Marvel Studios officially revealed when the Netflix MCU seasons take place on the cinematic timeline.
When Echo released on Disney+, the Marvel Netflix series were all made canon within the MCU.
It was unclear after Disney retained the rights to characters like Daredevil and Kingpin whether their Netflix iterations were canon in the MCU. Still, now fans can look back at exactly when each season of The Defenders branch takes place.
Timeline of 11 Canonized MCU Netflix Shows
Following What If...? Season 2 and Echo, Marvel Entertainment released a new MCU timeline, including every season of Marvel's Netflix shows.
Daredevil Season 1
Kicking off the Marvel Netflix era was Daredevil, starring Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio and Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk, respectively. Season 1 chronicled the dual life of Murdock who, blinded in a childhood accident, became a vigilante fighting injustice in Hell's Kitchen by day as a respected lawyer and a masked hero by night.
On the MCU timeline, Daredevil Season 1 is after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and I Am Groot Seasons 1 & 2 but before Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Jessica Jones Season 1
Season 1 of Jessica Jones follows a retired superhero who establishes a detective agency after the traumatic end of her crime-fighting days due to Kilgrave's (David Tennant) influence. The series starred Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones and Mike Colter as Luke Cage.
Canonically, it's set soon after Daredevil Season 1 and before the Earth-altering events of Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Daredevil Season 2
In Season 2, Matt Murdock faced a new foe in Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) while reigniting a romance with Elektra Natchios (Élodie Yung), but matters only got worse when Frank became The Punisher. Matt struggled to balance his roles as a lawyer serving his community and the vigilante Devil of Hell's Kitchen.
Conaonically, Season 2 happened after 2015's Ant-Man and right before an onslaught of several Netflix Marvel shows.
Luke Cage Season 1
Mike Colter returns for Season 1 of Luke Cage, giving the indestructible hero his story. During the first season, a sabotaged experiment grants him super strength, and Luke Cage becomes a fugitive attempting to reconstruct his life in contemporary Harlem, NYC. Mahershala Ali notably stars as the series lead antagonist Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes.
Building toward the eventual Defenders team-up series, Luke Cage Season 1 is directly after Daredevil Season 2.
Iron Fist Season 1
Iron Fist Season 1 tracks Danny Rand's (Finn Jones) return to NYC after a 15-year absence, where he grapples with the decision between honoring his family's heritage and fulfilling his obligations as a new hero.
Regardless of how audiences received the series, it is within the MCU and comes directly after Luke Cage Season 1.
The Defenders
The Defenders was the ultimate Netflix Marvel crossover event, bringing together Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist united by the shared objective of rescuing NYC.
The villains consisted of the Hand, a clandestine organization seeking power and immortality, led by Alexandra (Sigourney Weaver) and including Madame Gao, Sowande, Murakami, and Bakuto.
The only season of The Defenders came directly after Iron Fist Season 1 and before the events of Captain America: Civil War.
Punisher Season 1
A direct spin-off of Daredevil Season 2, Jon Berthnal returned as the leading man in The Punisher Season 2. After avenging his family's death, Frank Castle uncovers a deeper conspiracy in NYC, compelling him to seek justice beyond personal vendettas.
The Punisher Season 1 is within Phase 3 of the MCU, after Spider-Man: Homecoming and before Doctor Strange.
Jessica Jones Season 2
During Season 2, NYC private investigator Jessica Jones started rebuilding her life after she killed her tormentor, Kilgrave, and gained notoriety as a super-powered killer. She reluctantly confronted her identity and dove into her past to uncover the reasons behind it.
Within the MCU, this season of Jessica Jones falls after Doctor Strange on the timeline.
Luke Cage Season 2
Heading into Season 2, Luke Cage became a celebrity in the streets of Harlem, renowned for his bulletproof reputation. Luke's increased public presence prompts him to further protect his community. When John "Bushmaster" McIver (Mustafa Shakir) shows up, he grapples with the line between heroism and villainy.
Luke Cage Season 2 follows the events of Jessica Jones Season 2 on the greater canonized MCU timeline.
Iron Fist Season 2
Miraculously, Iron Fist returned for a second season. This time, Season 2 follows Danny Rand as he utilizes his kung-fu skills and the power of the Iron Fist to combat the criminal underworld corrupting NYC. He also faces personal challenges and a sinister plot threatening his identity and mission to protect the city in the absence of Matt Murdock/Daredevil.
Iron Fist Season 2 follows the events of its Netflix counterpart, Luke Cage Season 2.
Daredevil Season 3
The final Daredevil Netflix Season once again pinned Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk against each other. After being missing for months (following the events of The Defenders), Matt Murdock reemerged as a broken man but must once again become a hero when Fisk is released from prison.
This final season comes after Iron First Season 2 and before Thor: Ragnarok. A sequel series, Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+, is expected to take place on the modern MCU timeline with possible fallout from the events of Avengers: Endgame.
Punisher Season 2
Heading into Season 2, former vigilante Frank Castle is living a quiet life before unexpectedly being pulled into a conspiracy involving the attempted murder of a young girl. While this was the final chapter on Netflix for The Punisher, Bernthal is expected to return on Disney+'s Daredevil: Born Again.
Within the great MCU, Punisher Season 2 follows the events of Thor: Ragnarok.
Jessica Jones Season 3
Jessica Jones Season 3 was the final Marvel Netflix series before the rights reverted to Disney. When Jessica encountered Foolkiller (Jeremy Bobb) early in the season, she and Trish worked to mend their fractured relationship and joined forces to confront him. However, a tragic loss exposed their separate views on heroism, leading them on a collision course during this closing chapter.
Heading into the end of the Infinity Saga, Jessica Jones Season 3 comes after Punisher Season 2 and before Ant-Man and The Wasp.
All 11 of the MCU Netflix series are currently streaming on Disney+.
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