The Defenders Season 1 Complete

Simple Synopsis

Netflix brings their Marvel heroes together in this limited series team-up to save New York from the machinations of an evil organization.

With their leader dying and their ability to resurrect their members curtailed, the Hand moves their plans for New York City into the final phase, triggering an earthquake that shakes the city.

A missing architect brings Jessica Jones onto the case, and his murder at the hands of the revived Black Sky, Elektra, puts her in contact with lawyer Matt Murdock. When the hand recruits troubled youths from Harlem they gain the attention of Luke Cage, who’s own investigation leads him to cross paths with Danny Rand, already trying to find out what the Hand is up to.

All of their investigations lead them to Midland Circle, the result of the Hand’s efforts seen previously in the stand alone Daredevil and Iron Fist seasons. The building is a coverup for excavation deep underground, but the Hand finds their buried treasure mystically sealed away by a previous Iron Fist, and are determined to capture Danny Rand to open it for them. Their leader, Alexandra, pins her plans on using their new weapon, Elektra, to see them through, but the other leaders of the Hand don’t trust her.

Learning that Danny is the key to the Hand’s plans, the other heroes attempt to keep him out of the fight, but Elektra arrives and takes him, leaving the heroes defeated an in the hands of the local police force with plenty of questions of their own. Elektra delivers Danny to the Hand, but kills their leader, taking over the organization for herself.

With legal threats hanging over their heads, as well as the threat of exposure for Matt, the three break out of the police station to rescue Danny and stop the Hand. They break their way in to Midland Circle, facing off against the heads of the Hand as Danny goes head to head with Elektra, in the process accidentally breaking the seal and giving the Hand access to an ancient dragon skeleton, the source of their ability to resurrect themselves. As they begin to harvest the bones they weaken the geological stability of the area, knowing that when they are done New York will collapse.

The heroes descend to face the Hand and stop their operation while retrieving their friend, while Claire and Colleen follow the architect’s plan to plant explosives to implode the building, intending to destroy the Hand for good once everyone is out.

The heroes come together to fight off the Hand, buying Claire and Colleen time to get set, but a struggle with Colleen’s old mentor, Bakuto, accidentally sets off the detonator early. Daredevil’s abilities warn him of this, and he insists that the others leave while he attempts to break through to Elektra, convinced that he can make her see reason, or barring that deciding to die with her.

The building collapses, filling the hole and stabilizing the city as Daredevil and Elektra embrace for their final moments. The other heroes watch in horror, realizing his sacrifice. Iron Fist decides to honor him by continuing Daredevil’s fight to keep the city safe, as Luke and Jessica move forward with their lives.

Elsewhere, Matt Murdock wakes up slowly under the watchful eyes of a nun.

TL;DR
The Hand plans to excavate a hidden source of power under New York, leaving the city in ruins, but requires the Iron Fist to access it. Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist come together to thwart their plans, despite the threat posed by their newest weapon: Elektra.