Daredevil: Born Again opens with a devastating tragedy as Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) murders Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) in front of his friends. In the aftermath of this loss, a grief-stricken Matt crosses a moral line when he throws Bullseye from a rooftop in a rage-fueled attempt to kill him. Though Bullseye survives the fall, Matt’s Catholic faith is profoundly shaken by his willingness to commit murder. Overwhelmed by guilt and moral conflict, Matt makes the difficult decision to hang up his Daredevil horns, focusing solely on his legal career alongside his new partner, Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James). For much of this season of Daredevil: Born Again, Matt struggles with this self-imposed restriction, attempting to pursue justice exclusively through legal channels while the city around him descends into chaos under Mayor Wilson Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) influence. This internal battle between Matt’s two identities reaches its breaking point in Episode 6, when he finally dons the Daredevil suit again.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 6

Matt’s path back to vigilantism begins with his defense of Hector Ayala (Kamar De Los Reyes) in Episode 2. The situation escalates when Matt discovers Hector is secretly the White Tiger, another vigilante protecting New York’s streets. This revelation immediately parallels Matt’s abandoned dual identity, forcing him to confront the very lifestyle he’s rejected. When corrupt officers threaten to eliminate Nicky Torres (Nick Jordan), the key witness who could exonerate Hector, Matt physically confronts them in Nicky’s apartment. Though he doesn’t wear the Daredevil suit, this moment marks his first return to vigilante-style violence since Foggy’s death, leaving him with bloodied knuckles that serve as a visual reminder of the violence still within him.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Fixes Marvel Fan’s Problem With Netflix Punisher]

Despite Matt’s legal victory in securing Hector’s freedom, the White Tiger is executed shortly after resuming his vigilante activities. This devastating turn of events deepens Matt’s internal conflict. He successfully worked within the system to prove Hector’s innocence, only to see him killed. This sense of failure compounds when Angela Del Toro (Camila Rodriguez), Hector’s niece, approaches Matt in Episode 4, seeking help to continue her uncle’s investigation into mysterious disappearances around an abandoned subway line. Matt’s refusal to step outside legal boundaries leaves him unable to offer meaningful assistance, causing Angela to storm out in frustration after pointedly reminding him of her uncle’s belief that sometimes you must take action yourself. 

The breaking point comes in Episode 6 when Matt learns that Angela has disappeared while investigating the tunnels beneath the city. Matt’s first instinct is to place a 911 call, but he knows that the system he’s committed to cannot respond quickly enough to save her from the serial killer Muse. The weight of his accumulated guilt — over Foggy’s death, over Hector’s murder, and now over Angela’s disappearance after he refused to help her — culminates in Matt putting on his Daredevil costume again. As such, his return to the mask isn’t a rejection of his earlier moral stand but a recognition that both parts of his identity are necessary to truly serve justice.

Matt’s Return to Daredevil Represents a Reconciliation of His Dual Identities

Daredevil: Born Again constructs a deliberate pathway of escalating moral challenges that ultimately lead Matt back to the Daredevil suit. First comes Hector’s case, where Matt witnesses firsthand how corrupt officers fabricate evidence and intimidate witnesses, revealing the system’s vulnerabilities. Then Hector’s murder following his legal exoneration drives home that sometimes courtroom justice isn’t enough to protect the innocent. Angela’s subsequent visit forces Matt to confront the consequences of his inaction as she berates him for hiding behind legal protocols while people continue disappearing. The steady accumulation of these experiences creates an inescapable moral calculus: when Angela goes missing and becomes Muse’s latest victim, Matt must acknowledge that adherence to his self-imposed restrictions would make him complicit in her death. 

Because of this gradual approach, Matt Murdock’s decision to reclaim the Daredevil mantle in Episode 6 of Born Again marks a critical evolution in his understanding of his dual identity. Matt becoming Daredevil again isn’t portrayed as a moral compromise but as the necessary integration of the lawyer who believes in the system and the vigilante who acts when that system fails. Unlike his previous approach of compartmentalizing his life, this new integration suggests a more mature acceptance that justice sometimes requires working both within and outside established systems, especially when people in power explore legal loopholes to enact their tyranny. The timing couldn’t be better, as Wilson Fisk keeps abusing his mayoral power to oppress the people of New York City.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday.

What do you think about Matt’s journey back to becoming Daredevil? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Daredevil: Born Again Finally Gives Marvel Fans What They Want (And There’s No Going Back for Matt Murdock) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Throughout the early episodes of Daredevil: Born Again, viewers have observed mysterious murals appearing across New York City, all bearing a distinctive signature. The graffiti is the obvious work of Muse, a Marvel supervillain teased in the marketing material of Daredevil: Born Again, but who has remained in the shadows for most of the season. This slow-burn introduction has allowed the series to develop tension around Muse while Mayor Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) uses the public’s growing fear of masked vigilantes to advance his political agenda. In Episode 6 of Daredevil: Born Again though, Muse finally becomes a primary antagonist. However, comic readers familiar with the character from Charles Soule’s Daredevil run might notice the series is taking a different approach with the villain.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 6

Muse debuted in Daredevil #11 (2016) as a superhuman villain with extraordinary abilities. The Marvel Comics version of the villain possesses enhanced strength and speed, allowing him to physically overpower Daredevil in combat situations. His most distinctive power, however, is his ability to remain completely undetectable to Daredevil’s radar sense — making him effectively “invisible” to Matt Murdock’s heightened perceptions. This unique advantage makes Muse an exceptionally dangerous opponent for Daredevil, who relies heavily on his enhanced senses to compensate for his blindness.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Fixes Marvel Fan’s Problem With Netflix Punisher]

In Daredevil: Born Again, Muse lacks these supernatural elements. When Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) confronts the villain in Episode 6, the character proves to be a formidable combatant, capable of temporarily standing his ground against the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. Yet, he possesses no superhuman abilities that would make him “invisible” to Daredevil’s senses. Despite this significant change, the series preserves crucial aspects of the character’s methodology from the comics. Specifically, Muse still uses victims’ blood as the medium for his artistic creations, mixing it with an epoxy that makes the murals nearly impossible to remove. Episode 6 also maintains the horrific scale of his crimes, revealing that over 60 people have been murdered to supply blood for his murals across New York. This grounded approach fits with the show’s overall tone while retaining the horror elements that made the character memorable in the comics.

Muse Retains the Villain’s Thematic Purpose in the MCU

Although Daredevil: Born Again significantly alters Muse’s power set, the series maintains the character’s narrative function. The comic book Muse emerged during Mayor Fisk’s administration, with his crimes providing justification for anti-vigilante legislation that hampered Daredevil’s activities. Similarly, the MCU’s Muse creates the perfect opportunity for Mayor Fisk to establish his Anti-Vigilante Task Force, giving him greater control over the city and legal means to target his enemies. This parallel demonstrates how the MCU preserves Muse’s thematic importance while modifying his personal attributes.

In addition, the decision to remove Muse’s supernatural abilities aligns with the established tone of Daredevil in live-action. The original Netflix series rarely ventured into overtly superhuman territory, focusing instead on relatively grounded threats like Wilson Fisk, Bullseye, and various criminal organizations. Even when adapting The Hand, the show downplayed many supernatural elements, ignoring the demonic associations of the ninjas. This approach distinguished the “street-level” corner of the MCU from the cosmic and magical threats faced by other Marvel heroes, establishing Hell’s Kitchen as a more realistic setting despite existing within the same universe as gods and aliens.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday.

Are you happy with how Daredevil: Born Again depicts Muse? Or would you prefer the MCU Muse to have his supernatural abilities? Join the discussion in the comments!

The post Daredevil: Born Again Makes Big Changes to Muse’s Comic Book Powers appeared first on ComicBook.com.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again episode 6.] There’s an old proverb: “As one bad apple spoils the others, so you must show no quarter to sin or sinners.” In Tuesday’s episode of Daredevil: Born Again — which saw Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Mayor Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) each react to the graffiti artist/serial killer on the loose by taking the law into their own hands — Matt suited up as a masked vigilante for the first time since Foggy’s murder a year earlier, while Mayor Fisk pressured NYPD Commissioner Gallo (Michael Gaston) into gathering “every bad apple in the barrel” for Fisk’s handpicked Anti-Vigilante Task Force.

Bad apples like Officer Powell (Hamish Allan-Headley), the corrupt cop who had Hector Ayala/White Tiger (Kamar de los Reyes) framed as a cop killer, and the Punisher “fanboy” who shot and killed the vigilante after Matt had him acquitted.

“It appears your officers have a subculture amongst them,” Mayor Fisk tells Gallo of the crooked cops tattooed with the Punisher’s symbol. “People like to use the word ‘gang.’ I prefer motivated individuals.” Due to the extreme nature of Muse’s crimes, Mayor Fisk’s Task Force permits special powers and privileges: Overtime pay. No body cameras. And the use of excessive force.

RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Pays Homage to a Spider-Man/Daredevil Villain

Fisk’s AVTF recruits Sergeant Cole North (Chicago P.D.‘s Jeremy Isaiah Earl), a Chicago transplant who was top of his class in the academy before making detective in just three years. Fisk instructs North to inform his fellow officers how he “lost it all” and ended up in New York, so he says he was responding to a call of possible drug activity in the park. He saw a drug dealer pushing OxyContin on an 11-year-old, but the dealer denied everything.

North explains, “I encouraged him to tell the truth. Captain didn’t see it that way. There’s a lot of sh-tbags in the world, sir. Now there’s a lot less of them.”

As founding members of the Anti-Vigilante Task Force, Fisk has tasked Officers North and Powell — and another dozen officers with Punisher insignia — with hunting masked killers like Muse. Fisk sought these officers out because of their skills and ability to get results by any means necessary — and as New York’s Finest, Fisk wants them to be seen taking the city back.

In the comics, Detective Cole North debuted in the five-part “Know Fear” arc that ran in issues #1-5 of Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto’s Daredevil run in 2019 (a storyline that has more in common with Born Again than Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s eponymous storyline). Except Cole isn’t a crooked cop.

Law & Order

2019’s Daredevil #1 establishes that Cole, who transferred from Chicago to New York’s 18th Precinct, has a clean-cut, by-the-books attitude that clashes with the local officers.

When we meet him, Cole takes umbrage with two officers attempting to cover up vigilante Daredevil’s involvement in beating up a gunman despite Mayor Fisk officially outlawing the city’s heroes via anti-vigilante legislation: the Powers Act.

“This is not something we turn away from. There is no justice here. No law,” Cole tells the officers, explaining that Daredevil isn’t helping by hurting. Meanwhile, Matt, who had only recently returned to being Daredevil after recuperating from an injury, accidentally causes the death of a low-level crook while sloppily breaking up a liquor store robbery. (The crook, Leo Carraro, hits his head in the scuffle and dies from head trauma.)

As a guilt-ridden Matt investigates what he suspects to be a frame job by Kingpin-turned-Mayor Wilson Fisk, Cole doggedly pursues “New York’s most wanted killer”: Daredevil.

Crime & Punishment

It’s revealed later that Cole takes on the homicide case not to bring Daredevil to justice, but to bring down a criminal. As Cole tells himself, “I don’t care about ‘justice.’ I just want to stop crime.” To that end, he upholds Mayor Fisk’s law targeting vigilantism, but Cole is determined to arrest both Daredevil and the supposedly former Kingpin of Crime.

“I don’t think people should wear masks and dole out their versions of ‘justice,'” Cole tells Fisk in the mayor’s office. “I don’t think anyone should be above the law… Mr. Mayor.”

Meanwhile, Matt learns that Fisk wasn’t involved in setting him up, and it turns out that he killed a man, albeit inadvertently. Daredevil then decides to rededicate himself to helping people and not just hurting people, and being more careful with his violence. But being a masked vigilante who takes the law into his own hands makes him a criminal, so Daredevil has to be held accountable, according to Cole.

Cole eventually cuffs and arrests Daredevil after a brutal street brawl witnessed by his fellow officers. (Half of them are cops Daredevil saved; the other half are dirty and too scared to interfere.) Cole calls out the officers for letting an unlawful vigilante run loose in Hell’s Kitchen, and goes to unmask the apprehended Daredevil before another good cop — considering Daredevil one of their own — stops him.

Blue & Red

Later, when the Governor’s office orders police precincts in Hell’s Kitchen not to respond to crimes, and a gang war breaks out between rival crime families, all hell breaks loose in the Kitchen. Cole still wants to do things by the book, but ultimately teams up with the still-outlawed Daredevil to save Hell’s Kitchen in “Inferno.” When he’s ordered by Mayor Fisk to arrest Daredevil, Cole refuses the order — only for Daredevil to hand himself over to the authorities, because Cole was right: vigilantes need to be accountable.

Cole ends up becoming one of Daredevil’s trusted allies, and as he tells the masked man in Daredevil #11, “We thought we could do better working as part of some system. But the systems infect you, don’t they? Chip away at your compass.”

At least for Cole’s counterpart in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it seems Sgt. North has been corrupted by the system.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again air Tuesday nights on Disney+.

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[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again episode 5.] “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.” Marvel’s Daredevil began with Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) in a confessional booth, recounting something his grandmother, a God-fearing Catholic, used to say: “‘Be careful of the Murdock boys. They got the devil in ’em.'” For his father, boxer “Battlin'” Jack Murdock, that meant he would batter his opponents into the corner of the ring and “let the devil out.” For Matt, that meant battling his demons as the guardian devil of Hell’s Kitchen.

Matt hasn’t let the devil out since Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) shot and killed Foggy (Elden Henson), and a wrathful Daredevil sinned by breaking his no-kill rule. Bullseye survived only because of his Cogmium-reinforced skeleton, but a line was crossed, and Matt still has yet to suit up as Daredevil a year later.

That nearly changed in Tuesday’s “With Interest” episode of Daredevil: Born Again. On St. Patrick’s Day, Matt visits New York Mutual Bank to secure a loan for his law firm, Murdock & McDuffie, which is regretfully turned down by assistant manager Yusuf Khan (guest star Mohan Kapur, reprising his role from Ms. Marvel and The Marvels).

RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again May Have Just Hinted the Biggest Fan Theory Is True

When five armed robbers storm the bank, each wearing a different colored balaclava — Green (Cillian O’Sullivan), Red (John Ford-Dunker), Yellow (John Anthony Gorman), Blue (Cameron Moir), and Purple (Ryan Ward) — Matt feigns the role of an unassuming blind man to embed himself within the group of hostages rounded up by Green (a.k.a. Devlin).

They’re Luca’s (Patrick Murney) men, there to steal a diamond worth the $1.8 million that Luca owes Viktor (Gino Anthony Pesi) as restitution to keep the peace among New York’s Five Families. (Devlin is the gunman who committed a double homicide in a truck hijacking at Red Hook Port back in episode 3.)

He Who Is Without Sin

Wearing a green balaclava and wielding an assault rifle, Devlin’s look resembles Sin-Eater, a short-lived villain who had a run-in with Daredevil and Spider-Man in “The Death of Jean DeWolff,” a four-part storyline spanning 1985’s Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110.

After Spider-Man’s friend, Captain Jean DeWolff, is found murdered in her apartment as the victim of a double-barrelled shotgun blast, the wall-crawler investigates her murder with Detective Stan Carter. But it’s blind defense attorney Matt Murdock who is the first to encounter Sin-Eater in Spectacular Spider-Man #107, when Matt’s radar sense detects the assassin lying in wait in Judge Horace Rosenthal’s chambers.

Matt’s old friend is gunned down as Sin-Eater’s second victim, making him the target of both Daredevil and Spider-Man. Sin-Eater’s next kill is a reverend in a confessional booth, the third victim of the masked murderer proselytizing about his mission to purge “sinners.”

Spider-Man and Daredevil both turn to Wilson Fisk, Kingpin of Crime, for information on the Sin-Eater, who’s next target is The Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson. The Sin-Eater turns up at the Bugle offices with a shotgun and takes hostages, but he’s disarmed by editor Robbie Robertson and an uncostumed Peter Parker. Unmasked as Emil Gregg, Daredevil’s hyper-senses determine that the schizophrenic Emil is a copycat.

Guilty as Sin

In Spectacular #109, Spider-Man and Daredevil discover that Stan Carter is the real Sin-Eater just as he targets the Jameson residence. When he instead finds the Bugle‘s Betty Brant with Marla Jameson, Sin-Eater reveals his reasons for killing: He killed the “sinner” priest for opposing capital punishment, he killed the judge for coddling criminals, and he wanted to kill Jameson for opposing masked vigilantes.

When Daredevil tries to stop an enraged Spider-Man from brutally beating Carter, the two costumed vigilantes come to blows, and Spider-Man nearly leaves Carter at the mercy of mob justice before pulling him out of the crowd. Once the Sin-Eater is exposed as a police sergeant and Carter is back in custody, Spectacular #110 ends with another unmasking: Daredevil deduces that Peter Parker is Spider-Man, so he reveals his secret identity as Matt Murdock.

All My Sins Remembered

Carter was eventually released from a mental hospital, and the voices in his head caused him to resume his Sin-Eater alter-ego (who he came to believe was a separate person). To free himself of the Sin-Eater, he took a young boy hostage and was gunned down by the police in 1987’s The Spectacular Spider-Man #136. It was then revealed that Carter never loaded Sin-Eater’s shotgun.

While other masked men took on the identity of the Sin-Eater, Stan Carter remained dead until 2020’s Amazing Spider-Man: Sins Rising Prelude. It was revealed that Carter was in Hell for his sins, only to be resurrected as a sins-cleansing supervillain by Spider-Man’s demon archvillain Kindred (in the Nick Spencer-penned “Sins Rising” arc in Amazing Spider-Man #45-48).

New episodes of Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again air Tuesday nights on Disney+.

The post Daredevil: Born Again Pays Homage to a Spider-Man/Daredevil Villain appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Daredevil: Born Again is about to cross the halfway point of Season 1, and Marvel Studios is letting fans know with a new midseason trailer that makes one thing abundantly clear: Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) will be back in the suit. The new sizzle reel of footage actually teases more than that: we get scenes of Matt in his civilian clothes, facing a squad of robbers in some kind of bank heist situation; then, of course, we see Matt as Daredevil, taking on the likes of the serial killer Muse. In the midst of all that, we get some pretty intense-looking (if only brief) teases of things boiling over for Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio), and more from Frank Castle/The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), who looks like he will be suiting up and teaming with Daredevil for some pretty brutal action. Oh, and Bullseye looks like he’ll be coming back, too.

Daredevil: Born Again Two-Episode Special Event

Daredevil: Born Again Episodes 5 and 6 will both be released on Tuesday evening, March 25th, and will only be available to stream on Disney+.

Daredevil: Born Again Midseason Trailer

This midseason trailer for Born Again is almost like a focus grouped response to all the biggest criticisms that Daredevil fans have had with the series, thus far. If nothing else, it’s also a pretty big promise that the back half of the series is going to be (as one critical quote advertises) “worth the wait.”

The footage looks exciting, no doubt, but it’s also a somewhat somber reminder that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still mired in some choppy waters. Born Again was the breaking point where Disney and Marvel Studios executives began to reassess what was happening with the franchise and its production strategies, going so far as to completely retool the entire show.

Punisher actor Jon Bernthal drove the point home wth his recent quotes about how the first version of Born Again was so divergent from the original Netflix version that he wanted no parts of it.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Proves Netflix’s Bing-Watch Release Was Better]

“It was like, let’s see if this works. Let’s see if there’s a real openness and a hunger to let Frank be what Frank is… Ultimately, I didn’t see it,” Bernthal said about those initial return talks. “I didn’t see the version of Frank, and what they wanted from Frank [didn’t] really make sense to me, and I thought it would not appeal to the fans and wouldn’t be congruent. It was not something I was really interested in doing.” When the show was put on production hiatus and retooled, Bernthal found himself in a very different sort of creative position: “They really brought me into the conversation. We really got specific about where Frank is psychologically, where Frank’s at physically.”

Admittedly, this footage from the back half looks a lot more like the Netflix Daredevil (and Punisher) than the Disney+ Daredevil, which could mean the showrunners and Marvel Studios land the plane on a good runway, leading to the already-confirmed Season 2.

The post Daredevil: Born Again’s New Midseason Trailer Drops (Before Tonight’s Two-Episode Release) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s has been a busy month for Hasbro who kicked off March 2025 with a wave of Marvel Legends figures at NY Toy Fair along with a wave of Spider-Man Gamerverse figures, Collector Con exclusives, and more. With Robert Downey Jr. set to return to the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday as Doctor Doom, it’s no surprise that a comic book-inspired Victor Von Doom Helmet roleplay helmet was featured in the lineup. We’re also getting a Fan Channel exclusive X-Force Archangel figure, An X-Force 2-pack with X-23 and Warpath figures, and a figure inspired by the new Daredevil: Born Again Disney+ series. At this point, all of these figures have launched and are available for pre-order now. That leaves us with one remaining release – the Gamerverse Kingpin figure inspired by Marvel’s Spider-Man.

Below you’ll find a complete breakdown of these figures complete with pre-order links. The Kinpin figure is the final release on the list, and it is expected to launch this Thursday, March 27th at 1pm ET right here on Amazon as an exclusive. A direct link will be added after the launch time, so stay tuned for updates.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES DAREDEVIL / $24.99/ Pre-Order on March 5 at 1PM ET at Entertainment Earth / Amazon: Inspired by the MCU Daredevil: Born Again series that serves as a revival of the original and much beloved Netflix show. Features include series accurate details and 5 accessories. The series is streaming on Disney+ now.

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES X-FORCE ARCHANGEL / $39.99 | Pre-Order on March 6 at 1PM ET at Entertainment Earth (Fan Channel Exclusive): “This collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figure is detailed to look like the character from Marvel’s X-Force comics. Archangel action figure is fully articulated with premium design and poseable head, arms, and legs. This Horseman of Apocalypse action figure set comes with 11 accessories, including 2 alternate hands, alternate head, flechette feather blades that attach to poseable wings.”

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES DOCTOR DOOM PREMIUM ROLEPLAY HELMET / $99.99 | Pre-Order on March 6 at 1PM ET at Entertainment Earth ($124.99) / Amazon ($99.99): “Hasbro Marvel Legends proudly presents this 1:1 scale reproduction of Doctor Doom’s classic helmet! Roleplay helmet with premium design and deco is inspired by the character’s signature look in Marvel Comics. Marvel roleplay set comes with a green fabric hood inspired by Doctor Doom’s signature robe. Includes a stand and is great for displaying in fans’ collections or wearing with a Doctor Doom Halloween costume or Marvel cosplay. Imagine pitting the brilliant mind of Victor Von Doom against Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four!”

Marvel Legends Pre-Orders For March 12th:

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES X-FORCE X-23 & WARPATH  / Price: $49.99 | Pre-Order on March 12 at 1PM ET here at Entertainment Earth (Fan Channel Exclusive): “These collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figures are detailed to look like the characters from Marvel’s X-Force and X-Men comics. The X-23 and Warpath action figures feature over 20 points of articulation with premium design and poseable head, arms, and legs. This Marvel action figure set comes with 9 accessories: X-23 features 4 alternate hands and alternate head; Warpath features 2 alternate hands and 2 knife accessories.”

Marvel Legends Pre-Orders For March 13th:

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES GAMERVERSE SPIRIT SPIDER  / Price: $24.99 | Pre-Order on March 13 at 1PM ET exclusively on Walmart: “This collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figure is detailed to look like the character’s appearance in the Marvel’s Spider-Man video game. The Spirit Spider figure features over 20 points of articulation with premium design and poseable head, arms, and legs. This Marvel action figure set comes with 4 accessories, including a set of alternate web-slinging hands.”

Marvel Legends Pre-Orders For March 27th:

MARVEL LEGENDS SERIES GAMERVERSE KINGPIN  / Price $39.99 | Pre-Order on March 27 at 1PM ET exclusively on Amazon: “This collectible 6-inch scale Marvel figure is detailed to look like the character’s appearance in the Marvel’s Spider-Man video game. The Kingpin figure features over 20 points of articulation with premium design and poseable head, arms, and legs. This Marvel action figure set comes with 4 accessories, including alternate head, alternate hands, and cane.”

The post Marvel Legends Spider-Man Gamerverse Kingpin Exclusive Drops This Week appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Charlie Cox sustained a finger injury while filming the legendary hallway fight sequence from the first season of Netflix’s Daredevil, a scene that has since become one of the most celebrated moments in superhero television history. The actor shared this behind-the-scenes revelation during a recent GQ “Action Replay” video where he and co-star Vincent D’Onofrio rewatched pivotal moments from the original series. The corridor fight, which appeared in the second episode of Season 1, revolutionized action choreography in streaming television through its ambitious one-shot approach and gritty realism, setting a standard that subsequent Marvel productions have tried to match. As the actor reprises his role in Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again, his candid reflections offer fans new insight into the physical challenges behind creating one of the character’s defining moments.

“We shot it very early on,” Cox explained. “It’s the end of Episode 2, but I was still playing catch up in terms of all of the stunts and getting used to doing some martial arts. I was not really in a position to do much of that particular fight because it all takes place as an oner [aka one-shot sequence]. In one of the early takes, I swung a punch and caught my little finger on the pole. I got injured in that fight scene.” While talking about his physical challenges during Season 1 of Daredevil, Cox also praised his stunt double, Chris Brewster. “And Chris is, like, doing a hundred moves over the course of the day.” 

[RELATED: All 5 Daredevil Hallway Fight Scenes Ranked From Worst to Best]

“Do you know that microwave that hits the guy in the head?” Cox asked D’Onofrio during the scene, highlighting a moment Daredevil uses a microwave to hit a goon in his head. “I’ve signed about 10 microwaves.” This offhand comment reveals the extraordinary level of detail that fans have celebrated from the sequence, with some viewers chasing Cox during conventions for the actor to sign their microwaves.

Daredevil: Born Again Continues the Legacy of Charlie Cox’s Man Without Fear

Daredevil: Born Again, which premiered on March 4, 2025, on Disney+, directly continues the story established in the Netflix series while integrating the titular character more firmly into the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe. The revival arrives after a substantial creative overhaul that saw Marvel Studios canonizing the Netflix productions, replacing the original showrunners, and revamping the series’ approach midway through production. After filming nearly six episodes under the previous creative team, Marvel brought in Dario Scardapane, a writer from Netflix’s The Punisher, to serve as showrunner. In addition to Cox and D’Onofrio, the revival has brought back several original cast members, including Deborah Ann Woll (Karen Page), Elden Henson (Foggy Nelson), and Wilson Bethel (Benjamin Poindexter/Bullseye), creating a stronger sense of continuity between the two iterations.

The first four episodes of the nine-episode first season have already established significant story developments, with the show picking up several years after the Netflix finale. The series opens with the shocking murder of Foggy Nelson at the hands of Bullseye, leading Murdock to temporarily abandon his Daredevil persona. Meanwhile, Wilson Fisk has been elected mayor of New York City, creating a new power dynamic between the longtime adversaries. Daredevil: Born Again has received positive reviews due to its mature tone and character-driven storytelling, with Cox and D’Onofrio’s performances drawing particular praise.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday.

Do you think Daredevil: Born Again will have a scene that surpasses Netflix’s iconic hallway brawl? Let us know in the comments!

The post Marvel’s Charlie Cox Reveals Injury Sustained During Daredevil’s Most Iconic Scene appeared first on ComicBook.com.

[Warning: This article contains Daredevil: Born Again season 1 episode 1 spoilers.] “His heart is still beating.” That’s what Matt Murdock repeatedly told himself from behind bars as his heightened senses heard his lawyer and friend, Foggy Nelson, be stabbed to death in the pages of 2006’s Daredevil #82. After Brian Michael Bendis’ character-defining Daredevil run ended with the Man Without Fear imprisoned in Ryker’s alongside his arch-nemesis — Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime — Ed Brubaker’s six-part “The Devil in Cell-Block D” began with the shocking death of a character who had been a part of the book since its very first issue in 1964.

Just as shocking was the death of Elden Henson’s Foggy Nelson in the opening minutes of Daredevil: Born Again, which saw the assassin Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) shoot and kill the attorney at law during a night out with partners Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll). Suited up as Daredevil, Matt battled Bullseye as he listened to Foggy’s heart slow — and once his heart finally stopped beating, threw Foggy’s killer off a roof.

Bullseye survived his four-story plummet to the street below, but Foggy bled out and died. Or did he? The official Daredevil Instagram account cites artist Michael Lark’s panels from Daredevil #82 as inspiration for the “Heaven’s Half Hour” episode of Born Again, in which Foggy is apparently killed.

RELATED: Daredevil’s Shadowland Made Matt Murdock the Deadly Devil of Hell’s Kitchen

Fans were blindsided by Foggy’s death, which happened onscreen and resulted in Matt trading in his horned Daredevil cowl for a braille obituary program from Foggy’s funeral (which happened off-screen). It seems that Foggy Nelson is dead and buried, never to return… except that’s exactly what happened in the comics.

Just issues into Brubaker’s run, Daredevil #87 concluded the “Devil in Cell-Block D” arc by revealing that Foggy survived the attempt on his life when he was locked in a cell and shanked by prison inmates. (Although Matt heard Foggy’s heart stop beating as he bled out and died, it was revealed later Foggy was resuscitated in an ambulance.) Matt — who had been arrested by the FBI after his alleged secret identity as Daredevil leaked in the press — even attended Foggy’s funeral in handcuffs.

But Daredevil #88, “The Secret Life of Foggy Nelson,” revealed the truth: that FBI higher-ups had Foggy recovering from his injuries in protective custody under the assumed name “Everett Williams” (a homage to Daredevil co-creator Bill Everett, who was born William Blake Everett).

Because Foggy was targeted by Daredevil’s enemies, he was whisked out of surgery and into witness relocation. Foggy tried to contact The Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich and alert Matt (who had already escaped prison with the Punisher’s help and was overseas chasing Foggy’s killer), but the Feds stashed Foggy in a safehouse in the suburbs. Who was it that targeted Foggy Nelson?

Vanessa Fisk, the Kingpin’s terminally-ill wife. In Brubaker and Lark’s Daredevil #92, it was revealed that Vanessa Fisk faked Foggy’s death and had her FBI connections stash him in witness protection in an attempt to get a wrathful Matt to kill her husband in prison.

RELATED: Daredevil, Punishment and Pain: An Elegy for Foggy Nelson

After she exposed the FBI’s “Framegate” scandal to put Daredevil’s secret identity back in the bottle, Matt returned home to Hell’s Kitchen and heard a familiar sound: Foggy Nelson’s heartbeat.

New episodes of Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again air Tuesday nights on Disney+.

The post Daredevil: Born Again May Have Just Hinted the Biggest Fan Theory Is True appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 is now streaming on Disney+, with new episodes released weekly on the platform. Following in the footsteps of the Netflix Daredevil series, (which aired three seasons from 2015 to 2018), Born Again sees Charlie Cox’s Daredevil/Matt Murdock return to fight for justice in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin/Wilson Fisk, Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page, Elden Henson’s Foggy Nelson, and Jon Bernthal’s Punisher/Frank Castle are also among the returnees from the original show. Much like its predecessor, Daredevil: Born Again delves into Matt’s dual lives as a lawyer and vigilante, as he comes face to face with old foes, familiar friends, and a new love interest. After four episodes, Daredevil: Born Again holds an 87% critic approval rating and 81% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, proving that this new era of Daredevil can stack up to Netflix’s past rendition of the character’s story.

Disney+’s weekly release strategy for its shows differs greatly from Netflix’s longstanding binge model, and the disparity is apparent when watching Daredevil vs. Daredevil: Born Again. Even though Disney+ dropped the first two episodes of Born Again on the same day, as it will also do with episodes 5 and 6, the remainder of Season 1’s nine episodes are scheduled to air according to the typical one-per-week model. At the midway point of Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, it’s clear that Netflix’s binge-watch method is superior.

Why Netflix’s Binge Release Model Worked so Well for Daredevil

Netflix’s Daredevil and Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again develop plots and characters much slower than most other Marvel and MCU shows. This slow-burn narrative style greatly contributed to the widespread praise for Daredevil, and Netflix’s binge-release model helped avoid complaints of the series dragging too much. Watching one Daredevil episode after another in quick succession enabled viewers to absorb plot development without feeling like each installment was a “filler” episode. In the same way, audiences could cut to the chase without waiting weeks for each season’s action-packed finale.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Confirms the MCU’s Worst Show Is Still Canon]

While Daredevil flourished under the binge-release model, Born Again is struggling with Disney+’s weekly approach. Through Born Again‘s first four episodes, Matt has scarcely donned his iconic Daredevil attire. In the grand scheme of things that’s not a big deal, (given that Season 1 contains five more episodes and Season 2 is on the way), but the lack of Daredevil action seems much more glaring when the series’ release schedule stretches across many weeks.

There’s nothing wrong with a show taking its time to flesh out characters and build toward a major payoff, as proven by Daredevil, but this kind of series will always be more enjoyable as a binge-watch. When an entire week passes between one or two episodes, the slow pace grows frustrating, and fans yearn for a greater sense of plot progression in each episode. Netflix used its quintessential binge-release model to its advantage with Daredevil, and as a result, fans took no issue with the show’s slow-burn pace. Daredevil: Born Again may face an uphill battle making the Disney+ weekly episode drops each feel worth it.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s Weekly Release Strategy Working, But Disney Can Still Fix It

A weekly release schedule is far from the worst of shortcomings when it comes to TV shows, but Disney+ should recognize that Daredevil: Born Again could benefit from a different release strategy. Of course, the streaming service would then have to contend with the cons of a binge release such as fewer cohesive discussions among audiences and a shorter window for attracting fan engagement online, but the drawbacks may be worth it. Even if Disney+ refused the binge model and went with the ‘batch model’ (three episodes released every week), viewers would certainly appreciate the semi-return to form. Disney and Lucasfilm learned from their mistake of releasing Andor Season 1 weekly; as a course correction, Season 2 will be released in three-episode arcs each week. If it works out for Star Wars, why not Marvel?

Daredevil: Born Again has brought a refreshing spark to the MCU, and it would be a shame to see the excitement surrounding the new series dwindle due to its slow pace, paired with its lengthy release schedule. Despite Born Again‘s home on a new streaming platform, fans should have the chance to enjoy the show the same way they watched the original series. The phrase “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” may be overused, but it rings true in the case of Marvel’s Daredevil shows.

Daredevil: Born Again releases new episodes on Tuesdays on Disney+. All episodes of the original Daredevil series are also available to stream on the platform.

The post Daredevil: Born Again’s Weekly Episodes Prove Netflix’s Binge-Watch Release Was The Better Strategy appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The MCU’s Kingpin may have had his funniest moment yet about halfway through this week’s episode of Daredevil: Born Again. It’s been clear from the start that Wilson Fisk can barely keep his mask of civility in place as Mayor of New York City, but listening to a choir of school children half-heartedly sing Starship’s 1985 single “We Built This City” brought him closer to the edge than anything we’ve seen so far. Vincent D’Onofrio played the moment perfectly, with a crooked smile and fidgeting fingers. This episode had a lot of big moments to discuss, but that didn’t stop fans on social media from pausing to appreciate this awkward snapshot of their favorite villain.

WARNING: There are spoilers ahead for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 4!

Born Again Episode 4: “Sic Semper Systema,” finds Fisk pushing an ambitious agenda to overhaul the infrastructure of NYC and take on some massive construction projects. Appropriately, the school he visited took the opportunity to serenade him with a 40-year-old pop-rock song that has vaguely construction-related lyrics in the chorus. The joke isn’t even made at anyone’s expense — the camera pans over the faces of the young singers who are clearly bored, embarrassed, and not engaged with their performance, while the faculty and Fisk’s staff don’t look much happier than Fisk himself.

“Fisk listening to a child choir was absolutely hilarious. When it ended and the teacher says they have another song and he just refuses and leaves had me rolling,” one person tweeted shortly after the episode dropped. Another wrote, “I’m being so fr this is genuinely such a perfect way in introducing humor to a serious character.”

[RELATED: Disney+: Every Movie and TV Show Arriving in April 2025]

As noted above, this was a welcome glint of humor in an episode that had a lot of big emotional moments to juggle. Matt Murdock had to face Ayala’s family after his client’s shocking death, and later we were finally reintroduced to Frank Castle a.k.a. The Punisher. We even got some poignant discussion of a real-world issue — disingenuous people misusing the Punisher’s symbol and misunderstanding what the vigilante really stands for. It led to a harsh but revelatory heart-to-heart between these two heroes.

Next week will be an even bigger one for Daredevil, with two episodes dropping at once. This season will have nine episodes in total, and a second season is already in production. For now, you can catch Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+, with new episodes on Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. ET.

The post Daredevil: Born Again Just Gave MCU Fans Kingpin’s Most Hilarious Moment Yet appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Fans have been patiently waiting for the return of Matt Murdock since Netflix’s Daredevil was cancelled in 2018. The wait ended on March 4, with the premiere of Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+ officially launching Matt Murdock’s first solo series in the larger MCU. So many aspects of Daredevil and Matt Murdock’s life are highlighted right off the bat, from his deep connection with his friends to the heightened senses that make him a vigilante that criminals fear. One aspect of the character’s larger existence that the series has particularly put on display over the course of the first episodes is his talent as a lawyer, something we were reminded of with his MCU debut.

Matt Murdock Has an Ivy League Education, and it Shows

In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker asks Matt Murdock how he, a blind man, manages to catch a brick thrown through the window in mid-air, to which Matt delivers the iconic line: “I’m a really good lawyer.” Though the scene is humorous and marks Matt’s first appearance in a Marvel Cinematic Universe project, it points to a major truth: Matt is in fact a really good lawyer.

Matt Murdock is a Columbia-trained attorney; a fact that the original Netflix series explored over its three seasons. It was at Columbia that Murdock met his best friend and future legal partner, Foggy Nelson. The two stuck together through not only law school, but internships, and eventually opening up their own small practice together. Murdock’s double life as Daredevil often interferes with his day job, sometimes making it impossible for him to balance the life of a vigilante and successful lawyer.

RELATED: Daredevil: Who REALLY Killed SPOILER?

Daredevil: Born Again started with Murdock refusing to take up the mantle of Daredevil after Foggy is killed by one of his enemies, Bullseye. Suffering from intense guilt that his actions as Daredevil were responsible for Foggy’s death, Matt spends the next year focusing only on carrying out justice through the legal system as a lawyer. Within that year, Matt establishes a new and successful practice with former assistant district attorney, Kirsten McDuffie. However, it is not until Matt decides to represent Hector Ayala (White Tiger) in court that fans really get to see his legal skills.

The White Tiger Case Has High Stakes and Higher Tension

Ayala, a fellow vigilante, is charged with the murder of a police officer. However, Ayala is being set-up by a network of crooked cops who rally around a lie to paint Ayala as a murderer. The scenes in the courtroom are some of the most tense and emotionally charged moments any Daredevil franchise has shown to date. 

Particularly, in episode 3, “The Hollow of His Hand,” the Ayala case comes to a final head, with Matt making a surprise move in court by revealing Ayala’s secret identity as White Tiger. When Ayala takes the stand in his own defense, Matt hones in on the immense amount of good that Ayala has done as a vigilante. He reads from police reports that praise White Tiger’s aid and heroics, causing the crowd of officers to look at Ayala in another light. But the intensity is dialed up to ten when Matt questions Ayala, asking him why he risks his life over and over again to help strangers. 

Ayala’s heartfelt response (“Because it’s the right thing to do”) is an emotional moment that not many other MCU Disney+ series have been able to do before now. It’s not only Ayala’s sincerity, but Matt’s pointed and sympathetic questions that highlight the selflessness and importance of Ayala’s work as White Tiger. Viewers know that Matt isn’t just talking about White Tiger, but refers to his own life as well, giving even higher takes to his inner conflict over leaving his Daredevil identity behind.

Daredevil: Born Again spends the time away from Daredevil to show that Matt is just as talented and effective on the street as he is in the courtroom.

Daredevil: Born Again is streaming on Disney+ with new episodes every Tuesday.

The post Daredevil: Born Again Proves Matt’s Best Power Is Being a “Really Good Lawyer” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again has skillfully reintroduced Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) to New York City after an extended absence, setting him on an ambitious political trajectory that seemingly distances him from his criminal past. The Disney+ series also establishes that during Fisk’s mysterious disappearance, his wife Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer) maintained and expanded their criminal enterprise. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Vanessa’s personal life also evolved in her husband’s absence, as she developed a romantic relationship with a previously unseen man named Adam (Lou Taylor Pucci). This affair creates immediate tension when Fisk returns to reclaim his position beside Vanessa, especially as he promises not to harm her lover despite his obvious rage. However, the recurring visual motif of Fisk’s bloodied knuckles throughout early episodes suggests that the Kingpin’s restraint might be more performance than reality. Episode 4 finally pulls back the curtain on Adam’s fate, revealing the disturbing truth behind Fisk’s apparent composure.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 4

Episode 4 of Daredevil: Born Again delivers a shocking revelation about Adam’s circumstances through a carefully constructed scene that epitomizes Fisk’s complex psychology. Rather than eliminating his wife’s lover as viewers might expect from the notorious crime lord, Fisk has instead imprisoned Adam in a basement cell, keeping him alive but in squalid conditions. In one of the episode’s most chilling moments, Fisk visits his captive, sitting just outside the cell to enjoy an elegant dinner while his starving prisoner watches in desperation. The scene provides context for Fisk’s bloodied knuckles glimpsed in previous episodes, implying regular “conversations” with Adam that typically end in violence. This arrangement is particularly disturbing because it allows Fisk to technically honor his promise to Vanessa while still exacting his revenge. After all, he hasn’t technically killed Adam.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Fixes Marvel Fan’s Problem With Netflix Punisher]

During the couple’s therapy session with Dr. Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva), both Fisk and Vanessa claim not to know Adam’s whereabouts when directly questioned. While this might be technically true for Vanessa, it represents a calculated lie from Fisk, who is maintaining an elaborate imprisonment scheme while presenting himself as someone working through his feelings constructively. As such, the Adam situation perfectly encapsulates the contradiction at the heart of Fisk’s character in the new series. He’s making genuine efforts toward change, as evidenced by his willingness to attend therapy and technically keep his promise about not killing Adam. Meanwhile, Fisk cannot entirely abandon the brutal methods that defined his previous life as the Kingpin.

The Duality of Identity Defines Daredevil: Born Again‘s Characters

Adam’s imprisonment is a powerful metaphor for Daredevil: Born Again‘s exploration of identity and transformation. Fisk’s treatment of Adam represents his inability to fully separate himself from his Kingpin persona despite his political aspirations and apparent desire to rebuild his marriage. While he presents a public face of legitimacy as Mayor Fisk, championing law and order, his private actions reveal the criminal lurking just beneath the surface. 

The Adam storyline is particularly effective because it illustrates the psychological complexity of Fisk’s character beyond simple villainy. His decision to imprison rather than kill Adam speaks of his desire to honor his commitment to Vanessa and perhaps become a better man while also showing his inability to forgive what he perceives as betrayal. This duality creates dramatic tension as viewers are left wondering which version of Fisk will ultimately prevail: the man attempting to evolve beyond his criminal past or the brutal enforcer who resolves problems through intimidation and brutality.

This identity struggle deliberately parallels Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) own internal conflict throughout the series. Just as Fisk cannot overcome the Kingpin’s calling, Matt struggles to remain solely a lawyer after abandoning his Daredevil persona. The series repeatedly shows Matt’s instinctive reversion to violence when confronted with injustice, most notably when protecting witness Nicky Torres (Nick Jordan) from corrupt police officers. Both men’s bloodied knuckles serve as visual reminders that their attempts at transformation remain incomplete.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday.

What do you think will happen to Adam in upcoming episodes? Will Vanessa find out the truth? And if she does, will that bring her closer to Wilson Fisk or tear the couple apart? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Daredevil: Born Again Confirms Fate of Its Weirdest New Character appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Disney+ is preparing for an exciting month in April. We’re just over halfway through March, but the Mouse House’s streamer has already released its newsletter for April, revealing the complete list of movie and TV titles set to join the roster in the weeks ahead. Between two of the biggest Disney+ original shows, there’s a constant influx of new additions on the way.

The first season of Daredevil: Born Again will continue into April, with the finale set to be released on April 15th. One week later, on April 22nd, the second and final season of Andor will premiere with its first three episodes.

You can check out the full lineup of Disney+ April additions below!

April 1st

Lost Treasures of Rome (S2, 6 episodes)
National Parks: USA (S1, 5 episodes)
RoboGobo (S1, 24 episodes)

Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again – Episode 7 at 6pm PT
In Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again, Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer with heightened abilities is fighting for justice through his bustling law firm, while former mob boss Wilson Fisk pursues his own political endeavors in New York. When their past identities begin to emerge, both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course.

April 3rd

Oklahoma City Bombing: One Day in America (S1, 3 episodes)

April 4th

Kindergarten: The Musical (S1, 5 episodes)

April 7th

David Blaine Do Not Attempt – Two New Episodes
David Blaine Do Not Attempt is a six-part documentary series exploring the world through the lens of magic. Seeking out incredible people who perform real feats that look like magic, Blaine takes us on a jaw-dropping journey through some of the world’s most extraordinary cultures as he seeks out kindred spirits, finds inspiration, and learns some truly exceptional skills along the way.

Not Just a Goof – Premiere
Not Just A Goof is a documentary exploring the untold story of A Goofy Movie. It follows a young creative team tackling their first Disney feature, its initial disappointment, and its surprising resurgence decades later. Featuring key interviews and rare footage, it reveals the film’s impact and why it remains a beloved classic for a generation.

[RELATED: Everything Coming to Tubi in April 2025]

April 8th

Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again – Penultimate Episode at 6pm PT
In Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again, Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer with heightened abilities is fighting for justice through his bustling law firm, while former mob boss Wilson Fisk pursues his own political endeavors in New York. When their past identities begin to emerge, both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course.

April 9th

Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends (S3, 4 episodes)

April 11th

The Abyss 4K

Pets – Premiere
Pets is a documentary that explores the extraordinary relationships that exist between animals and their people, all around the world. Highlighting dogs, cats, pigs, goats, and even birds of prey, “Pets” takes us on a hilarious and poignant journey that celebrates love, loss, and licks along the way.

April 12th

Titanic: The Digital Resurrection
To Catch a Smuggler (S8, 8 episodes)

Doctor Who (Season 2) – Premiere
The Doctor meets Belinda Chandra and begins an epic quest to get her back to Earth. But a mysterious force is stopping their return and the time-travelling TARDIS team must face greater dangers, bigger enemies and wilder terrors than ever before.=

April 15th

Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again – Season Finale at 6pm PT
In Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again, Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer with heightened abilities is fighting for justice through his bustling law firm, while former mob boss Wilson Fisk pursues his own political endeavors in New York. When their past identities begin to emerge, both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course.

April 16th

Big City Greens (S4, 7 episodes)
SuperKitties (S2, 3 episodes)

April 18th

Light & Magic (Season 2) – Premiere
Light & Magic Season 2 is a three-part series that follows Lucasfilm’s visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, as it enters its most challenging and revolutionary period: the dawn of digital. From creating the first fully realized CG character to solving the challenge of digital water, it is an era that finds ILM scaling new heights of innovation despite dramatic setbacks.

April 19th

Doctor Who (Season 2) – Episode 2
The Doctor meets Belinda Chandra and begins an epic quest to get her back to Earth. But a mysterious force is stopping their return and the time-travelling TARDIS team must face greater dangers, bigger enemies and wilder terrors than ever before.

April 21st

Secret of the Penguins (S1, 3 episodes)

April 22nd

ABC News Live Special: Last Lands (S1, 4 episodes)

Andor (Season 2) – Three-Episode Premiere at 6pm PT
Lucasfilm’s Emmy-nominated thriller Andor, returns for its long-awaited conclusion on April 22. The second season takes place as the horizon of war draws near and Cassian becomes a key player in the Rebel Alliance. Everyone will be tested and, as the stakes rise, the betrayals, sacrifices and conflicting agendas will become profound. Rife with political intrigue and danger, the series is a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which portrayed a heroic band of rebels who steal the plans to the Empire’s weapon of mass destruction—The Death Star—setting the stage for the events of the original 1977 film. “Andor” sets the clock back five years from the events of “Rogue One” to tell the story of the film’s hero, Cassian Andor, and his transformation from disinterested, cynical nobody into a rebel hero on his way to an epic destiny.

Sea Lions of the Galapagos – Premiere
Narrated by Brendan Fraser, Disneynature’s Sea Lions of the Galapagos dives underwater with Leo, a handsome sea lion pup whose lifelong quest to find his place in the world is fraught with challenges and filled with new encounters with an array of creatures, from marine iguanas and racer snakes to yellow fin tuna and huge Galapagos sharks.

Guardians of the Galapagos – Premiere
Blair Underwood narrates this behind-the-scenes look at Sea Lions of the Galapagos as the Disneynature crew captures intimate sea lion behaviors, while showcasing the challenges that threaten the archipelago and the community of champions—the Guardians of the Galapagos—who work to protect this magical place.

April 25th

Megastructures: Real Madrid Super Stadium

April 26th

Doctor Who (Season 2) – Episode 3
The Doctor meets Belinda Chandra and begins an epic quest to get her back to Earth. But a mysterious force is stopping their return and the time-travelling TARDIS team must face greater dangers, bigger enemies and wilder terrors than ever before.

April 29th

Andor (Season 2) – Three New Episodes at 6pm PT
Lucasfilm’s Emmy-nominated thriller Andor, returns for its long-awaited conclusion on April 22. The second season takes place as the horizon of war draws near and Cassian becomes a key player in the Rebel Alliance. Everyone will be tested and, as the stakes rise, the betrayals, sacrifices and conflicting agendas will become profound. Rife with political intrigue and danger, the series is a prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which portrayed a heroic band of rebels who steal the plans to the Empire’s weapon of mass destruction—The Death Star—setting the stage for the events of the original 1977 film. “Andor” sets the clock back five years from the events of “Rogue One” to tell the story of the film’s hero, Cassian Andor, and his transformation from disinterested, cynical nobody into a rebel hero on his way to an epic destiny.

April 30th

Chibi Tiny Tales: Shorts (S5, 7 episodes)
Mickey Mouse Funhouse (S3, 5 episodes)

The post Disney+: Every Movie and TV Show Arriving in April 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Jon Bernthal initially declined to reprise his role as Frank Castle in Daredevil: Born Again due to creative differences with Marvel Studios’ original vision for the character. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor revealed he only agreed to return as the Punisher after Marvel Studios dramatically overhauled Daredevil: Born Again‘s creative direction following the 2023 Hollywood strikes. Bernthal, who debuted as Frank Castle in Daredevil Season 2 before headlining his own series on Netflix, made his MCU return in Episode 4 of the Disney+ revival. His principled stance on the character’s portrayal ultimately influenced Marvel’s decision to shift the series toward a darker, more faithful representation of the vigilante, which is also getting a Marvel Television special presentation.

“It was like, let’s see if this works. Let’s see if there’s a real openness and a hunger to let Frank be what Frank is, which is dark enough to have the courage and the boldness to turn your back on the audience and to make it difficult, to make it enormously psychologically complex and to steer away from any cuteness or humor and to really go full bore,” Bernthal told about his initial conversations with Marvel. “Ultimately, I didn’t see it. I didn’t see the version of Frank, and what they wanted from Frank [didn’t] really make sense to me, and I thought it would not appeal to the fans and wouldn’t be congruent. It was not something I was really interested in doing.”

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Confirms the MCU’s Worst Show Is Still Canon]

“Sometimes you have to be very, very clear with your intentions in this business,” he explained. “You can’t get confused with how much you love something, how much you love playing something, how much you want to do something. You got to make sure you’re serving it. You got to make sure you’re doing justice to the people that believe in it and doing justice to the iterations that have come before you.” Bernthal’s refusal stemmed from his commitment to authentically representing the character, particularly for fans who deeply connect with the Punisher. This stance changed only after Marvel Studios’ comprehensive creative reset when the actor was brought into the development process. “They really brought me into the conversation,” Bernthal said of the revamped production. “We really got specific about where Frank is psychologically, where Frank’s at physically.”

How Daredevil: Born Again‘s Creative Overhaul Salvaged The Punisher’s Return

The dramatic transformation of Daredevil: Born Again during production proved essential in securing Bernthal’s participation. Marvel halted the show’s original direction in November 2023, replacing head writers Matt Corman and Chris Ord with The Punisher veteran Dario Scardapane. According to reports, the initial version was being developed as a lighter, more procedural courtroom drama — an approach fundamentally at odds with Bernthal’s vision for Frank Castle. Charlie Cox, who stars as Matt Murdock/Daredevil, confirmed this shift in a January interview, stating: “There was a U-turn after the strike, where we were headed in one direction, which was interesting and valid. The argument was, if we’re coming back after all these years, we don’t want to just do exactly the same thing. Marvel looked at the episodes and knew it wasn’t quite working.”

This creative pivot is evident in Bernthal’s appearance in Episode 4 of Born Again, where viewers find a version of Frank Castle who has fully embraced his identity as the Punisher. The episode reveals Castle living in isolation, surrounded by weapons and criminal files, having abandoned any pretense of returning to normal society. This portrayal addresses criticisms some fans had of the Netflix series, which spent significant time exploring Castle’s trauma and potential for redemption before committing to the character’s vigilante persona. 

Bernthal’s influence extends beyond Born Again to the upcoming Punisher special he’s developing with director Reinaldo Marcus Green. The actor, who is co-writing the project, has promised an uncompromising take on the character. “I care very deeply about Frank, I’m really grateful that I’m getting the opportunity to tell the story that I think the fans deserve,” Bernthal previously stated. “We’re giving it our all and we’re trying to tell a Frank Castle story that we’re going to turn our back on the audience — it’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to be light.” 

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday, with Bernthal’s Punisher expected to play a significant role as the season progresses.

What did you think of the Punisher’s return in Daredevil: Born Again? Was Bernthal right to fight for a grittier version of the character? Let us know in the comments!

The post Jon Bernthal Refused to Return as the Punisher Before Daredevil: Born Again Creative Overhaul appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk has completed his stunning transformation from feared crime lord to New York City’s newest elected mayor in Daredevil: Born Again, and fans are discovering an unexpected side benefit: watching the intimidating Kingpin navigate the often ridiculous demands of political life. The first three episodes of the Disney+ series methodically established Fisk’s meteoric rise, with the former criminal mastermind successfully selling himself as the solution to New York’s vigilante problem and crumbling infrastructure. Now firmly installed in office, Fisk encounters the less glamorous aspects of mayoral life, attending community events and engaging with constituents in ways that have Reddit users howling at the character’ barely contained discomfort. That’s comedic gold that viewers didn’t expect from a show that began with the tragic death of Foggy Nelson.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 4

Reddit community r/marvelstudios/ has been flooded with reactions to these fish-out-of-water moments featuring the towering figure who once smashed a man’s head with a car door. As Reddit user cbekel3618 astutely observed, “Fisk has been punched, blown up, shot in the face, and magically retraumatized. And yet I’ve never seen him more miserable than having to listen to a bunch of kids singing.” The contrast between the Kingpin’s fearsome reputation and his current predicament has viewers like Oculi__me quipping that “Fisk found his real enemies now. Choirs.” Episode 4’s school visit scene particularly resonated with audiences, with CartoonAcademic noting that “Fisk cutting off the teacher so they [the children] couldn’t sing more was PERFECT,” while sable-king pointed out “Marvel Studios continuing its trend of weirdly unnerving scenes of children singing,” referencing a similar unsettling moment from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness — Billy (Julian Hilliard) and Tommy’s (Jett Klyne) ice-cream song.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Fixes Marvel Fan’s Problem With Netflix Punisher]

The moment Fisk sits through a children’s choir rendition of “We Built This City” was not on anyone’s prediction list for Daredevil: Born Again, but we are all happier this happened. The Kingpin’s torture only intensified with a second musical performance during his meeting with the Latvian cultural delegation, where the mayor was subjected to the same song translated into Latvian. “Latvian ‘We Built This City’ had me rolling,” commented Acrobatic-Dark-4402, while KingOfAwesometonia expanded, “Having Fisk sit through two performances of ‘We Built This City’ is such a good gag. He really is a changed man since that would’ve sent anyone on a murderous rampage.” The scenes even prompted jgreg728 to joke that “He’s gonna put that whole class, the teacher, and the Latvian choir in his underground jail next,” referencing the character’s notorious penchant for extreme retaliation.

Daredevil: Born Again Challenges Mayor Wilson Fisk in Unexpected Ways

These musical scenes of Daredevil: Born Again Episode 4 perfectly encapsulate the internal struggle of a violent man constrained by political office. Fisk’s barely contained rage provides a masterclass in physical acting from D’Onofrio, whose subtle facial expressions convey volumes about the character’s internal struggle. As your_mind_aches observed, “D’Onofrio is just as good at comedy as at drama, it’s nice to see some slightly lighter moments with Fisk, though definitely still important to the character.” The juxtaposition between Fisk’s violent past and mundane political duties has some fans speculating that the character might be experiencing voter’s remorse, with Upbeat_Tension_8077 joking, “He probably wished he got blipped after all that singing.”

These unexpected comedic moments serve multiple storytelling purposes beyond simple laughs. They humanize a character traditionally portrayed as an unstoppable force of nature while highlighting how ill-suited Fisk is for public service. The humor derives from watching someone accustomed to solving problems with violence being forced to smile through situations where such reactions would be politically catastrophic. D’Onofrio’s nuanced performance allows viewers to see the calculations happening behind Fisk’s eyes, wondering how much political capital he’s willing to burn by cutting ceremonies short.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again stream Tuesdays on Disney+.

What did you think of Fisk’s hilarious community service scenes? Join the discussion in the comments!

The post Daredevil: Born Again Fans Revel In Surprisingly Hilarious Wilson Fisk Moments appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Since Disney+ launched Daredevil: Born Again, the series has been teasing the return of one of Marvel’s most iconic antiheroes. The first three episodes have scattered breadcrumbs pointing to the Punisher’s presence in this new MCU landscape: Officer Powell (Hamish Allan-Headley) sports a skull tattoo on his wrist, Punisher graffiti decorates city walls, and most dramatically, the closing moments of Episode 3 showed Hector Ayala (Kamar De Los Reyes) gunned down by a mysterious figure wearing body armor emblazoned with the Punisher’s skull. Despite these references, Frank Castle himself remained conspicuously absent – until now. Episode 4 finally reveals what the fan-favorite vigilante has been doing since we last saw him, and it’s a portrayal that should satisfy Marvel fans who had reservations about how the character was handled in Netflix’s The Punisher series.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 4

Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) search for answers leads him to track down Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) in Episode 4, finding the vigilante in a drastically different state than when audiences last saw him. The Frank Castle we meet has fully embraced his identity as the Punisher, abandoning any pretense of returning to polite society. Gone is the man who occasionally questioned his mission or entertained thoughts of redemption, trying to rebuild his life away from New York City. In his place stands the war machine comic readers have known for decades: a man singularly devoted to his crusade against criminals, operating with brutal efficiency and unwavering conviction. Matt and Frank’s Born Again conversation reveals that Castle has completely surrendered to his darker impulses, seeing himself as permanently separated from the world of “normal” people like Matt still tries to inhabit. 

While Netflix’s The Punisher often portrayed Frank as a traumatized veteran struggling with his violent tendencies, Born Again presents him as someone who has made peace with his mission. This subtle but crucial distinction transforms the MCU character into something closer to his comic book counterpart.

How Daredevil: Born Again‘s Punisher Completes What Netflix Started

Netflix’s approach to Frank Castle was divisive among hardcore Punisher fans. The streaming service’s interpretation, while compelling in its own right, focused heavily on Frank’s trauma, PTSD, and his desire to leave the violence behind. Throughout much of the two-season run, Jon Bernthal’s character was shown trying to uncover conspiracies and solve the mystery of his family’s murder rather than engaging in the relentless war on crime that defines the character in the source material. It wasn’t until the final moments of The Punisher Season 2 that viewers glimpsed the true Punisher, with Frank embracing his vigilante identity without reservation or regret. This interpretation of the Punisher mythos left many comic book fans unsatisfied, feeling they never got to see the uncompromising antihero in full form.

Daredevil: Born Again addresses these criticisms by presenting a Frank Castle who has completed his metamorphosis. No longer questioning his path or wrestling with moral ambiguity, this Punisher has acclimated to his role as judge, jury, and executioner. The hideout where Matt finds him is a literal and metaphorical representation of how deeply he’s descended into his mission, a hidden hole filled with weapons and criminals’ files from where the Punisher plans his next jobs. Furthermore, Frank’s unkempt appearance and isolated existence underscore that this is a man who has cut all ties to the things that make us human, and is wholly focused on his never-ending mission to execute those he deems worth his twisted focus.

Frank Castle’s fate in Daredevil: Born Again makes the Netflix series retroactively more satisfying, positioning it as an origin story that chronicles Frank’s journey from a traumatized veteran seeking justice to the fully-formed Punisher. The character’s struggles with identity and purpose now serve as necessary stepping stones rather than deviations from the source material. Due to that, Frank’s occasional moments of humanity in the Netflix series gain new significance when viewed as the final vestiges of the man, before he fully surrendered to becoming the vengeful killer.

[RELATED: The MCU’s Worst Criminals Are Back in Daredevil: Born Again]

The Born Again take on Frank Castle is particularly effective because it bridges the gap between Netflix’s more grounded approach and the comic book character’s uncompromising nature. Jon Bernthal’s performance retains the emotional intensity and raw physicality that made his Netflix portrayal so compelling, but now the star channels those qualities into a character who has moved beyond introspection.

For fans anticipating Marvel Studios’ upcoming Punisher special, Born Again‘s portrayal offers an exciting preview. This Frank Castle has already completed his transformation. Now, he is nothing more than the Punisher, in all his morally complex, bloody, twisted, unflinching glory. This approach respects both the character’s comic book legacy and the development undertaken in the Netflix series, offering a synthesis that should satisfy longtime fans while maintaining continuity with what came before.

Frank Castle only has a short scene in Daredevil: Born Again. Hopefully, the Punisher will return before the season ends, setting the stage for his upcoming special.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday.

What did you think of Frank Castle’s return in Daredevil: Born Again? Do you prefer this version of the character to the one shown in the Netflix era? Let us know in the comments!

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has experienced a mixed reception since the conclusion of the Infinity Saga with Avengers: Endgame. While projects like WandaVision, Loki, and Spider-Man: No Way Home have garnered critical acclaim and audience enthusiasm, others have struggled to maintain the franchise’s previously consistent quality. No MCU production, however, has received as much universal criticism as Secret Invasion, the 2023 Disney+ series starring Samuel L. Jackson. The show’s poorly received plot, disappointing visual effects, and underwhelming execution led many fans to express their desire for Marvel Studios to simply erase it from MCU continuity altogether. Despite these pleas, Daredevil: Born Again has officially confirmed that Secret Invasion remains firmly part of the MCU canon through a subtle but unmistakable reference in its fourth episode.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 4

In Daredevil: Born Again Episode 4, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) visits detention to meet with Leroy Bradford (Charlie Hudson III), a petty thief charged with stealing food from a bodega. When confronted with overwhelming evidence against him, including surveillance footage and a witness willing to testify, Bradford makes a desperate final excuse: “Could it have been a Skrull?” Matt’s deadpan response of “…Nope” confirms that knowledge of the alien species has reached everyday citizens, including small-time criminals looking for convenient alibis.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Reveals What Spider-Man Has Been Doing Since No Way Home]

Before Secret Invasion, knowledge of Skrulls was confined to high-level operatives like Nick Fury and cosmic heroes like Captain Marvel (Brie Larson). However, Secret Invasion ended with President Ritson (Dermot Mulroney) declaring Skrulls “military combatants” after discovering his advisor James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) had been replaced by a shape-shifter. That public revelation fundamentally changed the MCU’s status quo, creating a world where ordinary people now live with the knowledge that anyone around them could potentially be an alien impostor. Well, it should have changed things, because the MCU never touched that plot point until Daredevil: Born Again.

How Daredevil: Born Again Acknowledges What Even The Marvels Ignored

Daredevil: Born Again’s Skrull nod is particularly notable because The Marvels — the theatrical film that followed Secret Invasion and featured Nick Fury — largely ignored the events and character development from the Disney+ series. In Secret Invasion, the Skrull terrorists are motivated by the fact they have no home in the cosmos, meaning they want to claim Earth for their own. Yet, The Marvels opens with the Skrulls settled in a new planet, erasing the most significant plot points of Secret Invasion. In contrast, Daredevil: Born Again, a street-level series with no cosmic connections, has done more to validate Secret Invasion‘s place in the MCU canon than the direct follow-up film did.

The casual way Bradford mentions Skrulls demonstrates how thoroughly knowledge of these aliens has spread. Skrulls are no longer just a concern for superheroes and government agencies, but an alien species everyone is aware of after President Ritson’s mediatic tantrum. Of course, there are still many issues with the canon that Daredevil: Born Again can’t solve, as explaining exactly how the Skrull threat impacted people beyond throwaway references. Still, it’s curious to see Marvel Studios is making an effort to recognize that Secret Invasion did happen.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again come to Disney+ every Tuesday.

How do you feel about the Skrull Easter egg in Daredevil: Born Again? Do you think Marvel Studios will find a way to make Secret Invasion more relevant in the future? Let us know in the comments!

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Daredevil: Born Again has already established itself as a cornerstone of Marvel’s street-level universe. The first three episodes of the Disney+ series painted a complex picture of New York City’s vigilante landscape, with Mayor Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) running on an explicit anti-vigilante platform that targeted figures like Daredevil and even Spider-Man during his inauguration speech. While Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) has abandoned his Daredevil persona, the series introduced Hector Ayala (Kamar De Los Reyes) as the White Tiger, a hero whose mystical amulet granted him enhanced abilities to protect his community. Tragically, Hector’s story came to an abrupt end when he was executed by an assailant wearing the Punisher’s logo after being acquitted in court. However, this week’s episode teases that another masked hero might soon rise from the ashes of this tragedy.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 4

In Episode 4, Angela Del Toro (Camila Rodriguez), Hector Ayala’s niece, visits Matt Murdock at his law office, bringing with her the burning anger and determination that often serves as the catalyst for a superhero origin story. The scene establishes Angela’s strong sense of justice and deep distrust of the system that failed her uncle. She confronts Matt about her uncle’s investigation into missing people in New York and demands action, clearly frustrated with conventional legal channels. “My uncle, two days before he got shot, you know what he told me? He told me, ‘Don’t rely on anyone to do what you can do for yourself,'” Angela tells Matt, echoing the vigilante philosophy that drives many of Marvel’s street-level heroes.

[RELATED: The MCU’s Worst Criminals Are Back in Daredevil: Born Again]

This powerful exchange establishes several crucial elements for Angela’s character development. First, it shows she’s already following in her uncle’s investigative footsteps, researching the disappearances he was tracking before his death. Second, it reveals her disillusionment with traditional justice systems — she explicitly states she won’t go to the police because they killed her uncle. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it shows Angela embracing her uncle’s self-reliant philosophy, suggesting she’s ready to take matters into her own hands. The scene ends with Angela storming off after Matt’s reluctance to help, setting her on a path that comic readers will recognize as the beginning of her journey to become the next White Tiger.

How Angela Del Toro Becomes White Tiger in Marvel Comics

In the comics, Angela Del Toro’s path to becoming White Tiger is deeply intertwined with her family legacy. As the niece of Hector Ayala, Angela grew up surrounded by heroes, including her “Uncle Danny” (Iron Fist). She initially chose a life of law enforcement, serving as an NYPD officer for four years before joining the FBI, where she graduated in the top percentile of her class at Quantico. Her transformation into White Tiger began after Hector’s tragic death, when his mystical amulets were mysteriously delivered to her.

Much like the MCU version, comic Angela initially struggled with what to do with this legacy. She sought guidance from Matt Murdock, who had recently been outed as Daredevil, and he provided some reluctant mentorship in her early vigilante days. After leaving the FBI, Angela fully embraced the White Tiger identity, receiving further training from Black Widow and eventually a proper superhero costume. The White Tiger amulets granted her formidable abilities, including superhuman strength, speed, agility, enhanced durability, accelerated healing, and heightened senses, powers that allowed her to take on significant threats in New York’s criminal underworld.

The MCU carefully laid the groundwork for Angela’s transformation, mirroring these comic origins. While she’s younger in the MCU, her distrust of the police aligns with her eventual departure from the FBI in the comics. Furthermore, the show has already established the mystical nature of the White Tiger amulet and its importance to the Ayala family. Finally, Angela is seeking Matt Murdock’s help in Born Again, which could evolve into the new White Tiger training under Daredevil’s tutelage.

Angela Del Toro’s potential emergence as White Tiger would fit perfectly into the MCU’s ongoing development of its next generation of heroes. With characters like Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani), America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), Ironheart (Dominique Thorne), Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), and most recently Wiccan (Joe Locke) already established, Marvel is clearly building toward a Young Avengers-style team. Angela would bring valuable diversity to this roster, not just in terms of representation but also in her street-level perspective and mystical powers.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday.

Do you think Angela del Toro will become the new White Tiger in Daredevil: Born Again? Would you like to see the new White Tiger in future MCU projects? Let us know in the comments!

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Welcome back, Frank. Marvel Studios has confirmed this week’s episode of Daredevil: Born Again features the return of Frank Castle/The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) to the streets of New York City, which have been inundated with vigilante violence since Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) “Masked Man” became the guardian devil of Hell’s Kitchen. It was there that Bernthal’s former Marine turned vengeful vigilante began waging his one man war on crime in the second season of Daredevil, a crusade that continued in two seasons of the Marvel-Netflix series The Punisher before the spinoff was cancelled in 2019.

But now the Punisher is back, and there’s hell to pay. Marvel released an image teasing Tuesday night’s Daredevil: Born Again episode 4 with the Punisher’s spray-painted skull insignia, which has been covered with the words “Sic Semper Systema” (Latin for “Thus always to the system”).

RELATED: Daredevil Star Jon Bernthal Teases ”Dark” Punisher Special: “The Version That This Character Deserves”

The post is the latest tease setting up Punisher’s return to the series. First, former Kingpin of crime and newly elected Mayor Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) referenced a “gun-toting vigilante who wears a skull on his chest” in his mayoral acceptance speech on New Year’s Eve, the same night that Hector Ayala (Kamar de los Reyes) was wrongfully accused of killing NYPD Officer Shanahan while breaking up a subway brawl.

Shanahan’s partner, dirty cop Powell (Hamish Allan-Headley), arrested Ayala and then tried to kill drug dealer turned confidential informant Nicky Torres (Nick Jordan), the key witness who could testify to Ayala’s innocence. When Ayala’s attorney, Matt Murdock, intercepted Powell at Torres’ apartment, it was revealed Powell had a Punisher symbol tattoo on his left wrist.

RELATED: What Happens to White Tiger in the Daredevil Comics?

Murdock and good cop Cherry (Clark Johnson) stashed Torres in a safe house tagged with graffiti: the Punisher skull emblazoned with the word “triggered.” (The provocative mural is the work of the mysterious street artist known only as Muse.)

As Murdock defended Ayala in court, his heightened senses overheard another dirty cop (Steven Staine Fernández) whisper to Powell that Torres couldn’t take the stand to testify. Unbeknownst to Murdock, this officer had a similar Punisher tattoo on his neck.

After Murdock was forced to expose Ayala’s alter-ego as the vigilante White Tiger — a desperate move to get his client acquitted as a cop killer — a killer cop misappropriating the Punisher’s symbol lured the hero into an ambush and shot Ayala in the head. If there is to be justice for Hector Ayala, Matt Murdock must track down White Tiger’s killer. And then they must be punished.

Daredevil: Born Again episode 4 premieres Tuesday, March 18, at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Disney+.

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“You don’t need sight to appreciate art, but you do need honesty,” art dealer Vanessa Marianna (Ayelet Zurer) told blind lawyer Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) during their first meeting in Marvel’s Daredevil. Now Zurer — who returns as Vanessa Fisk, First Lady of New York who took the reins of Mayor Wilson Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) crime empire in her husband’s absence — is dealing out her own honesty about the role initially being recast in Marvel Studios’ Daredevil: Born Again.

“I love working with Vincent, and I was so thrilled to go back to it. I love the way he makes his character work, I love him as an actor, as a friend,” Zurer told TVLine about reprising her role alongside D’Onofrio. “He was one of the first people who called me when this was revealed; I think he was also very happy that it happened. It just feels right, you know?”

RELATED: New Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Set Photo Teases MCU Crossover With Street-Level Vigilantes

Sandrine Holt (House of Cards, Homeland, Mayor of Kingstown) had replaced Zurer as Vanessa in the version of Born Again that was developed by original showrunners and co-creators Chris Ord and Matt Corman. (Not only had Ord and Corman recast Vanessa, but their version also wrote off Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page and killed off Elden Henson’s Foggy Nelson off-screen.)

But when Marvel Studios released Ord and Corman and brought on Dario Scardapane (The Punisher) as showrunner as part of the show’s creative overhaul in late 2023, Zurer was invited back to reprise the role she originated in Daredevil‘s first season in 2015.

“I never really quite understood why they made that decision to not keep not just me but more almost all the actors but Vincent and Charlie,” Zurer said. “But I can say that when they did change the creative and decided to go back to the original cast, I was very, very happy to join. Because I really like that character, and I thought there was so much more to explore with her.”

Some of that territory is being explored in an unexpected way: couples’ counseling with Murdock’s girlfriend, Dr. Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva). Heather’s high-profile clients told her how Fisk suddenly “disappeared,” leaving her to take control of their business as head of New York’s Five Families.

“I was assaulted by a vigilante. The recovery process, it was quite involved,” Fisk said of the events of Hawkeye and Echo. “I couldn’t stay in touch with Vanessa. I couldn’t stay in communication with her. It was for the best.”

Although Fisk’s love for his wife was the one thing that Murdock could leverage over the former Kingpin — who once threatened to expose Daredevil’s secret identity and the lives of Matt Murdock’s friends — Born Again finds their relationship strained. As Vanessa confessed to Dr. Glenn, she was lonely. She missed her husband. Then he returned, and she doesn’t know how to feel about it.

“Why are we here? Because it feels like we don’t have a choice,” Vanessa told Dr. Glenn. For Fisk, he answered: “I’m here because I don’t want to lose my wife.”

Zurer told TVLine she was “very excited” to read the reworked script penned by Scardapane, “but I was at first taken aback by the shift had happened within Vanessa… and also some other things in the show that will be revealed later.”

“I was like, ‘How is that going to work?’ But once we dove in, I found Vanessa to be a way deeper character, because she is dealing with some new aspects of their relationship — trust, and honesty — that it made it very interesting for me to find ways to perform it,” she added.

New episodes of Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again air Tuesday nights on Disney+.

The post Daredevil Star Speaks Out on Confusing Born Again Recasting appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Murdock & Page: born again? The opening minutes of Marvel Studios’ Daredevil revival reunited Elden Henson’s Foggy Nelson, Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock, and Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page of Nelson, Murdock & Page for the first time since the Netflix series ended in 2018. But the reunion was short lived: when Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye opened fire on Foggy and Karen outside Josie’s Bar in Hell’s Kitchen, the assassin shot and killed Foggy, and Nelson, Murdock & Page was no more.

“I refuse to believe that a tragedy had to destroy everything,” Matt told his former lover — and former friend — when she visited New York after relocating to San Francisco. “But it did,” she told the since-retired vigilante. Karen returned for Bullseye’s sentencing, left Matt a devil’s horn from his discarded cowl, and disappeared from his life once more.

RELATED: Daredevil, Punishment and Pain: An Elegy for Foggy

Woll later confirmed that Karen would return for Daredevil: Born Again season 2, which is currently filming in New York City. And now new set photos (below) offer the first look at Karen reunited with her ex-partner Matt.

Woll was spotted on set wearing a wig: Karen’s strawberry blonde hair is now full-blown red. (Other photos from the set tease Fisk’s anti-vigilante police are out in full force —is this a disguise for a covert meeting with Cox’s Matt on the streets of Hell’s Kitchen?)

“With [Born Again], time has passed [since Daredevil],” Woll told Entertainment Tonight. “So you want to be like: ‘Who was this person? How has she grown over the last five years?’ And in a way, that gives you a lot of leeway, because you can come up with things that change and shift someone’s perspective.”

“[The season 2] scripts are amazing,” Woll added. “I’m deeply honored to be a part of this storyline that [showrunner Dario Scardapane] has written.”

Woll has played Karen Page since the very first episode of Netflix’s Daredevil in 2015. As the first client of the nascent defense firm Nelson & Murdock — she was framed for a co-worker’s murder by Kingpin Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) and associates for uncovering a fraud scheme — she found herself investigating the shadowy Kingpin’s crime empire with New York Bulletin reporter Ben Urich (Vondie Curtis-Hall). After Fisk murdered Urich, Karen followed in his footsteps as a reporter for the Bulletin, investigating the conspiracy behind the deaths of Frank Castle’s (Jon Bernthal) family when the Marine waged war on the streets of Hell’s Kitchen as the Punisher.

Woll reprised her role in episodes of The Defenders and The Punisher, and Karen returned to work alongside her friends Foggy and Matt when they formed Nelson, Murdock & Page in the Daredevil season 3 finale.

New episodes of Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again air Tuesday nights on Disney+.

The post Daredevil: Born Again Set Photos Reveal a Major Character’s Return (With a Drastic New Look) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The Fisk is in. After campaigning on “Fisk Can Fix It,” newly elected New York City Mayor Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) has promised a “safer NYC” in Daredevil: Born Again. As the Kingpin of Crime, Fisk has dealt with street-level vigilantes like Daredevil (Charlie Cox), the Punisher (Jon Bernthal), Ronin (Jeremy Renner), and Fisk’s former protégé Echo/Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox), but as mayor, Fisk has a new weapon to wage his war on masked vigilantes like Daredevil and Spider-Man: the law.

“These vigilantes are a threat to any society that’s based on the rule of law. A man who wears a mask to cover his face is a coward,” Mayor Fisk told intrepid reporter BB Urich (Genneya Walton). “These vigilantes, they are not heroes. And I ran on a promise. The rule of law must prevail.” New York City will be born again.

RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Should Adapt Daredevil Shadowland

Fisk’s anti-vigilante rhetoric has already resulted in the murder of Hector Ayala/White Tiger (Kamar De Los Reyes), who was gunned down by a killer misappropriating the Punisher’s skull insignia after the vigilante’s trial ended in a “not guilty” verdict for the hero (who was falsely accused of murdering a police officer).

A set photo from the now-shooting Daredevil: Born Again season 2 shows a propaganda-style Mayor Fisk poster that reads “Making New York Safe” with the number for a tip line: “555-NOMASKS.”

In the Daredevil comics, the “Mayor Fisk” storyline (spanning 2017’s Daredevil #595-600) saw the Kingpin make superheroes illegal in New York. Fisk also made the blind attorney Matt Murdock his Deputy Mayor, who then united the city’s street-level vigilantes — Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Moon Knight, Echo, Misty Knight, and Spider-Man — to try and unseat Fisk from his seat of power.

But when the heroes were apprehended by Fisk’s anti-vigilante police force, there was only one man left to oppose Mayor Fisk: the man without fear.

“I love this city. I always have,” Mayor Fisk told Daredevil in Daredevil #600. “I think of all the time I wasted on you, on people like you… it makes me sick. All along, I should have been going after this. All this power… as the mayor… I can do anything I want. And what I want… is to fix New York.”

Fisk then battered Daredevil with a sledgehammer and had the masked vigilante arrested as the final catch of the police’s sting operation. “The only hero this city needs,” Fisk told his archnemesis, “is its king.”

As Mayor Fisk publicly declared that New York was safer than ever, he was attacked by the ninja death cult the Hand. With Fisk incapacitated, his duty fell to his deputy mayor: Matt Murdock had become Mayor of New York City.

Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again episode 4 premieres tonight, March 18, on Disney+.

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In a recent interview with Collider, Mike Colter expressed continued hope for his potential return as Luke Cage to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His comments are timely, considering Marvel Studios is actively reintegrating Netflix’s Defenders characters into the main MCU continuity through Daredevil: Born Again. Colter first appeared as Luke Cage in the first season of Jessica Jones before headlining his own series for two seasons. He also starred in the crossover miniseries The Defenders alongside Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), and Iron Fist (Finn Jones). Fans last saw Harlem’s bulletproof hero in 2018 during the Luke Cage season two finale, when Cage took over the Harlem’s Paradise nightclub and positioned himself as the neighborhood’s protective crime boss.

“I still have hopes for it,” Colter stated. “I don’t think about it anymore. I think there’s always time. I don’t think it’s impossible. Anything can happen.” The actor’s optimism is well-placed given how successfully Daredevil: Born Again has bridged the Netflix era with the current MCU. The Disney+ series not only brings back Cox as Matt Murdock and Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, but also Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher, Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page, and Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson. This approach establishes a clear precedent for other Defenders characters potentially making their way back to the screen, with Luke Cage being a natural candidate given his popularity and established presence in New York City.

[RELATED: Marvel Exec Confirms Disney+ Shows Will Be “More Like Television” Moving Forward]

Netflix systematically canceled all of its Marvel shows over a four-month period between 2018 and 2019. The process began in October 2018 with Iron Fist, followed by Luke Cage just one week later that same month. Daredevil was canceled in November 2018, while Jessica Jones and The Punisher received their cancellation notices in February 2019. This process coincided with Disney’s preparation to launch its own streaming service, Disney+, though neither company explicitly connected these events. At the time, Netflix stated that the Marvel shows would remain on the service, where they stayed until February 2022, when they moved to Disney+. The rights to these characters, which had previously belonged to Netflix, returned to Marvel Studios after a two-year waiting period following the cancellation, allowing for their current integration into the MCU.

Wilson Fisk’s Born Again Arc Creates Perfect Opportunity for Luke Cage’s Return

The current storyline in Daredevil: Born Again establishes a clear narrative foundation for Luke Cage’s potential return to the MCU. Wilson Fisk has become mayor of New York City on an explicit anti-vigilante platform. This political strategy directly opposes the work of street-level heroes like Daredevil. Naturally, it extends to other vigilantes operating in different neighborhoods, including Harlem, where Luke Cage established himself as a public protector.

Marvel Studios executives have openly discussed the possibility of bringing back more Defenders characters. Brad Winderbaum, Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, recently addressed this potential reunion directly. “We are very much exploring” bringing back the complete Defenders lineup, Winderbaum confirmed. Speaking ahead of Daredevil: Born Again‘s premiere, he added, “They live and breathe in a world where these other Defenders characters are walking around somewhere, so I think collisions are inevitable.” This statement officially acknowledges that Marvel Studios is actively discussing the return of characters like Luke Cage.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday.

Do you want to see Mike Colter return as Luke Cage in the MCU? What role should he play in confronting Mayor Fisk? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Luke Cage Star Still Has Hopes for MCU Return (and Daredevil Makes It Possible) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Shadowland was Matt Murdock’s fall from grace. 2009’s Daredevil #500 ended with the horn-headed hero of Hell’s Kitchen accepting an offer to lead the ninja death cult called The Hand, who would have turned to Wilson Fisk — Kingpin of Crime — had he refused. Murdock hoped to reform the Hand and use their resources to protect the Kitchen during Norman Osborn’s Dark Reign as head of H.A.M.M.E.R., but when Osborn dispatched the assassin Bullseye to kill the Hand’s newly appointed leader, Bullseye blew up a tenement block and killed 107 civilians. A guilt-ridden Daredevil blamed himself, and decided to use the army at his command to take back the streets of Hell’s Kitchen.

“I used to think justice could be found in the courtroom — or if that failed, Daredevil could always find it on the street,” Murdock confessed to his sensei Master Izo, once of the Hand and the Chaste. “But now the streets are patrolled by H.A.M.M.E.R., the courts are controlled by Norman Osborn. Everything’s upside down. We’ve been playing the same old games we always have, but our enemies changed the rules on us. We need to find a new way to play, or we’re dead.”

“The Hand is just a weapon,” Murdock said. “And a weapon can be used for good instead of evil… if the man who wields it is righteous.”

The Man Without Fear would become a man to fear.

RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again, Explained: What Happens to White Tiger in the Daredevil Comics?

The Devil’s Hand

Lord Daredevil’s league of assassins led Matt Murdock down a dark path. Even as the Hand’s lethal violence clashed with the Catholic Murdock’s morality, he declared Hell’s Kitchen to be Hand territory. Meanwhile, Fisk operated from the shadows, planning to bring Osborn’s H.A.M.M.E.R. down on Murdock’s Hand so he could reclaim control of the underworld.

In Daredevil #504, Hell’s Kitchen had become a war zone as the Devil’s Hand waged war with militarized H.A.M.M.E.R. forces. Murdock had the Hand purchase the bombing site to turn its ashes into Daredevil’s Shadowland fortress, which would tower over Hell’s Kitchen as a symbol of the Devil’s reign.

Matt Murdock Dared Evil

Daredevil’s Hand waged a war on crime and corruption that continued even after the Avengers ushered in a new Heroic Age with Osborn’s defeat and deposition in Siege.

In 2010’s Shadowland #1, after Bullseye escaped custody during transport to the Raft prison, he infiltrated Daredevil’s Shadowland fortress and found Daredevil dressed in a black and red costume.

A wrathful Daredevil brutally beat and then killed Bullseye, impaling him with his sai as he had murdered Murdock’s love Elektra years earlier (in 1981’s classic Daredevil #181). And so it seemed that Matt Murdock’s soul was lost.

Shadowland

Hell’s Kitchen’s Shadowland had became unassailable. After Bullseye’s death, Elektra returned just as Murdock became corrupted by a dark influence in Daredevil #508. In Shadowland #2, after the black-clad Daredevil declared martial law in defiance of New York City Mayor J. Jonah Jameson, Daredevil put word out on the street that the city’s costumed heroes could join Shadowland under the authority of the Hand. “Because if they’re not with us,” he said, “they’re against us.”

Daredevil drew concern from fellow street-level heroes Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Misty Knight, Colleen Wing, Shang-Chi, and Spider-Man, who confronted him at Shadowland. Acting as judge, jury and executioner goes against the law that Matt Murdock vowed to uphold as a lawyer, but Lord Daredevil told his former allies: “Justice is what we make it.”

Meanwhile, Kingpin decided to fight demons with demons by performing a ritual to summon an ancient enemy of the Hand: the Spirit of Vengeance, Ghost Rider. When Ghost Rider stormed the ninja compound during the hero intervention with Daredevil, the Lord of the Hand took it as an act of war.

Dark Devil

Daredevil revoked his no-kill rule and instructed the Hand to kill the heroes. Daredevil’s forces — White Tiger, Black Tarantula, Typhoid Mary, and his endless army of ninja foot soldiers — overwhelmed the heroes, who were freed by the arrival of The Punisher. In the light of day, Danny Rand and Shang-Chi realized that Daredevil should not have been able to defeat the Master of Kung-Fu and the Immortal Iron Fist in hand-to-hand combat, and that whatever dark power Daredevil tapped into had begun to spread throughout Hell’s Kitchen.

As the Devil’s Hand exhumed Bullseye’s corpse to resurrect him the way the Hand had once tried to resurrect Elektra, Master Izo revealed to the heroes that Takashi’s Snakeroot clan — a secret cadre at the heart of the Hand — was behind Murdock’s corruption. The Snakeroot needed a good but flawed man to become a vessel for “the one that waits in darkness, who hungers for the end of humanity itself”: The Beast of the Hand, an ancient demon worshipped by the Hand.

Suspecting that the Hand planned to have Daredevil possessed by the Beast, Master Izo had Elektra infiltrate their ranks and Murdock’s inner circle. Elektra and another enemy of the Hand, Wolverine, joined the heroes to bring down Shadowland and stop Daredevil from resurrecting Bullseye as an agent of the Beast’s Hand. As the Snakeroot’s Black Flower took root in Hell’s Kitchen, turning its citizens against each other, the evil power would spread across the world unless the heroes could stop Daredevil. Izo explained that the man they know as Matt Murdock was subsumed within the Beast, and Elektra told the heroes: “It’s kill or be killed.”

The Punisher shot Daredevil with a stun grenade so that Wolverine could kill the Beast-possessed Daredevil, but he survived being impaled by Wolverine’s adamantium claws. Spider-Man’s webs restrained Daredevil long enough for Cage, Iron Fist, and Punisher to hold him down so that Elektra could reach Murdock and remind him their mentor, Stick, trained them to resist the Beast. But in the penultimate issue of Shadowland, Daredevil had become the Beast.

Beast From Hell’s Kitchen

The five-issue Shadowland series culminated with Matt Murdock as the Beast’s vessel, who then overpowered the army of heroes out to stop him. Shadowland #5 marked more than a fight for the soul of New York: it was a fight to save Daredevil’s soul.

“Such beautiful destruction. The people of this city have begun to feed upon each other, and as they do so, they feed me,” the Devil Beast told Ghost Rider. “As man turns upon man, I grow ever stronger, the darkness spreading ’til this world itself lies an ashen cinder… and only those who bow before the Beast shall be spared.”

The demonic Daredevil resisted Ghost Rider’s hellfire, and it seemed Matt Murdock’s soul had been lost. But his oldest friend, Foggy Nelson, infiltrated Shadowland and managed to briefly stir his best friend from his possession. Iron Fist struck Daredevil with his chi energy, a life force not meant to destroy the Beast — but to heal Matt Murdock. He then begged Elektra to kill him. In the darkness of his subconscious mind, Elektra told him: “Be a man. Without fear.”

RELATED: How [SPOILER] Could Return in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2

Daredevil then took Elektra’s katana and performed seppuku to free himself from the darkness, and it seemed Daredevil died. Matt Murdock’s body disappeared, leaving only his black mask behind. Fisk revealed that Typhoid Mary was his unknowing double agent inside Shadowland, allowing him to take control of the Hand. Shadowland #5 ended at a church, where Matt Murdock came to confess his sins.

The Shadowland: After the Fall one-shot revealed the aftermath of Matt Murdock and Daredevil’s disappearance. He left a message for his friend and confidante Ben Urich, then left Hell’s Kitchen to another hero: Black Panther.

As Daredevil #512 became Black Panther: Man Without Fear for issues #513-523, Matt Murdock was born again in the four-issue Daredevil: Reborn before Marvel relaunched Daredevil with a new No. 1 in 2011.

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The Punisher’s skull emblem has become one of Marvel’s most recognizable symbols, adorning everything from t-shirts to controversial appearances on police vehicles and military gear. However, this widespread adoption comes with a fundamental misunderstanding of who Frank Castle actually is and what he is about. Marvel’s most lethal vigilante isn’t a hero to be emulated. Instead, he’s a tragic figure born from a catastrophic failure of the justice system. After losing his family to gang violence, Castle abandoned his faith in institutions and embarked on a one-man war against crime, operating entirely outside the law after the law failed him. Unlike other characters who struggle with the ethics of their actions, Frank has made his moral choice and refuses to deviate from it. This unwavering commitment makes him compelling as a character but disturbing as a symbol. 

With Daredevil: Born Again now exploring the Punisher misappropriation in the MCU through corrupt officers sporting skulls, it’s the perfect time to examine who Frank Castle truly is beneath the surface-level violence that often dominates discussions about him. Whether confronting the trauma that shaped him or showcasing his calculated approach to vengeance, these five stories collectively offer the most honest portrait of a character who knows better than anyone that his methods should never be celebrated. Here’s our pick for the definitive Punisher storylines.

Born

Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s Born challenges the simplistic narrative that Frank Castle was just an ordinary man transformed by the murder of his family. Set at Firebase Valley Forge during the Vietnam War’s final days, this storyline introduces readers to Captain Castle, a soldier who already displays the seeds of the vigilante he will become. Throughout the narrative, a mysterious voice seems to communicate with Frank, suggesting a chilling deal: power to wage his future war in exchange for something he values.

This origin story adds crucial depth to the character by revealing that Frank’s capacity for violence and moral ambiguity existed long before his family’s deaths in Central Park. Rather than portraying Frank Castle as a righteous avenger created solely by tragedy, Born presents the unsettling possibility that something darker always resided within him, waiting for the right circumstances to emerge. For anyone who views the Punisher as simply a wronged man taking necessary action, this story complicates that reading by implying his transformation was perhaps inevitable. As such, Born provides a framework for understanding how a trained soldier might redirect his skills toward a personal crusade when civil institutions fail him.

The Slavers (Punisher MAX #25-30)

In this unflinching arc from the acclaimed Punisher MAX series, Garth Ennis confronts Frank Castle with human trafficking, a systemic evil that ignites something beyond his usual detachment. After encountering a young woman who escaped from a sex trafficking ring, Frank uncovers an operation that awakens genuine moral outrage beneath his typically cold demeanor.

“The Slavers” reveals an essential dimension of the character often overlooked in simplified portrayals: despite his brutal methodology, Frank retains a fundamental sense of justice focused on protecting the truly vulnerable. The narrative doesn’t sanitize the horror of human trafficking or offer easy solutions. Even as Frank systematically eliminates the traffickers with characteristic efficiency, the story acknowledges the limitations of his approach against a global problem. This tension between Frank’s localized vengeance and the broader societal issues he confronts creates a nuanced portrayal. The storyline demonstrates why readers might find themselves uncomfortably aligned with Frank’s objectives even while questioning his methods — not because violence is justified, but because conventional justice sometimes appears insufficient when confronting profound evil.

Welcome Back, Frank

The series that redefined the modern Punisher, Garth Ennis’ Welcome Back, Frank follows Castle’s methodical campaign against the Gnucci crime family. This storyline established the template for contemporary interpretations of the character by balancing brutal violence with darkly comic moments and presenting Frank as coldly efficient rather than emotionally volatile. A pivotal sequence features Matt Murdock confronting Frank about his lethal methods. Rather than fighting Daredevil, Frank restrains him, a moment that perfectly illustrates their fundamentally different approaches. Both fight crime, but where Daredevil maintains moral boundaries that preserve his humanity, Frank crossed those lines long ago and accepts the cost. This interaction demonstrates Frank’s self-awareness; he respects Daredevil’s ethical code while remaining convinced of his own brutal necessity.

Welcome Back, Frank strips away any pretense that the Punisher is simply another superhero with extreme methods. Instead, it presents him as someone operating in an entirely different moral framework, one he understands places him outside the realm of heroism. The storyline’s success proved audiences could engage with this complex characterization, appreciating Frank’s tactical brilliance and commitment while recognizing the ethical bankruptcy of his approach.

The Cell (Punisher MAX #7-12)

“The Cell” reveals the calculating nature of Frank Castle’s vendetta in ways that dismantle any interpretation of impulsive justice. The storyline follows Frank as he deliberately allows himself to be arrested and incarcerated at Ryker’s Island with a singular purpose: to finally eliminate the remaining members of the mob family responsible for his family’s deaths decades earlier. This arc distinguishes itself by demonstrating Frank’s meticulous planning and limitless patience. After orchestrating chaos within the prison environment, he confronts each Drago family member individually, executing them in ways that mirror how his wife and children died. This personalized retribution, decades in the making, reveals that Frank is similar to a serial killer, moved by focused purpose.

For those who view the Punisher as a symbol of quick vengeance, “The Cell” presents a man willing to endure imprisonment and personal suffering to ensure specific individuals receive what he considers appropriate punishment. The storyline highlights the profound difference between Frank’s mission and conventional heroism. Heroes protect society by maintaining its values. Frank has abandoned those constraints. His form of justice exists completely outside social norms and institutions, reflecting a mind that no longer recognizes the legitimacy of those systems. This portrayal underscores why Frank Castle should be understood as a cautionary figure whose methods represent the collapse of social order.

Valley Forge, Valley Forge (Punisher MAX #55-60)

The final arc of Garth Ennis’s defining Punisher MAX run, “Valley Forge, Valley Forge” illuminates how Frank Castle’s military background informs his identity as the Punisher. When corrupt generals target Frank for elimination, fearing he’ll expose their illegal activities, they deploy special forces soldiers to hunt him down, creating a scenario where Frank must confront fellow warriors rather than criminals. This storyline reveals unexpected complexity in Frank’s moral framework through his reluctance to kill the soldiers pursuing him. Despite his reputation as a merciless vigilante, he distinguishes between corrupt authority figures and the troops following orders, showing a respect for military service that transcends his typical black-and-white judgments.

“Valley Forge, Valley Forge” also recontextualizes the Punisher by presenting his vigilantism as an extension of his military experience. Frank didn’t simply adopt extrajudicial methods after his family’s murder. The Punisher applies combat tactics and battlefield ethics to what he perceives as an ongoing war against crime. This military lens helps explain both his operational approach and his psychological capacity to maintain his mission across decades without wavering or seeking redemption. The storyline’s title intentionally connects Frank’s Vietnam experience with his present circumstances, suggesting that for him, the war never truly ended. This storyline offers insight into how someone trained to identify and eliminate threats might see vigilantism as a logical response when traditional systems of justice appear compromised.

What other Punisher comics do you think are essential for understanding Frank Castle’s true nature? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Set photos from Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 seemingly reveal a new costume for Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock. The X account @_DaredevilShots shared images of the actor at night, wearing what appears to be a cape coat over his Daredevil suit. In a separate post, @_DardevilShots did a side by side comparison of a similar set image from Season 1. A notable difference between the two is that in the Season 2 image, Cox seems to be donning an all-black costume, contrasting from the red outfit he’s sporting in the Season 1 photo. This implies he will have a new Daredevil costume for the show’s second season.

The images indicate Marvel could be looking to adapt the “Shadowland” storyline in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. In the comics, Matt wears an all-black costume, which illustrates the narrative’s darker themes and subject matter. In “Shadowland,” Daredevil is possessed by the Beast of the Hand, and his actions become far more extreme than usual as a result. The titular Shadowland is a prison facility Matt builds in Hell’s Kitchen. The overarching “Shadowland” plot features appearances from a variety of Marvel characters, including Spider-Man, Moon Knight, Luke Cage, and the Punisher.

Though Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 was only premiered on Disney+ earlier this month, production on the second season began in late February. A release date for Season 2 has not yet been officially announced. Matthew Lillard recently joined the Season 2 cast in an undisclosed role.

[RELATED – Did Daredevil: Born Again Just Tease Miles Morales’ MCU Debut as Spider-Man?]

Prior to Season 1’s debut, Cox told ComicBook that it’s “possible” he’d wear multiple Daredevil suits on Born Again. Marketing materials for the show featured a bevy of cowls for Matt to choose from, including a black one that would fit nicely with a “Shadowland”-inspired costume. The actor also was mum on the possibility of sporting the character’s famous “DD” symbol at some point. An iteration of that insignia is present on the “Shadowland” suit.

The prospect of Daredevil getting a new suit for Born Again Season 2 isn’t surprising. It’s common for comic book film and TV adaptations to give characters new costumes with each outing — for both story and merchandising purposes. If Season 2 pulls from “Shadowland,” Marvel wouldn’t be doing a beat-for-beat recreation of the comic, but depending on what else transpires in Season 1, it could draw from that storyline and incorporate certain elements. “Shadowland” is the kind of brutal, hard-hitting material that would be right at home in a series like Daredevil: Born Again, allowing Marvel to explore narrative ground it can’t really cover in other corners of the MCU.

Using “Shadowland” as a basis for Season 2 could also be a way to incorporate more of the Defenders characters in Daredevil: Born Again. Marvel executive Brad Winderbaum mentioned it’s “inevitable” those figures return to the franchise at some point. Again, there would have to be some differences from the source material, but this could be a spot for those street-level Defenders heroes to make their triumphant return to the MCU. With Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 currently in full swing, it will be a while before Marvel raises the curtains on Season 2, and it will be fascinating to see what’s in store.

The post Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Set Photos May Reveal New Costume (and Storyline) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The highly anticipated Disney+ soft reboot, Daredevil: Born Again, premiered on March 4 to wide acclaim, setting the fandom ablaze with excitement, suspense, and tragedy. Even though Daredevil: Born Again is connected to its Netflix counterpart, there are still some fascinating references to the previous three seasons. However, now that Daredevil: Born Again is part of the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, those Easter eggs have larger implications for the bigger interconnected MCU. One such Easter egg was mentioned in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment in episode 3, “The Hollow of His Hands,” and ties Spider-Man to the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.

White Tiger Helped Miles Morales’s Dad?

Most of Daredevil: Born Again Episode 3 takes place in the courtroom where Hector Ayala – the White Tiger (Kamar de los Reyes) – is on trial for the death of a cop. As Ayala’s defense attorney, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) secured the single key witness of the event that landed Ayala in cuffs. However, once the witness was on the stand for the defense, he perjured himself out of fear of retribution from the police force. With no one to secure a not-guilty verdict, Murdock outs Ayala as the White Tiger to show that he has been operating as a hero, not a murderer.

With the White Tiger’s identity revealed, Matt calls on witnesses who give personal, first-hand accounts of how Ayala saved them from certain death, thereby illustrating Ayala’s selfless nature to the jury. Besides the first-hand accounts, Matt presents files of police reports where the officers recounted how the White Tiger helped them subdue violent criminals or provided aid when the gun and badge were not enough. One such person Murdock mentions is none other than “Officer Morales.”

RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Had a Sneaky Hawkeye Reference You May Have Missed

Could Miles Morales be Swinging into the MCU Sooner Rather Than Later?

While “Morales” is a very common name – especially within the melting pot that is New York City – the significance of Daredevil: Born Again being part of the MCU implies that the name drop was not unintentional. Another Spider-Man, Miles Morales, is the son of a New York City police officer, Jeff Morales, who may be the “Officer Morales” that White Tiger once saved. Though Miles Morales has yet to make his live-action debut in the MCU, the possible reference to his father could very well be laying the foundation for this.

For now, Miles Morales and his dad occupy their own corner of the Marvel movie universe, with Miles starring in his own series of Spider-Verse animated films. There’s theory and speculation that the animated Miles could join the MCU, following the events of Avengers: Secret Wars, so Daredevil: Born Again paving the way for Matt Murdock and Miles Morales to possibly meet is worth getting excited about.

Daredevil: Born Again is streaming on Disney+.

The post Did Daredevil: Born Again Just Tease Miles Morales’ MCU Debut as Spider-Man? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Daredevil: Born Again Episode 3 was a rousing courtroom drama with a deeper socio-political quandry at its center: Are masked vigilantes really heroes? Or just troubled citizens who decided to bend the law for their own violent gratification? That argument propelled Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) defense of Hector Ayala (Kama de los Reyes), the man who moonlights as the vigilante crimefighter, White Tiger and stands accused of murdering a NYPD cop. By the end, Matt had just as much personal investment in proving the nobility of masked heroes as he did professional investment – which made the outcome of the trial that much more devastating.

WARNING: SPOILERS FOLLOW!

In “The Hollow of His Hand” Matt makes the bold decision to reverse-course on Hector’s defense strategy, after his first gambit falls apart. The confidential informant Hector saved from two corrupt cops caves to police pressure and recounts his statement implicating the two officers who were assaulting him. Matt is forced to go against his own earlier plea to the judge by revealing that Hector is White Tiger in open court.

The strategy is controversial to be sure, but it also works: the jury hears testimony from all of the people the White Tiger saved over the years, painting the portrait of a hero whose only instinct was to help others. It’s a massive risk, but it pays off: Hector is exonerated of the murder charge and gets to walk out of jail a free man. Unfortunately, what should be a proud new era for the White Tiget is cut short tragically: that same night after the trial, as Hector heads out on patrol as White Tiger, he’s shot point-blank in the head by an unknown assailant, who is seen to have The Punisher’s skull logo painted on his black tactical gear.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Wasted A Great New MCU Character In White Tiger]

Daredevil: Who Really Killed White Tiger?

The larger story arc being established in these first three episodes of Daredevil: Born Again see the entire act of superhero vigilantism coming under scrutiny (yet again), as “Mayor” Wilson Fist (Vincent D’Onofrio) puports to be ushiering in an entirely new era of law and order in NYC – one that’s free of the need of street-level vigilantes like White Tiger, Daredevil, or Spider-Man. However, anyone who knows Fisk (like fans of Netflix’s Daredevil do) already suspects that the “order” Kingpin wants isn’t the kind that aligns with what most consider “heroic” ideals, and that figures like White Tiger aren’t the sort Fisk will abide.

That’s all to say: seeing the scene of White Tiger being ambushed and killed, juxtaposed to Fisk taking a hardline anti-vigilante stance regarding the outcome of the trial during an interview with B.B. Urich (Genneya Walton), doesn’t seem like a coincidence. It seems like an implication that Fisk probably gave the order to make an example of Hector.

As for who actually pulled the trigger on White Tiger? Obviously, the visual of the Punisher’s logo on the shooter’s vest is a red herring; Marvel fans already know Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle/Punisher will be showing up, and a fair percentage of them will probably believe that Punisher is the killer. However, Born Again has made a point to make it clear that there is a contingent of cops within the NYPD that have co-opted the Punisher logo as their unofficial gang sign; we also know that there is a contingent of cops in force who wanted to make sure that Hector Ayala didn’t ever walk free again – if he ever walked again, at all. It’s hard to believe they’d let a little thing like a “not guilty” verdict stop them from getting retribution.

The missing link in all this is what (if anything) Fisk has going on with the rogue cops of the NYPD. So far, Daredevil: Born Again has (mostly) kept up the facade of Fisk trying to ‘go straight’ with his new political career as mayor; three episodes in and we’ve only seen Kingpin scheming in both the political and criminal worlds, and using a wee bit of blackmail to get NYPD Commissiner Gallo (Michael Gaston) in line. By this time in the old Netflix Daredevil series we’d seen Fisk crush a guy’s head in a car door!

There’s no doubt that White Tiger’s death was sudden, and brutally shocking, and if it was indeed Fisk calling that shot, then the fact that he wasn’t directly responsible for the carnage is just a technicality, really. Fisk knows what kind of statement Hector’s death will be to both Matt Murdock – one that could provoke him into bringing back his Daredevil alter-ego. The question then becomes: would Daredevil’s return be a thorn in Fisk’s side? Or playing right into Kingpin’s hands.

Daredevil: Born Again is streaming on Disney+.

The post Daredevil: Who REALLY Killed SPOILER? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WARNING: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for the latest episode of Daredevil: Born Again! Continue reading at your own risk… There were a lot of reasons to be excited about Daredevil: Born Again, most of them involving the returns of beloved characters from the Netflix Defenders franchise. There was also the knowledge that Born Again would mark the live-action debut of popular Marvel hero White Tiger, who fits in seamlessly to the street-level action of Daredevil. Unfortunately, Hector Ayala’s potential was largely wasted, as his entire on-screen life in the MCU was devoted to pushing the story of Daredevil forward.

The first three episodes of Daredevil: Born Again followed the story of Matt Murdock defending Hector Ayala, who was accused of murdering a police officer after he stopped two dirty cops from beating up an innocent man on a subway platform. In the third episode, Murdock and Ayala won the case, largely due to the public reveal that Ayala was operating as the White Tiger. After the case was won, Ayala donned his mask and mystical amulet once again, and headed out onto the streets to try to help others. He was gunned down in cold blood.

There are opportunities for there to be a new White Tiger in the MCU, with Hector’s niece or sister potentially taking over the mantle moving forward. That would be great, but it doesn’t change the fact that Hector Ayala will never get the chance to make a real impact for Marvel moving forward.

White Tiger, a powerful character who can fight with the best of them and has a really exciting skill set, didn’t even get to show off his abilities in Daredevil: Born Again. The only real fight scenes featuring White Tiger on the show are grainy cell phone or security videos (which admittedly still looked better than Daredevil’s ugly bout with Bullseye in the premiere). There could have and should have been much better fight scenes with White Tiger.

The most unfortunate part of the situation is that the actor behind Hector Ayala is no longer with us. Kamar de los Reyes died of cancer in 2023, after shooting his part in Daredevil: Born Again. He was a perfect fit for the role, bringing a empathetic gravitas to Hector that made him a wildly relatable character who has been very easy to root for. Even if Marvel decided to turn back the clock a little bit and explore Hector’s story prior to the events of Born Again, the studio would have to recast the character, and that would be a real bummer after seeing what Reyes was able to do.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Ratings Fall Behind Other Disney+ Shows]

Again, there are going to be opportunities for another White Tiger in the future, and it would be awesome to see them come to fruition. But Hector Ayala is such a fantastic character in his own right, and Daredevil: Born Again largely wasted his potential.

What have you thought about Daredevil: Born Again so far? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Daredevil: Born Again Wasted a Great Marvel Character (And Now It’s Too Late) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel’s newest series, Daredevil: Born Again, has brought back Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock to the forefront of the MCU with a significant twist, as he’s no longer operating as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. Following the tragic death of his best friend Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), Matt has abandoned his vigilante persona to focus exclusively on fighting for justice through legal means. Working alongside partner Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James), he’s established a thriving practice dedicated to taking on complex cases that others won’t touch. This new direction faces its greatest challenge when Matt defends Hector Ayala (Kamar De Los Reyes), a man wrongfully accused of murdering a police officer. As the case unfolds in Episode 3, Born Again uses Hector’s plot to deliver a thoughtful, consequential exploration of a fundamental superhero trope that the broader MCU has largely abandoned throughout its 17-year history.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Episode 3

The secret identity – that cornerstone of superhero storytelling – has been deliberately minimized across most MCU properties since Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) proudly declared “I am Iron Man” at the end of the first MCU movie in 2008. This pivotal moment set a precedent that reshaped how Marvel would approach its cinematic heroes. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) never bothered with disguises, Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) was always known as the Hulk, and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) were government agents whose identities became public knowledge even before the S.H.I.E.L.D. data dump in Captain America: Winter Soldier. Even Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), initially masked, had his royal status and superhero persona publicly linked a few minutes after his MCU debut.

[RELATED: All 7 MCU Daredevil Appearances Ranked (Including Born Again)]

Marvel Studios’ approach allowed for different narrative opportunities, exploring public reactions to superhumans, showing fans’ adoration through moments like AvengerCon in Ms. Marvel, and creating comedic scenarios like Thor taking selfies with admirers in Ragnarok. However, this choice also removed a fundamental element that made superhero comics resonate for decades: the inherent vulnerability of balancing civilian life with heroic responsibility, and the vital protection anonymity provides to those who challenge powerful forces without institutional backing. Spider-Man’s (Tom Holland) identity struggles in Far From Home and No Way Home stand as rare exceptions, highlighting just how thoroughly the MCU moved away from this classic trope that Daredevil: Born Again addresses in depth.

Daredevil: Born Again Explains The Heavy Price of Unmasking Superheroes

Episode 3 of Daredevil: Born Again delivers a masterclass in why secret identities matter by demonstrating their life-or-death stakes. When Matt’s conventional defense strategies falter against coordinated police corruption, he makes the calculated yet desperate decision to reveal that his client is the vigilante White Tiger. Through witness testimonies, Matt builds a compelling case showing how Ayala repeatedly risked himself to protect others, establishing a pattern of heroism that contradicts the prosecution’s portrayal of a vicious cop-killer.

Beyond legal strategy, the unmasking of White Tiger in Daredevil: Born Again is a statement about what masks represent in a world where official channels abandon vulnerable communities. Unlike the high-profile Avengers with government backing, street-level heroes like White Tiger operate in a different reality. They challenge corruption within the system itself, making the protection of anonymity a survival necessity. Matt’s courtroom argument presents vigilantism not as lawless rebellion but as community protection arising when traditional protections fail. In that context, the secret identity allows vigilantes to operate without fear of retaliation.

The episode’s devastating conclusion hammers home what’s at stake. Despite winning his case and walking free, Ayala returns to vigilantism as White Tiger only to be summarily executed by an assassin wearing the Punisher logo. This outcome provides something often missing from MCU properties: tangible proof of why street-level heroes without institutional support need masks to survive. Unlike Iron Man with his fortified compounds or Thor with his godlike durability, protectors like White Tiger operate without safety nets. When their identities become public, they become targets for those they’ve challenged.

The MCU has only sporadically engaged with secret identity themes, with Spider-Man representing the most significant exception. Peter Parker’s identity exposure in Far From Home created such catastrophic consequences that No Way Home centered entirely around the fallout, culminating in a reality-altering spell that wiped Peter from collective memory. However, even in this extreme case, the focus remained on resolving the situation rather than exploring the ongoing psychological burden of maintaining separate lives. Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) maintained some degree of anonymity as well, though her series treated this more as a coming-of-age element than a life-or-death necessity. Finally, Moon Knight (Oscar Isaac) stands as another rare exception, although the secret identity trope is complicated by his dissociative identity disorder.

Daredevil: Born Again distinguishes itself by treating the secret identity not as an outdated comic book convention but as a profound moral quandary with extreme consequences. By revitalizing this classic trope, Daredevil: Born Again reconnects with superhero storytelling’s foundational elements while demonstrating their continued relevance. Furthermore, the White Tiger’s execution creates a powerful motivation for Matt’s eventual return to vigilantism while establishing the high stakes of the series. This framework promises a more complex examination of heroism than we typically see in Marvel Cinematic Universe, one where masks represent not just colorful costumes but necessary armor in a dangerous world.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday.

What did you think of Daredevil: Born Again use of the secret identity trope? Do you think White Tiger’s execution is what will lead Matt Murdock to become Daredevil again? Let us know in the comments!

The post Daredevil: Born Again Is Telling a Story the Rest of the MCU Can’t (And It Rules) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

In the opening episodes of Daredevil: Born Again, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) struggle to reinvent themselves. Following the death of Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), Matt has abandoned crime-fighting to focus on his legal practice alongside new partner Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James) while developing a relationship with therapist Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva). Fisk, meanwhile, has returned from a long retreat to launch a successful mayoral campaign that positions him as New York’s savior from masked vigilantes. On the surface, both men appear committed to new chapters, with Matt trusting the system he once circumvented and Fisk pursuing power through legitimate channels. Yet, Episode 3 uses a striking visual motif to show the similarities and challenges of both Matt and Wilson.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 3

Daredevil: Born Again establishes a deliberate parallel between Matt and Wilson by focusing on their bruised hands and bloody knuckles. Matt got his hands dirty after confronting corrupt police officers in Episode 2, where he defended witness Nicky Torres (Nick Jordan) from Officer Powell (Hamish Allan-Headley) and his partners. These wounds become a recurring focus throughout Episode 3, with the camera lingering on Matt’s damaged knuckles to remind fans of the demons he’s trying to contain. Similarly, Mayor Fisk’s office scenes feature deliberate shots of his bruised hands resting on his desk – injuries whose origin remains unexplained.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Reveals What Spider-Man Has Been Doing Since No Way Home]

What makes this visual cue particularly effective is how it communicates character without dialogue. Neither Wilson nor Matt talk about what their wounds mean. The camera simply draws our attention to them as physical manifestations of internal conflict. For Matt, a man whose Catholic faith forms the backbone of his moral compass, these marks prove that despite abandoning the Daredevil mantle, violence remains his instinctive response when confronted with injustice. For Fisk, whose political rhetoric emphasizes law and order, the bloodied knuckles reveal that beneath his mayoral authority lurks the same man who once brutalized his way to power as the Kingpin of Crime.

Daredevil: Born Again Is About the Dual Journey of Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk

The bloody knuckles motif in Daredevil: Born Again deepens the exploration of duality that runs throughout the series. In Episode 3, Matt commits fully to defending Hector Ayala (Kamar De Los Reyes) through legal means, even making the difficult decision to reveal Ayala’s identity as the White Tiger vigilante to help win his case. His dedication to pursuing justice within the system demonstrates his sincere commitment to this new path. Yet the close-ups of his bruised hands serve as constant reminders of his violent confrontation at Nicky’s apartment, a necessary action when the system failed to protect an innocent witness. Furthermore, it’s significant that when Matt confronts Powell and his partners, he does so as Matt Murdock, not as Daredevil. With that in mind, his battered knuckles also represent the blurring line between his two identities.

For Fisk, the bloodied hands carry different implications. As New York’s newly elected mayor, he presents himself as the solution to the city’s vigilante problem and a champion of legitimate authority. His carefully crafted public persona stands in stark contrast to his past as Kingpin. However, the unexplained injuries to his hands suggest that despite his political transformation, he still resolves certain problems through direct physical means. The visual cue hints at how thin his veneer of legitimacy actually is and that violence remains Wilson’s default response at times.

Where previous superhero narratives might present heroes and villains as fundamentally different types of people, Daredevil: Born Again uses the bloodied hands motif to suggest that Matt and Fisk are more alike than either would admit. Both men possess dual identities and struggle to maintain the public-facing versions of themselves when circumstances trigger their more primal instincts. Their injuries aren’t just evidence of isolated incidents but windows into their fundamental nature. Despite their best intentions, both men remain defined by violence.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again come to Disney+ every Tuesday.

How do you like Daredevil: Born Again themes so far? Do you think the series will keep exploring the similarities between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk? Join the discussion in the comments!

The post How Daredevil: Born Again Is Tying Matt and Fisk Together (And You Probably Missed It) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Daredevil: Born Again marks the long-anticipated return of Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock in a true revival of the Netflix era of Marvel series. Besides bringing back many familiar faces from the  Defenders saga, the new Disney+ series introduces Hector Ayala to the MCU, a character known to comic book readers as the vigilante White Tiger. Portrayed by Kamar de los Reyes, Ayala becomes central to the storyline of the early episodes when his legal case draws Matt Murdock back to the courtroom. However, what should be a celebrated addition to Marvel’s live-action universe carries an undeniable weight of sadness. De los Reyes passed away on Christmas Eve 2023 at age 56 after battling cancer, making his performance as Hector Ayala his final role and adding profound emotional resonance to his scenes in the series.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Episode 3

Episode 2 introduces Hector Ayala as a man facing murder charges after an incident at a subway station. Hector intervened when he witnessed someone being assaulted, unaware the attackers were undercover police officers. During the confrontation, one officer accidentally fell onto the tracks and was killed. Despite this being a tragic accident, Hector is accused of murder. Matt Murdock’s enhanced senses detect that Hector is being physically abused at the police station and pressured to sign a false confession, compelling him to take the case. As their attorney-client relationship develops, viewers learn that Hector possesses a mystical amulet, which gives him enhanced abilities and allows him to protect New York City as the vigilante White Tiger.

[RELATED: Is Daredevil: Born Again the MCU’s Last Chance at Redemption?]

De los Reyes brings depth to Ayala, portraying him with quiet dignity that makes the character compelling from his first moments on screen. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, de los Reyes also connects with his own cultural heritage in his portrayal of the Puerto Rican superhero. This authentic representation honors the character’s comic book origins while bringing a genuine cultural perspective to the role.

Art Imitates Life in White Tiger’s Tragic MCU Journey

The White Tiger storyline takes a devastating turn in Episode 3, creating one of the most emotionally wrenching moments in Marvel television. After Matt successfully defends Hector and secures his acquittal, Hector returns to vigilantism. Shortly after resuming his mission to protect the innocent, he is gunned down by an assailant wearing the Punisher’s skull emblem. This abrupt and violent conclusion to White Tiger’s story would be shocking on its own merits. However, the knowledge that de los Reyes himself has passed away creates an emotional resonance that transcends typical fictional storytelling. The production team couldn’t have anticipated the real-world context surrounding this performance when filming. Still, the timing leads to a viewing experience where fiction and reality intertwine in profoundly moving ways.

A particularly touching scene gains additional significance in light of de los Reyes’ passing. During a conversation with Matt about his Puerto Rican upbringing, Hector reflects on the beaches of his homeland and the distinctive sounds of native coquí frogs that call through the night. He explains that while tourists may find the sound disruptive, for him it represents the comfort of home. Matt assures Hector that he will hear those sounds again after proving his innocence. This promise makes the character’s subsequent murder even more heartrending, as his hope of returning home is permanently extinguished.

The production team underscores this tragedy with a powerful artistic choice. As Hector’s body falls and his killer walks away, the episode cuts directly to credits, accompanied not by music but by the sounds of those same Puerto Rican frogs calling in darkness. This forces the audience to sit with the distress rather than transitioning away quickly. Plus, what was intended as a somber moment now serves as an unintentional yet fitting tribute to de los Reyes himself, with the sounds that represented home to the character becoming a farewell to the actor who portrayed him.

[RELATED: Marvel Exec Confirms Disney+ Shows Will Be “More Like Television” Moving Forward]

De los Reyes’ performance as White Tiger also evokes the character’s importance to Marvel history. When Hector Ayala debuted in “Deadly Hands of Kung Fu” #19 in 1975, he broke new ground during a period when comics were only beginning to embrace greater diversity. While Black Panther predated White Tiger as Marvel’s first Black superhero, and characters like Shang-Chi represented Asian heroes, Hector Ayala was a pioneering figure for Latino representation. Furthermore, Hector Ayala holds significant historical importance in comics as Marvel’s first Latino superhero to headline his own stories.

That de los Reyes, with his Puerto Rican heritage, was chosen for this role shows Marvel Studios’ current commitment to authentic casting and cultural respect. Though White Tiger’s MCU journey is tragically brief, his inclusion acknowledges a critical piece of Marvel’s publishing history and brings a historically significant character to screen. De los Reyes’ performance honors that legacy while creating a new interpretation of the character for contemporary audiences. While viewers might mourn the lost potential of White Tiger’s story in the MCU, his brief but impactful appearance stands as a testament to de los Reyes’ talent and a poignant farewell to a versatile actor whose final role connected him with his cultural roots.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday.

How do you feel abut White Tiger’s death in Daredevil: Born Again? Would you like to see another iteration of the hero in the MCU? Let us know in the comments!

The post Daredevil: Born Again White Tiger Plot Serves as a Bittersweet Farewell to Kamar de los Reyes appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s two-episode premiere explained why Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) has abandoned his vigilante persona to focus exclusively on his legal career. His principles are quickly put to the test when he takes on the defense of Hector Ayala (Kamar de los Reyes), who stands accused of murdering a police officer. The circumstances are far from straightforward: Hector intervened when he witnessed a man being beaten, unaware that the assailants were undercover police officers. During the ensuing struggle, one officer tragically fell onto the subway tracks and was killed. Despite this being an accident, Hector is branded a cop killer.

The surviving officer, Powell (Hamish Allan-Headley), fabricates a story claiming Hector attacked them unprovoked and denies the presence of anyone else at the scene — erasing Nicky Torres (Nick Jordan), the man Hector was protecting, from the narrative. By the end of Episode 2, Matt is forced to confront Powell and two other corrupt officers who attempt to eliminate Nicky, the only witness who could corroborate Hector’s account. The scene reveals a disturbing detail: Officer Powell sports a skull tattoo on his wrist, signaling his allegiance to the Punisher’s (Jon Bernthal) brutal brand of justice.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Episodes 3

Episode 3 of Daredevil: Born Again further explores the Punisher’s unsettling influence within the NYPD. As Hector’s trial unfolds, the camera shows numerous officers in attendance bearing the same skull tattoo as Powell, revealing the existence of a wider faction within the police force that has embraced the Punisher’s ethos. These officers operate with impunity, dismissing due process in favor of their own version of justice. Their reach and intimidation tactics become painfully evident when they make another attempt on Nicky’s life before he can testify. Cherry (Clark Johnson), a retired police officer now working as Matt’s investigator, creates a diversion by pretending to escort the real witness, drawing away the corrupt officers while Nicky is safely brought to court. However, the strategy only partially succeeds.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Had a Sneaky Hawkeye Reference You May Have Missed]

Despite making it to court physically unharmed, Nicky faces a courtroom filled with uniformed officers, many displaying the skull emblem of the Punisher-inspired death squad. Overwhelmed by fear, he recants his story on the stand, falsely testifying that he wasn’t present at the subway station during the incident. This devastating lie demolishes Matt’s primary defense strategy and demonstrates the terrifying influence these vigilante-inspired officers wield within the justice system. Their presence alone is enough to coerce a witness into perjury, highlighting how deeply the Punisher’s philosophy has corrupted these supposed guardians of the law.

To win the case and ensure Hector’s freedom, Matt takes the drastic measure of revealing to the jury that Hector is the White Tiger. By leveraging White Tiger’s long list of accomplishments as a vigilante, Matt proves Hector’s character and the jury finds him not guilty. The victory doesn’t last long though. The following night, when Hector puts on the White Tiger costume and goes out on the street to protect the people of New York, he’s shot point-blank in the head by a mysterious figure wearing a bulletproof vest with the Punisher’s logo painted on it.

The Punisher Is Not a Role Model for Police Officers

The irony of it all ofcourse is that Frank Castle despises crooked cops and would likely be disgusted by these officers who use his symbol while perverting justice. The Punisher’s methods, while compelling from a storytelling perspective, represent a fundamental breakdown of societal order that should never be glorified or emulated. Frank Castle is not a hero but a deeply damaged mass murderer who operates completely outside the boundaries of legal and moral constraint. Throughout his comic history, Castle himself has repeatedly acknowledged this truth about his nature and purpose.

In Punisher #13, writer Matthew Rosenberg and artist Szymon Kudranski directly addressed the real-world phenomenon of law enforcement adopting the Punisher’s skull symbol. In a powerful scene, Frank encounters police officers who express admiration for his methods, with one even showing off a Punisher skull sticker on his patrol car. Castle’s response is immediate and unequivocal:

“I’ll say this once. We’re not the same. You took an oath to uphold the law. You help people. I gave all that up a long time ago. You don’t do what I do. Nobody does.”

He then violently tears the skull emblem from the car, telling the officers, “You boys need a role model? His name is Captain America, and he’d be happy to have you.”

This moment reflects Frank’s understanding that his existence represents a failure of the justice system, not an aspiration. In numerous storylines — from Garth Ennis’s defining Punisher MAX run to more recent interpretations — Castle has explicitly rejected heroism. “I’m not a good man,” he states in Punisher: War Zone. In PunisherMAX #21, he admits, “There’s no end to the killing. There’s just the mission. The war.” These are not the words of someone who should inspire those tasked with protecting and serving communities.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Theory Hints at Major Marvel Comic Storyline]

Gerry Conway, the character’s creator, has been equally vocal about the misappropriation of the Punisher symbol (via Uproxx): “To me, it’s disturbing whenever I see authority figures embracing Punisher iconography because the Punisher represents a failure of the Justice system. He’s supposed to indict the collapse of social moral authority and the reality some people can’t depend on institutions like the police or the military to act in a just and capable way.”

Conway further emphasizes the contradiction inherent in law enforcement’s adoption of the symbol: “The vigilante anti-hero is fundamentally a critique of the justice system, an example of social failure, so when cops put Punisher skulls on their cars or members of the military wear Punisher skull patches, they’re basically siding with an enemy of the system. They are embracing an outlaw mentality. Whether you think the Punisher is justified or not, whether you admire his code of ethics, he is an outlaw. He is a criminal. Police should not be embracing a criminal as their symbol.”

What makes Daredevil: Born Again‘s exploration of this theme particularly powerful is how it reveals the dangerous consequences of this phenomenon. The show’s Punisher-inspired officers have abandoned due process entirely, replacing it with intimidation, evidence tampering, witness coercion, and ultimately murder. This portrayal starkly illustrates what happens when law enforcement officers stop seeing themselves as public servants and start viewing themselves as arbiters of punishment: they become the very criminals they were meant to apprehend.

To make matters even worse, Frank Castle, for all his brutality, possesses a twisted but consistent moral code. These officers have adopted his methods while abandoning any sense of principle, becoming precisely the kind of corrupt authority figures the real Punisher would likely target. As Daredevil: Born Again continues to develop this storyline, it serves as a powerful reminder that symbols matter, and that the Punisher’s skull was never meant to be a badge of honor, especially for those already wearing an actual badge.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday.

How do you feel about Daredevil: Born Again exploring certain cops’ admiration with the Punisher? How do you think the MCU’s Frank Castle will react to the news he has a fanclub? Join the discussion in the comments!

The post Daredevil: Born Again Shows The Punisher’s Influence on Cops (And Frank Castle Will Hate It) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again episode 3.] “They say you don’t hear the bullet that gets you. Always thought that sounded like a bunch of bullsh-t to me,” the Punisher (Jon Bernthal) once told Daredevil (Charlie Cox). But that’s what happened in Tuesday’s “The Hollow of His Hand” episode of Daredevil: Born Again, which brought Hector Ayala’s (Kamar De Los Reyes) trial to a tragic close. As his lawyer, Matt Murdock defended Hector from dirty cop Officer Powell (Hamish Allan-Headley) in and out of the courtroom, eventually clearing Hector of charges in the case accusing the Good Samaritan of killing Powell’s partner, Officer Kel Shanahan (Jefferson Cox).

Forced to expose Hector’s secret identity as the vigilante White Tiger to prove his client’s innocence, Matt had witnesses testify to Hector’s acts of selfless heroism. Acts like pulling a couple from the wreckage of a burning car, saving a young woman from a knife-wielding attacker, and multiple police reports crediting the alleged “cop killer” with aiding officers.

RELATED: Who Is Hector Ayala in Daredevil: Born Again? MCU White Tiger, Explained

In each instance, Hector testified he put himself in harm’s way because “it’s the right thing to do.” Although the matter of the People v. Hector Ayala ended with a jury finding Hector not guilty of manslaughter and murder in the first and second degrees, and Hector walking away a free man, he was sentenced to death by a gun-toting vigilante who lured the White Tiger into a trap and shot the hero in the head, killing him instantly. The disguised gunman then disappeared into the darkness, revealing a white skull spray-painted on his chest: the mark of the Punisher.

It was a gut-wrenching twist on Hector’s fate from the comics, where White Tiger suffered an even more tragic ending in the pages of 2003’s Daredevil #40 from writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Terry Dodson. In a three-issue arc that happened in the middle of Matt’s own legal troubles, Luke Cage and Danny Rand asked Murdock to represent White Tiger after he was wrongfully accused of killing a police officer while breaking up a pawn shop robbery in the Bronx.

White Tiger: Super Hero Cop Killer?

Initially wary of the media circus surrounding the case of an accused superhero cop killer, Matt accepted Hector’s case when he used his heightened senses to determine that he was telling the truth while protesting his innocence during a meeting at Ryker’s Island.

As Luke Cage and Iron Fist tracked down the gangbangers responsible for the murder of police officer Scott Perkins, Matt and his partner, Foggy Nelson, defended Hector against dogged D.A. prosecutor Paul Delacourt in what was dubbed “the trial of the century.”

Delacourt argued that Hector, while dressed as the White Tiger, shot and killed Officer Perkins over a stolen TV set as he attempted to rob Uncle’s Pawn Shop. Hector was found at the scene of the crime covered in the victim’s blood, but Nelson and Murdock argued there was no physical or forensic evidence that Hector fired the murder weapon.

Hector was innocent of the crime of which he was accused, something that Matt knew to be true but was tasked with proving in court. Delacourt anticipated that the defense would tell the jury of the White Tiger’s heroic acts during his stint as a costumed vigilante, and so a painted a picture of a self-made vigilante with disregard for life and the law.

Matt argued before the jury that Hector is a hero and family man who never committed a crime, and instead selflessly acted as a hero protecting his neighborhood of the Bronx. As for the prosecutor’s claims that this hero would suddenly decide to murder a police officer over a used television set, Matt countered that it was fiction. The truth, Matt told the jury:

“Hector, as the White Tiger, tried to stop a robbery. He tried to keep his neighborhood safe from those who would prey on it. A robbery he soon discovered had already turned into murder. The gunshot he heard that brought him down to the pawn shop was the one that killed Officer Perkins. It happened before Hector got there.”

Matt went on to state that Hector was momentarily overpowered by the young criminals who escaped the crime scene, leaving the responding police officers to find the aftermath. “He was arrested on conjecture,” Matt said of his client. “Not on fact. Not on forensic evidence. But on coincidence and guesswork. There is no evidence that Hector fired the murder weapon. Because he did not.” Instead, Matt argued that, like Officer Perkins, his client was a victim, and innocent of the crimes he stood accused of.

While being cross-examined, responding officer Robert Snipes testified that he did not see Hector Ayala shoot Officer Perkins, nor did he witness Hector attack or move to harm the officer. It was stated for the record that Officer Perkins’ prints were the only fingerprints on the murder weapon, and that while fibers from the White Tiger costume weren’t found on the victim’s body, blood samples taken from the blood-stained costume proved to be an exact match for Officer Perkins’ blood. There was no gunshot residue on Hector’s White Tiger gloves or any other evidence suggesting he ever fired a weapon. An expert testified that Hector’s footprint was found in a pool of blood, but the defense argued that was the result of Hector’s struggle with the suspects.

As Nelson and Murdock poked holes in the prosecution’s case over the lack of forensic evidence, Matt told Hector to remain calm under examination from the prosecutor. The defense called multiple witnesses to testify on Hector’s behalf: Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four, investigator Jessica Jones, Heroes for Hire Luke Cage and Danny Rand, Robert Diamond of the Sons of the Tiger, and Doctor Stephen Strange, consulting expert on the mystical, abilities-enhancing amulet that grants its wearer the superhuman powers of the White Tiger.

Nelson and Murdock had Hector take the stand to testify about what happened that night in the Bronx. He was moved to tears while stating his innocence, and broke down under the prosecutor’s accusations that Hector committed the crime due to financial and marital problems with his soon to be ex-wife. Delacourt pressed Hector over his personal life and accused the “third rate superhero wannabe” of a superiority complex that compelled him to take whatever he wanted, whether that be pawn shop merchandise or an officer’s life.

In Daredevil #40, Delacourt’s closing remarks painted Hector Ayala as a murderer and cop killer who failed his family and failed as a costumed vigilante whose dire financial situation led him to steal and murder. Although Delacourt told the jury that the prosecution provided motive and cause, his remarks were colored by an anti-vigilante sentiment.

The People of New York v. Hector Ayala: The Verdict

Matt made the case for Hector Ayala: he was not on trial for being a vigilante, he was on trial for the murder of Officer Perkins. “This trial is about one thing and one thing only — one man’s declaration of innocence against the heinous crimes he has been accused of,” Matt told the court. “Hector did not murder Officer Perkins. Hector did not pick up a gun and shoot Officer Perkins in the face. And for all the prosecution’s song and dance… they never proved he did. They never put the gun in his hand because it never happened.” It was argued that Hector was on trial for being at the wrong place at the wrong time, and in a final plea to the jury, Matt urged them to imagine what it would be like to be arrested and jailed for a crime they did not commit.

“I want you to imagine a prosecutor yelling in your face. Picking away at your homelife, trying desperately to paint a picture of you that fits his needs — not because he has evidence of your guilt, no. Just so he can win. Hector has been punished these last few months — punished. For nothing. Let an innocent man go back into his life. Let him go back to the productive life he led. Let him rebuild what we have already taken away from him. And let our heroes, as human and flawed as we all are, feel free to walk among us.”

The jury deliberated much shorter a time than they should have, and the verdict came back: Hector Ayala, guilty as charged.

RELATED: Daredevil, Punishment and Pain: An Elegy for Foggy Nelson

Before he could be remanded back into custody for sentencing, Hector attacked a bailiff, took his gun, and fled the courtroom. He escaped to the courthouse steps, where Hector was gunned down by the police. The trial of the White Tiger — like Hector’s life — ended tragically.

In the final pages of Daredevil #40, Matt suited up as Daredevil and found the accomplice of Officer Perkins’ killer, who had overdosed on drugs and died. The teenage accomplice confessed to being an accessory to the crime and handed himself over to the police, but there would be no justice for Hector Ayala.

New episodes of Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again air Tuesdays on Disney+.

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[Warning: This article contains Daredevil: Born Again episode 1 spoilers.] “They say you don’t hear the bullet that gets you,” Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) lectured the masked Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) in the “New York’s Finest” episode of Daredevil. Dubbed the Punisher and Daredevil in the media, the warring vigilantes clashed — first physically and then philosophically — on the rooftops above Hell’s Kitchen.

The neighborhood became a simmering powder keg of gang and vigilante violence after the law firm Nelson and Murdock put away Kingpin Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio), who was apprehended by Daredevil while trying to flee justice.

RELATED: Daredevil’s Jon Bernthal Teases “Dark” Punisher Special: “The Version That This Character Deserves”

Castle challenged Daredevil’s brand of blind justice, choosing instead to dole out heavy firepower punishment as judge, jury, and executioner. He then imparted another lesson: “You know what I think of you, hero? I think you’re a half-measure. I think you’re a man who can’t finish the job. I think that you’re a coward. You know the one thing that you just can’t see? You know you’re one bad day away from being me.”

Matt’s morality and Murdock’s Catholic guilt over his propensity for violence were called into question by the gun-toting vigilante, who insisted that the Punisher and Daredevil are the same. “Only I do the one thing that you can’t,” Castle said. “You hit ’em, and they get back up. I hit ’em, and they stay down.”

It’s a lesson that would come back to haunt Matt in Daredevil: Born Again. Marvel Studios’ revival of the Netflix series opened with Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter (Wilson Bethel) — the expert marksman and assassin also known as Bullseye — gunning for Matt’s best friends, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), outside their hangout at Josie’s Bar in Hell’s Kitchen.

According to Castle, it was inevitable that Daredevil’s “half-measure” would result in Dex getting back up despite being put away in season 3.

In another instance of foresight, Castle predicted that Daredevil was one bad day away from pulling the trigger — figuratively, if not literally — on becoming a murderer. It was a line that Daredevil almost crossed when a wrathful Matt pushed Dex off a roof as revenge for shooting and killing Foggy. It’s only by the grace of God (and Dex’s Cogmium steel-reinforced skeleton) that Bullseye survived Daredevil violating his no-kill code.

You don’t hear the bullet that gets you, but Matt heard the bullet that got Foggy: BANG! Matt’s heightened senses listened to Foggy’s fading heartbeat as he died in Karen’s arms, and Daredevil died alongside him: Matt hung up his horn-headed cowl, and the law firm Nelson, Murdock & Page was shuttered as tragedy drove Matt and Karen apart.

RELATED: Is Foggy Nelson Really Dead on Daredevil: Born Again?

Daredevil‘s season 2 premiere — titled “Bang,” named after the single word that Punisher said when he shot Daredevil in the head during their first encounter — is a further twist of the knife in retrospect.

In a tender moment during the otherwise intense season opener, Foggy excused himself from the pool table at Josie’s Bar, leaving a flirtatious Matt and Karen alone. “This place brings out something special in Foggy,” Matt told Karen. “It’s the company. He likes it when it’s the three of us. If it were up to him, we’d be doing this the rest of our lives.”

New episodes of Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again air Tuesday nights on Disney+.

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The comic book influences on Daredevil: Born Again have been clear for some time, but the new Marvel series on Disney+ could be adapting a key Daredevil storyline from the comics, if a specific fan theory is to be believed. Following the return of Charlie Cox’s Man Without Fear, one user on the /r/Daredevil subreddit has put forth the theory that Born Again will involve Daredevil’s secret identity of Matt Murdock being revealed to the people of New York City. The users specifically alluded to Born Again adapting the story “Out” with a single image drawn from Daredevil Vol. 2 #32, released in 2002.

In the Daredevil “Out” story, an FBI investigation into the murder of the Kingpin’s son, Richard Fisk, leads to the bureau piecing together Daredevil’s identity, which they are ordered to keep top secret. However, the scoop nevertheless leaks, and by the end of the issue, Matt Murdock’s law partner Foggy Nelson is shocked to see the front page story of the New York Daily Globe, which carries the headline “Pulp Hero of Hell’s Kitchen Is Blind Lawyer,” complete with side-by-side pictures of Matt and Daredevil. Considering how Born Again has kicked off in its first two episodes, an adaptation of “Out” could indeed be a fitting direction for the show to take.

To begin with, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) begins Born Again fully aware that Matt is Daredevil, with Matt in turn aware of the involvement of the Fisk’s wife Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer) in the murder of FBI Agent Ray Nadeem (Jay Ali). Daredevil and the Kingpin struck a truce at the end of Daredevil season 3 to preserve the other’s respective secret (along with Fisk not ordering retribution on Karen Page and Foggy Nelson) just before Fisk was taken to prison. When Matt and Fisk meet again in a diner in Born Again, their tense meeting is full of veiled threats and an unspoken understanding that they will likely face each other in another showdown soon, especially with Fisk running for (and subsequently winning) the office of New York City mayor.

RELATED: Will Daredevil: Born Again Be Marvel’s The Penguin?

With Born Again seeing the shocking murder of Foggy (Elden Henson) by Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) in its opening scene, Matt is already in a vengeful headspace. Matt could also suspect that either Fisk or Vanessa hired Bullseye (presumably after resolving their murderous falling out at the end of Daredevil season 3) to take out Matt, Karen, and Foggy. Fisk also surely feels the heat of Matt’s watchful eye on his activities as New York City mayor, and armed with the secret of Daredevil’s true identity, could break his promise to Matt in order to eliminate his staunchest enemy. If Daredevil: Born Again is indeed acting as an adaptation of “Out,” it could also be a specific story choice to help facilitate the return of Matt’s fellow Defenders from the Marvel-Netflix era, namely Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter), and Iron Fist (Finn Jones), with the latter having a key role in re-establishing Matt’s secret identity in “Out”.

Despite Matt’s efforts to deny that he is Daredevil, he eventually lands in prison, but gets a helping hand from his ally Danny Rand a.k.a. Iron Fist, who poses as Daredevil until Matt is cleared. Should Born Again be adapting “Out,” it could be the perfect window to bring back the other Defenders with Finn Jones’ Danny Rand donning the horns of Daredevil in order to get Matt out of prison. In effect, this could have the dual purpose of providing Daredevil: Born Again with a story foundation from the comics as well as acting as a backdoor pilot for the much-anticipated (and necessary) return of the other Defenders.

Despite its title, Daredevil: Born Again is much more of a thematic reference to the return of Daredevil to headlining his own series, rather than an adaptation of the eponymous comic book story by Frank Miller (which itself already served as the basis for Daredevil season 3). It goes without saying that The Man Without Fear is headed for another harrowing confrontation with his greatest enemy, and with the Kingpin both New York’s mayor and one of the few who know Daredevil’s secret identity, each could be a weapon he chooses to wield against Matt Murdock. If so, Daredevil: Born Again might indeed draw some compelling story elements from the Daredevil “Out” story, and even give Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist an ideal open door to meet Daredevil again and eventually resume their own solo shows, as well.

Daredevil: Born Again‘s first two episodes are available to stream on Disney+, and new episodes release on Tuesdays.

The post Daredevil: Born Again Theory Hints at Major Marvel Comic Storyline appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Marvel’s fearless Daredevil: Born Again took a billy club to beat out every other premiere so far this year on Disney+. The Marvel Television series starring Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio debuted its first two of nine episodes on March 4 and hit 7.5 million views in its first five days of streaming to become the most-watched premiere of 2025, but fell short of 2023’s Loki season 2 premiere (which drew 10.9 million views over three days) and 2024’s Agatha All Along (9.3 million over seven days, compared to Born Again‘s five).

The “Heaven’s Half Hour” and “Optics” premiere also drew fewer eyes than the two-episode premiere of the live-action Star Wars series The Acolyte, which reached 11.1 million views in the five-day time frame in June 2024, and the two-episode premiere of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which debuted with 13.3 million views over its first six days of availability in December 2023.

RELATED: Daredevil Series Recap: 7 Things to Remember Before Watching Daredevil: Born Again

In 2021, Disney+ announced that Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan’s Captain America spinoff series, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, bypassed 2019’s The Mandalorian and 2021’s WandaVision as the streaming service’s most-watched series premiere (although exact figures weren’t disclosed). Another Star Wars series, the Ewan McGregor-led Obi-Wan Kenobi, took that title as it broke viewership records in 2022.

Marvel’s Daredevil revival surpassed the 7 million views that the Sterling K. Brown and James Marsden-starring thriller Paradise racked up over nine days when it premiered on Hulu and Disney+ in February, and ranked above Disney+ 2025 premieres like Marvel Studios’ own animated Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (also featuring the Cox-voiced Daredevil), Goosebumps: The Vanishing, the National Geographic docu-series A Real Bug’s Life season 2, and Pixar’s first original animated series, the sports comedy Win or Lose.

RELATED: Nielsen Data Reveals the Most-Streamed Shows of 2024

Reviews have been strong for Daredevil: Born Again, which debuted at No. 1 on the Disney+ Top 10 and has remained there throughout its first week of availability. Its 83% “fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on the first two episodes, is on the lower end for Marvel Studios-produced TV series. The score is lower than Agatha All Along (84%), The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (85%), Moon Knight (86%), Loki (87%), Hawkeye (92%), WandaVision (92%), and Ms. Marvel (98%); the Marvel Television-made Daredevil, which aired three seasons on Netflix between 2015 and 2018, has a critics’ score of 92%.

Daredevil: Born Again — which stars Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Margarita Levieva, Zabryna Guevara, Nikki James, Genneya Walton, Arty Froushan, Clark Johnson, Michael Gandolfini, Ayelet Zurer, with Jon Bernthal, Deborah Ann Woll, and Elden Henson — airs new episodes Tuesday nights on Disney+.

Production is currently underway on the second season of Born Again, and Marvel has greenlit a Punisher spinoff Special Presentation starring Bernthal’s gun-toting vigilante.

The post Daredevil: Born Again Ratings Fall Behind Other Marvel Disney+ Shows appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Daredevil: Born Again premiered on Disney+ last week, bringing The Man Without Fear back to the small screen for the first time in seven years. The long-awaited return to Hell’s Kitchen was full of suspense, action, and a gut-wrenching shocking moment within the first 15 minutes, starting the soft reboot off with a bang. Besides Daredevil and Kingpin, old faces from Netflix’s Daredevil returned to the Disney+ version, including Karen Page, Foggy Nelson, Vanessa Fisk, and Benjamin Poindexter (Bullseye). But the events of another Disney+ series, Hawkeye, played a large part in setting the scene for both Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk’s comeback, and it may have breezed past you like a plunger arrow.

These connections help showcase the interconnecitvity between all corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Daredevil and Kingpin’s Reunion References Another Disney+ Series

A scene shown frequently in the trailers leading up to the premiere of Daredevil: Born Again revealed Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk sitting down for a surprisingly calm and collected conversation at a diner. Considering that the two men have come to physical and metaphorical blows time and time again, the subdued conversation feels awkward at first. 

They make small talk about their personal journeys since the last time they saw each other, with Fisk asking Murdock if he has any children. While Murdock denies, he counters with the same question, to which Fisk replies that he also does not have children, but tried to mentor someone once. With a tone of gravity, Fisk adds that the mentorship did not end well. While Fisk seems reluctant to speak more about it, a bemused Murdock asks, “Didn’t she shoot you in the face?”

The reference is a clever one, as it provides new viewers with a reason for the scar by Fisk’s eye, but has a deeper meaning to fans who watched the MCU Disney+ series Hawkeye. A major subplot in Hawkeye features Maya Lopez (Echo) seeking vengeance for her father’s murder. Lopez believes Clint Barton/Hawkeye is responsible and spends a majority of the series using her resources to find him and take him down. In a twist, Fisk appears as Lopez’s “uncle” or mentor, marking Vincent D’onofrio’s first appearance outside of the Netflix TV shows, and into the larger MCU, as Kingpin. Lopez learns that Fisk, not Barton, was responsible for her father’s death and opens fire on Fisk, shooting him in the eye.

Another subtle Hawkeye nod in Daredevil: Born Again comes when Vanessa Fisk, who runs her husband’s business in his absence, hosts a meeting with the top mob bosses in New York. One of the mobsters is wearing a tracksuit, connecting him to the Russian “tracksuit mafia” Barton goes up against in his series. The tracksuit mafia also plays a major role in Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye comic that the Disney+ series drew inspiration from when crafting Clint’s first solo series. 

[RELATED: 7 Daredevil Episodes You Need to Rewatch Before Born Again Premieres]

The Devil Is Never Far Away

The Hawkeye reference in the episode isn’t just for eagle-eyed MCU obsessives, it’s elevating the plot of the show. Daredevil: Born Again establishes that Wilson Fisk has been away recovering for an undetermined amount of time; enough to leave his wife, Vanessa, with resentment for not maintaining their relationship, even while he was away. Fisk uses the experience in Hawkeye to paint himself as a changed man due to a near-death experience; a man who now wants to do good with the time he was lucky enough to get back. The narrative Fisk pushes helps him gain popularity in his campaign for mayor, despite his previous massive criminal operations and multiple counts of murder. 

However, wherever Wilson Fisk goes, Matt Murdock will be close behind. At their awkward diner meeting, Murdock makes it clear that he does not believe the facade of being a changed man that Fisk is trying to sell and makes his intentions known: If Fisk puts a toe out of line, Matt (and Daredevil) will be there to stop him. With seven more episodes of Daredevil: Born Again still to come, the clash between Daredevil and Kingpin feels inevitable. 

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ on Tuesdays.

What do you think of Daredevil: Born Again so far? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Daredevil: Born Again Had a Sneaky Hawkeye Reference You May Have Missed appeared first on ComicBook.com.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers from Daredevil: Born Again episode 1, “Heaven’s Half-Hour.”] In the case of the Fans v. Daredevil: Born Again, actor Elden Henson is pleading not guilty to any wrongdoing in the death of Foggy Nelson. Marvel’s long-awaited revival of the Netflix series Daredevil started with a bang when the trio of Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), and Foggy Nelson (Henson) were targeted outside Josie’s Bar in Hell’s Kitchen, where sharpshooter Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) felled Foggy with a single bullet to the chest.

In his first appearance since we last saw Henson’s Foggy in Daredevil‘s “A New Napkin” series finale in 2018, the fan-favorite attorney at law died just minutes into Born Again‘s opening episode — a shocker that left fans blindsided.

“Not my idea,” Henson said in a roundtable discussion with co-stars Cox, Woll, Vincent D’Onofrio, and executive producer Sana Amanat. “[I felt] pretty sad. I really liked playing Foggy.”

RELATED: Why Foggy Might Not Be Dead in Daredevil: Born Again

Henson, who has played Matt’s college roommate turned law partner since the first season of Daredevil in 2015, went on to predict that fans would “have a reaction” to Foggy’s death. “There’s things where fans react to watching the trailer for the first time. There’s a clip early on in the trailer with us three walking down the street, so the fan reaction when we come on the screen is like, ‘They’re back together!’ I saw that and was like, ‘Oh, no,'” Cox added.

Amanat noted that the loss of Foggy “really is sad, but it also is the question of: How do you do a show that is pushing the characters forward? And to me, the emotional heart is Foggy.”

Woll was grateful to shoot the newly-added opening of Matt, Foggy, and Karen together before the tragic turn of events, which was initially left to happen off screen before the series underwent a creative overhaul with new showrunner Dario Scardapane. “There was a reunion before we destroyed it,” Woll said.

“I felt really lucky to play him while I could. I’ll always have that,” Henson concluded of his beloved “avocado at law.”

RELATED: Daredevil Showrunner Suggests Foggy Could Return: “You Can’t Do This Show” Without Him

In a postmortem interview with ComicBook, Cox said that the death of Matt’s best friend and partner is “gutting.”

“It’s a tough pill to swallow. There’s no getting away from it. There’s no other way to say it: I could have never imagined a world where something like that happens,” Cox said.

In bringing back Daredevil after nearly seven years, the actor added, “We want to come in hot and shake things up and be bold, and brave, and put Matt in an emotional state that he’s never been in before. What [Foggy’s death] lends to the story going forward, it’s the catalyst of tremendous and really great drama and storytelling.”

New episodes of Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again premiere Tuesday nights on Disney+.

The post Daredevil Star Has Perfect Three-Word Response to Their Character’s Death appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Welcome back, Frank. Now that Daredevil has been Born Again on Disney+, The Punisher is taking aim at his own revival in a Marvel Television special akin to the Marvel Studios special presentations Werewolf by Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. The standalone special — which stars Jon Bernthal as gun-toting vigilante Frank Castle, a role the actor has played on Netflix’s Daredevil and The Punisher — spins out of Daredevil: Born Again, which marks Bernthal’s return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time since season 2 of his graphically violent solo series in 2019.

In a new interview pegged to the upcoming action-thriller The Accountant 2, Bernthal teased that Marvel’s Punisher special will be just as punishing as fans expect from the hardcore anti-hero.

“I care very deeply about Frank, I’m really grateful that I’m getting the opportunity to tell the story that I think the fans deserve,” Bernthal told The Hollywood Reporter. “We’re giving it our all and we’re trying to tell a Frank Castle story that we’re going to turn our back on the audience — it’s not going to be easy, it’s not going to be light, and I think it’s the version that this character deserves and I’m just beyond honored and grateful that we get the opportunity.”

RELATED: When and Where to Watch Daredevil: Born Again and the Original Netflix Show

Bernthal is co-writing the special with Reinaldo Marcus Green, marking a reunion with the actor’s We Own This City director. (The HBO series tracked police corruption in the ranks of the Baltimore PD; corrupt cops are the thread that pulls Bernthal’s Frank Castle into the action in upcoming episodes of Daredevil: Born Again.)

“It’s going to be dark; Frank has no interest in breaking out the darkness. It’s not going to be easy,” Bernthal said when asked about comparisons to the Netflix series, which ran for two seasons. “I don’t know, if that’s the Netflix tone, then that’s what it’s going to be. It will not be Punisher-lite, I promise you that.”

In 2017, after butting heads with Charlie Cox’s Devil of Hell’s Kitchen in Daredevil season 2, Bernthal told ComicBook he was ready to take on the responsibility of the role for his own Netflix series.

“I get how much this guy means to so many people. I think that, when you look at a comic book, and the medium of comic books, not to be on my high horse, to read a comic book, it requires so much imagination. It requires the audience to use that imagination,” he said. “The Punisher’s been around since the 70s. I think anytime the audience puts so much of their own imagination into it, this character really belongs to the audience, really belongs to the fans. I get that, and I respect that.”

Bernthal continued, “I know how important he is to so many people – I’ve said before that I know how important this character is to people in law enforcement and the military. That’s something that means an enormous amount to me. Guys putting the Punisher insignia on their body armor and their equipment as they’ve gone into battle and fight for this country, that’s something I take very seriously.”

Daredevil: Born Again showrunner Dario Scardapane, also a writer and executive producer on The Punisher, will have his own reunion with Frank when Bernthal returns to the streets of Hell’s Kitchen in upcoming episodes of the Marvel TV series. New episodes premiere Tuesday nights on Disney+.

The post Daredevil’s Jon Bernthal Teases ”Dark” Punisher Special: “The Version That This Character Deserves” appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Daredevil: Born Again brings the best of the Netflix shows back to the Disney+, and fans of that dearly departed show are ready to see their favorites again. Daredevil has never reached the level of someone like Spider-Man, but in some ways, the hero is actually the best character in the Marvel Universe. The reason for this is simple — the comics. Daredevil has starred in some of the greatest comics of the last forty years, with titanic runs by Frank Miller, Ann Nocenti, Karl Kesel, Kevin Smith, Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Mark Waid, Chip Zdarksy, and more having kept Daredevil high in the esteem of critics and fans. Daredevil’s visual identity was formed by these artists, and they’ve given Daredevil characters some of the greatest costumes ever.

Daredevil doesn’t have as flashy a world of some of Marvel’s other street-level heroes, but that doesn’t mean these characters aren’t dressed to kill. There have been some fantastic costume designs in the Daredevil comics, ones that have given these books their amazing visual identity. These 10 costumes are the best in the Daredevil comics, showing off fierce fits that Daredevil can’t actually see.

Daredevil’s Yellow and Red Costume

Daredevil debuted in this costume and while his red get-up is vastly superior, that doesn’t mean that the yellow and red isn’t an excellent costume. It’s basically a prototype for the later costume, except that it goes in a brighter direction. Daredevil was much more like Spider-Man back in those days, so giving him a brighter costume made sense for his swashbuckling superhero adventures. The yellow definitely looks good, especially with how well it matches the red, making him look like a yellow devil wearing a red singlet with amazing gloves and boots. The mask is perfect, completely covering the eyes, and debuting the devil horns, a key aspect of Daredevil’s design. This is a wonderful costume design, and belongs among the best of Marvel’s Silver Age.

Daredevil’s Shadowland Costume

Let’s be clear before we get started — “Shadowland,” a street-level Marvel crossover that focused on Daredevil possessed by the demonic leader of the Hand the Beast as he turned Hell’s Kitchen into his personal ninja kingdom, is a terrible story. It had potential, but was born from one of the few bad Daredevil runs of the last four decades. However, it’s impossible to deny just how awesome Daredevil’s costume was in the story. It traded red for black, looking like a slick bodysuit made from the very fabric of night itself. The DD symbol got much bigger and was changed to red, appearing to be written in blood. Daredevil looks amazing in black and this costume got everyone excited that maybe “Shadowland” would be a good story. It wasn’t, but the costume remains S-tier.

The ’90s Daredevil Armor

The ’90s were certainly a time in the comic industry. The decade was embodied by the “extreme” motif, proliferated by heroes and villains with “blood” and “death” in their names, big guns and blades, and the most overdesigned costumes imaginable. Giving heroes armor became a trope and Marvel embraced it. Characters like Spider-Man and Captain America got armor, and eventually Daredevil did as well. Often, these armored costumes weren’t exactly great; they rarely if ever fit the characters in them. However, Daredevil’s armor is phenomenal. The black and red is a near-perfect color pairing. It’s not bulky, so it doesn’t impede Daredevil’s movement. Finally, it gave Daredevil an extremely fierce look, one that fit the more grim and violent aesthetic of the ’90s. It still has fans to do this day, and even got its own flashback comic series.

Kingpin’s White Suit

Kingpin first debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man, so this one can seem like a little bit of a cheat. However, Daredevil and Kingpin have become inextricably linked over the years. Kingpin is, on the whole, wonder character design — a bald, square bruiser who looks like the most intimidating crime boss ever — and his tailored suits are an important part of that. Kingpin is impeccably dressed at all times, and his best suit is the white one. There’s something about this mountain of a man in a massive white jacket and slacks that makes him even scarier. White is an interesting choice for someone who is going to spill as much blood as Kingpin does too, but it shows that Kingpin doesn’t care if his clothes get bloody. There are no consequences for his actions, and the white suit is perfect for the greatest criminal in New York City.

Typhoid Mary’s Modern Costume

Typhoid Mary is a mutant with DID, with her alter becoming a pyrokinetic villain that is known for battling Daredevil and, later, the X-Men. Typhoid Mary’s first costume is a slice of the ’80s brought to life, the purple shirt, metal shoulder pads, black briefs, and fishnets looking like they walked out New York City’s Danceteria. It’s such a good design, and it kicked off the first of Typhoid Mary’s amazing costumes. Her latest costume is a pastiche of that older suit, bringing in the purple shirt, briefs, and fishnets back, but adding an awesome black cloak. It’s all topped off by her face paint and her hair, which went from a Jheri curl-esque ’80s masterpiece to a wild perm, looking like fire come to life on her head. Typhoid Mary has always been on the cutting edge of fashion, and sometimes that means going back in time a bit.

RELATED: 10 Best Costumes in the Spider-Man Comics

King Daredevil Costume

Daredevil is one of the few Marvel heroes where every variation on his costume clears the high bar set by its predecessors. It’s hard to pick a bad Daredevil costume and one of the better versions of his costume came from the landmark Chip Zdarksy & Marco Checchetto run, who gave readers the best Daredevil costumes of the last twenty years. Daredevil embraced his ninja side in the run, going to war with the Hand clan of ninja like never before and becoming “King Daredevil.” This led to him getting a new costume and it’s breathtaking. It brought black back to Daredevil’s color scheme, which definitely fit the darker leanings of the character at the time. The knuckle spikes on the gloves are awesome, a little touch that says a lot about who Daredevil was at this time. The sashes in the front and back give him the air of a monk who can beat up anyone he finds himself against. The flared neck shouldn’t be as cool as it is, but it gives the costume a very interesting feel. It’s a shame that it didn’t last longer.

Elektra’s Original Costume

Elektra is Daredevil’s most important lover, and she’s always looked the part. Elektra Natchios decided to become an assassin after the murder of her father, training to become one of the deadliest martial artists of all time. She chose a strange color for her missions of death, going with an eye-catching red number that would become her defining look. The thigh high boots and long gloves are perfect design choices as well. An argument can be made that the black version of this costume is better than the red, but the primary red version is what everyone thinks of when they think of Elektra.

Elektra’s Daredevil Costume

Elektra has played a huge role in Daredevil’s life, fighting against and alongside him. She’s an extremely skilled combatant, and their partnership led to her taking up the heroic mantle of her famous lover, taking his place for a time while he was imprisoned and then joining him on his mission against the Hand. Elektra’s Daredevil costume is very much like the Daredevil ninja costume, but it feels a bit more superhero-y than that look. It definitely feels like exactly what Elektra would wear as Daredevil, every little design choice adding to the whole. It’s a perfect costume, one that fits the character and shows that she isn’t the kind of person to mess around.

Bullseye’s Costume

Bullseye and his original costume have something in common — they don’t miss. Bullseye has had several looks over the years — even wearing Hawkeye’s purple masterpiece during his time with the Dark Avengers — but his best costume remains the first. Bullseye likes a challenge, so instead of just wearing a dark costume for stealth purposes, there’s a whole lot of white in the costume. Bullseye doesn’t care if anyone can see him; in fact, he wants to be seen because he wants to fight. Bullseye is a character with a healthy sense of humor, and the costume actually fits that. It’s just ridiculous enough for him to wear something that stands out as much as this costume does. It’s an iconic design.

Daredevil’s Red Costume

Daredevil’s red costume is perfect, there’s really no other way to describe it. The yellow and red costume was a great look, but the red costume took everything about it and made it that much better. Red just fits someone with “devil” in their name, and the darker coloration has allowed creators to showcase the shadows inside of Matt Murdock. There’s really not a bad aspect to the design. The cowl and mask with the little horns are amazing, along with the red eyes and the “DD” emblems on the chest. The billy club holster breaks up the sleek silhouette of the costume, but it just works. Daredevil is easily one of the best looking Marvel characters ever, with a costume that redefined the character in the decades to come.

The post 10 Best Daredevil Costumes in the Comics appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Welcome to a new discussion with the ComicBook Panel! Make sure to post your own comments about Daredevil: Born Again down below!

This week, Marvel Studios released the first two episodes of the highly anticipated Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+. The show, which resumes the story set up in Netflix’s cancelled Daredevil series, returns fans to Hell’s Kitchen and our favorite masked protector, Daredevil/Matt Murdock. Many of the original stars of Netflix’s take, including Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page, Elden Hensen’s Foggy Nelson, and Jon Bernthal as Punisher/Frank Castle, return as well as Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin, who reprised his role in the MCU in Hawkeye and Echo. Fans had high expectations for the show and the reception hasn’t quite hit the Bullseye they hoped it would.

The biggest takeaway from Daredevil: Born Again was from the first few minutes of the show, where it delivers a huge death nobody saw coming. Of course, many applaud the show’s commitment to subverting viewers’ expectations and taking a big risk so early into the premiere. Others, on the other hand, feel upset given who bites the bullet and their impact on the series. Either way, it certainly made fans curious as to how the show will handle itself if it continues to go that way, especially since a second season is already in the works.

Other areas that fans have talked about are the fight scenes which, while brutal, look a little unnatural due to the CGI blood. The R-rated action has been a staple of the series and, with Echo amping the violent factor, some are looking for that same satisfaction in Daredevil: Born Again. Another one is how the series will connect more into the MCU, as the show forgoes the Daredevil/She-Hulk romance teased in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law yet mentioned characters like Spider-Man. Plus, Daredevil is rumored to show up in Avengers: Doomsday, so there could be connections to the blockbuster.

What did you think about Daredevil: Born Again‘s premiere episodes? Will you be watching the next episodes? Did you watch the original Netflix series? Does it live up to the hype? Let us know in the comments below!

Check out our coverage on Daredevil: Born Again and more down below!

• Daredevil: Born Again Shocks Marvel Fans With Major Death: “No Way Did They Just Kill [SPOILER]”
• Daredevil: Born Again Ignores She-Hulk With Matt’s New Love Interest
• What Are the White Tiger’s Powers in Daredevil: Born Again?
• Daredevil: Born Again May Have Just Revealed Its Major Marvel Villain
• Karen Page’s Fate in Daredevil: Born Again Is Teasing a Major Marvel Comics Development
• Daredevil: Born Again Premiere Has an MCU Cameo You Might Have Missed

The post CB Panel: How Was the Daredevil: Born Again Premiere? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

[Warning: This article contains major spoilers from Daredevil: Born Again episode 1, “Heaven’s Half Hour.”] Reports of Foggy Nelson’s death may have been premature. Fans were blindsided when Marvel Studios’ revival of Daredevil killed off Foggy (Elden Henson) of Nelson, Murdock & Page just minutes into the series premiere, shattering any hope of a true resurrection of the series that was cancelled at Netflix in 2018. After all, Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) heard Foggy’s slowing heartbeat, and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) was a blood-covered witness to Foggy’s final moments as his heart stopped beating — gunned down by Bullseye (Wilson Bethel).

It’s not unlike Foggy’s apparent death in the comics. Matt’s heightened senses heard his best friend’s beating heart as he was stabbed to death by a prison inmate, only for it to be revealed that Foggy was resuscitated and relocated into FBI witness protection (a turn of events that Matt was in the dark about for months). In fact, fans think they’ve uncovered a clue hinting at the possibility someone faked Foggy’s death.

RELATED: Making the Case For Foggy Nelson’s Return in Daredevil: Born Again

Marvel’s Head of Television, Brad Winderbaum, has already confirmed that Henson will be back for Daredevil: Born Again season 2, although it’s unclear how. Would Foggy return in flashbacks? Would it be an Elektra-style resurrection by the Hand? Or would the show pull the old trope of a long-lost twin brother? The answer — like the devil — is in the details.

Even before the series premiered, showrunner Dario Scardapane revealed that, in the version developed by original showrunners and series co-creators Chris Ord and Matt Corman, Foggy and Karen were missing from Born Again despite the ending promise of Daredevil‘s third and final season: the formation of the Nelson, Murdock & Page law firm.

Not only was there no Foggy, but his death would have occurred off-screen.

“It was really weird,” Scardapane told GamesRadar+. “It was determined before I came on. But unfortunately in the original version, [Foggy’s death] occurred off-screen and I was like, if something that intense and horrible and earth-shattering is gonna happen, we’ve gotta feel it and we’ve gotta see the ripple effect it’s gonna have on Karen and Matt and the world … There’s only a few things that could have made him question whether to put down the mask, whether to kind of sublimate who he is. And that was one of them. So we didn’t take the choice lightly.”

“In a way we amped it up. We embedded it into this massive action sequence,” he added of the obviously-reshot first episode. “Your attention is grabbed, you have this heartbeat going, and then when it happens, I think you should walk away with it like, ‘oh my God, everything has just changed. Everything is different now.'”

As Scardapane was brought on to rework the series during a creative overhaul in 2023, there were elements from the old version that had to be retained due to developments in the nine-episode season — namely Foggy’s death.

But as Scardapane noted in a pre-premiere interview in February, “That was actually one of the first things I said to the bosses: You can’t do this show without Karen and Foggy,” he told Empire Magazine. “They’re Matt’s family. They’re the heart of his world. You can’t take them out without explaining why, and if that explanation doesn’t ring true, don’t take them out.”

The version of the series predating the creative reboot “was much less the world we knew, and more trying to blaze a new trail,” Scardapane said, “but in doing so, they’d forgotten some things that really were necessary to the engine of the story.”

That means Karen and Foggy. “I was willing to lose a job over this one,” Scardapane said. “Because season 3 of the Netflix show ended with a dream, with the names on that napkin. If you don’t pay that off, you’re not giving your characters context. You can’t ignore that dream.”

So, how do you pay off Foggy, Matt and Karen’s dream of Nelson, Murdock & Page if you kill one-third of the trio not ten minutes into the first episode? Do you “kill off” a character whose fate is ingrained into the season, only to have Foggy Nelson be born again? That remains to be seen.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere Tuesdays on Disney+.

The post Daredevil Showrunner Suggests Major Character Could Return: ”You Can’t Do This Show” Without Them appeared first on ComicBook.com.

[Warning: This article contains some spoilers from Daredevil: Born Again episode 1, “Heaven’s Half Hour.”] Matt Murdock may have hung up his hornhead threads, but he’ll soon be suiting up to let the Devil out once more. Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again opened with Charlie Cox’s blind lawyer donning his Daredevil guise for a bloody battle with Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye onto and then above the streets above Hell’s Kitchen, a fight that ended with Daredevil sending his Cogmium steel-boned opponent over the edge. The disgraced Daredevil’s horned cowl soon followed as Matt sent his mask tumbling to the street below in the wake of an unimaginable loss.

It was a dramatic start to the series, which spent most of its two-episode premiere with a guilt-ridden and grieving Matt out of costume: Daredevil disappeared that night, and one year later, the attorney at law by day, vigilante by night is no longer living a double life. As we await the bedeviled vigilante’s return, Marvel is having Daredevil suit up in his Born Again costume on the covers of upcoming issues of Daredevil.

RELATED: Charlie Cox Teases Different Daredevil Suits in Born Again (Exclusive)

Concept art by Marvel Studios Senior Illustrator Jackson Sze and Marvel Studios Head of Visual Development Ryan Meinerding will cover issues of Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell (by Charles Soule and Steve McNiven) and the ongoing Daredevil comic run (by writer Saladin Ahmed and artist Josè Luis Soares).

Sze’s cover shows an alternate version of the makeshift mask that Matt is shown wearing in the trailer (a red balaclava he removes off a bank robber), while Sze and Meinerding’s matching covers show off the redesigned Daredevil suit. See the Daredevil: Born Again concept art variant covers below.

“I love the kind of evolution of the suits,” Cox told IMDb about the multiple suits he’s worn in appearances across Daredevil, The Defenders, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and Echo. “There’s a place in my heart for all of them, and also, you can’t really enjoy one without the experience of the other.”

“It was really cool when we had that military-style, baggy pants, very maroon and dark with lots of black in it in the second season of Daredevil. It was really a fun homage to have the red and gold in the She-Hulk series, and this new one [in Daredevil: Born Again], it’s such a cool red, it’s such an iconic red. It feels so much more in keeping with much of the comics, so that’s really cool as well. This one is particularly well made. It’s very form-fitting which is true to the comics, so that’s fun.”

Daredevil #20 Marvel Television Variant Cover by Ryan Meinerding

On sale: April 9

Daredevil #21 Marvel Television Variant Cover by Jackson Sze

On sale: May 7

Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #2 Marvel Television Variant Cover by Jackson Sze

On sale: May 14

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere Tuesdays on Disney+.

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Daredevil: Born Again left Marvel Cinematic Universe fans and Marvel-Netflix fans alike reeling, as the opening sequence of the show killed off a major legacy character. MAJOR SPOILERS: Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) was killed in the opening sequence of Born Again, after being targeted during the revenge attack on Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Charlie Cox) by his rival Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter – aka “Bullseye” (Wilson Bethel). The first two episodes of the series position Foggy’s murder as the galvanizing event for this soft-reboot of Daredevil within the MCU playground: Matt retires from costume crimefighting and spends a year grieving and rebuilding his life as a high-earning lawyer at a prestigious Manhattan firm. It’s made Foggy’s death seem majorly impactful (if only indirectly), but not every fan believes the tragedy will stick.

Since Daredevil: Born Again premiered, there have been MCU fan theories that Foggy isn’t as dead as he may seem. In fact, some fans have tumbled down a rabbit hole of numbers that they think add up to Foggy being very much alive.

Does This Daredevil: Born Again Easter Egg Confirm Foggy Is Alive?

Over on Marvel X there was a post that caught on with fans, which pitched a theory that Daredevil: Born Again hid a clue about Foggy’s return in plain sight onscreen. The building number for the law firm of Nelson, Murdock, and Page was #468; that number corresponds to the Daredevil comic, where #88 (or Legacy number 468) was a chapter titled “The Secret LIfe of Foggy Nelson”. The story saw Foggy struggling to adjust to a new life in the witness protection program, after having faked his death. It was an unusual departure for a Daredevil story – to the point that MCU fans can’t buy the idea that it was pure coincidence that the Daredevil: Born Again showrunners included the numerical reference in the show.

We’ve already done a deep-dive into the question of whether or not Foggy is really dead. Any comic book fan knows that death is rarely permanent within the DC and Marvel Universes – key primary and supporting characters thought to be gone make miraculous returns, all the time. Marvel fans just got back Elden Hanson’s Foggy after Born Again originally left him out of the MCU. That’s one more reason why people are having trouble believing that Marvel Studios would do the work of getting Foggy back, only to kill him off in the first ten minutes of the show. In their minds, there has to be more to it.

The real question is whether or not Daredevil: Born Again should bring Foggy back. No matter what you thought about the action and visuals of the Daredevil vs. Bullseye rematch, it’s hard to deny the level of emotional impact that scene. Foggy’s heartbeat slowing down to its last beats, as Matt listens from the rooftop, and Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) is desperately trying to coax him to stay awake… it was top-notch drama and a pretty good death scene. Add the fact that Born Again seems to be making the loss of Foggy (and the deeper meta subtext about the loss of the original show) its thematic core; suddenly bringing Foggy back as some comic book twist trope feels like it would cheat the outcomes and the performances that make his death matter.

Of course, we still don’t know much about the larger seasonal story arc for Daredevil: Born Again Season 1. Maybe Foggy’s death will be revealed to be something much deeper and more suspicious than we thought – paving the way for a much more believable return.

Daredevil: Born Again is streaming on Disney+.

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Daredevil: Born Again is now streaming on Disney+, bringing fans one of the most pivotal Marvel Cinematic Universe projects in years. Born Again has the massive challenge of both serving as a continuation of the original Netflix Daredevil series, while soft-rebooting that show and its characters for a new era within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios gave fans ample runway to get re-familiarized with Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) and their violent struggle for the soul of Hell’s Kitchen (and the larger NYC area). At the time of writing this, a day after Daredevil: Born Again‘s premiere, it’s looking like fan reactions to the show are not universally glowing.

So, is Daredevil: Born Again the show that fans of the original Netflix series – those who championed the character’s MCU import, year after year – deserve?

It Barely Got “Born” At All

There is no easy answer to that question above – we could (and Marvel chat threads certainly do) debate what MCU fans “deserve” as a whole separate essay topic. But even taking the question at face value, we still have to start by addressing the reality of what Daredevil: Born Again‘s production actually was – and the reality that fans should be grateful we’ve even made it to this renewed opportunity, at all.

In many ways, the reception of Born Again will be a critical measure of the MCU’s brand viability, as the series was, at one time, created during Disney and Marvel Studios’ turbulent shifting mandates under the misguided leadership of then-CEO Bob Chapek. The entire series being scrapped and retooled after just five or six episodes were shot, speaks to the moment the “righting of the ship” mentality took hold under returning Disney CEO Bob Iger; it also means that Born Again was always going to show the proverbial ‘seams’ of that troubled first production attempt – especially in its earliest episodes.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Star Reacts to that Major Death]

Nothing Can Ever Be The Same Again (& You Should Know This By Now)

Is that an excuse for Daredevil and Bullseye’s fight having unsightly visual effects stumbles that make Marvel-Netflix look like premium action in comparison? No. Nor is it caping for a show that seems to have some troubles finding its tone and pacing in Episode 1 (and arguably part of 2). Any longtime fan of the Netflix Daredevil series who turns on Born Again, watches that opening fight sequence, and initially feels a sense of failed nostalgia… They’re not entirely wrong or unjustified for feeling that way. That said, at this point in the game of major franchise IP universes, we should all know that you can never go back to the same exact magic of that old thing anymore. And thankfully, Daredevil: Born Again (and its clear early imperative to clear the board and give us a time-jump) seems to know that.

After the two-episode premiere, It’s hard to deny that the core element of the original show – Cox and D’Onofrio’s respective abilities to “live” in these characters, and their shared chemistry onscreen together – is still very much intact. Already the larger MCU playground is seemingly being utilized in more interesting and unexpected ways that most fans expect. Instead of Spider-Man swinging in, we’ve gotten a character like Hector Ayala/White Tiger (the late, great, Kamar de los Reyes) and the setup for a trial that will double as commentary on street-level superhero vigilantism at this period in the MCU. We already know from trailers that other fan-favorite elements like Jon Bernthal’s Punisher is on the way – and that Matt had more grounded and classic-looking fights coming, as well. It seems that there’s ample reason to be hopeful that the production bumps smooth out soon, and Born Again manages to find that perfect marriage between the old and new series.

As a positive final takeaway: MILD SPOILERS: By the time Daredevil: Born Again ended with Matt thrashing a couple of corrupt cops in close combat (even without wearing his superhero suit) did it not feel like we were locking in again?

Daredevil: Born Again is streaming on Disney+.

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Daredevil is officially back in action, as Tuesday night brought the long-awaited premiere of Daredevil: Born Again to Disney+ and ushered in a new era of Marvel Television. Many of the stars from the Netflix Daredevil series have returned to reprise their roles, which is awesome news for fans who spent years campaigning to ‘save Daredevil.’ Unfortunately, the transcendent fight scenes that were as much a Daredevil calling card as Charlie Cox himself didn’t manage to survive the trip to this sequel series. When it comes to action, Daredevil: Born Again has a serious CGI problem – and it’s impossible to ignore.

The first two episodes of Born Again were just released on Disney+, and the series premiere begins with a showdown between Daredevil and Bullseye. We won’t divulge any spoilers about the situation, or why they’re fighting, but their minutes-long brawl is hard to watch, and a lot of it has to do with the CGI added to the fight sequences.

We’ve seen Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye square off on TV before; everyone who watched Daredevil knows what those two actors are capable of, and that together they can deliver breathtaking fight scenes. For some reason, their showdown in the Daredevil: Born Again premiere is nothing like their previous bouts.

The fight takes Daredevil and Bullseye through a bar, down a hallway, up some stairs, and onto a roof. It’s a great set up for a classic Daredevil skirmish. The problem is the focus of the fight itself is on all the wrong things. Daredevil is given a lot of Spider-Man-like movements and abilities in the fight: he swings from a rope and leaps way higher than he should be able to, and those high-flying moves are worked into nearly every moment of the confrontation. Any time the camera zooms out, Matt Murdock looks and feels more like a video game character than an actor on the screen.

Then you’ve got Bullseye’s projectiles. The realism of Bullseye from Daredevil Season 3 is replaced by all kinds of CGI wizardry. Knives hitting bodies don’t look real or natural, and every injury sprays loads of digital blood that looks even less realistic.

Remember the sequence from the Daredevil: Born Again trailer where his mask was falling to the ground and one of the missing horns made a very clear “D” as it turned through the air? That was some overly smooth, annoyingly unnatural CGI, but we all excused it because we were sure it was either a promo shot just for the trailer, or that it would look better in the final version of the show. Well… it wasn’t and it doesn’t, and the computer generated mask falling from a rooftop was a much bigger red flag than we realized. Bad CGI has officially made its way to Hell’s Kitchen.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Isn’t as Good as We’d Hoped]

The fortunate part is that Daredevil vs. Bullseye is the first fight, in the first episode, of this series. There are opportunities for things to get better as the show goes on – especially after the creative overhaul Born Again experienced throughout production. But to be the first big scene in such a highly anticipated show, it really leaves a bad taste in your mouth as you move into the rest of the series.

The first two episodes of Daredevil: Born Again are now streaming on Disney+.

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[Warning: This article contains spoilers from Daredevil: Born Again season 1 episode 2, “Optics.”] “We all have many sides. Good, bad, it’s not that simple,” blind lawyer Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) says in Daredevil: Born Again. “The only difference between hero and villain, salvation and destruction, is which side you’re on.” But there’s no shades of gray with neighborhood hero Hector Ayala (Kamar de Los Reyes), who moonlights as the masked vigilante White Tiger.

The Puerto Rican superhero made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Tuesday night’s two-episode series premiere of Daredevil: Born Again, first on surveillance camera busting up a bodega robbery on television as White Tiger and then as Hector, a pro bono client of the law firm Murdock & McDuffie.

Episode 2 (which opens with a dedication to the late de Los Reyes) sees Matt take on Hector’s case after he’s arrested and accused of killing a New York City police officer. But the alleged cop killer was a Good Samaritan: Hector intervened when he saw Nicky Torres (Nick Jordan) taking a beating on New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately for Hector, the assailants turned out to be NYPD Officers Powell (Hamish Allan-Headley) and Shanahan (Jefferson Cox), with the latter taking an accidental tumble into the path of a passing subway train.

RELATED: What Happens to Foggy Nelson in the Daredevil Comics?

“All I was trying to do was help a guy out,” Hector tells Matt, his case hinging on finding the witness that Hector saved on the platform. The incident occurred as newly-elected Mayor Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) decried rampant vigilantism, taking aim at the city’s vigilantes like White Tiger, the Punisher, Spider-Man, and the disappeared Daredevil.

“It’s the first time we’re seeing White Tiger on screen. I’m very excited about it,” executive producer Sana Amanat told ComicBook. “Kamar de los Reyes, who we lost, unfortunately, after filming ended, was just an incredible force. And we really hope that people will love him and love what he brought to [the role].” (The actor died at age 56 in 2023 shortly after being diagnosed with cancer.)

After Matt’s private investigator Cherry (Clark Johnson) discovers that the decorated Army veteran and 15-year CPA leads a secret double-life as a vigilante, the question is: Who is the White Tiger?

Hector Ayala debuted in the final pages of 1975’s Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19, Marvel’s martial arts magazine featuring the likes of Shang-Chi, Iron Fist, and the Sons of the Tiger.

El Tigre Blanco: The Time of the White Tiger

Between black-and-white pullout sections about Bruce Lee and features on martial arts techniques like kung fu, judo, jujutsu, aikido, and taekwondo, the Gerry Conway-penned and Dick Giordano-drawn Sons of the Tiger strip saw the students of slain Master Kee — Lin Sun, Abe Brown, and Bob Diamond — become the Sons of the Tiger. Each received a talisman: a Jade Tiger head amulet and two tiger claws, which originated in the mystical city of K’un-Lun long defended by the living weapon Iron Fist.

The mystical tiger-shaped amulets grant their wearer enhanced strength, speed, durability, stamina, agility, and reflexes. In Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19’s Sons of the Tiger backup story (by writers Bill Mantlo and Yvette O. Perez and artists George Perez and Jack Abel), titled “An Ending,” the trio disbanded and discarded their amulets. It was the beginning for Hector Ayala, the then-unnamed young man who found the amulets and was immediately transformed into a martial arts master: the White Tiger.

Deadly Hands #20’s Sons of the Tiger story featured White Tiger, who was first introduced as Hector Ayala. After his first outing as White Tiger ended with a young boy’s accidental death at the hands of a security guard, Hector removed the amulet and had no memory of the night’s events beyond finding the amulets. (When not wearing the amulets, Hector would become sick, suffering nausea and other withdrawal symptoms.)

Who Is the White Tiger: Hero or Menace?

Issue #20 ended with Hector’s arrest after the White Tiger was a suspect in a gang killing — an incident he had no memory of (a side effect that Born Again eschews). The amulet compelled Hector to trigger his transformation into White Tiger, who evaded the police and then encountered his first costumed opponent: Hobie Brown, the Prowler, from the pages of Amazing Spider-Man.

White Tiger was innocent of the crime of which he was accused, and after a tussle with the Prowler, he was cleared of killing Manny Lopez when the security guard confessed to manslaughter. Although he continued to black out, Hector prowled the South Bronx as the White Tiger and eventually learned of his own alter-ego.

Dubbed “Marvel’s most controversial creation,” Hector’s White Tiger made his first-ever appearance in a color comic in 1977’s Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #9, after The Daily Bugle questioned whether the white-clad vigilante was hero or menace. Hector would go on to fight alongside Shang-Chi, Iron Fist, and Spider-Man, until Colonel Gideon Mace — an enemy of Luke Cage, Harlem’s hero for hire — had Hector’s family killed in the wake of his secret identity being exposed by the villain Lightmaster (in Spectacular #20).

Mace and his Hero Killers planned to exterminate New York City’s costumed superheroes, starting with White Tiger. He was lured into a trap and gunned down by Mace, who had Hector’s body dumped in front of The Daily Bugle. The amulet saved Hector’s life, but after his family’s murder, he relinquished the amulets and left New York with his girlfriend, Holly Gillis.

Hector Ayala: Super Hero Cop Killer?

After Hector retired as the White Tiger, he wouldn’t appear again until 2002’s Daredevil #38 by writer Brian Michael Bendis (a consulting producer on Daredevil: Born Again) and artist Manuel Gutierrez. In that issue, Heroes for Hire Luke Cage and Danny Rand asked Matt Murdock to defend Hector after he was labeled a “super hero cop killer” in the press.

But Matt — who was dealing with his own legal troubles after a tabloid outed his secret identity as Daredevil — initially turned down representing Hector. Two days after returning as the White Tiger, Hector was accused of killing a police officer shot dead during a pawn shop robbery. Hector was arrested when White Tiger was found at the scene of the crime while trying to capture the real killers.

Matt and his associate, Foggy Nelson, met with Hector at Ryker’s Island, where Matt’s heightened senses detected no lies as Hector claimed innocence. Meanwhile, Luke and Danny tracked down the gang members responsible for the cop killing, while Matt and Foggy had members of the superhero community testify on Hector’s behalf when the Trial of the White Tiger took place in Daredevil #39-#40.

But when a jury found Hector guilty as charged in the murder of Officer Perkins, Hector panicked, attacked a bailiff, stole his gun, and fled the courtroom. Hector was then shot dead by the police on the courthouse steps.

In the end, it wasn’t Matt Murdock who got justice for the innocent Hector Ayala, but Daredevil, who tracked down the real cop killer and had him confess his crime to the police.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere Tuesdays on Disney+.

The post Who Is Hector Ayala in Daredevil: Born Again? MCU White Tiger, Explained appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WARNING — There are spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again Episodes 1 and 2 ahead! Matt Murdock might’ve returned to Disney+ this week, but “Daredevil” only made a brief appearance. Daredevil: Born Again opens with a confrontation that leads Matt to give up his vigilante work, and instead focus his efforts on doing good as an attorney. A one-year time skip reveals that Matt does not wear his devil horns at all, anymore. Two episodes in, we still haven’t seen the “Man Without Fear” suit up, and he doesn’t seem interested in doing so anytime soon. There are a few hints we can look at to predict when the Daredevil might emerge from Hell’s Kitchen again – but it already seems like it’s going to be a wait.

Born Again Should Earn Its Title

Born Again is a bit like a soft reboot of the Daredevil series that debuted on Netflix from 2015 to 2018 – and in that sense, it’s no surprise that the show is holding back the character’s iconic suit. You may recall that Daredevil Season 1 withheld the actual suit until the very end (Episode 13). Until that climatic moment, Murdock fought crime in a makeshift suit of black clothing.

If the Daredevil is truly going to be reborn, this should feel a bit like a second origin story, and that’s clearly the intent, based on some of the dialogue. Murdock speaks of “grace” and “retribution” in Episode 1, and the line made it into the trailer, as well. Matt’s Catholic faith is also a prominent part of his characterization, so we shouldn’t expect this “rebirth” to come lightly. He will need to confront his near-lethal attack on Bullseye, and likely other deeds, as well.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Premiere Has an MCU Cameo You Might Have Missed]

The Born Again subtitle is borrowed from a Marvel Comics story arc written by Frank Miller and drawn by David Mazzucchelli, published in 1986. The show is not an adaptation of the comic series — in fact, Daredevil Season 3 already put a TV spin on that storyline — but fans may still want to look at it for clues about Matt Murdock’s development in this new series. The comic keeps Murdock out of his suit for the story’s entire second act, which includes most of the action he encounters.

What Will it Take for Daredevil to Suit Up Again?

After the first two episodes of Daredevil: Born Again, we have to consider what’s keeping Murdock from suiting up. He hung up the horns after trying to kill Dex Poindexter, feeling he had crossed a line and he could no longer trust himself to do the right thing. However, he also fought hard to put Poindexter behind bars for life, still believing he needed to be “punished” for Foggy’s death, even if it wouldn’t bring “justice.” Wilson Fisk speaks to Murdock about having “a violent nature,” feeling that they have some common ground, and Matt doesn’t outright deny it.

At the same time, Murdock has gone a year without doing vigilante work in part because he feels he’s doing enough for his community as an attorney. We see that beginning to change now that he has taken on Hector Ayala’s case, which is not being treated fairly in court. This is enough to push Murdock to the edge, and his new ally Cherry warns him off taking extra-legal action.

Finally, we see Murdock throw down again in self defense at the end of Episode 2, when two corrupt cops try to murder him. He fights them off in self-defense, but it may not be easy to prove that. This could push Murdock to do something outside the law — though that doesn’t necessarily mean suiting up. All in all, Matt will need a reason to suit up that’s just as compelling as his reasons not to – and he’ll need to come to terms with his past deeds to get there.

Optimism

For those that just want to see the Daredevil in action again, there is hope. For one thing, the trailer showed us enough of the suit that we know more is coming at some point. We also know that the Punisher is returning in this season, and it seems likely that the two vigilantes will be back in costume together onscreen.

The most compelling case for a quick return to the suit is Matt Murdock’s history. Born Again may be a fresh start in many ways, but it’s not ignoring the continuity of Daredevil and The Defenders. In the original series, we already saw Murdock swear off the suit once before at the end of Season 2, so rehashing that idea shouldn’t take up too much time. Murdock has also come to terms with his “violent nature” before, and we should expect him to do so again when it really counts. It seems like he’ll need a little perspective and a push from his enemies, but with seven episodes left, there’s plenty of time for both.

Daredevil: Born Again is airing new episodes on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Disney+. The original Daredevil series is streaming there now, along with the rest of the Defenders material.

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The Man Without Fear has finally made his triumphant return to the spotlight with the release of Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+, marking a new chapter for one of Marvel’s most beloved street-level heroes. Charlie Cox’s portrayal of Matt Murdock first captivated audiences during Netflix’s Marvel era, establishing a gritty, grounded interpretation that perfectly captured the character’s duality as both a principled attorney and a brutal vigilante. After Netflix cancelled the series in 2018, fans launched passionate campaigns to #SaveDaredevil, and their persistence paid off when Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed in 2021 that if Daredevil were to appear in future MCU projects, Cox would indeed reprise the role. Since then, Matt Murdock has popped up across multiple Marvel properties, from brief cameos to substantial supporting roles, all building toward Born Again’s revival of the Netflix era.

While superheroes like Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor have long been considered the faces of the MCU, Daredevil stands as the Marvel character with the most substantial screen time across the franchise. Between three seasons of his Netflix series, The Defenders limited series, and appearances in various other MCU projects, Cox has had ample opportunity to develop Matt Murdock’s complex psychology and fighting prowess. Each appearance offers something different, whether emphasizing his legal brilliance, Catholic guilt, or bone-crushing combat skills. As we witness this latest incarnation in Born Again, it’s the perfect time to look back at Cox’s performances as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen and determine which Daredevil appearance truly stands as the character’s finest hour in the MCU.

7) Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spider-Man: No Way Home delivered the first official confirmation that Charlie Cox’s Daredevil had been folded into the main MCU continuity, but the appearance amounts to little more than a glorified cameo. The scene, featuring Matt Murdock as Peter Parker’s attorney, lasts barely a minute, with only a quick display of his enhanced reflexes as he catches a brick hurled through the window. While the moment sent theaters into uproarious applause, the brief interaction offers virtually nothing substantial for Daredevil’s character development or narrative progression. Cox delivers his lines with the same measured confidence that defined his Netflix portrayal, but the MCU appearance feels designed primarily as fan service rather than meaningful storytelling.

6) Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

The animated series Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man presents a fresh take on Daredevil, transitioning Cox’s performance from live-action to voice work while maintaining the character’s essential traits. The rooftop confrontation between Daredevil and Spider-Man delivers fluid animation and impressive choreography, showcasing Matt’s martial arts expertise and tactical mind. Cox’s vocal performance bridges the gap between Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man alternate timeline and the broader MCU, creating a sense of continuity despite the stylistic shift. However, Daredevil’s limited screen time in the first season relegates him to a supporting role at best. While we learn he’s investigating Norman Osborn and mentoring the young hero Finesse (voiced by Anjali Kunapaneni), these potentially intriguing storylines remain largely unexplored. The animation allows for more acrobatic fight sequences than live-action could realistically portray, but this advantage gets overshadowed by the character’s peripheral status in the narrative.

[RELATED: Daredevil: Born Again Reveals What Spider-Man Has Been Doing Since No Way Home]

5) She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Daredevil’s appearance in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law offered viewers a refreshingly lighthearted version of the typically brooding vigilante. Breaking from the relentlessly dark tone of his Netflix series, Matt Murdock displays genuine charm and playfulness in his interactions with Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany). Cox demonstrates impressive comedic timing, delivering quips with the same confidence he brings to dramatic scenes, and his chemistry with Maslany feels natural and engaging. The “walk of shame” sequence, with Matt proudly striding out in his Daredevil suit after spending the night with Jen, provides one of the series’ most memorable moments. However, this portrayal arguably sacrifices the weight and intensity that defined the character’s best appearances. More problematically, the action sequences trade the practical effects and meticulously choreographed fight scenes that distinguish Marvel’s Daredevil for weightless CGI battles. While it’s refreshing to see Matt experience moments of happiness amid his typically tortured existence, this version of Daredevil feels somewhat diluted.

4) Echo

Though Daredevil appears only briefly in Echo, his limited screen time delivers arguably the most impressive action sequence featuring the character outside his titular series. The confrontation between Matt Murdock and Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) showcases the brutal, grounded combat style that defined the Netflix era, eschewing CGI flourishes for practical stunts and visceral choreography. The fight scene pays homage to Daredevil’s legendary hallway battles while establishing a meaningful connection between these two characters with sensory disabilities. The encounter also serves as crucial connective tissue between Hawkeye, Echo, and Born Again, demonstrating how Daredevil’s world continues to expand within the MCU.

3) The Defenders

While The Defenders struggled to craft a compelling narrative worthy of uniting its four street-level heroes, it excelled at showcasing Matt Murdock’s reluctant leadership and complex relationships. The limited series positions Daredevil as the most experienced vigilante of the group, with his personal connections to both Stick (Scott Glenn) and Elektra (Élodie Yung) directly tying him to the central conflict against the Hand. The series also forces Matt to confront his messiah complex when teaming with others, highlighting both his strengths and fatal flaws as a hero. The fight choreography, while not matching the heights of his solo series, still delivers several standout moments that showcase Daredevil’s unique fighting style.

Unfortunately, The Defenders‘ overcrowded storyline leaves little room for any character to truly shine, with Matt’s emotional journey regarding Elektra feeling rushed and sometimes overshadowed by the need to service other characters. Despite these shortcomings, The Defenders remains a significant chapter in Daredevil’s MCU journey, expanding his world beyond the confines of Hell’s Kitchen while testing his capacity to trust others.

2) Daredevil: Born Again

Daredevil: Born Again triumphantly reestablishes Charlie Cox as the definitive screen version of Matt Murdock, honoring what came before while charting new territory for the character. The series delves deep into the contradictions that define Daredevil: a Catholic who believes in redemption yet dispenses violent justice, and a lawyer who upholds the system while operating outside it. Cox delivers his most nuanced performance yet, conveying Matt’s internal struggles through subtle facial expressions and body language even before donning the iconic red suit.

Daredevil: Born Again wisely focuses on the man rather than the myth, allowing viewers to reconnect with Matt Murdock’s humanity before reintroducing the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. In addition, Vincent D’Onofrio’s return as Wilson Fisk creates electric tension whenever these two forces collide, their shared history adding weight to every confrontation. While the action sequences rely too heavily on CGI rather than the practical stunts that distinguished the original series, the emotional and thematic depth more than compensates for this shortcoming.

1) Daredevil

The original Netflix Daredevil series remains the gold standard for the character’s live-action adaptations, delivering a near-perfect translation of what makes Matt Murdock so compelling in the comics. Across three meticulously crafted seasons, the show explored every facet of Daredevil’s mythology: his Catholic guilt, his complex moral code when confronted with killers like the Punisher (Jon Bernthal), his relationships with Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) and Foggy (Elden Henson), his eternal conflict with Wilson Fisk, and even his knack for getting involved with ninja chaos.

The series revolutionized superhero television with its unflinching violence, moral complexity, and groundbreaking action sequences — particularly the one-take hallway fights that became the show’s signature. Cox’s performance evolved throughout the run, from a man certain of his mission in Season 1 to someone questioning everything he believes by Season 3. What truly elevated Daredevil above other superhero adaptations was its willingness to take its time, allowing character development to drive the action rather than the reverse. Until Born Again completes its run and potentially surpasses its predecessor, the original series stands as the definitive Daredevil appearance in the MCU, a perfect balance of faithful adaptation and innovative storytelling.

What’s your favorite Daredevil appearance in the MCU? Let us know in the comments below!

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