Daredevil: Born Again Finally Lets The Devil Out — And It Could Change The MCU Forever
Took ‘em long enough.
While Daredevil (Charlie Cox) is known for his trademark red-and-black suit, complete with his horned helmet, he didn’t wear it all that much in Netflix’s original series. Throughout Daredevil’s first season, the vigilante otherwise known as Matt Murdock fought crime in a makeshift all-black costume; it wasn’t until the final episodes that he truly earned the suit. He was forced to abandon his iconic look again in Season 3, thanks to a murderous copycat stealing his suit and tarnishing his reputation. Whatever the circumstance, though, Matt never truly gave up the fight — that is, until now.
Daredevil: Born Again sees the Man Without Fear abandoning his post as Daredevil entirely. After losing his friend Foggy (Elden Henson) and nearly murdering Bullseye (Wilson Bethel), Matt decides to put all his power behind his mild-mannered alter ego. Matt is now laser-focused on cleaning up the system from the inside, which has turned Born Again into more of a legal drama about vigilantes than a vigilante drama with occasional courtroom intrigue.
The first half of Born Again was, in fact, a legal drama — but that changes with Episode 6.
Ironically, that’s exactly what Born Again was before facing a major creative retool in 2023. According to a revealing tell-all, former head writers Chris Ord and Matt Corman had crafted a show that didn’t resemble Netflix’s Daredevil at all. Matt didn’t appear as his alter ego until the show’s fourth episode — and though Marvel did take Born Again back to the drawing board in a major way, it’s taken even longer for Matt to suit up again.
Fortunately, this week’s double episode finally gives us what we’ve been waiting for. With the true introduction of the villain Muse, Matt has no choice but to let the devil out. But New York’s latest serial murderer may be too much for even Daredevil to handle, paving the way for an even bigger confrontation with the Kingpin.
Spoilers ahead for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 6.
Daredevil: Born Again Episode 6 Ending Explained
Born Again finally makes use of Muse’s mysterious murals.
In Born Again Episode 5, Matt is too busy thwarting a bank robbery to suit up as Daredevil, but the episode that follows finally gives him the push he needs to accept his alter ego again. Angela del Toro (Camila Rodriguez), the niece of Hector Ayala/White Tiger (Kamar de los Reyes), returns to ask for Matt’s help. Before his murder in Episode 3, Angela’s uncle was tracking a recent string of disappearances. His research leads to a hideout deep in the subway tunnels, and when Matt refuses to investigate further, Angela takes it upon herself to take up Hector’s work.
Meanwhile, Mayor Wilson Fisk and his staff get a rude awakening about the murals popping up across the city. Not only have they been painted with a mix of epoxy and blood — and thus impossible to take down the old-fashioned way — they’re connected to the same disappearances Hector was investigating. Commissioner Gallo (Michael Gaston) estimates that at least 60 people have been murdered by this new vandal, a discovery that could sink the NYPD’s reputation further. Fisk takes drastic measures by launching a task force comprised of “every bad apple” in the police force. They’re tasked with hunting Muse down before he can abduct any other unsuspecting New Yorkers — but with little intel to go on, they may not be fast enough to save Angela, Muse’s next potential victim.
Angela fortunately has the sense to contact Matt one last time, just before she’s attacked by Muse. Her abduction finally lights a fire under him: when he shows up to rescue Angela from Muse’s creepy blood dungeon, it’s as Daredevil.
Matt finally suits up as Daredevil to rescue Angela.
Matt’s battle against Muse finally gives fans the last thing Born Again was missing. There’s been no shortage of bloodshed, but aside from Daredevil’s fight with Bullseye, we’ve only gotten glimpses of the devil inside. It also takes every bit of Matt’s attention and energy to incapacitate Muse, which makes for a suitably thrilling fight. Daredevil’s return might have taken the better half of the season, but at least he comes back swinging.
From Muse to The Anti-Vigilante Task Force?
The threat of Muse has allowed Wilson Fisk to double down on his anti-vigilante crackdown.
As great as it feels to see Daredevil return, though, it comes with a major caveat. By saving Angela as his alter ego, Matt’s broken his unofficial promise to Fisk. He assured the mayor he’d put his vigilantism to rest back in Episode 1; now, he may find himself a target of Fisk’s wrath and his anti-vigilante militia. And with this Anti-Vigilante Task Force being created in the wake of Muse’s emergence, who knows how that will affect not only Daredevil, but the rest of the MCU?
To make matters worse, Muse gets away before Matt can really stop him. He’ll have his hands full in the episodes to come — but a little suffering is good for the soul, especially where Daredevil is concerned.
