Over the past two months, fans of the Marvel franchise had the thrill of a lifetime as they witnessed their favorite masked vigilante return to the small screen. Spoiler warning for anyone who hasn’t yet watched Daredevil: Born Again!
Daredevil: Born Again dropped on March 4, 2025, on Disney Plus with a heart wrenching two-episode premiere. Taking place about six or seven years after the events of the original series, Matt Murdock must navigate the constantly changing world. Now that his greatest rival, Wilson Fisk, is running for mayor, Matt knows that the city of New York won’t be safe unless he steps in.
The Seven-Year Wait
Before we get to the new stuff, though, it feels necessary that we address the elephant in the room: the seven-year gap in between the third season of the Netflix Series and the first season of the Disney Revival. For die-hard fans, this wait was excruciating, as they had to live through the cancellation of their favorite series, a global pandemic, and multiple short-lived appearances by their favorite Lawyer/Vigilante, Matt Murdock.
The short-lived appearances varied, mostly based on the type of project that he was in. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Matt Murdock made a brief cameo, miraculously (and conveniently) solving all of Peter’s legal problems following his identity leaking to the press. Just a year later, Matt finally had an opportunity to wear the suit again in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, wearing the classic Red and Yellow Daredevil suit, assisting She-Hulk with…something… Who watched that show anyway? He was then absent for most of the Echo series, only appearing in the first episode. Kingpin (Wilson Fisk), portrayed by the very talented Vincent D’Onofrio, kept the series above water in Matt’s absence, both in Echo and the 2021 series Hawkeye. Finally, in March 2025, Matt Murdock returned to our small screens, this time here to stay.
Legacy Characters
In Disney’s revival, a fair amount of the original (main) ensemble returned; Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil, Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, Ayelet Zurer as Vanessa Fisk, Wilson Bethel as Ben ‘Dex’ Pointdexter/Bullseye, Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher, Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page, Susan Varon as Josie, and Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson.
Every single character, and their respective cast members, had a lasting impact on what the Netflix Series would be remembered as: Action-packed, well-acted, and unpredictable.
Bullseye (OG Season 3/Born Again)
Back in 2018, the bone-chilling and unsympathetic Ben ‘Dex’ Pointdexter debuted early on in the original series’ third season. With an origin knee-deep in tragedy and consequence, Dex is forged into the scene-stealing, secondary villain, Bullseye. This character has a deep connection with our main ensemble, interacting with almost every one of them, indirectly or not, throughout the Original Series and the Disney Revival. Portrayed by Wilson Bethel, Dex doesn’t show remorse for those he has harmed, as combat is just part of him.
While he is terrifying and almost erratic in the comics, the show paints him more realistically by being psychologically damaged as a child and easily manipulated. During his Netflix story arc, he is manipulated by Wilson Fisk (A.K.A. Kingpin) into doing his bidding. The series switched out Bullseye’s signature blue and white suit for a Daredevil replica, used to paint Matt’s vigilante persona in a negative light. In the series finale, Bullseye turns on Fisk, having finally realized how he was not in control of his own life (and it didn’t help that Fisk had Dex’s only love killed in secret). This leads to a final showdown, in which Fisk shatters Dex’s spine, crippling him.
The final scene in the Original Series was a post-credits stinger, in which we see Dex being operated on, getting his spine fixed up for his trial. During the procedure, he wakes up and his Bullseye logo is shined over one of his eyes. From there, they cut to black… and we waited for seven years to see him back in action.
The Trial of Hector Ayala
Episode two of the show, “Optics”, begins the trial of Hector Ayala, a citizen of New York who lives as the vigilante known by the alias White Tiger on the city streets. When Hector tries to break up a fight between three people he sees in a subway, he accidentally pushes one of the men in front of the train. One man, Officer Powell, reveals that he is a cop, and he arrests Hector, wrongly accusing him of murdering his partner. Knowing that something isn’t right, Matt takes up Hector’s case, determined to prove his innocence.
These two episodes are outstanding! They leave a significant emotional impact on viewers as Hector is unjustly killed by the end of episode three, “The Hollow of his Hand”. The editors of this series twist the knife into our hearts even more by adding the call of the Common Coquí to the end credits of the episode, reminding us of a moment earlier where Hector describes his home in Puerto Rico. The ending stings even more knowing that the talented actor who played Hector, Kamar De Los Reyes, passed away in 2023 after battling cancer. These episodes are written very well, making the audience fall in love with a person they barely even know, just to lose him at the end of the third episode. Both episodes also help set up major characters and plot points that return later in the season and are meant to carry over into season two. “The Hollow of his Hand” effectively foreshadows the future of the series even beyond season one by teasing the anti-vigilante task force that Kingpin will eventually create, as well as Hector’s niece, Angela del Toro, who may become the new White Tiger in future seasons.
A Broken Castle
The next episode, “Sic Semper Systema”, features a much welcome return of a fan favorite character, Frank Castle. He looks a bit rough around the edges in this episode with a dark bushy beard and rings around his eyes to show his exhaustion with Fisk. Frank is accused of leading the anti-vigilante cult, but after Matt confronts him, they both agree someone is using Frank’s Punisher alias for other suspicious reasons. Frank encourages Matt to return to the streets of New York as Daredevil, urging him to do something about the tyrannical mayor outside of the defined law. Matt resists at first, but he agrees that the people need a hero. Over the next several episodes, we see Matt slowly but surely return to his old habits.
Cast and Story
Along with the main Netflix Ensemble cast, we have a variety of new and familiar characters mixed in to provide a fresh piece of the continuous expansion of the storylines we love, while also having ties to past characters that have sadly exited the fold.
Heather Glenn, portrayed by Margarita Levieva, is a psychiatrist and Matt’s new love interest, both literally and thematically replacing Karen for the bulk of the season. However, there is a very heavy contrast between Heather and Karen, as Heather has no idea about Matt’s vigilantism, which drives a wedge in their relationship. We see this tension escalate in a terrifying confrontation with Muse, when Matt attempts to save her. While Matt is very helpful in this perilous situation, Heather is the one who ends the fight, not the masked vigilante. In the next episode, the tension only grows as the night drones on and Matt continually drifts farther away from her. By the end of the season, it is unclear if she is an ally or enemy, as she appears to be aiding Fisk in his office duties.
Officer Powell, portrayed by Hamish Allan-Headley, is an NYPD officer, who (quite ironically) is part of a secret group, within the department, that both think and act like the Punisher. While his character could’ve been a color-by-number henchman, they really gave him more life and personality. This allows us to really understand why he does what he does. It’s safe to say that we have a new antagonist entering the fold that we could collectively despise beyond redemption.
Bastian, portrayed by Hunter Doohan, is a struggling young adult living in New York City, seeking the help of Heather, who is his active therapist/psychologist. In a sick twist, Bastian turns out to be Muse, an active serial killer terrorizing the city. Through his actions, Matt is forced back into the suit. So, I guess you have Bastian to thank for getting our beloved Daredevil back!
BB Urich, portrayed by Genneya Walton, is both blood-related and thematically tied to Ben Urich, her uncle. In the original series, Ben Urich was a journalist, who assisted Karen, Foggy, and Matt with taking Wilson Fisk down. Unfortunately, Ben exits the fold, taken out by Fisk himself. BB is Ben’s niece, previously unmentioned until the revival, as a not-so-subtle original character. Throughout the show, BB is a hardworking, investigative reporter. Exclusive interviews with Fisk, running her very own show about the people in New York and their opinions on vigilantes, all while investigating the death of her late uncle. Her character, and her arc, carries emotional weight for any fan of the original series. It’s safe to say that we’re all rooting for her!
Buck Cashman, portrayed by Arty Froushan, is Wilson Fisk’s right-hand-man, and a very welcome addition to the fold. Buck will do anything that Fisk asks, thematically tying him to the original series’ James Wesley portrayed by Tobey Leonard Moore, who served a similar purpose. Although, as pointed out by Fisk himself, Wesley was more than an employee, he was a friend. Taken out by Karen at the tail-end of the first season, Wesley exited the fold before he had a chance to truly shine. Luckily, for the revival, Buck has successfully (for lack of a better word) replaced him. And a bonus, Buck is British!
Jack Duquesne, portrayed by Tony Dalton, is a very familiar face for any MCU fan. First appearing in the Hawkeye series, Jack stole our hearts as a red-herring, a fencing master, and a loveable doofus. Now, he gets a chance to live up to his comic-accurate potential, as he is correctly identified, by Fisk, as the Swordsman. Although, we only get the slightest glimpse of his vigilante attire. Hopefully, we see more of his Swordsman persona in future seasons or another MCU project!
The rest of the cast includes Adam, portrayed by Lou Taylor Pucci, Cherry, portrayed by Clark Johnson, Sheila Rivera, portrayed by Zabryna Guevara, Daniel Blake, portrayed by Michael Gandolfini, Detective Kim, portrayed by Ruibo Qian, and Kirsten Mcduffie, portrayed by Nikki M. James.
Visual Effects
Unlike many of the recent Marvel films, this series is very grounded and requires less computer graphics or visuals. There are no spaceships, celestials, or human planets, just the gritty streets of New York City, and it’s absolutely stellar! The camera shots are fantastic, perfectly capturing the mood and tone of each episode. The different angles help illustrate the confusion and chaos from Fisk’s rule, reflecting the torn political atmosphere throughout the entire series.
The greatest visual of the original series by far was the opening credits sequence. The red wax effect melts down into different objects and landmarks from New York, ultimately culminating into the form of the Red Devil himself. A visual sequence like this is hard to beat, but the graphic designers, editors, and even the music composers blew us away with this incredible new intro! The redesigned opening sequence contains many of the same images and other similar visuals harkening back to the original show, this time ditching the red wax and forming everything out of monochrome, crumbling stone. Much like the New York government as run by Mayor Fisk in this series, each statue, building, and landmark ultimately breaks apart, until all that’s left is the towering form of Daredevil himself. Illuminated by a deep crimson light, Matt stands stronger than ever, ready to protect his city with an entirely new look!
Score
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) currently holds 36 films (including the recently released Thunderbolts*) along with 13 MCU television series (also including Born Again). Each production has its own unique score composed by iconic and rising musicians. Some of these composers and their incredible scores include Michael Giacchino (Doctor Strange, 2016), Ludwig Gorranson (Black Panther, 2018), Christophe Beck (Ant-Man, 2015), Tyler Bates (Guardians of the Galaxy, 2014), Natalie Holt (Loki, 2021 and 2023), Joel P. West (Shang-Chi, 2021), Henry Jackman (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 2014), and Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame, 2019). These may be some of the best composers in Hollywood, but nothing compares to the thrill viewers have as the Born Again main title washes over them. See the Daredevil: Born Again soundtrack here (Part 1 and Part 2).
The original Netflix series was composed by John Paesano, who chilled audiences with his deep organ notes, inserting a dark and ominous tone into the series’ opening credits. It’s hard to beat an iconic theme that lasted for three solid years over three seasons, and yet the Newton Brothers found a way. Known for the FNAF movie, this composing duo remastered an incredible version of the original theme. Using a different time signature and softer instrumentation in the opening seconds, this reprisal theme brings out the grit this series carries. With an almost western sound, a guitar introduces each episode using the original theme’s note pattern. It progresses from eerie vocalizations into an epic war between the organ and the choir behind it. This soundtrack alone is a great reason to watch the series. Between their X-Men ‘97 theme and this, the Newton Brothers are clearly fit for this reboot.
Matt’s future and the MCU’s next steps
Daredevil: Born Again season two is set to debut on Disney Plus in March of next year, keeping anxious fans excited for what’s next. There are plenty of places we could see Matt next outside of just season two. While Charlie Cox wasn’t listed on the cast reveal livestream from this past March, it’s possible we see Daredevil again in Avengers: Doomsday on May 1, 2026, not long after season two’s release. Another place our favorite lawyer/vigilante could show up is in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Daredevil has been a staple of Spider-Man comics for a long time, and it would be great to see him finally join forces on the big screen with Tom Holland’s web-slinger!
Even if this doesn’t happen, fans can at least expect to see Cox return for a voiceover for an animated Matt Murdock in season two of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, also releasing next year. This series was so fun and felt like a living comic book. Despite being introduced as an antagonist to Peter in season one, we learn that Matt and his young apprentice Jean, also known as Finesse, are investigating the shady dealings of Norman Osborn. Hopefully we can see them become an ally of Peter soon in both this series and the MCU canon.
There has also been a rumor that we may be getting a Champions series soon, the MCU’s version of the Young Avengers. Led by Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan (who got a brief shoutout in Born Again episode 5), this series could finally connect the young heroes that have been established throughout different Marvel films and series. These young fighters include Cassie Lang/Stature (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, 2023), America Chavez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, 2022), Kate Bishop (Hawkeye, 2021), Billy Maximoff/Wiccan (Agatha All Along, 2024), Riri Williams (Ironheart, 2025), and Angela del Toro/White Tiger (Daredevil: Born Again, 2025). We would love to see Matt become involved in this show as a mentor to Angela, Ms. Marvel, and all the other heroes.
No matter what happens, Daredevil has been a fan favorite hero in the Marvel universe, and everyone seems glad to have him back. After a seven year wait, this follow up series is a welcome surprise with a brisk season two on the way. It has great action, dramatic plots, amazing actors, and stunning visuals. Anyone who enjoys humor, emotion, and especially action should watch this show as soon as they can. Daredevil is back with a bright future ahead of him, and it seems like nothing can stop his inevitable return!
