And I don't think it was intended to end up well for him. I think we'd have been seeing stories focused on how power corrupts - or at least tempts one into corruption - before Luke pulled his head out of his posterior and became a better man again. Pretty good, meaty stuff for a season of a superhero show.
Exactly. And I thought that fall could very well be set up to leave him in a good place for Heroes for Hire to make sense. This process would probably have enough besmirching that he's no longer super-respected in Harlem. The endorsement deals fall through, he needs cash, and so on.