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Manifest

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"Half the people uptown have fathers, cousins, uncles, brothers in prison. You're no different than anybody else. You get your wish. You're not special. Instead of running, if you make a move and you take him down once and for all? You stop him, you save this community, and you free yourself."
―Claire Temple to Luke Cage

Manifest is the seventh episode of the first season of the television series Luke Cage.

Synopsis[]

Mariah's political career comes under fire, and Cottonmouth picks up information that could put Luke on the run.

Plot[]

YoungCMouth-FirstKill

When Cottonmouth was young, he used to live with young Mariah Stokes, Mama Mabel and Pistol Pete. Pete insisted on Cottonmouth getting into music properly and not waste his talent on the streets, but Mabel thought different and instead were focusing on Mariah's education. Mariah tried to speak in Pete's support and praised Cottonmouth's skills, but Mabel had no intention to listen to either of them. One night, when Pop and Donnie come from a round of collections, Mabel told Donnie to stay, as she was aware of him breaking the family's rules and dabbling in drug dealing. Despite his reluctance, Mabel forces Cottonmouth to help Pete with killing Donnie for what he did, as she wanted Cottonmouth to man up.

Cottonmouth kills pete

One day, Mabel found out from Cottonmouth that Pete was spending a lot of time with the Colon Crime Family and realized that he was the one who broke the rules of not touching the drugs. Pete insisted that deal with the Colons would only benefit their family, but Mabel remained unconvinced. She then had Cottonmouth to point a gun at him and got Pete to the backyard, where he tried to reason with Cottonmouth, claiming that he has future unlike the rest of them. However, both Mabel and Mariah pressured Cottonmouth to do what needs to be done and he shot Pete dead. He was distraught that he had to kill the person who was the closest to him, but Mabel reminded him that the family always comes first.

Zip runs a small gun deal at the outskirts of Harlem but Luke Cage shows up and scares off his clients. Cage tells him to cut it out, since Cottonmouth is done for, but Zip claims that he will be out of the custody soon, and runs away.

Cottonmouth and Misty

Cottonmouth is taken to 29th Precinct Police Station and gets Benjamin Donovan to represent him, forcing the New York City Police Department to let him go due to insufficient evidence. Eventually, he walks out of the precinct, to Misty Knight's great frustration. Back at Harlem's Paradise, Cottonmouth revels that his business is coming back to normal, he asks Shades when is he going to get the Judas Bullet, but Shades insists that he is not yet ready to take on Cage. Cottonmouth is angered that Cage is becoming too much of an issue on the streets and demands a personal talk with Diamondback, although Shades warns him that it might be risky.

LCage-DiscussingCStokes-S1E7

At Pop's Barber Shop, Cage talks to Bobby Fish and explains that with Rafael Scarfe dead, no one can corroborate the evidence on Cottonmouth, so nothing can be done. Claire Temple insists that even if the police cannot bring down Cottonmouth, Cage still can do more and cites Daredevil as an example, although Cage is not convinced. He asks why did Temple move from Hell's Kitchen if things are going so well there, but she asks Cage the same question, certain that he is afraid of something. Fish then receives a call from Cottonmouth and gets Cage on the line, as he offers to meet at Harlem's Paradise and have a proper talk.

BlackMariah-TalkingToDBoone

The press keeps pressuring Dillard for comment due to her connection with the Stokes Crime Family being in the open, while Damon Boone pays her a visit. Answering the questions about Cottonmouth's arrest, Dillard dismisses all accusations against her cousin and names him an important contributor to New Harlem Renaissance. Talking privately at her brownstone, Dillard and Boone stop with pleasantries and Boone bluntly tells Dillard to step down from the New York City Council and even offers to support her initiatives if she does. Dillard rebuffs that he never succeeded in their rivalry, but Boone is certain that she is bound to fall eventually. She then suddenly gets approached by Shades who shows up at her house and insists on having a talk in private.

With the NYPD coming under fire, Betty Audrey gets relieved of her position and Priscilla Ridley takes charge at the precinct. Looking through Knight's case files into Cottonmouth, Ridley points out that Cage is in the middle of the whole affair, which they must not overlook. Knight does not want to put Cage under scrutiny, but Ridley reminds her that Knight's entire career is hanging on the Cottonmouth case, so she has no choice in the matter. Later, Knight asks Mark Bailey to look into Cage's history but he tells her that he is way too clean, meaning that Cage's entire persona was fabricated.

CMouth-CU-LaughingAtCage

Cage comes to see Cottonmouth at his office and makes it clear that he is not a murderer and will not kill Cottonmouth, instead settling on getting him arrested. In response, Cottonmouth tells Cage that he knows everything about his past life as Carl Lucas and his escape from Seagate Penitentiary, threatening to make everything about him public. Although Cage claims that he was innocent, Cottonmouth says that he would keep Cage's secret but only if he behaves, before dismissing him, otherwise Cottonmouth would make it so Cage would have to go back to prison.

Shades-ICanTalkToYouHoweverIWant

Shades talks to Dillard about the past legacy of the Stokes family and how everyone in Harlem knew of Mama Mabel's infamy, and claims that both and she and Cottonmouth are a disgrace to that legacy. Dillard is insulted but Shades makes a point that she has no real power to shut him up, playing politics and being pushed around by others. However, Shades also claims that Dillard is capable of much more than she thinks if push comes to shove.

Lukecage107 Claire 1

Cage returns to the barbershop and packs his belongings, intending to leave Harlem, and explains to Temple that Cottonmouth will send him back to Seagate if he does not work for him. She says that Cage will keep running forever if he runs now, but he insists that people only keep getting hurt because he does not run and he does not want to bear any more blame. Temple tries to stop him and tells Cage that people need him and will follow him if he stands up, even if he might get to prison. She claims that a lot of people on the streets can sympathize with him and he has a chance to take a stand and bring Cottonmouth down once and for all to free himself.

Cottonmouth meets Shades at the club and admits that he was wrong when he lashed out on him before, which Shades understands since he is under stress. He then tells Shades about his meeting with Cage and that he aired up everything Shades told him about his past, which does not please him. Shades replies that Cottonmouth should not have done that since Diamondback has plans on Cage, but Cottonmouth is certain that Cage will fall in line.

Luke 01

Meeting D.W. Griffith on the street, Cage gets the information on Domingo Colon from him and heads over to Colon's Gym. Cage effortlessly takes out his men and confronts Colon himself, demanding him to tell where he keeps the Hammer Industries weapons that Cottonmouth sold him. Colon initially does not want to cooperate but Cage threatens to throw him into Hudson and Colon relents, being intimidated by Cage.

MDillardCStokes-FinalConfrontation

Dillard receives a call from the City Council, informing her that she is being pushed from her position, to her great frustration. She comes to Harlem's Paradise and says that because of his squabble with Cage, her housing project lost all finding and she is being pressured to step down from the City Council. Cottonmouth does not give her any time of day, recalling how Mama Mabel used to coddle her and only focused on her education, while having him get his hands dirty. Dillard claims that Mabel only sent her away to protect her from Pete and she was standing by Cottonmouth all the time, while everyone would turn away from him. Cottonmouth then says that Pete was his closest family and what he did to her was Dillard's own fault, claiming that she wanted it.

Mariah kills Cottonmouth

His accusation pushes Dillard over the edge as she attacks Cottonmouth, screaming that she never wanted any of that, pushing Cottonmouth off the balcony. As he falls down, Dillard repeatedly beats him down with a microphone stand until he succumbs to his injuries and dies. As Dillard looks at him in horror, realizing that she murdered her cousin, Shades shows up and praises Dillard for what she had done. Dillard says that she did not mean to do that, but Shades tells her that deep down, she wanted to kill him. He comforts Dillard and promises that he will handle their situation, intending to frame Cage for Cottonmouth's death.

Diamondback Shadows

As Cage stops by the precinct, Knight tells him that she does not appreciate the fact that she does not know a thing about Cage, but remarks that Scarfe still chose him for protection. He tells Knight that he brought over the Hammer Industries weapons that Colon bought but Knight insists that his vigilantism only makes things worse. Cage says that he is going to take down Cottonmouth but refuses to work with the police, due to his lack of trust in the system, and asks Knight to put her trust in him. While Cage walks away, Knight later receives an information that Cottonmouth was found dead at his club. Cage takes a stroll with Temple, talking about his past and his father, but suddenly someone shoots him with a Judas Bullet, that breaks his bulletproof skin and seriously wounds him.

Cast[]

Main Cast:

Guest Stars:

Appearances[]

Locations[]

Events[]

Items[]

Vehicles[]

Organizations[]

Creatures[]

Mentioned[]

Music[]

Song title Artist Location(s)
Plain Gold Ring Nina Simone

Zip openly sells guns when Luke Cage arrives which sends his buyers running; Zip warns Cage that Cottonmouth is getting out of prison; Misty Knight goes over case board when readies to let her anger out at Stokes but is stopped by Betty Audrey; Stokes taunts Knight's efforts then leave the 29th Precinct Police Station, Cage watches.

Top Going Down, Bottom Going Up Nathan Bartell

At Pop's Barber Shop, Luke Cage tells Bobby Fish that Cottonmouth will not be charged without Rafael Scarfe. Claire Temple suggests that he can still do something to get his own justice.

I'm Bad Like Jesse James John Lee Hooker

Cottonmouth plays the piano; (Flashback) Mama Mabel confronts Pistol Pete on his betrayal of the family then takes him out back along with Stokes and Mariah Dillard where Stokes nervously shoots him dead.

April Sonata Adrian Younge

Mariah Dillard and Cottonmouth begin to tear each other apart as they both begin to crack and as Stokes' words strike at Dillard she attacks him with a wine bottle, pushes him out of window then beats with a mic stand all as Shades watches.

Trivia[]

  • Manifest is a song from the album No More Mr. Nice Guy of the hip-pop duo Gang Starr.
  • This is the only episode of the first season of Luke Cage where the seven members of the main cast appear.
  • Cottonmouth's death drew criticism from some viewers, who were disappointed by the character's exit halfway through the first season. Showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker stated that Mahershala Ali only accepted the role under the condition that he would only be in half the season[1] and that the character would be killed off.[2] This was because Ali was transitioning from acting in television shows to acting exclusively in movies and therefore did not want to be contractually obligated to portray a non-lead character on a television show for multiple seasons.[3]

References[]

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Manifest.
  1. ↑ Cheo Hodari Coker on Twitter - July 14, 2020
  2. ↑ Cheo Hodari Coker on X - August 21, 2024
  3. ↑ Cheo Hodari Coker on X - August 21, 2024

External Links[]

Season One Moment of Truth • Code of the Streets • Who's Gonna Take the Weight? • Step in the Arena • Just to Get a Rep • Suckas Need Bodyguards • Manifest • Blowin' Up the Spot • DWYCK • Take It Personal • Now You're Mine • Soliloquy of Chaos • You Know My Steez
Season Two Soul Brother #1 • Straighten It Out • Wig Out • I Get Physical • All Souled Out • The Basement • On and On • If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right • For Pete's Sake • The Main Ingredient • The Creator • Can't Front on Me • They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
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