Elektra Part 5: Daredevil #175 (October, 1981)

Elektra’s fifth appearance delves into her ninja background.

I have this story in the Daredevil Visionaries: Frank Miller Vol. 2 trade.

Elektra’s usual morning calisthenics are interrupted by a visit from Daredevil. He tells her that he’s lost his radar sense from the explosion last issue, and wants to know why ninja are after Matt Murdock and his client. Elektra responds by tossing him out a window. She follows Matt as he prevents a ninja from killing Foggy, and together they find a clue that leads to an Asian oddities shop. Knowing it’s a trap, Elektra goes in disguised as a typical New Yorker. She kills several Hand members (with Daredevil tagging along) when she comes face to face with Kirigi – the legendary ninja assassin that strikes fear into the hearts of other ninja. They fight, and Elektra deals some fatal blows, but Kirigi doesn’t fall. During the battle, Elektra learns that Kirigi’s boss, or Jonin, is a former sensei of hers when she was a member of The Hand who tried to win her affections but was rejected. Elektra manages to stab Kirigi with his own sword, and as he lumbers off, she turns her attention back to the Jonin. Upon killing him, Elektra is now free from The Hand, but her happiness is cut short by Daredevil who threatens to take her to jail before collapsing. She toys with the idea of letting him bleed to death, but saves him (again) anyway.

Notes of Interest:
1) We learn that Elektra’s had intensive training while with The Hand. She’s badass, and can handle any threat she faces, but…

2) …She needs to decide if Matt’s a threat or not.

3) Elektra tells Matt he’s useless without his radar. Damn, she can be cold.

WTF? Moment: Will she make up her damn mind already about her feelings for Matt? It feels like she wants to love him but Miller won’t let her.

WTF? Moment #2: I understand that Kirigi is a major ninja threat, but he pulled that Kyoketsu-Shugi rope-knife out of thin air. I gotta call bullshit on that.

WTF? Moment #3: As choppy as Elektra’s look has been, there’s no questioning Miller’s ability to sequence a scene. The fighting is choreographed beautifully.