The Daredevil: Born Again Premiere Heats Up Hell’s Kitchen
Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again hit Disney+ last night with two hour-long episodes. It’s nice to get so much content so fast, especially after such a long wait. MCU fans last saw Matt Murdock in a few cameos, but it’s been almost a decade since the properly dedicated stories of Daredevil and The Defenders. So at 6 PM PT/9 PM ET, Marvel launched us back into the world of vigilantes, lawyers, and blind justice.
Born Again will release weekly until another double drop for episodes 5 and 6 on March 25. Perhaps an indication of a very interconnected plot point or dramatic turn? Finally, Born Again will finish with episode 9, AKA the season 1 finale, on April 15. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s look at those very first episodes. With shocks and surprises galore, let’s recap and review “Heaven’s Half Hour” and “Optics.”
Daredevil: Born Again spoilers ahead.
“Heaven’s Half Hour”
First of all, a huge round of applause to both Charlie Cox and Deborah Ann Woll. Truly dedicated performers, they do all the emotional heavy lifting in the premiere. While they aren’t exempt from the awkward attempts at world building (I’m thinking of the “friends rule” scene), they do pull out all the stops for the premiere’s inciting incident. Essentially, “Heaven’s Half Hour” sets us up at the gang’s old watering hole, Josie’s Bar. Matt, Foggy, and Karen leave the Nelson, Murdock & Page Law Firm to attend an NYPD detective’s retirement party. We get the usual discussion of vigilante justice versus police action before Bullseye gate-crashes.
The fight itself is quite exciting. Bullseye’s in a dark purple costume, and Matt’s in his deep red. They complement each other like a fresh bruise, trading blows and paying homage to Netflix’s choreography — hello, hallway and stairwell sequences. Yet what is most important about this altercation is that Bullseye begins by shooting Foggy. I’ll admit that I’m not overly shocked by Foggy’s death. They had to split up the trio, and they weren’t going to kill Karen.
No, what actually made me gasp aloud was Daredevil’s reaction to his best friend’s death. Fully intending to kill the villain, Daredevil pushes Bullseye off a building. His shame and sorrow prompts him to unmask and toss the horned helmet after Bullseye’s broken body. Then, Detective Cherry discovers the vigilante’s true identity.
One Year Later
I do love a time skip. Let’s just accelerate past the fallout and into the present. Here, Wilson and Vanessa Fisk reunite in a room filled with stunning and controversial art (see the painting above). Although Vanessa took over the business in her husband’s absence, he’s back and wants to run things differently. Kingpin is no more. Now, Wilson Fisk is legit — and he’s running for mayor despite widespread protests. However, his opponent is less popular because he wants to register vigilantes. This is likely a nod to the Civil War arc in Marvel comics.
Wilson Fisk wins, but we knew that was going to happen. More importantly, Matt Murdock is furious. Plus, Kingpin is helping some parts of the city while putting stopgaps on the legal/justice systems through threats and coercion. The office may have changed but the criminal can’t hide.
Devil’s in the Details
The two-episode premiere really takes painstaking care to catch viewers up. Whether you watched all three seasons of Netflix’s Daredevil or not, the Born Again pilot establishes relationships, timelines, and what still counts as canon. And while the rest of the premiere impresses, that catch-up is kind of disappointing. It is entirely pushed through dialogue. It’s also stilted and strange, with characters discussing things they really already should know about each other or their world. We also hear a few cringe-worthy lines meant to be pulled as sound bites such as, “Tonight you’re crime. You don’t pay.”
However, this method gets the job done fast. After all, there’s a lot to unpack in these first two episodes. And it’s difficult to merge another property — plus all its characters and their baggage — into the existing and ever-expanding MCU. Marvel wants to jump right into the action, and who can blame them?
New Characters in Daredevil: Born Again
Some fresh faces and supporting characters round out our ensemble. BB Urich, named after her uncle Ben Urich, investigates corruption. Her news segments intersperse scenes in an interesting and well-utilized directorial choice. We also have Sheila Rivera working as Mayor Fisk’s aide and the fumbling Daniel Blake on staff, as well. Buck Cashman is Fisk’s private bodyguard.
Then, on the heroes’ side, we’ve got Heather Glenn and Kirsten McDuffie. Kirsten is Matt’s new partner at their joint law firm, Murdock & McDuffie. Meanwhile, Dr. Heather Glenn is a therapist and Matt’s latest love interest. At the end of episode 2, she signs on the Fisks as her new clients.
“Optics”
Thankfully, “Optics” ushers us forward even more. We finally unmask White Tiger, who appeared briefly on the news channel in episode 1. Since Daredevil?no longer protects the Kitchen, White Tiger is picking up the slack. Yet when Hector Ayala rescues a man in the subway station, he isn’t wearing his amulet or suit. He’s a good man inside and out, but the corrupt cops who arrest him paint him as a killer.
Daredevil: Born Again clearly establishes an environment where vigilantes are not welcome. Mayor Fisk alludes to the rampant, unchecked violence of both The Punisher and Spider-Man. Hector’s identity as White Tiger makes him a target for violence within prison as he awaits trial — with Matt Murdock representing him, of course. But with Matt’s history of going above and beyond — and around the law — for his clients, we think Hector’s in good hands. Even if those hands come with bloody knuckles.
Lingering Questions
Of course, a premiere always teases things to come. One corrupt cop has a skull logo tattooed on his inner wrist, which suspiciously resembles The Punisher’s logo. Frank Castle wouldn’t want that, so what’s going on? Is this an indication of a larger gang in the NYPD’s force? Also, who is the mysterious mural painter? I’m personally getting my hopes up for known graffiti artist Miles Morales.
Overall, Daredevil: Born Again simmers with tension while setting up for a brutal season. We may have left Hell’s Kitchen, but Daredevil will undoubtedly return as the heat dials higher.? That scene with Matt in his apartment overcooking and burning his meal — let’s call that a metaphor for things to come. Flames roar, smoke rises, and the devil must have his due.
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