Warning: this text accommodates full spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 9! Be positive to take a look at IGN’s evaluate of the Season 1 finale.
Daredevil: Born Again has simply ended its first season on Disney+, and the finale is kind of a doozy. We’ve seen Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock introduced low a number of instances through the years, however this is likely to be the bleakest ending but for previous Hornhead. Suffice it to say, MCU followers are in for a really fascinating Season 2 when the present makes its return in 2026.
As the mud settles from the most recent conflict between Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin, let’s break down the dramatic ending to Season 1. Who’s nonetheless standing, and the way does all of it arrange Season 2? And what about that just lately introduced Punisher particular? Here’s what we study from Born Again’s season finale.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 Ending Explained
All season lengthy, Born Again has been exploring the query of whether or not an individual can completely and basically change themselves. Can Matt Murdock simply be a lawyer, freed from the burden of appearing as a vigilante and defying the legislation he’s sworn to uphold? Can Wilson Fisk actually reside on the suitable facet of the legislation, or is he merely speaking an enormous sport when he claims to be seeking to make his metropolis a greater, safer place?
By the occasions of the finale, the reply seems to be a powerful “No.” Matt has been referred to as again into motion as Daredevil, spurred on by his conflict with Muse and his renewed feud with Fisk. Not that that is essentially offered as a failure on Matt’s half. He’s been pressured to simply accept that there’s no level in adhering to “the system” when there are numerous whom the system merely doesn’t shield. As a lot as he’d prefer to consider in any other case, town nonetheless wants Daredevil.
As for Fisk, at one level, he could have had genuinely good intentions in working for mayor, however we all know what they are saying about these with good intentions. Repeated clashes with disloyal underlings and contemptuous billionaires – in addition to his determined need to rekindle Vanessa’s (Ayelet Zurer) love for him – have brought on Fisk to retreat into his previous persona. By this level, Fisk has absolutely reverted to Kingpin mode and has surrounded himself with a military of cops proudly carrying the Punisher cranium and working fully above the legislation.
Again, the percentages are stacked towards Matt like by no means earlier than within the finale. No sooner does he start to get better from actually taking a bullet for Fisk than Fisk makes an attempt to take away him from the board completely, reasoning {that a} martyred hero can solely additional his mayoral agenda. Fisk’s first huge transfer is to close off energy to town and switch his military unfastened on the looters, justifying the necessity for martial legislation.
It’s right here that the wounded, determined Matt finds two badly wanted allies in Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle and Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page. Karen has referred to as in a favor with Frank (constructing on their lengthy shared historical past in each the unique Daredevil collection and The Punisher spinoff), forcing Frank to take motion despite the fact that he claims to be disinterested within the chaos sweeping town.
After a bloody showdown that leaves Matt’s residence in shambles, Matt, Frank, and Karen regroup and plot their subsequent transfer towards Fisk. Matt and Karen know that the important thing to taking down the Fisks is to seek out the authorized movement Foggy (Elden Henson) was making ready to file earlier than his demise. They discover that movement tucked away in Foggy’s storage locker. Frank stays behind, once more feigning disinterest within the struggle towards Fisk and his military of “fanboys.” But that facade breaks, and Frank finally confronts the corrupt cops, killing a number of earlier than being captured.
Daredevil and Karen put together to storm Fisk’s compound on the Red Hook port, however even Matt can’t deny that the percentages are too stacked towards them. He received’t be one-shot hallway preventing his approach out of this predicament. Instead, the 2 retreat to lick their wounds and collect what allies they should struggle one other day.
And that’s principally the place the collection leaves issues on the finish of Season 1. Fisk is triumphant, having prolonged his grip over town and imprisoned or killed most of his enemies. Costumed vigilantes are actually strictly outlawed within the metropolis. Evil wins, for now. But that doesn’t cease Matt from delivering a rousing speech in regards to the significance of resistance and the enduring power of New York in Josie’s Bar. The tone has been set for Season 2. Matt has as soon as once more embraced his Daredevil persona and is able to struggle for his metropolis by any means vital.
Does Daredevil: Born Again Have a Post-Credits Scene?
Like so many MCU tasks earlier than it, Daredevil: Born Again does certainly have a post-credts scene (or a mid-credits scene, to be particular). That scene revisits Frank Castle, who after enduring a savage beating by the hands of Fisk’s fanatically loyal cops, is now imprisoned in Red Hook alongside town’s billionaire elite. Frank wastes no time cozying as much as the guard, who makes the error of shaking palms with The Punisher. One savage bone breaking later, Frank is free and able to resume his marketing campaign of vengeance.
Does that imply we are able to count on Bernthal to reprise his function in Season 2? Possibly, however Marvel seems to produce other plans in thoughts for The Punisher as properly. We’ll get to him in a bit.
What to Expect From Born Again Season 2
Marvel doesn’t have a robust monitor document of following up their numerous Disney + exhibits with second seasons. On the live-action entrance, up to now solely Loki has returned for Season 2. Given that Born Again successfully ends on a cliffhanger, it could be fairly irritating if the collection met with the identical destiny. Luckily, followers needn’t fear about Born Again turning into trapped in limbo. Season 2 is certainly taking place.
Marvel initially introduced Born Again as being an 18-episode collection. Plans have shifted considerably since then, however now we are able to count on an 8-episode second season to observe up on this preliminary batch of 9 episodes. Dario Scardapane will once more function showrunner of Season 2, and administrators/producers Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson are additionally returning. Best of all, the brand new season is already in manufacturing, making a 2026 launch very doable.
In a roundtable interview with IGN, D’Onofrio revealed that he’s learn the scripts for Season 2 and had a really emotional response.
“There’s already details about what we’re about to begin taking pictures within the second season that I needed to have a bit cry about,” D’Onofrio tells IGN. “So it is fairly one thing. This present may be fairly intense as an actor.”
Based on how Episode 9 ends, now we have a reasonably good concept of the tone and route of Season 2. Expect an excellent darker pivot subsequent time round. Fisk has efficiently put in himself because the all however untouchable monarch of town. He’s outlawed costumed vigilantes, which supplies his militant police drive carte blanche to focus on anybody rioting or protesting towards the federal government. Daredevil has just a few allies – Karen, Clark Johnson’s Cherry, Ruibo Qian’s Detective Kim, and many others. – however he’s nonetheless only one man staring down the void of facism and systemic rot.
It’s right here the place the thematic similarities to the unique Daredevil: Born Again comedian actually begin to turn out to be obvious. In the comedian, Fisk systematically dismantles Matt’s life after discovering his secret identification, leaving Matt homeless and destitute. But as Fisk quickly discovers, a person with out hope can be a person with out concern. Matt rises from the ashes extra pushed than ever, delivering a shattering blow to Fisk’s felony empire and public status.
The circumstances on this collection are considerably completely different. Fisk has already recognized Matt’s secret for a while now, and Matt’s arc in Daredevil: Season 3 was arguably a extra direct adaptation of the Born Again comedian. But this collection nonetheless presents a situation the place Daredevil’s again is towards a wall and he’s been stripped right down to his core. His life as Matt Murdock is seemingly over till the current disaster is handled. He’s now 100% Daredevil, reborn and absolutely dedicated to bringing down Fisk’s regime. Thanks to Foggy, he and Karen have the ammo. Now they should make their metropolis perceive the reality in regards to the monster they elected.
We’re anticipating many of the Season 1 supporting solid to return for Season 2. That contains Woll’s Karen Page, who seems to be positioned for an even bigger function subsequent time round.
Scardapane tells IGN, “I’ll say solely as I’ve mentioned time and time [again], Karen Page is the guts and soul of this universe and of this Daredevil mythology and Karen’s interplay with our story. And this season and past is big.”
However, Season 2 additionally opens the door for extra costumed vigilantes to make an look. Fisk’s ban on masks impacts a terrific many characters within the MCU. It’s kind of Captain America: Civil War’s Sokovia Accords in a New York microcosm. Anyone within the metropolis who wears a masks and makes an attempt to make use of it for both good or sick is now immediately in Fisk’s crosshairs.
Rumors have continued that Born Again will convey again different actors from the Netflix days, corresponding to Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones and Mike Colter’s Luke Cage. The established order heading into Season 2 definitely justifies bringing each characters into the fold. Born Again hints that we could meet no less than one new costumed hero in Season 2. Camila Rodriguez’ Angela Ayala is exhibiting each signal of desirous to observe in her uncle’s footsteps and turning into the brand new White Tiger (as occurred within the comics). She could not have a lot in the way in which of coaching, however a mystical amulet has to rely for one thing, proper?
Check again tomorrow for a deeper dive into the MCU’s present lineup of street-level heroes and vigilantes.
How Born Again Sets Up the Punisher Special
If there’s one takeaway from the Season 1 finale, it’s that there’s a particular future for Bernthal’s Frank Castle within the MCU. We see Frank making his violent escape from Fisk’s do-it-yourself jail. There’s positively going to be some extra punishment on the menu.
Bernthal most likely has an element to play in Season 2, however that’s not all. We just lately realized that Marvel is creating a standalone Punisher Disney+ particular within the vein of Werewolf by Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Bernthal will star and can be writing the screenplay alongside We Own This City’s Reinaldo Marcus Green.
Presumably, the Punisher particular will delve deeper into the battle between Frank Castle and the corrupt cops who’ve co-opted his picture and mission. It’s an enormous real-world drawback dealing with the character that Marvel has lastly began to handle, and Born Again seems to be simply the beginning of a bigger storyline. We’ll most likely see Frank go on the offensive once more, and certain ship some model of his well-known speech to 2 NYPD officers from 2019’s The Punisher #13:
“We’re not the identical. You took an oath to uphold the legislation. I gave all that up a very long time in the past. You do not do what I do. Nobody does.”
That doesn’t essentially preclude Bernthal from additionally showing in Born Again: Season 2. As lengthy as Frank stays energetic as a vigilante, the Fisk regime is a transparent and current hazard. That means we are able to most likely count on one other reluctant Daredevil/Punisher team-up within the close to future. And who is aware of? Maybe Karen will lastly settle for that provide of a cup of espresso.
Which vigilante do you most need to see in Born Again Season 2? Vote in our ballot and tell us within the feedback beneath.
For extra on the way forward for the MCU, find out about the 75 comics which may be inspiring Avengers: Doomsday and brush up on each Marvel film and collection in improvement.
Jesse is a mild-mannered employees author for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your mental thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.
