Luke Cage S1:E4 Step in the Arena

Simple Synopsis

Where we take a step back and see how Luke got here.

As cops and rescue units converge on the wreckage of Ghengis Connie’s, Connie and Luke struggle to stay alive under the rubble. Luke realizes that he will have to reveal his full strength to her if they are going to get out, and slips into memories of how he got that strength in the first place, the last time he was trapped.

Flash back to Luke’s time in Seagate Prison. During his time there and despite himself, he begins to develop a relationship with the prison counselor, Reva and a friendship with fellow inmate Squabbles. His general size and strength, causes corrupt guard Rackham to set Shades and Comanche on him as a test of his fighting skill. When he performs well Rachham starts to make his life in prison a living hell to convince him to join his secret underground fighting ring. When Rackham threatens Squabbles life, Luke has no choice but to join up.

Over time Luke begins to loose himself to the fighting ring, pushing away Reva and Squabbles to try to keep them safe. His efforts are for nothing though, when Rackham suspects that Luke is trying to get out of the ring he threatens Reva’s life, so Luke asks her to leave for her safety.

Thinking Reva was safe, Luke continues with his plan, or tries to. Shades and Comanche kill Squabbles trying to get the truth out of him, and then ambush Luke, leaving him next to dead. Reva rushes Luke to a secret lab where they’ve been running experiments on the inmates in the hopes that they can heal him before he dies, but Rackham finds them mid experiment and tries to kill Luke, blowing up the lab in the process.

The experiment not only heals Luke, but gives him incredible strength and bulletproof skin. When he wakes up he finds the doctor passed out on the floor and Rackham dead. He begins to punch his way out of the prison and swims to the mainland. In the present, Luke busts his way out of the rubble, rescuing himself and Connie.

Back in the past, Luke meets up with Reva on the outside and begins his life as a superhero fugitive, leaving behind his old name of Carl Lucas in favor of Luke Cage.

TL;DR
Luke pulls himself and Connie out of the rubble after Cottonmouth’s rocket. Through flashbacks we see Luke’s time in Seagate prison, being forced into an illegal fighting ring, forming a relationship with Reva, and being subjected to scientific experiments that gave him is abilities.