Although gifted with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin, Luke Cage prefers to keep a low-profile working at the neighborhood barbershop and as a dishwasher in a nightclub owned by the ruthless Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes. As an arms deal between Cottonmouth and another crime boss goes terribly awry, tensions rise in the streets of Harlem and Luke is forced to step in before more blood is spilled.

As a favor to an old friend, Luke tries to help a kid who’s in trouble with Cottonmouth. NYPD detectives Misty Knight and Rafael Scarfe find their way to Pop’s Barbershop where Luke and Misty cross paths again. As Luke searches for a peaceful resolution between the kid and Cottonmouth, he’s pulled deeper into the fight as things take a wrong turn.

Reeling from an unexpected death, Luke seeks revenge targeting the most important thing to Cottonmouth, his money. While the cat-and-mouse game between Luke and Cottonmouth escalates, Misty grows more suspicious about Luke given his connection with her investigation.

Luke looks back to his past at Seagate Prison. During his time there, he grows close to the prison psychiatrist, Dr. Reva Conners. And before Luke and Reva are able to expose the corruption of the prison guards, Luke is brutally beaten and is put through an experimental procedure that delivers unexpected results.

In an attempt to recover from his financial woes, Cottonmouth strikes back and begins extorting the people of Harlem and throws the blame at Luke. When the neighborhood start showing up at Luke’s doorsteps pleading for help, Luke has no choice, but to step in. With the lives of the local residents at stake, Detective Knight gives Luke a reality check warning him that starting a war could potentially destroy all of Harlem.

After a bloody fallout with Cottonmouth and faced with little options, Scarfe seeks help from Luke Cage and Claire Temple. In return, Scarfe offers up incriminating evidence that would put Cottonmouth behind bars. Things quickly prove difficult as Cottonmouth isn’t one that leaves loose ends and issues a bounty for Scarfe’s head setting his entire gang searching the streets of Harlem.