9) There’s No Over-Reliance On One Character In The Defenders
One of the biggest flaws of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is centred around one thing; over-reliance on certain key individuals. Whether it’s Iron Man or Captain America, the MCU has created an environment in which it perceives it cannot function without involvement from one or more established heroes. Admittedly, these characters have been responsible for getting the movies off the ground since 2008, but their constant over-involvement is stifling new blood. While the Netflix series haven’t been around anywhere near as long, the frequency with which new shows keep appearing means they’re nearly as well-established as the MCU movies.
The Defenders brought all of the heroes together for the first time this past summer, much like The Avengers respectively did in 2012. What was clear in the more recent example, however, was how the team is stronger now than it was then. The Avengers functions entirely on the efforts of Iron Man (or Tony Stark, in places) and the rest of the heroes are essentially there for the big set pieces.
In The Defenders, each character has been woven in to a key role in the story. As a result, each of their strengths are more evident and their ability to work as a team ultimately becomes the biggest test for them. The story feels far more balanced and there’s no sense of anyone simply being dragged along for the ride by a stronger personality in a lead role.