return someday sooner or later.
Return to Marvel’s Defenders Saga in Chronological and Release Order