Luke Cage Season 2 Ending Explained

Warning: Major SPOILERS ahead for Luke Cage season two

Luke Cage season two brings big changes for Harlem's hero, culminating in the surprising final episode. The end of the season also has major effects, and in some cases endings, for the season's three major antagonists: Mariah, Shades, and Bushmaster (a villain new to the second season).

Throughout the season, Luke finds himself caught between the rising tensions between Mariah and Shades, the owners of Harlem's Paradise, and Bushmaster, who has a bone to pick with Mariah's family. The bodies pile up over the course of the season, and shaky alliances between Mariah, Shades, Luke, Bushmaster, and Mariah's daughter Tilda are made and broken.

We've put together summaries of how the events of the final episode affects the four major players who are competing for control of Harlem. Their brutal struggle leaves some weak, some imprisoned, some dead, and with more power than ever before.

This Page: Mariah and Bushmaster
Page 2: Shades and Luke

Black Mariah Bites the Dust

After Shades turns on her in the penultimate episode, Mariah "Black Mariah" Dillard is charged with twelve counts of first degree murder, including for Cottonmouth's death in the first season. The self-proclaimed Queen of Harlem arrives at Rikers prison and narrowly escapes being killed by Annabella Sciorra's thugs.

Mariah is visited by her daughter Tilda, who kisses her gently on the lips as she leaves. As it turns out, Tilda laced her lips with poison, convinced by Bushmaster that Mariah must die for her crimes. After the visit, Mariah calls for her lawyer to change her will, but she does not realize the damage that Tilda has done. Later, while speaking to Luke during a prison visitation, Mariah begins to spit up blood. Only in her final moments does she fully understand her daughter's deadly betrayal.

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Bushmaster Defeated

Bushmaster uses a powerful nightshade compound to get super-strength and bulletproof protection that rival Luke's powers. He has come to Harlem to destroy Mariah, because her family double-crossed his, causing the deaths of his grandfather and his mother. In the penultimate episode, Bushmaster sneaks into Harlem's Paradise through a tunnel from Prohibition, which Mariah's daughter Tilda has told him about. Luke intervenes, stopping Bushmaster from killing Mariah. He chokes out Bushmaster as Mariah screams, "Kill him! Do it! Break his goddamn neck, Luke!" However, Luke sees Misty, who urges him to stop. Bushmaster escapes and flees through the tunnel again before the police can apprehend him.

Tilda helps to hide Bushmaster, evading Misty's questions about his whereabouts. Bushmaster's use of nightshade may have given him super-strength and durability, but the continued use of the poisonous herb also has taken a toil on his body. Tilda tells his aunt Ingrid that he will need rest and a low-dose medication made from the nightshade, which can only be found in Nine Mile, Jamaica. Bushmaster leaves with his remaining family to return to Jamaica.

It remains unclear if Bushmaster will return to Harlem, as his primary motivation was destroying Mariah. With Mariah's death, he could disappear peacefully, or he could re-ignite his anger against Luke Cage and claim Harlem as his birthright.

Page 2: Shades and Luke

Shades Goes Down

After the Rum Punch Massacre, in which Mariah kills many innocent people and sets Bushmaster's uncle on fire, Shades is horrified. While Shades is a lifelong criminal, there is a code that Mariah has broken. He goes to Misty and cooperates with her investigation, giving her all of the evidence that she needs to bring Mariah down. In exchange, Shades will be given immunity for all of his past crimes. When Luke accuses Shades as ratting on Mariah to take her place, Shades tells Luke that he's been labelled as a snitch and he would never be trusted.

Shades' deal, however, falls apart after Mariah dies. His immunity was contingent on Mariah being convicted, but because she died in jail before her conviction, Shades is arrested by Misty for the murders that he confessed to. Presumably, his testimony will be enough to put him behind bars for life... but whether or not he stays in prison remains to be seen. Either way, Shades could return in season three as an adversary or even as an unlikely ally.

More: Luke Cage Season 2 Early Reviews: An Improvement on Season 1

The Sheriff of Harlem

In a shocking twist, Luke Cage takes the throne at Harlem's Paradise, following in the footsteps of Mariah and Cottonmouth before her. Mariah gave Luke Harlem's Paradise in her will, saying that she knows that owning it will lull him like a sirens' song. Luke, Mariah believes, will become a crime lord once he tastes the power that he can have. The idea to take over Harlem's Paradise is actually planted in Luke's head earlier by Shades, who suggests that Luke fills the power vacuum to stop another gangster from simply taking Mariah's place.

Luke tries to distance himself from Cottonmouth and Mariah, however, by using the title of "Sheriff of Harlem" rather than king or queen. He will protect Harlem, but he won't claim to be royalty. He even removes the picture of Biggie Smalls wearing a crown for a photograph of boxer Muhammad Ali.

However, Luke's friends are disturbed by his willingness to take Harlem's Paradise and negotiate with crime lords. When Luke says he plans to "make Harlem great again", his friend D.W. accuses Luke of becoming "Luke Trump". D.W. buys Pop's Barber Shop, telling Luke that it will once again be a neutral ground. Misty, too, is concerned that Luke is on a slippery slope, saying, "You know just because she [Mariah] gave it to you, doesn't mean you have to take it." Luke tells her that he will be able to maintain order this way, but Misty warns him that she won't hesitate to take him down. Sugar, who now works for Luke, tells him that Claire has returned, but it remains to be seen if actress Rosario Dawson will reprise the role next season.

Luke's end in the second season couldn't be more different than the ending of season one, when he is taken off to Seagate Prison. However, Luke's newfound power is also dangerous, because it has the power to corrupt him if he isn't careful. Season three promises to bring its fair share of new challenges for Luke, as he continues to try to be the hero of Harlem.