Stick

Episode 7 gave us an inside and in depth look at some of Matt's training in becoming the man without fear. Scott Glenn guest starred as 'Stick', another blind man who came along when Matt was young to help him improve his physical and mental abilities. I really like how this show makes every episode feel completely different than the last. There really hasn't been a single villain of the week. Each villain or main baddie in the episodes has furthered the bigger picture and mystery surrounding Wilson Fisk.

This episode focused mostly on Matt's flashbacks and his Ras Al Ghul like training. Actually the entire episode felt like Batman Begins. Whether it was Stick's training or the take out scene near the lake. Daredevil's mythos is similar to Batman's to being with, but it seems like this show has taken inspiration from Nolan's trilogy, much the same as Arrow did. One Stick scene that really stood out was the park scene. Stick seemed like the one guy who can change Matt's outlook on life and turn everything around. But to then leave him out to dry on his own after Matt growing an affection for him as a father figure was pretty brutal. So it was good to see him get some sort of redemption in the end. But who was that man at the end? Surely I need to catch up on my Daredevil lore. No matter, Scott Glenn was a great guest star but it wasn't surprising to see their team up turn sour.

On the other side of things we got progression with Urich and Karen's hope to take down the men who murdered Daniel. It's cool as an audience member to know much more than the crew does. It's interesting to think about how much longer the crew will go without knowing Matt's identity. I will say I still feel like the Foggy-Karen relationship is a bit forced. And Foggy's rescue of Karen seemed far fetched, especially considering how brutal Hell's Kitchen's criminals have seemed thus far.

+Scott Glenn

+Training is shown

+Ras Al Ghul like relationship

-Foggy

8.5/10

This episode showed how Matt grew up. The episode was exciting and good.

We get another great episode that delves into Matt's origin story as his mentor and trainer returns to help him fight the Yakuza. With a spectacular guest appearance, great fight scenes and good stories for even the side characters, this episode strikes all the right chords.

Let's start with the star of this episode: Scott Glenn's Stick. How perfect is he in this role? He's a brash, sarcastic, brutal martial arts master. Glenn plays this role so effortlessly that I believe that this is the one of the best comic book casting along with RDJ as Iron Man, JK Simmons as J Jonah Jameson and Chris Evans as Captain America. His role in Matt's backstory is incredibly strong as he is the one who taught Matt how to fight and survive in the world.

With the introduction of Matt's martial arts mentor, you have to expect that there is going to be some superb fight scenes. We got an awesome stealth incursion of the Yakuza by Matt and Stick as well as Matt's fight with Stick in his apartment that is so much better as their is so much more emotion boiling over in their fight.

Foggy and Karen have good scenes as well as Karen digs deeper into Mrs Cardenas case as she finds out a connection between her slumlord and, maybe, Fisk. Foggy proves his worth beyond the legal system as he saves her from some goons trying to intimidate, hurt or even kill her. I also really like how Karen brought Foggy into what she and Ben have been working on as Foggy and Matt can no doubt help them.

I also like how this episode possibly sets up the Defenders as the introduction of the Black Sky seems like so much more than some McGuffin or red herring. Stick also keeps talking about the upcoming war as well as tells another warrior about how he might be ready.

I will say though that the missing presence of Fisk was felt in this episode, but that didn't stop it from being one of the best in the season so far. However, I would say that D'Onorfio's Fisk is the best character in the show as he is somehow both sympathetic and terrifying.

+ Scott Glenn + Flashbacks + Matt and Stick fight together/each other + Foggy, Karen and Ben - Lack of Fisk

Final Score: 9.2/10

... an abominably written, nasty, empty, abusive mentor to Matt as a child. The writers couldn't figure out a genuinely interesting way to write the character and his relationship to Matt, so they perpetrated this stick figure fiasco. Ugh.

Stick is so revolting and weak he nearly sinks the otherwise engaging series.

This episode is all about Matt Murdock's past and how he trained to become the vigilante he is. His master known as 'The Stick' is also blind and he trains Murdock when he is very young. The relationship between them was strained because Murdock wanted him as a father figure. The Stick returns in his life distracting Murdock as he was attacking Leland Owlsley trying to get more followers information on Fisk.

Scott Glenn gives a great performance as 'The Stick' as he gives off a cold, distant performance. It's clear him and Daredevil are not on the same wave length as each other, there just seems to be absolutely no compassion or remorse for his actions.

The other side plot is more about Karen and Foggy and more about Karen and Ben trying expose Union Allied. Those are okay but unremarkable and don't really progress much.

Definitely a stand out episode though because of the presence of The Stick and also the mysterious ending :)