Netflix and Marvel's The Defenders: What Should We Expect?(SPOILERS)

We've now had the release of "the final defender" Iron Fist so now it is time to see what we should expect to see in Netflix and Marvel's The Defenders series which is slated to be released this year. Beware as there will be *SPOILERS AHEAD* for all previous shows.

Below I've compiled a list of easter egg videos (including the latest, Iron Fist) all put together nicely by YouTube channel Mr Sunday Movies. These video's may not tell us much about what to expect from The Defenders but it does do a nice job in showing how vast the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) is. I really don't recommend moving further on if you have not watched all the Marvel Netflix shows as there will be *SPOILERS*.
The videos are not the chronological order in which they were released but in the order of which I think they're relevant to shaping The Defenders series. Also under each easter egg video I will state what I expect from this season to carry over into The Defenders. So let us begin.

Daredevil Season 1 Easter Eggs video. (by Mr Sunday Movies)

Daredevil is the first of the series in the run up to The Defenders and sets the tone of a more grounded realistic vibe which follows through the Marvel Netflix shows. We meet Stick who returns in season 2 and is heard in The Defenders trailer (which is linked further down and to be spoke about later).
We are slightly introduced to Stone via a cameo but is a big part of Stick's clan and enemy of The Hand, The Chaste which may also be part of The Defenders as The Hand are speculated to be a major role in the upcoming show.
In the episode with Stick, he wants Daredevil to kill a child who's mentioned to be a Black Sky. Black Sky is said to be a powerful force for The Hand.
Daredevil's homemade outfit is not just similar to his first costume in Frank Miller's comic run but is also similar to an Iron Fist costume if it were to be green and yellow. I think the starter costume of Daredevil could be enough to Influence Danny Rand to take a costume in The Defenders as he never had his comic book outfit represented in his series.
Claire Temple is also presented to us and is referenced to be Night Nurse, a character in the comics who looks after the street level heroes when injured. Claire also has reoccurred across the other shows too.
A minor character who is only referred to as Madame Gao runs a drugs business and uses the symbol of The Steel Serpent, a rival of Iron Fist in the comics.

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Jessica Jones 1 Easter Eggs video. (by Mr Sunday Movies)

Jessica Jones does not really offer much but it does introduce higher power level characters than Daredevil. Jessica Jones has super strength (and possibly flight as it wasn't truly confirmed) and the shows villain Kilgrave has the power of mind control which was displayed to be very powerful with his creative and intelligent use of such power.
The show introduces us to Luke Cage (one of The Defenders and a character who has his own series set after the events of this one) who possesses the power of super strength and impervious skin. So now we have links made with two main characters of The Defenders through Cage and Jones but also Claire Temple from Daredevil transfers over for a while to give aid to Cage. Claire Temple now knows three of the four Defenders.
Jones' friend Trish Walker (in the comics is a hero named Hellcat) has taken up martial arts training and towards the end of the season helps Jessica take down Kilgrave. It has been confirmed that Trish will be in The Defenders and I imagine she may take a few more vital steps closer to becoming if not becoming Hellcat in The Defenders.

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Luke Cage Season 1 Easter Eggs video. (by Mr Sunday Movies)

Luke Cage continuing his journey after the events of Jessica Jones, begins to learn his powers can be placed in the force of good and defend the people. Obviously a big step for the character as he was concerned about staying hidden but has now become a hero and is in the public's eye. This points to us that in The Defenders he will be more willing to be a hero and part of a team unlike the character of Jessica Jones.
Misty Knight is introduced to us as a detective who believes in the good Luke does but also in the Justice System. Knight is a member of Heroes for Hire with Cage, and Colleen Wing and Danny Rand who are to be seen in the Iron Fist series. This is a team from the comics and so could be a future series from Marvel and Netflix and possibly form foundations in the upcoming The Defenders series in which Knight's character is said to return but the size of the role is unknown.
Claire Temple again makes her appearance and forms a romantic bond with Cage. Her appearance after cropping up in three of the four shows now proves that she is a major role in introducing our band of heroes. Some proof of this is in the final act when Cage is arrested and she tells him she knows a skilled lawyer who can help, a reference to Daredevil's identity Matt Murdock.
Let's not forget Cage knows Jessica Jones and may possibly call up on her for help and that Jones knows a rather powerful lawyer herself, Jeri Hogarth. Hogarth also appears in Iron Fist as does Claire Temple. Claire Temple is seen at the end choosing to attend self defence classes taught by Colleen Wing who too appears in Iron Fist.

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Iron Fist Season 1 Easter Eggs video. (by Mr Sunday Movies)

Iron Fist, the last of the four Defenders we meet is a living weapon and sworn enemy of The Hand, previously mentioned as been the most likely villain for The Defenders.
Rand in the comics forms a strong bromance with Luke Cage (in The Defenders I think their bond will be formed through the love of Hip-Hop music as it features in both shows as an interest of theirs) and form the team Heroes for Hire which also contains Misty Knight (who we met in Luke Cage) and Colleen Wing in which we meet in this series.
Wing encounters Rand early on and form a relationship. In the Marvel Ultimate universe these characters are married. This I think is relevant as in the regular Marvel comics continuity Rand and Misty Knight are known as a couple but I don't see that happening in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).
Again, like Daredevil, The Hand are the antagonists and are up to no good. This is now two of our four defenders at war with The Hand.
Claire Temple makes her expected appearance as we know from Luke Cage she is training under the tuition of Wing.  Claire now uses her new fighting skills using some claws in an episode to fight The Hand along side Rand and Wing. These claws I think play reference to Marvel Comic's White Tiger, a hero who is also a member of Heroes for Hire. A White Tiger was referenced in Jessica Jones but there are several incarnations in the comics. I think that because the MCU has a Night Nurse in the films played by Rachel McAdams in Doctor Strange that they are going to change Claire's role into a new version of White Tiger, possibly throughout the course of The Defenders series.
As it turns out, Madame Gao is an enemy to Rand. She is speculated to be a take on Marvel Comic's The Crane Mother. I don't think she will appear in The Defenders but I'm certain she'll play a larger part in a season 2 of Iron Fist.
The Hand are also relevant for returning Harold Meachum to life, could this be of similar methods used on Nobu in Daredevil, most likely.
By the end of the show Rand and Colleen are still together and discover K'un-Lun (a mystical city where Rand was trained) that the gates to K'un-Lun had closed or K'un-Lun has disappeared, as it was not confirmed which. The Hand had a play in it somehow as Rand and Wing find bodies belonging to The Hand at the gate. Who had killed them is also not stated as it is not stated who has closed the gates to or why K'un-Lun may have disappeared.
I believe Rand will return to New York seeking vengeance on The Hand only to somehow get involved with the trouble that brings our team of Defenders together. What or how that may be, I don't know.

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Daredevil Season 2 Easter Eggs video. (by Mr Sunday Movies)

Daredevil's second season may have been before both Luke Cage and Iron Fist but I got to this last as I think this is the most relevant to where The Defenders series is going.
After the events of the first season, he has a real costume that allows him to take a tougher beating and by the end of this season he acquires his signature billy clubs with grapple capabilities. So the hero with a lesser physical power set is now armed for stronger villains, villains yet to appear in The Defenders maybe or simply the return of The Hand or maybe both?
Madame Gao returns this season and helps Daredevil only to benefit her drug trade. There is no confirmation she is of The Hand as she warns Daredevil of a larger threat. Is this larger threat The Hand or something to appear in The Defenders, time will tell but I think it's all in relation to The Hand.
We are introduced to The Punisher this season, expanding on the characters existing within the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) and although he starts as a villain to Daredevil, they end on good terms. The Punisher has been confirmed to be getting his own series with a release believed to be in 2017. The Punisher has been filming while The Defenders has so will his character make an appearance? I think so even though it is not confirmed. Yet Karen Page is to be in both The Punisher and The Defenders which is why I have such a thought. She could possibly be relaying information to The Punisher as Daredevil may require some help.
We also meet Matt Murdock's love interest Elektra who was mentioned briefly in season 1. Elektra and Daredevil team up a couple of times to fight The Hand and also team up with Stick for a while too. When they're with Stick they discover a giant pit inside a warehouse that is so deep it is practically bottomless. This pit was never answered by the end of the season but it is speculated that The Hand will be using it to release a demon.
The Hand are seen to be very powerful this time around as Nobu, a member of The Hand that had died in season 1 is now alive and well in season 2. Possibly by the same means The Hand had revived Harold Meachum in Iron Fist.
Daredevil meeting Elektra and fighting along side her is introducing him to working as a team although he does not enjoy the idea it is already building his character to be more open for help when The Defenders are thrown together.
The season ends with Nelson and Murdock going separate ways, Nelson joins Jeri Hogarth and Murdock reveals he is Daredevil to Karen Page although whether he remains a lawyer is unclear. Karen is a journalist by the end of the season too so the little law firm  has disbanded completely.
The Hand are draining blood from teenagers and are said to be like incubators by Claire. These teenagers I believe are linked to the Resurrection of Elektra and/or the rising of the demon to possess Elektra.
Elektra has been killed but it is revealed her body is taken by The Hand to be revived someway. Is it the same as Nobu or Meachum? Most likely, it would seem strange for The Hand to have multiple ways to resurrect the dead. It was also revealed that Elektra is a Black Sky, a deadly force for The Hand to use. Now take this knowledge of Elektra being a Black Sky, the pit is possibly to release some demon and add the fact that in the comics Daredevil was possessed by a demon in a story known as Shadowland and that in another story line Elektra has been resurrected. Then it is possible that those story lines may get merged to have Elektra revived to be possessed by the demon as highly relevant to The Defenders plot as let's not forget, it is confirmed Elektra is in The Defenders series. 

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So let's now take a look at what they've shown us of The Defenders. Below is the trailer and below that a breakdown video of the trailer by New Rockstars.

Netflix and Marvel's The Defenders Trailer

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The Defenders Trailer Breakdown video. (by New Rockstars)

This breakdown video displays every reason why I think it is one of the best teasers made. But what this video doesn't point out is the line of the song when we see the hand spread over the city, the line is "as a known enemy" which clearly highlights the fact that The Hand the threat within the show. This video does get one thing wrong though. The release date for Iron Fist as we've had that on March 17th. I think the date is May 12th although  I also think the date is more relevant for The Defenders but not a series release date. Instead I think it is when we'll find out the series release date via a new trailer.

Below is a promotional Image for The Defenders done for Entertainment Weekly. I chose this image out of a couple as I think it speaks more about the show.

This above image shows our four lead heroes of The Defenders. Firstly look at the background, it's China Town. This is where the Hand have been seen to operate and so it is the likely reason why it is chosen to be here as a representation of the city and the enemy within it. Secondly, the graffiti as we can see it originally was public enemies. Is this a reference that Luke Cage and Daredevil have had the law against them or is it stating that the team will have the law against them in The Defenders. 
Notice how Defenders is in another font,to show how their image will change completely after been seen as enemies. The font is bigger and stronger looking as if to say look how much stronger we are when united. The fact it is red stands out against the black shows us that they are the bright side, the good to the dark. The red could also relate to how the public see their true selves as the defenders as oppose to when they were seen as criminals.
Now look at each characters pose, they're showing us how they will be as a team already. Luke is sat down, displaying a relaxed and open presence. Yet his arm is held up and clutching the van showing his strength and possibly his grip on situations.
Matt is standing in a purposeful position as if readying for a fight while loosening his tie. Almost as if he's asserting himself as leader.
Jessica too is standing, almost turned away as if she doesn't want to be there. Her posture seems strong and rather dominant and so we should expect to see friction between her and Matt.
Danny too is crouched, almost sat looking relaxed and open like Luke but has his right hand clenched as if ready to fight or reminding us/himself he is The Iron Fist.
All their faces are stern scowls as if to intimidate a foe and with the expression been shared, so is the foe.

Speaking of foe, Sigourney Weaver has been cast as the villain to The Defenders and an image can be seen below, again from the Entertainment Weekly photo shoot. 

The character played by Weaver is only known as Alexandra. The Defenders showrunner Marco Ramirez has been quoted as calling her "ultimate badass" and carried on to describe her as "a very powerful force in New York City. She's everything Sigourney is: sophisticated, intellectual, dangerous."  With the image above that is definitely obvious although dangerous, she does not look. But Sigourney is known for her physically dominant role of Ripley in the Alien franchise so lets not put it past her. Her intelligence and obvious power from wealth which is depicted in the above image could also make her a dangerous adversary for The Defenders.
It has also been said that she is not a comic book villain but I don't buy that comment. From a little research I've done online, I think she's a gender swapped Alex Bont. Bont in the comics was the Kingpin before Fisk and so it makes sense for her to be a big player in New York since Fisk is in prison. 
We have previously learnt that The Hand are controlling businesses in New York in Daredevil and Iron Fist shows. So it is possible that The Hand are manipulating Alexandra to help with the control across New York.

Remember this is just my thoughts and predictions of what to expect in The Defenders when released later this year. If you agree with anything or disagree, please get in touch via Twitter or Facebook. Especially if you have more information or different theories.
I am really anticipating The Defenders as I have greatly enjoyed the previous Marvel Netflix shows and cannot wait to see these heroes band together. I will be waiting for May 12th to see what happens in relation to The Defenders. I do expect further news then as it is said to be released this Summer, so keep on the look out.