Ashes, Ashes

Ashes, Ashes is the sixth episode of the first season of The Defenders.
==Synopsis==
Stick offers up a theory, Danny finds himself sidelined, and Alexandra learns that it's not easy being the leader.
==Plot==
Alexandra Reid sits in her room, listening to classical music on her phonograph. The trance, however, is distributed by a scratch on the record, prompting Reid to stop the instrument and examine the disc. 
Meanwhile, the Defenders conversed over Sowande's final words, about how the Hand wished to have the Iron Fist with them. Though Rand protests that they only wanted to divide them, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Matt Murdock and Stick agree that sidelining him and keeping him safe will be the best decision. Rand argues that he has dedicated his life for this. Getting angry, he tries to leave, but Murdock gets in front of him. Rand pushes Murdock saying "[Murdock] doesn't want to do this". Murdock agrees, but says he has to. Rand punches Murdock and they engage in a fight. Murdock easily overtakes Rand, but is stopped from doing any damage by Jones. Rand comes from behind and tries to continue the fight. Jones throws him and Rand threatens to use the Iron Fist. He punches Cage which causes another shock wave. As everyone struggles to get up, Jones walks over and punches Rand, knocking him out. They tie him up and discuss their next move. Murdock tells them about the hole he found when Midland Circle was still a construction site, but he thought it went when construction was finished, but he isn't sure now. So, they decide to look further into the architect of the building Jones was investigating.
Elektra dreams about a moment she and Matt had before she died. It is of her waking up on Murdock's couch to see her bringing her a cup of coffee. She wakes up in his apartment and opens his box where he keeps his Daredevil Suit. Instead of the suit, however, she finds a funeral card, inside a bible, for her own funeral.
Stick packs up Sowande's head in a box and sends it to the Hand. He converses with Cage, telling him the less he knows the better. Jones and Murdock arrive back at his apartment. He notices his box is open. He opens up his bible and notices Elektra's funeral card is missing.
The leadership of the hand discusses the receiving of Sowande's head. They disagree about Elektra and the possibility of her betrayal. Madame Gao walks in on Reid, who is taking medication. They talk about capturing the Iron Fist. Gao says that they should capture him themselves, with the Black Sky. Reid calls her out on her lack of faith and Gao calls her out on her weakness, saying they haven't gotten closer to any of their goals, only closer to death. Reid later finds Elektra at the latter's grave. Reid tells her the woman's name was Elektra Natchios, but the Black Sky isn't her. Reid breaks the news to her that she is dying and the thing she needs is a substance from K'un-Lun, but the last drops of it was used on the Black Sky.
Jones and Murdock visit the architect's home and talk with his daughter, Lexi Raymond. They find the blueprints to Midland Circle in the piano with plans to bring down the building, written by Lexi's father as a safety precaution against the Hand. Rand wakes up and tries to free himself. He talks with Cage about the choice of tying him up. Rand then asks Cage what Stick is doing which Cage replies saying he is "centering his animal." Luke talks with Stick about how he was in prison. Stick then knocks Cage out with smoke, planning to kill Danny so the Hand can't use him to open their locked door. Elektra enters and stops him while Jones and Murdock rush to save Danny. Elektra and Stick engage in a sword fight, Stick has a chance to kill Elektra, but doesn't. Murdock runs in and Elektra stops, she tells him it's good to see him, but still stabs Stick, killing him. Jones fights Elektra, but loses due to her lack of martial arts, Cage and Murdock get knocked out as well. Elektra then jumps out the window carrying Rand on her shoulder. 
Elektra arrives at Reid's place to find her talking to Murakami. The Hand gathers and Reid tries to convince the captured Rand to work with them. Afterwards the Hand fight with each other over Reid's intentions. She instructs Elektra to kill Cage, Jones, and Murdock. Instead, Elektra stabs Reid from behind using her Twin Sai, which kills her. She then declares herself the leader of the Hand.
==Cast==
Main Cast:
*Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil
*Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones
*Mike Colter as Luke Cage
*Finn Jones as Danny Rand/Iron Fist
*Ramon Rodriguez as Bakuto
*Élodie Yung as Elektra
*Scott Glenn as Stick
*Sigourney Weaver as Alexandra Reid
Guest Stars:
*Wai Ching Ho as Madame Gao
*Yutaka Takeuchi as Murakami
*Chloë Levine as Lexi Raymond
==Appearances==
===Locations===
*New York City, New York
**Midland Circle
**Matt Murdock's Apartment
**Raymond Residence
**Sacred Saints Cemetery
**Wall of the Chaste (mentioned)
**Alias Investigations Office (mentioned)
**Nelson and Murdock Law Office (mentioned)
**29th Precinct Police Station (mentioned)
*Seagate Penitentiary, Georgia (mentioned)
*Marseille, France (mentioned)
*K'un-Lun (mentioned)
* (mentioned)
===Events===
*Excavation of Midland Circle
**Kidnapping of Iron Fist
**Murder of Alexandra Reid
**Attack on John Raymond (mentioned)
**Attack on the Wall of the Chaste (mentioned)
*Infiltration into Midland Circle (mentioned)
*Trial of Shou-Lao (mentioned)
*Destruction of Genghis Connie's (mentioned)
*Duel of Delaney Hall (mentioned)
*Assassination of Jack Murdock (mentioned)
*Attack on the Hand (mentioned)
*Resurrection of Elektra (mentioned)
===Items===
*Daredevil's Suit
*Daredevil's Billy Club
*Stick's Katana
*Elektra's Twin Sai
*Resurrection Elixir (mentioned)
===Concepts===
*Chi
*Dreams
===Vehicles===
To be added
===Creatures===
*Dragons (mentioned)
**Shou-Lao (mentioned)
* (mentioned)
===Organizations===
*Defenders
*Hand
*Chaste
*Alias Investigations
*Rand Enterprises
*New York Bulletin
*Nelson and Murdock (mentioned)
*Order of the Crane Mother (mentioned)
===Mentioned===
*Sowande (corpse)
*John Raymond
*Michelle Raymond
*Foggy Nelson
*Misty Knight
*Jack Murdock
==Music==
Song title 	Artist 	Location(s)
 	Johannes Brahms	
*Alexandra Reid listens to a record on a phonograph player when it begins to skip.
Old Friends	John Paesano 	
*Elektra knocks out Matt Murdock, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage and carries off an unconscious Danny Rand.
==References==
==External Links==
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Category:The Defenders Episodes