Daredevil: Born Again – A Brutal, Nostalgic Return or a Repetitive Letdown?
Warning: Full spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again episodes 1 and 2 ahead!
Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again kicks off with a two-part premiere that pulls no punches—literally. From the very first scene, it throws us into a visceral, bone-crunching fight sequence that reassures fans: Matt Murdock is back, and he hasn’t lost his edge. This isn’t just a reboot; it’s a spiritual continuation of the beloved Netflix series, effectively making it Daredevil Season 4 in everything but name. But does this new installment stand tall on its own, or is it merely a shadow of past greatness?
Hell’s Kitchen Heats Up Again
The premiere opens with an almost blissful scene—Matt Murdock sharing drinks with longtime friends Foggy Nelson and Karen Page, played once again by Elden Henson and Deborah Ann Woll. But in classic Daredevil fashion, happiness is fleeting. The return of Benjamin Poindexter—fully embracing his Bullseye persona—sets the stage for one of the most breathtaking, brutal fight sequences in MCU history. With razor-sharp knives, billiard balls as deadly projectiles, and a seamless one-shot tracking sequence through a bar and apartment complex, this showdown is pure comic book spectacle.
Then comes the gut punch: Foggy Nelson’s death. Yes, after all they’ve been through, Matt watches his best friend die, an event that shakes him to his core. If ever there was a moment to break Matt’s moral code, this is it. And indeed, we see a side of him we never expected—one who nearly kills Bullseye in cold blood. But instead of embracing vengeance, he walks away—not as Daredevil, but as a lawyer, seemingly retiring his vigilante alter ego for good. Sound familiar? That’s because Daredevil already played this card in Season 3. And that’s where Born Again starts feeling less like a rebirth and more like a remix.
Kingpin’s New Playground – The Political Arena
The biggest twist? Wilson Fisk, played with chilling gravitas by Vincent D’Onofrio, is no longer just the Kingpin of crime. He’s now the mayor of New York City. This new dynamic—Attorney Murdock versus Mayor Fisk—elevates Born Again into something more than just another street-level crime thriller. The tension crackles in their first face-to-face encounter at a diner. No fists fly, but the atmosphere is thick with unspoken threats, making it one of the show’s standout moments.
Fisk’s rise to power also taps into real-world anxieties. A convicted felon securing a prominent political office? In 2025, that’s less of a far-fetched comic book plot and more of a ripped-from-the-headlines scenario. Yet, curiously, Born Again sidesteps any mention of the Sokovia Accords—Marvel’s long-standing superhero regulation laws. Given Fisk’s obsession with vigilante control, one would expect this to play a role in his agenda. Is Marvel quietly phasing out one of its most divisive plot points?
New Faces, Old Problems
The second episode introduces a fresh vigilante: White Tiger, played by the late Kamar de los Reyes. His tragic backstory of wrongful imprisonment adds an emotional layer to the story, though Matt chastising him for his nighttime crime-fighting is dripping with irony. When corrupt cops attempt to execute Murdock, we witness one of the most savage, rage-fueled fights in Daredevil history. The sheer brutality—culminating in a blood-curdling scream—proves Marvel isn’t toning things down. And that arm-break? Yeah, that one’s going to haunt me.
But while the main Matt/Fisk storyline is compelling, Born Again stumbles when it comes to its supporting cast. Missing are the richly layered characters like Agent Nadeem or Wesley. Instead, we get a forgettable detective and a bland new lawyer partner. Even Poindexter, who was a deeply complex antagonist in Season 3, has been reduced to a one-note villain. It’s a missed opportunity for deeper storytelling.
MCU Connections – Finally, a Unified Universe
For longtime Marvel fans, Born Again is finally doing what once seemed impossible: fully integrating Netflix’s Daredevil into the larger MCU. Mayor Fisk casually references Spider-Man, a nod that would have been unheard of just a few years ago. We’ve already seen Charlie Cox’s Murdock pop up in Spider-Man: No Way Home, She-Hulk, and Echo, but now, his world is colliding with the greater Marvel Universe in a way that feels organic. And did anyone else catch that Punisher tattoo on the corrupt cop’s arm? If that’s a tease for Jon Bernthal’s return, sign me up.
Final Verdict: Is Born Again Truly ‘Born Again’?
Daredevil: Born Again delivers the gut-wrenching drama and brutal action that made the Netflix series a fan favorite. The political chess game between Murdock and Fisk breathes fresh life into their rivalry, making it feel as high-stakes as ever. But there’s no denying the déjà vu—another “Daredevil No More” storyline, another round of Matt wrestling with his identity. Born Again doesn’t quite feel like the rebirth its title promises; it’s more of a greatest-hits album with a few new tracks.
Still, it’s early days, and there’s plenty of time for Born Again to prove it has more up its sleeve. If it can flesh out its supporting cast and bring new layers to familiar themes, it just might justify its resurrection. But for now? Let’s call it Daredevil: Born Again… Again.
Other Thoughts:
- Bullseye’s costume now features black rings around the shoulders, giving him his classic “target” look from the comics.
- Reportedly, Foggy and Karen weren’t originally part of Born Again, and were added later. Imagine bringing Foggy back just to kill him off—ouch!
- Fisk name-dropping Spider-Man? If this doesn’t lead to a showdown, we riot.
- That Punisher tattoo… Foreshadowing? We can only hope.
Score: 8.5/10 – Brutal, nostalgic, but slightly repetitive.
