Luke Cage Erik LaRay Harvey is Willis Stryker/Diamondback

[BarryAllen]

Erik LaRay Harvey plays Willis Stryker, Luke's childhood friend who ended up framing him and sending him to jail where he got his powers. Imdb also lists Jared Kemp as a young version of him (most likely seen in flashbacks). I'm interested in how the show plans to handle Willis and Luke's past as part of the Rivals gang and their falling out. They killed Reva Connors off in Jessica Jones, so how they plan to readjust the Cage/Stryker dynamic, how he figures into the overall plot and how he gets this armor is to be soon.

 

[Mike Murdock]

I'm surprised they even gave him a vaguely comic book outfit. I'm definitely impressed.

 

[Slick]

I loved him in Boardwalk.

 

[metaphysician]

I will be amused if the answer is "Low level powered armor like that is just something you can buy on the black market, if your willing to throw a suitably excessive amount of money at it". Its not something you'd normally see a criminal with, for the same reason you don't see street gangs driving around Hummers with machine guns on the top. . . but if a really rich crime boss has reason? They can afford it.

 

[BarryAllen]

I will be amused if the answer is "Low level powered armor like that is just something you can buy on the black market, if your willing to throw a suitably excessive amount of money at it". Its not something you'd normally see a criminal with, for the same reason you don't see street gangs driving around Hummers with machine guns on the top. . . but if a really rich crime boss has reason? They can afford it.

Well in the books, after Cage and Stryker parted ways and Stryker framed Cage which sent him to jail, Stryker kept pursuing the street life and joined an organized crime group and started moving up in the ranks (I think it was initially called the Syndicate, but latter retconned to Maggia), but his specialized knives came from his henchman named Gadget. But say he's a part of the Maggia here, maybe his connections are what allowed him to get his hands on armor like this?

 

[metaphysician]

Sure, something like that. The exact details depend more on the story they are telling. I just don't find it a plausibility problem that needs huge effort to answer.

 

[Slick]

The mysterious Diamondback is exerting his presence through the muscle of Shades

http://m.ign.com/articles/2016/09/13/marvels-luke-cage-episode-1-moment-of-truth-review

 

[chamber-music]

 

[Slick]

I liked Diamondback but like others Cottonmouth was the better villain. DB was just ok though.

 

[The Caped Knight]

The street fight was reminiscent of Rocky v Apollo

 

[Mike Murdock]

I have to say I was shocked he had as big a role he did. He was lurking in the background most of the season. I like they didn't shy away from his codename and made it sound threatening, not corny. Even the outfit worked. There was also a scene where he threw a knife to be true to his comic roots.

 

[Faith_Cassidy]

I thought both the character and the actor were fantastic. A different kind of villain than Cottonmouth but equally compelling to me.

 

[Spider-Who?]

The final fight was pretty underwhelming and his suit was Arrow levels of terrible (even if a shout out to his comic look). Other than that I like the portrayal and performance. Interested to see where they take him.

 

[Kane52630]

I thought both the character and the actor were fantastic. A different kind of villain than Cottonmouth but equally compelling to me.

Same. I love how Willis Stryker is basically a classic blacksploitation villain.

 

[Best]

Really didn't like Stryker, ruined the back half. He was corny. I may have gotten too comfortable with Stokes.

 

[chamber-music]

Bye Felicia

 

[Nathan]

To me Diamondback is the worst of all the Netflix villains so far. Didn't really enjoy his crazy antics.

 

[Shazam]

Really didn't like Stryker, ruined the back half. He was corny. I may have gotten too comfortable with Stokes.

I agree.....He was too over the top....When he came out in a costume, it kinda sucked the realism outta the room..

Stokes was the better villain.... I hate they killed him....But I see that Mariah will be the new Moms Mable.....

 

[Shazam]

To me Diamondback is the worst of all the Netflix villains so far. Didn't really enjoy his crazy antics.

But now he's getting powers

 

[Slick]

Interview. Spoilers ahead.
http://www.ew.com/article/2016/10/0...y?xid=entertainment-weekly_socialflow_twitter

 

[Xclaim]

Luke: "You ruined my life!"

Diamondback: "I gave you wings! I sent you to Hell, and you come back with superpowers. Ain't that a *****?"

 

[Rick the Ruler]

Shades: "Whatchu talkin' about, Willis?"

I died. I literally died.

 

[writer0327]

I thought Diamondback stole the show. It was a toss up between him and Shades for best villain for me.

 

[metaphysician]

I'd say all four main villains are so different, its tough to really compare them. Stryker was kind of cheesy and over the top, but in a good way. Not everybody is a complex, deep, flawed human being. Some people are just monsters, and monsters who *enjoy* being monsters.

 

[BoredGuy]

The street fight was reminiscent of Rocky v Apollo

I'd say more Rocky vs. Tommy Gunn in the much maligned Rocky V, except that street brawl was actually better choreographed and more dramatic than the one in LC

To me Diamondback is the worst of all the Netflix villains so far. Didn't really enjoy his crazy antics.

I may have to go so far as to say the worst in all of the MCU (maybe excluding some from AoS and Agent Carter) He was poorly written, over the top acted, lacked clear motivation outside of his extremely cliched connection to Luke, and looked dumb as hell in that helmet.

I really wish they had stuck with Cottonmouth. He was nuanced and sympathetic and charming and still somehow felt much more dangerous than Willis. The more I think about the show, the more Diamondback sours me on it.

Not everybody is a complex, deep, flawed human being. Some people are just monsters, and monsters who *enjoy* being monsters.

And this, I dont really agree with, in the real world most people feel justification for their actions. There's not many people floating around who just "want to watch the world burn". A few crazies possibly, but the vast majority of people we consider 'evil' have layers and motivations that go beyond "Wheeeeeeee killing people is fun!!" It's why it's painful anytime you see a villain refer to themselves as evil these days, it's just not how people are (with one huge caveat... the internet does not adhere to this theory)