Page - 133 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 03/01

Bulletproof Love: Luke Cage (2016) and Religion | 133www.jrfm.eu 2017, 3/1, 123–155 Luke Cage (2016) contains several other possible Christ-figure elements not mentioned by Baugh. Luke is poor,17 and his submission to the police at the end is a “willing sacrifice”.18 he has a dual nature, “one fantastic and the other mundane”,19 beautifully captured by the name that Cornell gives him: “Dish- washer Lazarus” (E05). He is betrayed by a Judas-figure,20 his old friend Willis stryker who – in a move that is unbelievably on the nose – shoots Luke with the Judas bullets. As for Pop, in both his encouragement of Luke and his death he can be seen as analogous to John the Baptist, someone who “identifies and/or points the way to the Christ-figure, and fades away”.21 it is even possible to see Luke’s hoodies as a gesture towards the “popular image of Jesus in his iconic white robes” (see fig. 9 and 10).22 And then, of course, the show several times goes out of its way to tell us directly that Luke is a Christ-figure. When he confronts Cornell after surviving the mis- 17 Kozlovic 2004, par. 61. 18 Kozlovic 2004, par. 51. 19 Kozlovic 2004, par. 33. 20 Kozlovic 2004, par. 40. 21 Kozlovic 2004, par. 43. 22 Kozlovic 2004, par. 63. The hoodie appears to evoke the image of Jesus specifically as shepherd, as taking care of others, which fits Luke’s reference to Luke 4:18 (discussed below). In fact the first time he wears a hoodie in the series is also the first time he uses his powers, when he protects his landlords from Cornell’s men (E01). When the fight is done, Mrs. Lin says that she wants to pay Luke to help them, and he replies, “i’m not for hire. But you have my word ma’am: i’ve got you.” And then he pops his hood (fig. 10). Fig. 10: Film still, “Moment of Truth”, Luke Cage (2016), S01/E01, 52:46. Fig. 9: Film still, Jesus of Nazareth (Franco Zeffirelli, GB/IT 1977).