Why Daredevil: Born Again Just Killed One of the Show’s Best Characters

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 just took a shocking twist in episode 7, “The Hateful Darkness.” Wilson Fisk expected the trial of Karen Page to be a media circus, but it’s not entirely clear whether he anticipated Matt Murdock himself stepping out of the shadows. The Kingpin had inadvertently turned Matt into his greatest threat when he told the entire city the blind lawyer was a hero. Now, Matt is perfectly positioned to challenge the Kingpin’s authority in a high-profile trial.

Karen called it in a brief one-to-one with Fisk, realizing he’s scared. The Kingpin senses his grip on the city is slipping now he’s lost Vanessa, and he’s indulging in his more violent instincts. That led to an attempt on the governor’s life, an assassination foiled by the intervention of Bullseye; Daredevil essentially followed the “set a thief to catch a thief” maxim. But, while all the heroes worked (and villains) worked hard to neutralize Fisk, they were unaware of one major death.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Just Killed the Next Kingpin

An over-promoted member of Mayor Fisk’s staff, Daniel Blake had earned the Kingpin’s trust because of his loyalty. In truth, Born Again seemed to have been setting Daniel up as the next Kingpin. Fisk’s hitman Buck explicitly called it out, calling him the “heir unapparent,” while the previous episode made it even more obvious; smart cinematography showed Daniel and Fisk in almost identical positions, stressing continuity between them. The MCU’s Wilson Fisk doesn’t have a bloodline, an heir, or anyone to inherit his throne. Daniel was the closest thing he had to it.

Buck had gradually drawn Daniel deeper into the Kingpin’s world. In part this was achieved by corrupting him, forcing him to bend his morals – most notably when he helped Buck bury a body in the Catskills. At the same time, though, Buck made sure Daniel knew he had everything to fear. The assassin worked hard to ingratiate himself in Daniel’s personal life, learning everything about him and all his loved ones, so he’d be able to neutralize them all at a stroke if Daniel ever crossed them. Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, episode 7 was the potential point of no return for Daniel.

Daniel had uncovered BB’s work against the Kingpin. That meant she needed to die, and his task was simple: to deliver his target to Buck, so the girl he cared for so much would be killed. But this proved to be a line even Daniel could not cross. He chose to send BB away, telling her to run and not tell him where she was going. Then, he went to face Buck, knowing full well what would happen to him. Showing wisdom at last, he recognized he was sharing the fate of anyone in Fisk’s circle. Like him, Buck would inevitably wind up dying because of Wilson Fisk.

Daredevil: Born Again Just Rejected the Kingpin’s Legacy

It’s certainly an unexpected twist. But it’s also a powerful one, speaking to the themes of both the Daredevil comics and TV show. Matt Murdock is a Catholic, and he believes there is good in everyone – a major reason he won’t kill. In the end, Daniel’s innate goodness rejected his growing corruption, and he died doing a good thing. In so doing, Daniel embodies New York City’s rejection of the Kingpin too. He was, after all, the most loyal of all Fisk’s staff. But he would bend his morals only so far.

There’s even more to it than that, though. In the MCU, Daniel embodied the Kingpin’s desire for a legacy. Wilson Fisk seeks to leave a permanent mark on the city, transforming it into his image. In Daniel, he had a potential successor – even after Vanessa’s death left him without any potential future bloodline. Daniel’s rejection means the Kingpin’s reign has an end in sight, and cannot outlast or outlive him. When the Kingpin falls, he will have no legacy, no “heir unapparent.” He will fade unmourned into New York’s history books.

Daniel was absolutely right to say that his fate will inevitably be shared by Buck. It’s the pattern we’ve already seen, running both through the Netflix Daredevil series and Born Again. Anyone who gets too close to the Kingpin of crime winds up paying the price, because such a position is not safe. Wesley was the first, and Born Again has already killed Vanessa and now Daniel. Even if Fisk survives, all those around him will not. Getting close to the Kingpin is inevitably fatal.

The disturbing question, though, is how much defeating the Kingpin will cost New York City. If Daniel represents the city itself, twisted and corrupted by Wilson Fisk, then his death suggests what will happen to the entire city if the Kingpin isn’t defeated in time. This is an existential crisis for New York, meaning the scale of it all is so much grander than it seems at first glance. Daredevil may think his battle with the Kingpin is personal, but a lot is riding on it.

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