When the Marvel series that were created for Netflix made the jump to Disney+, there was concern from many corners that the various Marvel series might see significant edits, considering they would instantly become the most mature content on the family friendly streaming service. For the most part, it appears the content has remained intact, but there have been some changes, including the removal of a couple of In Memoriam tributes, to both Stan Lee and actor Reg E Cathey.
In a strange twist, it turns out that a pair of tributes that were originally attached to Marvel series are no longer there. The final episode of Luke Cage Season 2 includes an in memoriam statement remembering actor Reg E Cathey who played Reverend James Lucas, the father of Luke Cage. Series creator Cheo Hodari Coker responded to the removal on Twitter with confusion and frustration, saying…
I mean, why do this? Reg E Cathey was part of the heart and soul of Season Two. We didn't feel obligated to dedicate the season to him just because he died -- we felt obligated because we loved him and he was a galvanizing force.
The other removal is apparently even more curious, as the final episode of The Punisher Season 2 no longer includes a tribute to Stan Lee. This is all the more odd because a similar tribute to Stan Lee still exists at the end of Season 3 of Jessica Jones.
It’s possible that the removal of the Stan Lee tribute from The Punisher was a case of dealing with something that was seen as potentially in bad taste originally. The finale of the season, and The Punisher in general, is quite violent, even compared to the other mature Marvel series. Not everybody thought following that up with “In Loving Memory of Stan Lee” was good form.
But even if that’s the case, it doesn’t explain why the tribute to Reg E. Cathey was taken out. The end of Luke Cage Season 2 simply sees the title hero having taken a position of power in Harlem. All it does is tease a quite interesting Season 3 we will probably never see.
It’s possible that something just got lost in the shuffle between Netflix and Disney+. The series are all currently only available on Disney+ in HD, despite being seen in 4K on Netflix. That will be fixed at some point, but the decision was made by Disney to release the slightly lower quality versions for expediency, and it’s possible other things fell through the cracks in that process.
Hopefully, with attention being drawn, these can be updated and put back in place. These tributes were put there with purpose and they should be returned.
