Can You Name This Marvel Cinematic Universe Character?
- by Dylan Jacob
- – on
- in Movies and TV
I could begin this quiz by talking about the impact that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had on nerd culture over the past decade, but all we have to do is look at how bad every DCEU product not named Wonder Woman is to have that answer.
There's certain periods in history that have been groundbreaking for mankind - the Middle Age, The Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution - and they're all joined by the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whether it's The Avengers, Captain America, or the Netflix shows, is there anything to say about the MCU that hasn't been said already?
Today, we're going to take a look at the MCU - specifically, the recent years - and you are going to identify some characters. Me? I'm going to binge-watch Daredevil again so that I'm ready for The Defenders. Though the Marvel Cinematic Universe technically extends to the films and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D as well, this list will solely be focusing on the four Netflix shows that surround Marvel characters - Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist - from the MCU. In other words, Iron Man and Captain America aren't on this list, but a man who takes bullets like he's made out of iron is.
And, as you'd likely expect, there are MAJOR SPOILERS on this list. If you've yet to watch and complete all four shows and Daredevil's second season, then this quiz may not be for you yet.
Who am I?
We start our list off with a character who I shouldn't even have to introduce. Easily the most well-known of The Defenders prior to his show's 2015 release, this blind superhero is a lawyer by day and a vigilante by night. Taking on the dangerous Kingpin in addition to the mysterious Hand, Hell's Kitchen should be pretty thankful that this boxing legend's son is out to protect New York at all costs. If you get this one wrong, this isn't the quiz for you.
Who am I?
Following Daredevil - and, based on the The Defenders' launch trailer, Murdock's newest client - is a female vigilante with a tragic backstory and a (reluctant) love for private investigating. Spared in a car accident that killed her parents and brother, New York City's best private investigator has made something out of nothing, though she still carries the scars from that tragic day - and a relationship where she was literally mind controlled - well into the present. Who is this?
Who am I?
Symbolic for both the black man's struggle in America and the American Dream of getting a second chance, this Harlem hero is also a fugitive of the law. Having escaped police custody after experimental treatment that gave him regenerative abilities - though, thankfully, not to the extent that Cell has - this Georgia native has owned a New York City bar AND worked in a barbershop in recent years. However, if it's between serving drinks or serving justice, he's doing the right choice for everyone. This hero is named...
Who am I?
The fourth and final member of the Defenders, some have joked that he is the Aquaman of the heroic group. True, he doesn't have the best character when compared to Murdock, Jones, or Cage, but this wealthy child-turned warrior has redeeming qualities here and there. Fiercely loyal with a big heart, the decisions he makes may not be the best in everyone else's eyes - and sometimes will confuse the audience - but Finn Jones' acting really makes this character look like a friend we all want. This character is named...
Who am I?
Though she is not a crime fighter the way the other four are, this nurse can hold her own in combat and has made friends with each of The Defenders. In fact, she's even in a romantic relationship with Luke Cage - so long as that doesn't get broken off for him to get with Jessica in The Defenders, that is. Willing to put her own 'normal' life at risk to help the gifted, she's arguably more popular than some of her friends. Who is this?
Who am I?
Hey look, it's Shane Walsh! All jokes aside, this vigilante and ex-Marine is much more dangerous than the former cop Jon Bernthal portrayed on AMC's The Walking Dead. Out to avenge the murder of his family, not-Shane comes into conflict with Daredevil several times, shooting him point blank in the head during their first encounter. At best an anti-hero and at worse a criminal, fans nonetheless loved him and are excited to see his standalone show later in 2017. This character is...
Who am I?
Matt's main teacher and mentor, this old man may be physically blind, but he's much smarter than the average senior citizen. An expert about The Hand - and, the inspiration for Splinter from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - this fan favorite is also a bit of an anti-hero, combating Matt several times through the story. However, season two of Daredevil saw the two part on good terms and it looks like they'll team up in The Defenders, so that'll be interesting. Who is this?
Who am I?
A talk show host and Jessica's adopted sister, this is more than a dumb blonde with a loud voice. If anything, she's one of the more intelligent 'normal' characters we've seen in the MCU to this point - though with someone as ill-tempered as Jessica, that can lead to issues. A child star with an abusive mother, her loyalty to Jessica is commendable and fans are excited to see her return in The Defenders. What is this character named? Hint: she really wants to be your friend!
Who am I?
Because the first three Defenders are so far away from the world of big business, it's not until Iron Fist when Danny Rand - the heir to Rand Enterprises - that we see how cruel that side of New York is. With Danny out of the picture, Rand is led by a brother and sister; we'll start off with the brother, who begins the show as a flat narcissist but as time goes on, we see almost a new character entirely once his struggles and demons are revealed. Who is this?
Who am I?
For as strong of a front as Ward puts on, he can't run Rand alone and he's lucky to have a sister like this. A strong female leader for a powerful company, this character defies many of the common TV tropes one would see in that category - strict, feminist, angry, man-hating - and is instead one of the MCU's more human characters to the point where some decisions she makes are wrong BECAUSE of that human element. But, she's still awesome in our eyes. Who is this?
Who am I?
You can't have a superhero product without a Big Bad, but how about a Big Bad that is the dad? Though The Hand are Danny's true enemy, it's this formely-dead businessman that has partnered with the mysterious organization who causes young Rand great tragedy. Striking a deal with The Hand that made him immortal so long as his head wasn't removed, this villain is such an interesting character because his backstory that leaves something up to debate: was he always 'evil', or did desperate times call for desperate measures? Who is this?
Who am I?
From one of the more mysterious characters that the first shows have shown to a source of comic relief, this pudgy, long-haired lawyer has been known to annoy some fans - especially when he fights with Matt over methods and tactics. However, all seems to be going alright for him, as he's been offered a spot at one of the city's more prominent law firms (one we'll get to later) with a chance of making partner. Which humorous lawyer is this?
Who am I?
On one side of the law, we have vigilantes and their allies who will die to protect New York at all costs. But on the other side of the law, there's plenty of police officers still wanting to do what they can - even if it means sacrificing morals and loyalty to their department. Introduced in Jessica Jones, this ex-soldier becomes a love interest for Trish but, as a result of a drug similar to the Super Soldier Serum, slowly loses his mind. Who is this?
Who am I?
On the side of good - at least, what the writers make out to the the side of good - there are some real jackasses and idiots. With all due respect to this NYPD officer, she's one of them and I doubt Kima Greggs - excuse me, Betty Audrey - was ever really thrilled. Sure, she can visualize crime scenes through photos, but her behavior and attitude towards her superior officers is off-putting. Which character, divided among fans, is this?
Who am I?
Misty's partner on the NYPD and, quite frankly, much more of an interesting character, this corrupt detective shines in his few episodes on 'Luke Cage.' Taking money from the Stokes family (more on them soon), this veteran officer is short on morals, killing a drug dealer for threatening to expose information and even giving up Luke's address. However, he does have a soft spot for Misty and tries to find redemption in the end. Which veteran, brilliant officer is this?
Who am I?
Another veteran NYPD officer, we're just going to call him Lester because, let's face it, this detective is Clarke Peters rehashing Lester Freamon from The Wire; they even share the same love of antiques. Now, we hold nothing against Clarke for doing so because he gives such a strong performance, but we could call this character Lester and be fine. Alas, we need to explain a bit more, especially his quick murder by Will Simpson - oh, spoilers. What was not-Lester called?
Who am I?
The first signature villain of the four shows (not including The Hand), this adversary of Daredevil is more than a cheap villain of the week; and, he's more than his past portrayals in other Marvel outlets as Vincent D'Onofrio is fantastic in this role. Struggling with an ambiguous disorder - many believe Asperger's or a form of autism - and an abusive father, this businessman has a stronghold on Hell's Kitchen before his encounters with Murdock. What was his real name?
Who am I?
Some love this Jessica Jones villain for his mind control abilities, dark sense of humor, and that he's really the only villain of the four shows to get what's coming to him. For others, they hate his snark and that he's a r*pist, therefore meaning Jessica Jones' character takes a hit. I'm not even touching that debate. What most people will agree on, though, is that this evil Brit is absolutely terrifying, especially when he brainwashes Luke Cage. What was his criminal name?
Who am I?
Rather than give a short blurb here, let's look at the best quotes from Diamondback - because yes, you're going to tell us his real name rather than his criminal name. But this part is awesome. "God had me at hello with Genesis. The story of Cain and Abel. When God asked Cain where Abel was after he killed him Cain asked, 'Am I my brother's keeper?' See I thought that was some cool shit Wesley Snipes made up in New Jack City. Turns out it's real. So after I kill Luke Cage I'm gonna stand over him and say, '"Yes, I am.'" Who was Diamondback under the mask?
Who am I?
There's evil on the streets, evil in the corporate world, and evil in the courtroom. But, does this lesbian attorney really fit under the Amoral Attorney trope that others like Maurice Levy do? Not quite. First introduced as an ally of Jessica Jones, this attorney is present in every show with the exception of Luke Cage, even warming up a bit by the time she first shows up in Iron Fist. As it turns out, Danny Rand had a cute nickname for her as a kid. Her real name is..
Who am I?
Jeri's ex-wife by the time we first meet her in 'Jessica Jones', this (obvious, seeing as I said ex-wife) lesbian is a doctor constantly feuding with her former lover about money, assets, and more. Jessica gets involved, Jeri's new girlfriend, Pam, gets involved, and things get ugly from there...and when we say ugly, we're talking 'death of a thousand cuts' ugly. Under Kilgrave's control, this character is asked to kill Jeri that way before Jessica intervenes with a lamp. What was this character's name?
Who am I?
The king of Harlem and owner of the popular Harlem's Paradise club, this criminal is nicknamed 'Cottonmouth' - a name which he hates with an absolute passion. In fact, this name will send him into an easy rage where he'll murder anyone, just as any member of royalty would do with that kind of power. A bully to Luke Cage and a former friend of his mentor, Mahershala Ali was absolutely fantastic in this role. Just who is Harlem's King?
Who am I?
Cornell's cousin and a character who was turned into a stunning, believable city council member from her morbidly obese comic form, you do NOT want to cross this woman in business, interviews, or on the street. Diamondback is the villain Luke Cage fights at season one's conclusion, but there is a serious case to be made for this woman as the show's main villain to this point. Sadly, she never really gets what she deserves, though we think she'll be dead soon. What was her name?
Who am I?
A friend of Danny Rand's from the sacred land of Kun'Lun - and, given the romantic subtext between the two, someone who may have been in love with the young billionaire - this anti-hero shows up late in iron Fist's first season. Why is he an anti-hero? To this point, we're not sure if he's truly on Danny's side and is angry at how things have gone, or if he is truly ready to kill Danny. We'll have to see. What's his name?
Who am I?
And, part of why Davos is so angry with Danny has to do with this Asian-American martial artist...who happens to be a member of The Hand. While many struggled to like Danny's character and Finn Jones' acting, this character quickly become a fan favorite for her no-nonsense attitude, martial arts skills, and loyalty; however, the twist that she was a member of The Hand bothered some people, while others shrugged and didn't care. While you write how you felt, can you name her?
Who am I?
Colleen's sensei and the leader of a New York contingent of The Hand, I was almost reminded of The Riddler when this character first gets serious screen time; so many of his lines sound like they were written by Edward Nigma and I'm not sure if that's a good thing. Then again, him being shot near the end of Iron Fist and his body vanishing isn't good either. Damn this man. While we try to find him, can you give us a name?
Who am I?
On a lighter note, it seems that when things went south at the Baltimore Police Department, Ervin Burrell went into the haircutting business. All jokes aside, Frankie Faison is absolutely fantastic as this ex-gang member and early mentor to Luke Cage; and, after dying in the series' second episode, his death is felt throughout the rest of the first season. A far cry from Burrell, Faison's character here is insightful, honest, and loyal to his people. What was his name?
Who am I?
Named after one of the greatest players in chess history, this New York Knicks aficionado - who called the firing of Phil Jackson earlier than expected! - doesn't have much of a role other than playing chess and giving Luke some advice. But for Luke, that's more than enough, especially when Pops' barbershop becomes a target. Is this character forgettable to the average fan? Maybe. Do we still love him like he loves chess? Of course. What was his name?
Who am I?
We are so cheating with this one, but after probably the hardest question on this quiz involving Bobby Fish, let's give you an easy one. Playing a fictional version of himself, this rapper is saved by Luke Cage towards the end of season one and, after trading hoodies with Harlem's Hero, does a freestyle on Sway's Universe shouting Cage out. This sequence, in a show full of so many great moments, was awesome. Which rapper guest starred as himself here?
Who am I?
If there's one thing that 'Luke Cage' got a good amount of hate for, it's how many villains there are; in addition to Diamondback, Cornell 'Cottonmouth' Stokes, Mariah Dillard, and technically the police are all anti-Luke. But this sunglasses-wearing badass, he's arguably the most dangerous of them all - and that's including Diamondback's armored suit. Nicknamed Shades for the glasses he's always wearing, this character carries weapons AND snark, leading to some fantastic moments. Almost always called Shades, what is his real name?
Who am I?
Luke Cage's ex-wife and a former psychologist at Seagate Penitentiary, where she works when Luke Cage is imprisoned there as Carl Lucas, there's not much of this woman that we see on-screen before or after that episode. However, her impact as Luke's wife - and, as he'll later find out, a key member of the experiments he has to go through - leave a lasting impact that will probably be explored again in The Defenders. Why? Well, Jessica may or may not have killed her. What was her name?
Who am I?
A secretary-turned-reporter, this love interest of Foggy (briefly) and Matt (a bit longer) is a main character in Daredevil, though she's seemingly been forgotten about recently. Why? She's set to be in The Defenders AND The Punisher, so where's the love for this character? Well, she'll be remembered when The Defenders debuts later this summer, but show her some love, man. We're in the home stretch, so make sure to get this one right. Who was - wait, she's alive - is this?
Who am I?
Introduced early on as a drug addict, let's at least give the Jessica Jones writers credit for making him into a realistic drug addict; he's looking for the next hit, but he's lazy, always sleeping, and has moments where he wants to break free but can't. Though this character is a liability and can get annoying early, he means well and is essential to the takedown of Kilgrave at the season's end. Not bad for a character who started as a drug addict. Who was this?
Who am I?
Now, we're really talking about mind screws because...well, is she alive or not? A former college classmate of Matt and Foggy who returns to New York in Daredevil's second season, this ex-protege of Stick is destined to become the Hand's leader, but she instead takes the war to them and is seemingly killed defending Matt...but then we hear her heartbeat after her grave is dug out. What? We'll see her in The Defenders, so we should get an answer then. What was her name?
Who am I?
Did you ever have that one teacher in high school who came from another country and you thought would be a pushover, but gave you problems for the entire semester or school year? More or less, that's what this senior leader of The Hand is for The Defenders - and she's apparently been doing this for centuries, as she mentions being around in the 1600s. Sure. That makes sense. To end this quiz, can you tell us who this terrifying woman is?