Freeform's Cloak & Dagger managed to cleverly reference Netflix's Luke Cage during its first season, thanks to a crucial bit of dialogue that made it clear Cloak & Dagger's Brigid O'Reilly used to work with Luke Cage's Misty Knight. So how did the Marvel universe reference that connected the Freeform series to the Netflix hit come to be? Cloak & Dagger's showrunner Joe Pokaski told the behind-the-scenes story, saying:
It came from someone at Marvel. I love [Luke Cage showrunner] Cheo [Hodari Coker], and I'm a big fan of [Misty Knight actor] Simone [Missick], so I've always been like, 'What can we do? How can we get Misty Knight? She's the coolest.' Somebody had come up with the facts, like, since the Brigid character was from New York, we should reference it. Perhaps she has been friends or ridden with Misty at some point. And all parties seemed cool with it. It was one of those little things where if you don't know what they are talking about, it doesn't really affect your experience.
And that's how the reference came to fruition! Fans are trained to listen and look for little in-universe moments like the one Joe Pakaski explained creating in his interview with Vulture. Cloak & Dagger's reference to Misty Knight tied in with a moment in Luke Cage's second season. Wherein, Misty mentions "O'Reilly" as a former detective, who has moved to New Orleans -- the home base of Cloak & Dagger. All of which ties in with Cloak & Dagger making mention of Brigid having used to work alongside Misty Knight.
Cloak & Dagger's reference to the universe of Luke Cage runs along the lines of showrunner Joe Pokaski's previous hints of how the characters of Tandy and Tyrone could crossover to other Marvel properties. Only time will tell if Season 2 will find Cloak & Dagger making reference to another series in the Marvel universe. At 2018's San Diego Comic-Con the series' leads answered which of Marvel's heroes they would like to have on the show in the future.
Olivia Holt chose Jessica Jones, and Aubrey Joseph said, Luke Cage. With Cloak & Dagger making reference to the latter hero's series, Joseph's answer would be a cool continuation to what's already been set in place. It is flourishes like the one Cloak & Dagger pulled off with Luke Cage that are so essential to the Marvel franchise. They tie a series into the overarching universe all of the characters take part in, without having to work out a guest appearance from the character that is being mentioned.
Those are the sort of Easter eggs fans live for, and in his interview, Joe Pokaski confirmed that "not many" of Season 1's eggs were missed by the show's observant viewers. So keep paying attention because Season 2 is bound to include its fair share as well. Who knows, you may even hear someone mention Misty Knight again, Luke Cage, or both!
Cloak & Dagger has been renewed by Freeform for a second season. No premiere date for it has been announced by Freeform yet. You can currently binge-watch the first season on Hulu to pass the time while waiting. For new television content set to arrive before summer ends, check out CinemaBlend's summer premiere guide. For new television shows set to bow this fall, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's fall premieres.
