Daredevil: Born Again’s final episode got me pretty emotional after it referenced the silliest joke fromMarvel’s originalDaredevilseries. The successor to the original Daredevil series on Netflix has already proven itself to be more than worthy, with a fantastic nine-episode run culminating in one ofthe best finales I’ve seen in the MCU. After relinquishing the mantle inDaredevil: Born Againepisode 1, Matt Murdock re-embraced his Daredevil persona and teased us all with a promise of forming an “army” to rally against the now fully despotic Mayor Wilson Fisk.
Matt’s journey towards reclaiming his superhero persona was a painful one.Daredevil: Born Againepisode 1 was just as compelling as the finale, but in the most tragic way. Matt Murdock’s decision to relinquish the Daredevil persona was difficult to argue against. Before learning the deeper conspiracy behind his best friend’s murder, the prevailing theory suggested that Foggy was targeted due to his association with Daredevil. Compounding this tragedy is Foggy’s futile attempts to dissuade Matt from pursuing his vigilantism and place his faith in the system.
While theories abound overFoggy’s potential return toDaredevil: Born Again, this didn’t occur by the time of theDaredevil: Born Againfinale. I’m glad, at least, that Karen Page finally returned, re-embracing her role as Matt’s moral anchor and confidant, and her return was pretty consequential. It was during their interaction that I felt the pang of Foggy’s death once again, thanks to them referencing an older jokein the Daredevil lore.
Daredevil: Born Again Brings Back One Of The Original Series' Silliest Jokes
It Encapsulates An Early, Happy Stage In Matt And Foggy’s Friendship
After unearthing somekey information about Foggy’s deathin a conversation with Bullseye, Matt Murdock and Karen Page begin looking into Nelson’s last case before his murder. This brings them to a storage space to find files on Foggy’s case involving “Dumb Benny.” More of Foggy’s personal effects are also stored in the same space,which leads them to discover a wooden plaque engraved with “Avocados at Law,“causing Matt to recall a personal joke between the two fromDaredevilseason 1.
“Avocados at Law” stems from a conversation between Matt and Foggy where Foggy asks Matt what the Spanish word is for “Lawyer.” When Matt replied “abogado,“Foggy seems to mishear and proclaims them to be “Avocados.“The joke is particularly silly, helped in no small part by their inebriated state when the joke first arose. In the context ofDaredevil: Born Again, however, the joke carries a sting in its tail.
Daredevil: Born Again’s Avocados At Law Reference Is Genuinely Heartbreaking In Its New Context
Foggy Nelson Died While Upholding The Law
It’s painful to consider how Matt must be feeling when fondly reflecting on a personal joke that materialized at a time when the two best friends' relationship was in its infancy, and they were distinctly happy. The joke embodies Foggy’s general levity (when he’s not decrying Matt’s vigilantism, at least), while discovering the plaque points to how touching their friendship was.It would have been a painful reminder of what Matt had lost, more than one year after Foggy’s death threw his world into disarray.
Compounding the pain of this reality is the fact that Foggy died while attempting to uphold the law, and it was this, not Daredevil’s extralegal activities, that painted the target on his back.
Furthermore, the scene helps to remind us thatFoggy is truly dead. The fact that Matt fondly reflects on the Avocados at Law reference with Karen in the absence of Foggy, with no subsequent pay-off of having Foggy re-emerge, suggests that this is not about to happen any time soon. Compounding the pain of this reality is the fact thatFoggy died while attempting to uphold the law, and it was this, not Daredevil’s extralegal activities, that painted the target on his back.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 Shows Exactly How Foggy Can Stay In The Story Even If His Death Is Permanent
Foggy Still Influences Matt
Although this scene is seemingly designed to remind us that Foggy is well andtruly dead in the MCU, I don’t think this will be the end of his involvement inDaredevil: Born Again. While I am pretty convinced by the theories about Foggy’s eventual return, I’m also open to the idea that this grounded MCU story will keep his death permanent, but bring him back into the fold in a more metaphysical way.This poignant scene shows how Foggy’s influence can still pervade the show without him physically appearing, guiding Matt from beyond the grave as he continues to reflect on their relationship and what Foggy would have pushed for if he were alive.
The theory that Foggy may return is rooted in an Easter egg in episode 1 that references an issue of Marvel Comics where Foggy’s death is faked.
Daredevil: Born Againseason 2could go further, with manifestations ofFoggy Nelson appearing via flashbacks or as figments of Matt’s imagination. The latter eventuality was foreshadowed by Frank Castle inDaredevil: Born Againepisode 4 when he revealed to Matt that his late son talks to him and encourages his activities. I can see Foggy doing something similar with Matt, only taking a decidedly different route from Castle’s son and instead continuing to dissuade Matt from his superheroics. Considering Eldon Henson is already slated to return forDaredevil: Born Againseason 2, I’m convinced this might be Marvel’s intention.
