Though it found itself somewhat eclipsed by the huge cultural phenomenon that Jessica Jones turned out to be, Marvel’s original Netflix venture, Daredevil, was still a big hit in its own right. The series is set to return in March for a second season and it promises to expand on the adventures of Matt Murdock and friends while also building on the growing mega-story leading up to the Defenders crossover; not to mention, introducing the Marvel Cinematic Universe incarnations of fan-favorite characters like The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) and Elektra (Elodie Yung.)
In a recent interview, Yung has expanded on her take on the character; giving fans a taste of what they can expect from this new interpretation of the Daredevil player.
According to Yung, who was not familiar with the character prior to her audition, the Marvel/Netflix version of Elektra will not be shying away from the grim storylines and dark personality traits that have made her a favorite among fans over the years. When asked about the interpretation by Collider, the actress responded:
“We think Elektra is a sociopath. This world is a game for her. It’s like a chess game, and what motivates her is what she wants. She’ll use anything she needs to use to get to her goal, and if she needs to kill people, she will. She has this coldness in her, and I tried to keep that. But on the other hand, we wanted to create a character with different layers. I think Elektra isn’t a bad person, but she’s not a good person. She’s a person with different traits, with layers, and she’s seeking who she is. In this season, there’s an arc to her story. Hopefully, she’ll find we’ll find out who she is, by the end of it.”
Originating in the iconic Frank Miller-penned Daredevil stories of the late 1970s and early ’80s, which transformed the blind vigilante series into the gritty noir-inspired form it’s best known for today, Elektra is a deadly female assassin who serves the supernaturally-inclined Ninja cult “The Hand.” In her debut (which Miller openly admits is largely inspired by the backstory of Sand Serif from Will Eisner’s The Spirit) her mission in New York on behalf of her clan becomes complicated when Daredevil recognizes her voice as that of Elektra Natchios - the daughter of a murdered Greek ambassador with whom had been romantically involved as a teenager.
Though memorably killed off at the conclusion of her storyline,Elektra has since been resurrected multiple times (over Miller’s objections) and is one of Marvel’s most popular female antiheroes. However, her subsequent appearances have been controversial among some fans; with some feeling that having her embrace a more heroic role (or a more overtly villainous one, for that matter) at various points has weakened the character’s original mystique. During the Secret Invasion crossover, Marvel retconned several of her then-recent character turns as having actually been perpetrated by a Skrull impostor; though the “real” Elektra remains alive and active currently.
The character was previously portrayed by Jennifer Garner in the 2003 Daredevil movie opposite Ben Affleck before reviving the character for an unsuccessful spinoff film - though neither installment was especially successful and the liberties taken with Elektra especially were roundly rejected by fans. It likely won’t be difficult for Yung and Marvel to create a preferable version by comparison, though like with Daredevil himself much early criticism can be expected to involve the character’s famous costume - a subject where Yung refused to elaborate beyond “There’s definitely a costume.”
One question that’s yet to be answered is what role Elektra will actually play in the Daredevil season 2 storyline. Traditionally, her origin (as part of Daredevil’s adult life) involves a complicated setup that includes the villains Kingpin and Bullseye; but Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) is not yet confirmed to return for season 2 and Bullseye has not been cast at all yet. On the other hand, several unanswered plot questions from season 1 centered on The Hand and other enterprises connected to Eastern criminal organizations, so its possible she is onhand to help set those plots in motion rather than something closer to her comic origin.
Daredevil season 1 and Jessica Jones season 1 are now available on Netflix. Daredevil season 2 will debut on Netflix on March 18th, 2016, followed by Luke Cage season 1 later in 2016. Release dates for Iron Fist and The Defenders on Netflix have not yet been announced. Screen Rant will keep you updated on the Punisher spinoff as development continues.
Source: Collider
