If there’s one underrated Marvel character who’s been done dirty in the movies, it’s Elektra. The last time we saw her, she technically was in the Marvel Cinematic Universe under the control of The Hand and fighting Daredevil. After we saw a whole building come down on top of them, her fate was unknown. We saw Matt Murdock survive and carry on in season 3 of Daredevil, but Elektra was just missing. Did she actually die? If the series actually went on, I think she would’ve returned eventually. I mean, how many times can she die and come back? As many times as she’s needed. And that’s not even the first time we’ve seen her die in a live-action adaptation. Remember when Jennifer Garner played Elektra in the 2003 Daredevil movie? Take it from me, try watching the director’s cut. It’s a far different movie and she gets far better character development in it. And just like in the comics, the Greek female ninja received the same death: Bullseye piercing her own said through her body. To make it even more tragic, she subsequently dies in Daredevil’s arms. Give that movie smack all you want, but at least they recreated an iconic moment from Marvel Comics.
But no need to fear, because Jennifer Garner would return to reprise the role in the 2005 sequel Elektra. Yeah, I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say that it wasn’t very good. It was actually connected to the Daredevil movie and meant to kick off more sequels. That obviously didn’t happen, so we instead got a reimagining of the character in the Marvel Netflix shows. This Elektra was played by Elodie Yung and far more accurate to the comics. Unlike the Jennifer Garner version, the Netflix version already knew Matt Murdock from dating him during their time in college. She would later return to find him after his multiple run-ins with the Hand. Their conflict with the Hand eventually led to her demise with Daredevil once again holding her in his arms as she dies. And then the Defenders happened and we know how that turned out. Only we actually don’t because we’ll never know if she actually survived. That really doesn’t matter now, because it looks like Marvel is moving on from the Netflix shows. This is evident from the two surprise appearances we’ve seen in the Hawkeye show and in Spider-Man: No Way Home. And yes, I am most definitely talking about Kingpin and Matt Murdock. Yes, oh yes, we are getting back the two men who started it all with the Netflix shows.
It’s sad that those shows got cancelled when they did, but we are getting some of those characters back. The difference is they’ll be a reimagining of the characters we’ve seen before. In other words, the Netflix shows probably aren’t canon anymore. That’s okay, as long as we get to see most of those awesome characters again. And yes, that certainly does include Elektra. As one of Matt Murdock’s primary lovers, it’s impossible to leave her out. After seeing Spider-Man: No Way Home, we’ve finally learned that Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock does exist in the MCU. Being Peter Parker’s lawyer, it’s also proof that he’s still practicing law and in the small scene he’s in, he shows some Daredevil reflexes. That small amount of screen time tells us that there’s more in store for Daredevil. He might be in other Disney+ shows, but I’m waiting for him to get his own show again. Heck, why not even give him another shot at a solo movie? Either way, if Daredevil is coming back to the MCU, then so should his ninja lover Elektra.
But as Matt Murdock is being reimagined for the MCU, so should Elektra. Marvel may or may not bring back Elodie Yung, but even if they do, it’ll be a different character than the last one we saw. That means no mindless drone under the control of the Hand. That’s done with, so I’d like to see more of that on-and-off complicated lovers relationship between her and Daredevil. But instead of repeating what they’ve already done in the Netflix shows, they can try a different approach. Take a look at where Elektra is now in the comics and you’ll see something unexpected. With Matt Murdock incarcerated, Elektra is now operating as the new Daredevil in Hell’s Kitchen. She wears the red devil’s mask, along with a red cowl and the signature DD symbol. I think it’s a cool look for her and now she has an opportunity to be a less violent vigilante. This is something the Disney+ shows can play with while giving us something new with both characters. How would Matt Murdock react to his violent girlfriend taking up his mantle and fighting crime? I’d like to see that in a Disney+ show, even if it isn’t the same dark and grounded show we fell in love with before.
I just hope this next attempt at reimagining Elektra fully explores the extent of her powers. She is primarily known for her martial arts skills and her use of weapons. However, she is also capable of doing other things that assist her in her assassin work. For instance, one of her signature powers is the mind switch, which allows her to “throw” her mind into others. She can use this power to hunt down her targets as she “borrows” other peoples’ minds. This also allows her some minor telepathy, along with some hypnosis as well as shielding herself from other telepaths.
And we haven’t even covered her more deadly powers, including her silent scream. This is actually a chi-based scream by puckering her lips together. She can literally render a person deaf with this ability or actually kill them. Just a reminder on why Elektra is a deadly assassin. And speaking of that, she also has the assassin instinct, which allows her primal instincts to be enhanced, while her intelligence remains intact. This allows her to never lose control and at the same time, fight like an animal. All of these powers and abilities is why Elektra is far more than just a ninja assassin. Now that the Netflix Marvel characters are getting a second chance, another Disney+ show can really show us what she can do. What are your thoughts, Marvel fans? Are you excited to see Elektra return to Marvel? I certainly know that I am.Daredevil
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