A Look at What Happened Before Daredevil: Born Again
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Article Summary
- Explore key character arcs: Review what happened to Matt Murdock, Karen Page, Foggy Nelson, and other main characters before Daredevil: Born Again.
- Revisit important plotlines: Recap critical events from the Netflix Daredevil show that set the stage for the new series.
- Get a glimpse of new and returning faces: Learn about the characters making their debut in Born Again, including White Tiger and Muse.
- What to expect from the new series: Speculate on potential storylines and character developments in Daredevil: Born Again.
- Important context for viewers: Catch up on essential information before diving into Born Again, with a focus on major conflicts like Kingpin’s rise to power.
It is rare for a show to get a second chance at life, but that’s exactly what’s happening with the highly anticipated revival of Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+. At the time of writing, four episodes have been released, with the fifth episode on the way. The original series ran from 2015-2018 and led to spin-offs including The Punisher, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage, as well as the crossover event The Defenders.
A lot has happened since the end of Daredevil Season 3 in 2018, and while we highly recommend revisiting the original Netflix series for yourselves, we’re going to break down where each of the main characters ended up leading to Daredevil: Born Again. We will also be looking at some characters that, while they weren’t in Season 3, were confirmed to appear in Born Again.
Matt Murdock/Daredevil
The climax of The Defenders, which took place between Daredevil Seasons 2 and 3, left Daredevil’s fate uncertain, as he was last seen trapped inside the collapsing Hand headquarters with Elektra. Daredevil Season 3 opens with a physically and emotionally broken Matt Murdock, who, after escaping the rubble, takes refuge at Saint Agnes Orphanage, the place where he grew up. Nursed back to health by Sister Maggie (his mother), Matt wrestles with whether to give up his life as attorney Matt Murdock and fully embrace his Daredevil identity. Struggling with his faith, he believes that true justice can only come from taking matters into his own hands.
As the season progresses, Matt finds a balance between both sides of his identity. The season ends with an intense showdown against Wilson Fisk (Kingpin) and Benjamin Poindexter (soon to be Bullseye). After defeating them, Daredevil forces Kingpin to agree to a deal that protects Foggy and Karen while sending Fisk back to prison. The season closes with Matt reuniting with Karen and Foggy, who believed he was dead, and the trio deciding to reopen their law firm.
Season 3 explored Matt abandoning his secret identity but from what we know so far it appears that Born Again will flip that idea – suggesting that Matt may have left his Daredevil persona behind. It will be interesting to see how that plays out.
While there were clues in Season 3, the surprising revelation that Sister Maggie is Matt’s mother brought up feelings of anger and abandonment for him. He forgave her but it would be interesting to see Born Again explore the dynamics of their relationship.
Wilson Fisk/Kingpin
In season 3, we see Kingpin demonstrate his skill at manipulation as he rebuilds his criminal empire while under house arrest. He emerges as an even greater threat this season, determined to eliminate Daredevil once and for all. With the help of corrupt FBI agent Benjamin Poindexter, he attempts to destroy Daredevil’s reputation by having Poindexter impersonate him.
Despite his meticulous planning, Kingpin is ultimately outmaneuvered. After a brutal fight with Daredevil, he is forced to surrender and return to prison – but not before extracting a promise that Matt will not expose Vanessa, his beloved wife, to prosecution.
At the time of writing, Daredevil: Born Again’s release date is set for March 2025, but fans can enjoy the episodes that are available now. The show will likely delve deeper into Kingpin’s rise to power.
Born Again is taking a cue from the comics, with Kingpin becoming the Mayor of New York. It will be fascinating to see how he manipulates his way out of prison to become the leader of one of the most powerful cities and one of the greatest criminal empires in the world
It will also be interesting to see how he handles new heroes or villains who decide to make Hell’s Kitchen their home.
Benjamin Poindexter/Bullseye
Fans finally get a glimpse of one of Daredevil’s greatest villains in Season 3 – well, sort of. We meet Benjamin Poindexter, an FBI agent with psychopathic tendencies, who is manipulated by Kingpin into trying to take down Daredevil.
During the final battle, Poindexter is gravely injured. The last time we see him, he is undergoing experimental surgery to repair his spine, with a final shot revealing a bullseye reflection in his eye and hinting at his full transformation into the iconic villain.
Before Born Again, fans might want to rewatch Daredevil Season 3, especially for the introduction of Bullseye and Poindexter’s evolution as Daredevil’s arch-nemesis.
Fans are eagerly waiting to see Poindexter finally become the fully realized Bullseye in Born Again.
Karen Page
Season 3 delves into Karen’s troubled past, revealing her struggles after the loss of her family, her battle with drug addiction, an abusive relationship, and her involvement in the accidental death of her younger brother, Kevin.
As she wrestles with these demons, Karen takes refuge in a church, only to be attacked by Poindexter in a Daredevil costume. She is saved when Father Lantom sacrifices himself, stepping in front of a baton meant for her.
By season’s end, Karen has rekindled her friendship with Matt and Foggy and decides to continue working with them at the law firm.
Much of Karen’s history is still unknown to her friends. It would be interesting to see how they react if more of her past is revealed.
Foggy Nelson
While Matt seeks to take down Kingpin by any means necessary, Foggy attempts to do it the legal way. He runs for District Attorney but ultimately realizes just how far Kingpin’s influence spreads.
Once he understands that the justice system is compromised, he and Karen work to gather evidence against Fisk. By the end of the season, Foggy decides to leave his high-paying job and reunite with Matt and Karen to restart their law firm.
Foggy has always been Matt’s moral compass. It will be interesting how the events of the Born Again show will change that.
Frank Castle/The Punisher
While the Punisher did not appear in Daredevil Season 3, it has been confirmed that he will be returning in Born Again. A special Punisher event is also in the works for Disney+.
At the end of The Punisher Season 2, Frank fully embraces his role, taking down Jigsaw and defeating John Pilgrim. The show ends with him taking out a gang of criminals, cementing himself as the Punisher.
Given how close Daredevil comes to killing Kingpin in Daredevil Season 3, it will be interesting to see how his experience will change his view of the Punisher, an antihero who has no issue with taking the lives of those whom he believes are deserving of death. We will hopefully see more interaction between Frank and Karen, whom we have seen have some chemistry together.
It’s also been speculated that the events of Daredevil: Born Again could help set up the plot of The Punisher Disney+ special.
New Characters
Apart from returning favorites, Born Again is introducing some new heroes and villains.
Warning: there may be potential spoilers in this section!
Jacques DuQuesne/The Swordsman
Though the Swordsman has not appeared in Daredevil, he does have connections to key characters. Introduced in Hawkeye, Jacques (or Jack) DuQuesne was engaged to Kate Bishop’s mother, Eleanor, who worked for Kingpin.
Framed for a murder Eleanor committed, Jack is eventually cleared of all charges. During the final battle in Hawkeye, he proves himself to be a skilled swordsman and later appears at a Superhero LARP (Live Action Role Playing) event.
While we have seen Jack fight alongside Kate and Hawkeye, we have not seen him embrace his hero identity as the Swordsman outside of LARPing. We will hopefully get to see what has brought him from only playing a hero to being one in real life.
White Tiger
Hector Ayala/White Tiger is known from the Daredevil comics as the first hero to take on the White Tiger mantle after gaining superhuman abilities from a mystical tiger amulet. While Born Again is the debut of White Tiger in the MCU, the tragic passing of Kamar de los Reyes, who portrays the character in Born Again, has left the White Tiger’s future uncertain. However, it is likely the mantle will be picked up by Ava, Ayala Hector’s sister, as happens in the comics.
It has been speculated that with the inclusion of Muse (who we will talk about next), the storyline of Blindspot might be given to White Tiger.
Muse
Muse is a terrifying supervillain and serial killer who uses the blood and bodies of his victims to create disturbing art. He has super strength, speed, and an eerie ability to become imperceptible by absorbing sensory information. Although Muse is still a relatively new character in the Daredevil comics, he has been part of some significant stories, including the gouging out of Blindspot’s eyes.
Get Ready For What’s Next.
Daredevil: Born Again is shaping up to be one of the most exciting Marvel projects in recent years. With plots like Kingpin’s rise to power, the re-emergence of Bullseye, and the addition of new characters, Hell’s Kitchen is bound to be more dangerous than ever. A mix of new and returning faces will surely bring in fresh audiences while rekindling the excitement of longtime fans who have missed the dark and gritty world of the Netflix Daredevil show.
If you started watching the show, what do you think so far? Does it measure up to the original Netflix series? And, if you haven’t, what are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments. But for more on Comic Books, Anime, Gaming, the latest online deals in collectibles, and more, sign up for our free weekly newsletter, PopPulse Digest, and the Finds of the Week email here.
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