The first season ofDaredevil: Born Againhas officially concluded, giving a great showing of the series' characters, both old and new. The climacticseason one finale ofDaredevil: Born Againbids goodbye to the classic cast audiences have come to know and love across both the original Netflix series and the new revival season on Disney+. A select few characters within have consistently stolen the show, keeping viewers hooked and invested across 9 episodes.
Compared to many otherMarvel Cinematic Universe TV shows,Daredevil: Born Againis decidedly more character-focused, echoing the emphasis of its progenitor series. This means that the show pays special attention to making sure all the major players have pleasing arcs, hype-worthy moments, and intriguing sub-plots worthy of their name. Even if the show occasionally focuses on less interesting characters like Cherry, for the most part, the revival’s cast is everything returning fans adored about the original run and more.
10Foggy Nelson
Didn’t get much time to shine
It says a lot that in such a small amount of screen time, Elden Henson’s Foggy Nelson is able to worm his way into such a high status among the exemplary cast ofDaredevil: Born Again.The showrunners made a big to-do out of assuring fans that both Karen Page and Foggy Nelson from the original series would be returning, despite neither of them having been featured at all in the MCU previously, unlike Matt or Fisk. In Foggy’s case, this turned out to be a bit of a rug-pull, asNelson is killed offin the first few minutes.
Even though he only really has one scene, Elden Henson kills it in stepping back into the role like no time had passed at all, chopping it up with his legal colleagues with as much adorable charm as ever. It’s heartbreaking to watch him die, and it’s believable that the event would have such a massive impact on both Karen and Matt’s lives. The only reason Foggy rates so low compared to other characters is due to his extremely limited screen time – More flashbacks of him throughout the series might have been a good touch.
Bookends the series
Image via Disney+
Once again, Karen is a brilliantly written character who has already undergone some complex arcs in the NetflixDaredevilseries by the time she makes it toDaredevil: Born Again.Karen goes from a victim to an empowered business partner of Foggy and Matt to a valuable ally in Daredevil’s fight against crime. However, Foggy’s death drives a wedge between her and Matt’s complicated relationship, causing her to exit the series for the majority of the first season.
Granted, Karen does come back in the season one finale to help Matt uncover the truth behind Foggy’s death once and for all. But it can be difficult to determine which aspects of her character can be contributed toDaredevil: Born Againand which were simply inherited from the Netflix series. Though she only has marginally more screen time than Foggy, it’s good to see her familiar face again by the end of the series.
A great callback to the Netflix show
A better example ofDaredevil: Born Again’s integration with the previous series is B.B. Urich, who calls back to an early plotline in the first episodes of the originalDaredevil.B.B. Urich is named afterher uncle, Ben Urich, a journalist who comes dangerously close to exposing Wilson Fisk’s criminal activities in season one ofDaredevil,only to be killed by Fisk himself. Even though he murdered him, Kingpin had a real respect for Urich, and extends a degree of that same respect to his successor.
It’s so fascinating to watch B.B. go down a similar path as her uncle, though she’s much more careful. B.B. is not only a great callback showing appreciation for the previous series, but she’s also a great character in her own right with a set of values and tactics similar to, but not entirely the same as, her progenitor. B.B.’s journey is more of a minor subplot, being sadly brushed aside for much of the series, but she’s a welcome addition to the cast.
A great new addition to New York City’s army of vigilantes
Daredevil: Born Againmakes multiple mentions of the hordes of vigilantes flooding the streets of New York City, with Daredevil coming out of retirement to join them by the end of the season. A few familiar faces are mentioned and seen, such as Swordsman and Punisher, but the show also introduced a brand-new vigilante in Hector Ayala, a.k.a. White Tiger. White Tiger takes up a significant sub-plot in season one when he’s arrested after trying to stop plainclothes cops from beating up an informant, only to accidentally kill one of them.
It’s great to see how casually the citizens of the MCU have come to accept superpowered individuals, with Matt casually mentioningWhite Tiger’s magical amuletthat grants him powers without getting bogged down in explanation. White Tiger is one of the rare few purehearted vigilantes protecting the city, as evidenced by his many character witnesses in court. Hector is an amazing character, but it’s a shame he didn’t get more time actually wearing his White Mask in the show.
Gets a whole new level of development in Born Again
If there’s one character from the Netflix show that actually got a glow-up inDaredevil: Born Again, it’s Vanessa Fisk. InDaredevil, Vanessa didn’t have much of a character beyond being the vaguely manipulative object of Kingpin’s obsession, driving his actions to a disturbing degree. InDaredevil: Born Again, Vanessa is much more of a major player and very much her own character, even going against the interests of her husband at multiple points.
Vanessa and Wilson’s strained relationship is already quite volatile by the time Kingpin is torturing his wife’s former lover in a hidden storage unit. By the time he learns that Vanessa ordered a hit behind his back and came close to usurping his criminal empire at the suggestion of his own underlings, the tension is explosive. It’s been great to see Vanessa become more of an independent threat, but her character development still has just a bit of catching up to do compared to the other featured returning characters.
A welcome new addition to Matt’s turbulent love life
If there’s one MCU character who simply can’t seem to stop being a hit with the ladies, it’s Matt Murdock, andDaredevil: Born Againadds anew love interest for Daredevilin the form of one Dr. Heather Glenn. After the two are set up on a date by their mutual friend and colleague Kirsten, Heather and Matt end up falling into a relationship that is affected by the latter’s return to heroism. Meanwhile, Dr. Glenn ends up getting involved with some dangerous new clients, much to her new lover’s dismay.
Heather is a welcome bit of normalcy introduced in Matt’s life to give some stakes to his return to being a vigilante. HerThe Sopranos-esque segments with Vanessa and Wilson provide an interesting insight into their bizarre relationship, and her terrifying encounter with Muse is one of the most intense scenes in the entire MCU. Heather is a fantastic addition to the cast ofDaredevil: Born Again, even if she doesn’t have the benefit of already having years of development.
4The Punisher
Shows up briefly, but makes an impact
If there’s one returning character from the Netflix continuity fans were the most eager to finally see in the MCU proper, it’s Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher. In truth, The Punisher doesn’t have the largest presence in season one ofDaredevil: Born Again, but he undeniably makes a huge impact when he does appear. The Punisher’s arc in the season revolves around Kingpin’s corrupt cops weaponizing his symbols for their own use, a clear commentary on real-life.
Unlike the actual comics version of he character who only politely requests that his iconic skull not be bastardized only to end up submitting and use a different logo, Bernthal’s Punisher wastes no time in violently seeing to the matter himself by the end of the season. It’s great to see Bernthal’s Punisher actually outdo the source material in this disregard, and his unhinged performance and chemistry with Charlie Cox’s Daredevil is as entertaining as ever. Hopefully, The Punisher is able to eventually get his own MCU solo project like he did on Netflix.
3Bullseye
One of the best MCU villains to debut in a long time
The best part about the revival series might just be the fact thatDaredevil: Born Againwas able to pick up on a dangling plot thread left loose by the end of Netflix’sDaredevil.While Benjamin Poindexter was introduced in season 3 of that show, he doesn’t trulybecome the supervillain Bullseyeuntil the very last moments, leaving expectant fans on a long-winded cliffhanger. The vile destruction wrought by Bullseye is easily the best addition to the mythosDaredevil: Born Againmakes.
From playfully tapping Matt on the shoulder after murdering his best friend to using his own dislodged tooth as a deadly weapon, Wilson Bethel is simply perfect as the psychopathic Bullseye. His hate-filled chemistry with Daredevil is an intriguing dance of total opposites, a blind but selfless vigilante versus a remorseless killer with perfect vision. Every time Bullseye throws something, the show is just that much more fun to watch, not to mention the amazing color scheme is perspective is able to explore.
2Kingpin
Still beloved, and for a good reason
As if having one incredible villain,Daredevil: Born Againgets plenty of use out of Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk once more. Fisk, a.k.a. Kingpin, was already featured in two Marvel Cinematic Universe shows,HawkeyeandEcho, as a major villain. However, he’s at his best yet inDaredevil: Born Again, squirming his way into genuine political power after breaking out of prison. Wilson is just as much of a perspective character throughout the series as Matt is, and the audience spends nearly as much time with him.
Rather than being a hectic force of nature like Bullseye, Wilson Fisk is a complicated man whose charisma is frequently almost able to overcome his vile methods. D’Onofrio’s trademark raspy voice brings the character to life as he begins to emulate the character’s intimidating comic appearances more and more, growing astoundingly bulky at pace fit to tear his suits in half and becoming strong enough to crush a man’s head in his bare hands. As expected, Kingpin is a shinig jewel ofDaredevil: Born Again.
1Daredevil
No one else could be at the top
Of course, it’s not exactly a surprise that Daredevil himself gets the best showing inDaredevil: Born Again, outshining even Wilson Fisk. Charlie Cox is so beloved in this role for a good reason, with his charm, conviction, and eerily accurate portrayal of blindness shines through in every scene. ButDaredevil: Born Againintroduces some new turbulent elements toDaredevil’s MCU journeythat provides some all-new angles to explore his character from.
It’s clear that Foggy’s death brings out the cynic in Matt, giving up hero work and selfless pro bono law to chase a higher salary at a more corporate firm. It’s so refreshing to see this reduced empathy erode as he becomes embroiled in both the mystery behind Foggy’s assassination, the White Tiger case, Muse’s psychopathic killing spree, and Kingpin’s ascent to power.Daredevil: Born Againis only as good as it is because the central protagonist is so captivating.
