01x13 - You Know My Steez

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Luke Cage". Aired: September 30, 2016 – June 22, 2018.*
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Luke Cage had been imprisoned for a crime he did not commit and gained the powers of superhuman strength and unbreakable skin after being subjected voluntarily to an experimental procedure.
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01x13 - You Know My Steez

Post by bunniefuu »

[young Luke exhaling rapidly]

[young Stryker] One, two.
One, two, three.

Hey, switch it up.
See that sh*t coming from a mile away.

-Stop cursing at me.
-Oh, now you sound like your old man.

Don't start
with that "sweet Christmas" sh*t.

Give me four! Let's go!
Harder!

Where's your offense?
This ain't patty-cake!

Yeah!
Yeah, that's that sh*t.

Give me five and an uppercut.

-Let's go!
-[grunts]

Keep it going, keep it going.

Should've stuck to football, huh?

Time!

Why are you doing this, Carl?

'Cause some fool smacked you up
in front of a bowling alley?

You're gonna get yourself k*lled.

Uh-uh.

I'mma get this dude, Willis.
It's about respect.

We're city champs, Carl.

My arm, your legs.

Got nothin' to prove, all right?

You're runnin' around here
acting stupid, man.

-Get yourself hurt.
-You wouldn't understand.

I can't let it slide.
I'm a Lucas.

[exhaling rapidly]

Daddy ain't signing off on this.

You're alone.

-I still got you in my corner?
-Always.

Then I'm not alone.

I'm ready.

You ain't ready, Carl.

[exhales]

[exhaling rapidly]

[grunting]

[Stryker] Surprise, Carl.

This suit's Hammer tech,
made just for you.

[grunts]

You still ain't ready.

[theme music playing]

[both grunting]

[grunts]

[people screaming]

-[indistinct chatter]
-[fighting continues]

Hey! NYPD.

-Back! Back!
-[glass shattering]

sh*t.

Where's my phone?

Yo, Farley, bring the camera.
The 4K one.

Luke Cage is going at it.

[both grunting]

You still hit like a bitch.

[grunts]

[Shades sighs]

-The folder.
-You don't have it?

-It's back there.
-[sighs]

Don't sweat it.

I have another play.

[police siren wailing in distance]

Alex...

Luke Cage is up on Malcolm X Boulevard.

Call Thembi Wallace.
Don't ask why. Just do it.

Tell her I'm out here.

-Where you going?
-Misty's gonna arrest me.

There's no way around it.
But I can still spin this.

-[Luke grunting]
-[Stryker groans]

You have to let go of the past
before I really have to hurt you.

n*gro, please.

[both grunting]

That's all you got?
Where's your offense?

[grunts]

[groaning]

Keep it coming, Carl.

You reap what you sow.

[grunting]

[reporter] As the situation continues
to unfold here on Malcolm X Boulevard--

[TV turns off]

I know you want to be out there.

Luke told you to stay here.

He has a reason,
and I agree with him.

I know you both worry about me.

None of your business.

Your eyes sparkle
when you talk about Luke...

what he brings out in you.

He's alone.

Not that many people have his back.
He needs me.

What?
What happened?

Luke and Diamondback are...
doing what they do.

I'm getting back out there.

I... I wanna help.

Uh, you can bring down Mariah
with what you know.

You are helping.
Just wait for Misty, stay strong,

and stay ready.

I've never been good
at standing up for myself.

Neither was I...

until it counted.

You're even stronger than you know.

Never doubt that.

[in Spanish] Careful.

Always.

-[suit powering up]
-[both grunting]

Come on, Luke.

-Don't forget to breathe, Carl.
-[panting]

[young Stryker] Exhale on every punch.

No breath, no oxygen.
No oxygen, no energy.

No energy, no victory.
You lose.

[young Luke exhaling]

[grunting]

-[glass shattering]
-[blows landing]

[police siren wails]

Come on, guys.

-Back up!
-[Luke and Stryker grunting]

-[grunts]
-[crowd exclaiming]

[woman] Come on, now!
Get on back in!

Let's go.
Keep rolling.

[man] Kick his ass, Cage!

[grunting]

-[crowd exclaiming]
-[groaning]

Oh!

[Stryker] Where you going, Carl?

I'mma whoop your ass
up and down the block.

-[grunts]
-[crowd exclaiming]

[indistinct chatter]

-[exhales and groans]
-[man] Come on, Luke!

[both grunting]

[woman] Hold him back, man!

Yeah, come on.
Where you going, Carl?

-[Luke grunts]
-[crowd exclaims]

-[groaning]
-[suit powering up]

[spits]

[both grunting]

[crowd exclaims]

[siren wails]

[suit powering up]

[groaning]

[yells]

[crowd exclaiming]

[man] Come on, Luke!
[woman] You can get him, Luke!

James never loved Etta.

He was gonna leave your mother for mine.

Wait, wait, wait. Yo,
the dude's talking about your moms, Luke?

You reppin' Harlem,
you better put it on him, son.

[grunting]

[Stryker] I'll take being a bastard
over being a mistake any day of the week.

Now the whole world
gets to watch you fall. [grunts]

White, Thomas...

spread out.

As soon as you have a clear sh*t,
take it on my command.

-[officer] Yes, sir.
-Mario, what the hell are you doing?

[woman 1] Finish him off, Luke!

[man 1] Come on, Luke!
You can get him!

[woman 2] Cage, you da man!

[man 2] Hey, Luke!
Show him who's boss!

[both grunting]

[crowd continues shouting]

Who is this man?

Did he sweep Pop's Barber Shop,

or is he former-cop-turned-criminal,
Carl Lucas,

who I heard escaped from Seagate Prison?
I don't know.

I mean, look at these super freaks.

-[Stryker grunts]
-[crowd exclaims]

This is nothing less
than a battle for the soul of Harlem.

You got this, Luke.
Throw it back at him.

Come on, Luke. Get him.
Kick his ass!

[both grunting]

[woman] Yeah! Kick his ass, Luke!
Kick his ass!

[crowd continues shouting]

[man] Yeah, do it!
Break that sh*t!

[woman] That's what I'm talkin' about!

Roll, roll, roll.

[suit powering up]

[snarls]

[shouting]

-[crowd exclaiming]
-Ma'am, please step back.

Claire.

Look, you gotta stay back.

I gotta contain you
and everybody else, too.

You don't believe he can win?

Of course Luke can win.

[panting] I'm done, Willis.
I'm not doing this anymore.

You ain't done.
Not till one of us is dead.

You're more like Dad than you think.

When I got shipped to Seagate...

he called me a mistake, too.

I'm not paying for his sins anymore.

And neither should you.

You want me dead?

Then k*ll me.

Do it!

You ain't ready.

-[bell dings]
-[Stryker grunting]

[crowd shouting]

Throw in the jab! Move!
Keep moving, keep moving!

-[grunting]
-[crowd exclaims]

[young Stryker] Take the hits!
Take the hits!

-Let him get tired!
-[crowd shouting]

-Save him.
-[both grunting]

No.

You can take it.
Keep breathing, keep breathing!

[Stryker grunting]

[crowd cheering]

[young Stryker] Let him get tired.
He ain't got sh*t to come back with.

[Luke groaning]

[wheezing]

[man] Come on, son!
You can do it!

[grunting]

[crowd exclaims]

[woman 1] Come on, Luke.
[man 1] Don't give up, Luke!

[woman 2] Luke, come on, man!

[woman 3] You got it, Luke!

Remember who you are.

[Stryker panting]

[chanting] Luke! Luke!
Luke! Luke!

[spits]

[crowd shouting]

[crowd continues chanting]

[chanting] Luke! Luke! Luke!

[chanting continues]

You're right.

You reap what you sow.

Let's go! Put it on him!
Put it on him!

-[crowd continues chanting]
-[grunting]

Am I my brother's keeper?

[crowd exclaiming]

No, I'm not.

-[bell ringing]
-[young Stryker] Yeah!

[crowd cheering]

[young Stryker] Yeah!

[crowd cheering]

[chanting] Luke! Luke! Luke!

On the ground, now!
We got Judas b*ll*ts, Cage.

Lieutenant, stand down.

I got you.

Councilwoman Dillard...

What?

You are under arrest
for the m*rder of Cornell Stokes.

-You goin' down.
-[Misty] Do the perp walk.

-You are going down.
-Take her out of here.

[indistinct chatter on radio]

Mmm, mmm, mmm.

Oh, come on.
You're not even gonna try to move?

Not even a lil' bit?

Take his tired...

broken...

false-preachin' ass on out of here.

[breathing heavily]

I should be healed up
in a couple of hours, right?

Sooner than that, Power Man.

Nah, B.

Brother deserves discretion.

How did you know...

that you could do that?

The more I hit him...

the more he dished out.

So I stopped feeding him hate.

What if it didn't work?

Well, sometimes you gotta
throw out the science and...

go for what you know.

You heard me say that?

I hear everything you say.

Even when you don't speak...

Still hear it.

[man] Luke Cage!

Thanks for keeping Harlem safe, baby.

[sighs]

I'm sorry, Luke.
I'm gonna need to bring you in.

I need a statement.

I'm done running.

How many of these you own, brother?

Looks like this place
don't wanna be a barber shop anymore.

[sighs]

Maybe not.

But whatever it is,
it's gonna be famous.

People are gonna be talking
about what went down here for years.

You ready?

You know how I feel about cop shops.

Well...

if it's any comfort,

you'll have a front-row seat
when I nail Mariah's ass to the wall.

How's Candace?

Safe and secure at my mom's place.

-Promise.
-Good.

All these people were talking bad
about Luke Cage.

But they didn't stop for one minute
to look at the good he had done.

Cleaning up Crispus Attucks by himself,
lookin' out for people...

Most of these guys wear spandex.

Who would have thought a black man
in a hoodie would be a hero?

It's been an extraordinary night
here in Harlem.

See?
I'm not the type of person

who wants always to say,
"I am right."

-But--
-I'm glad you're right.

[cell phone chimes]

[sighs]

[man] There he is.
There's Luke.

-[all clamoring]
-[camera shutters clicking]

Hey, back it off.
Back!

[reporter 1] Mr. Cage,
how does it feel to be a hero?

I'm no hero.
I'm a regular guy,

just trying to live life on his own terms,
one day at a time.

Are you single?

[reporter 2] Do you have anything
to say to Councilwoman Dillard?

[all clamoring]

[reporter 2] Have you received
any medical treatment?

[reporter 3] How does it feel
to be vindicated?

[scoffs]

[chuckles]

You can take a seat.

Mr. Cage.

My name is Inspector Priscilla Ridley.

You realize there is a warrant
still out for your arrest.

I do.
I came here to clear things up.

I haven't done any of the things
that I've been charged with.

Even the dash cam video
that everyone's talking about?

I'd like to provide some context.

Would you like an attorney?

I know a really good one.

I'm not guilty of anything.

I'll speak for myself.

-Interrogation One?
-No.

As far as I'm concerned,
he's no longer a suspect.

And we both know
if he doesn't wanna be, he'll walk.

Procedure says he should be in a room.

He won't go for a room.

Look, we can do it right here,
right now. It's fine.

What about your sororal?

You gonna let her just skee-wee
on out of here again?

Actually, it's "ooh-woop..."

and no, she's not going anywhere,
but...

we are showing her every courtesy
the NYPD extends...

very slowly.

[Mariah] I want my g*dd*mn phone call!

Okay, Mama.
All right.

Hmm. [sniffles]

This ends here.

You got it?

I already said you don't need to be here.

I'm fine where I am.

If Claire leaves, I leave.

So be it. I'm not being redundant.
I'm just being thorough.

Luke is innocent.

Claire, I got this.
I'm good.

I know you do.
It's just frustrating.

Officer Albini in the park?

[Luke] I wasn't even in the state.

Claire and I went to Georgia.

What were you doing in Georgia?

Unfinished business.

You said no more secrets.

You don't have any scars.

The doctor who did this to me...

with Claire's help,
did it again, and I got better.

The officer in the park?
Damon Boone?

Just match the fist prints from the suit
and gloves that Stryker was wearing.

All of that was Stryker.

Why didn't you just come to me?

I didn't know you.

I stayed out of it.

Until you were right in the center of it.

They k*lled Pop.

They did.

I couldn't just lay in the cut anymore.

Pop knew about my abilities.

So I put them to good use.

I shut down Crispus Attucks personally.

That wasn't your job.

People needed someone that didn't require
a warrant or shield to get things done.

Call it a vigilante, or a superhero...

Call it what you will, but...

[sighs] like it or not,

I finally accepted that
that someone had to be me.

Maybe I could've helped you.

This burden is bigger than you.

Or me.

People are scared...

but they can't be paralyzed by that fear.

You have to fight for what's right
every single day,

bulletproof skin or not.

You can't just not snitch, or turn away
or take money under the table

because life has turned you sour.

When did people stop caring?

Harlem is supposed to represent
our hopes and dreams.

It's the pinnacle of black art...

politics...

innovation.

It's supposed to be
a shining light to the world.

It's our responsibility to push forward,

so that the next generation
will be further along than us.

Pop said his mantra aloud twice a day.

The kids in the shop were pissed...

but they could never unhear it.

"Never backwards..."

Always...

forward.

"Forward..."

"Always."

You forget I grew up around the man.

I wish I could've met him.

In a way, you have.

Well, hello!

Doesn't everybody have work to do?

Is Mariah still in there?

Yeah.

Well, now that I'm no longer a suspect...

you guys got any take-out menus?

I'm starving.

You know,
I kept telling Cornell it was enough.

He had enough money
to keep Harlem's Paradise flush.

Even for opening another club downtown...

like our grandmother always talked about.

[takes deep breath]

He had the talent to make it big.

But there was always another deal,
another detail. [sniffles]

And then this... this guy, Diamond Jim.

Diamondback.

Yes, Diamondback.

Cornell said
that he was his direct contact,

[stammering] whatever that means.

And he was pissed off
when those g*ns were stolen.

You know, in that... that thing that
your Detective Scarfe got caught up in?

There were a lot of dirty hands.

Not Cornell's.

-He didn't have the g*ns.
-Oh, yes, he did.

That's why Detective Scarfe got sh*t.

Detective Scarfe
stole them from evidence

and then gave them back to Cornell.

[stammers] I don't know any details.

I just know that Cornell
was scared and he wanted out.

And the night
when I came into the club,

that big brother that was fighting
Luke Cage up on Malcolm X...

"Hey," I screamed, and he...
he pulled a g*n on me and said that...

if I didn't say it was Luke Cage,
he was gonna k*ll me.

He said Luke Cage?

-That it had to be Luke Cage?
-Yes.

He was firm about that.
Luke Cage. Yes!

-And Candace Miller?
-Oh, God. Candace. [inhales deeply]

She tried to protect me,
but she didn't have to.

[stammers]

I feel terrible...

that a decent man's name
has been maligned,

but I will do whatever I need to
to rectify that. I will.

You are absolutely g*dd*mn right you will.

[door closes]

Start by telling the truth.

I am not a liar, Detective.

[Misty] Mmm.

According to the lab...

Cottonmouth was struck
in the back of the head

by a heavy, circular object...

probably consistent with a bottle,
before he was pushed.

[Ridley] How do we know
he was pushed, Detective?

The angle.

[Mariah screaming] No! No! No!

I did not want it!

[Stokes groans]

No!

[Misty] Cottonmouth landed on his back,

-turned over, and then crawled.
-[Stokes groaning]

[Mariah] You shut up!

No!

-No, I didn't want it!
-[breathing heavily]

[Misty] Judging by the wounds
on his hands,

he probably was pleading for his life

when he was smashed
by a heavy, circular base.

Now, the coroner thought
it was maybe a heavy waste basket.

But my vote...

it was a mic stand.

I went through Harlem's Paradise
inventory records with the stage manager,

and it turns out...

there was a mic stand
that was unaccounted for.

I've been around the music business
my whole life.

Equipment goes missing.

You can't trust n*gg*s around equipment.

-Cottonmouth was weakened.
-[Ridley clears throat]

It wouldn't take a man
to k*ll him in that state,

just somebody who was angry...

and passionate
about seeing him dead.

And...

someone who was sloppy...

in the cover-up.

[Candace] Mariah k*lled him.

[Misty] What?
How do you know this?

[Candace] I heard them talking about it.

The guy who always wears sunglasses...

he was there, trying to calm Mariah down.

And that's just a taste.

I got plenty more where that came from.

I...

-I'm--
-[Misty] You don't have to say anything.

Just tell the truth.

We are right here.

Make a deal.

If you can help us nail
Shades and Diamondback,

and maybe confirm
some of Cornell's contacts,

we can make your stay...

a little bit easier.

That's all you got.

Cornell liked fooling around
with them nasty-ass b*tches.

I... I had no use
for chickenheads.

You are going down.

Go to trial with that flimsy-ass sh*t.

I dare you.
I double damn dare you, trick!

Oh! Trick?

Whatever... Madam Inmate.

-Misty.
-Not right now.

Now.

-Don't you ever, and I mean, ever--
-Misty.

...interrupt an interrogation.

What is it?

Detective Chang just caught a body.

An African-American woman,
mid-twenties, in front of a bodega.

The victim had a pay-as-you-go phone
in her pocket.

I traced the phone's credit card.

It belongs to you.

Chang thought you might've gotten cloned,
but you bought the phone...

and you activated it.

And the victim...

had numerous text exchanges
with an NYPD cell phone number.

It's yours.

Come on.
Where are you, Misty?

I'm right here.

How recent were the texts?

I lost my phone...

at the barber shop.

Show me the picture, Bailey.

-We should verify with the family first.
-Show me the g*dd*mn picture, Bailey.

Please.

[Bailey] The victim
appears to be Candace Miller.

Was that an important call, my dear?

-You m*rder*d her!
-Hey, hey, hey!

-You m*rder*d her!
-You are out of control.

-Misty, stop!
-Get off of me!

-You're hysterical. She's being--
-You m*rder*d her!

-She's being hysterical.
-You m*rder*d Candace

and you m*rder*d Cornell.

-Enough is enough!
-What?

-What are you talking about?
-[Ridley] What is going on?

Candace is dead.

What?

You stole my phone.
I know it was you!

You will say anything about me,
won't you?

Where's your proof?

I loved my cousin.

[scoffs]

And I would test that love

against the recorded voice
of a dead whore any day.

Am I still being charged with anything?

-[clattering]
-No.

Not at this time.

[Mariah inhales deeply]

You have the man who k*lled Cornell,

Diamondback, in custody, Priscilla.

Do the right thing.

Keep him there.
He is dangerous.

That is the second time
you have att*cked a civilian in here.

This shield...

ain't worth the tin it's printed on

if Mariah Dillard can just walk
out of here after what she's done.

-This system is broken, Priscilla.
-Mercedes...

you are one of the finest detectives
I have ever seen,

but you have got to learn...

that there is no getting
around the system.

You must work within it.

Candace should have been
in protective custody.

She should have been here
and I should have known about it.

Mariah Dillard walked out of here today
because of you.

Because you didn't trust our system.

Because you didn't trust me.

[sobs]

[Claire sighs]

Misty's been gone a long time. [sighs]

That's never good.

No.

We have a lot to talk about, though.

Like what?

Your future.

Your next moves.

[sighs] Well, I don't wanna talk
about that right now.

[inhales deeply]

I just wanna chill.

It's been a long day.

You're right.
It can wait.

You wanna get coffee
when we get out of here?

You accused me of not liking coffee.

That's not true.

Just depends on the blend.

I hear that Cuban coffee
is particularly robust.

[dishes clattering]

That might be
the corniest thing you've said yet.

It also happens to be true.

Oh, thank you.

Helping a sister out.

[chuckles]

The hero of Harlem.

Congratulations!

You are good for the neighborhood.

[Luke] You're not.

What about our deal?

-Where's the file?
-What file?

Buh-bye!

What the hell happened?

They k*lled Candace.

What? My mom...

Not your mom. She's fine.
We checked on her.

Shades or somebody used my phone

to lure Candace out of the apartment.

But I can't prove it yet.

What about her confession?

-It's worthless.
-Why?

If she were still alive,
that would be one thing.

But she admitted
to taking money from Mariah,

she changed her statement,
and now she's dead.

The definition of reasonable doubt.

And the woman she's accusing
is politically connected.

It's unwinnable.
There's no way the DA will take that case.

That's why Ridley just kicked her.

Mariah and Shades will talk.
Trust me.

I told her not to leave.

I know.

[man] Carl Lucas,

I'm Marshal Franco.
This is Marshal Johnson.

You're under arrest for your unlawful
escape from Seagate Prison.

What are you doing?

You won't need those.

-Says who?
-[Luke] Says me.

I'm done running.

I'm sorry, Mr. Cage.

I'm gonna recommend the New York City
DA's office drop all charges against you.

I have done all I can.

Thank you for all you've done for us.

Luke is innocent.

They're not arresting Luke Cage.
They're arresting Carl Lucas.

Who called you?

Once a city councilwoman identified
Luke Cage as Carl Lucas on television,

our office received numerous calls.

The information's pertinent and valid.

Mariah, again.

I'm innocent, and I can prove it.

It doesn't matter what you can prove.

You still owe the state of Georgia time.

[sighs] Okay.

Sorry.

Coffee's gonna have to wait, babe.

[Claire] Luke.

Like I said,
I know a really great lawyer in town.

I'll call him.

[sighs] Okay.

-Be careful.
-Always.

[chuckles softly]

You're so corny.

[Mariah] One of the things
that was happening was...

[continues speaking indistinctly]

[sighs]

[sighs]

Alex, you're the man.

Anything you need, Madam Councilwoman,
let me know.

It's old school.
But it's got a nice feel.

Belonged to Cornell.

It suits you.

[chuckles softly]

Yeah, it does.

[engine starting]

Let's head up.

[sighs]

It's a long trip.
You want something to drink?

I was set up for something hot and dark
before y'all messed that up.

[scoffs]

Sweet Christmas.

Well, we can stop for coffee at
Dunkin' Donuts before we hit the bridge.

Ain't the same.

Let's just get this over with.

Oh. I like Chester Himes.
This is a good one.

It's actually mine.

What were you reading before?

-[sighs]
-Some West Coast sh*t.

Michael Connelly.

-You ever read Harry Bosch?
-Nah.

Well, you'll have some time to read now.

No, I won't.

I don't plan on hibernating.

I was innocent before
and I'm innocent now.

I've got work to do.

[soul music playing]

[indistinct chatter]

[singing]

[music continues playing]

Sometimes backwards...

to move forward.

Always.

-[song ends]
-[audience cheering and applauding]

[funk music playing]
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