Rob Reviews: Daredevil: Born Again, episodes 2.2 and 2.3

We got a two-for-one this week straight out of Hell’s Kitchen. Two episodes of Daredevil: Born Again dropped on Disney+ Tuesday night—likely to clear some runway for the Punisher special premiering after this season concludes. At this point, I think it’s indisputable: Daredevil remains the best Marvel television offering from the “Mouse House.”

Vincent D’Onofrio is absolute gold as Kingpin. He is, by leaps and bounds, the best actor to play a Marvel villain yet. I’m at the point where I’d pay $14.99 a month just to watch D’Onofrio read the phone book as Wilson Fisk. The series format allows him the screen time a standard MCU movie never could, and he uses every second of it.

Episode 2 “shoot the moon”

The recap reminds us of last week’s surprising assist from Bullseye (Dex). We see someone spraying Daredevil’s “DD” logo as graffiti, while Cole North (the AVTF leader) is being rolled out in an ambulance—looking gnarly after taking a bullet to the head, but apparently “too stubborn to die.”

Key Takeaways:

• The Hero Play: In a brilliant move, Fisk rejects the idea of outting Matt Murdoch as Daredevil. Instead, he tells New York that Murdoch is a hero who saved his life, urging citizens to help find the “missing” lawyer. It’s a genius way to flush Matt out while demonizing the “Devil” persona.

• The “ICE” Comparison: During a convenience store run-in, Angela Del Toro’s mother is arrested by the AVTF. This task force is feeling more and more like a heavy-handed metaphor for ICE with every passing scene.

• The Prisoner: The episode ends with a massive cliffhanger as Karen reveals she has taken an AVTF agent prisoner. This is a side of Karen we haven’t seen in a while—calculating and desperate.

Episode 3: “The scales and the sword”

New York is officially a police state. We pick up with Alan Saunders, the AVTF agent Karen took prisoner. While Matt’s senses tell him the guy is being truthful about wanting to help, Karen isn’t so sure. He tips them off to a key location: Red Hook.

The Details:

• Heather Glenn & Muse: The psychiatrist, Heather, is clearly traumatized and “drinking the Fisk Kool-Aid” as a coping mechanism. She’s even holding onto the mask of Muse (the artist/villain from Season 1) who assaulted her. It’s a dark, twisted connection.

• The Tribunal: Kirsten McDuffie is taken to see her client, Jack Duquesne (The Swordsman). The way they blindfold her and take her to a secret prison is highly illegal. The courtroom itself is an absolute mockery of justice, with a sign reading “Truth is great and shall prevail” hanging behind a rigged judge.

• The “Frank Castle” Shadow: Matt notes that Karen is starting to sound like the Punisher. Karen is still struggling with Foggy’s death (and yes, Vanessa was the one who pulled those strings). Karen is even considering bringing Frank Castle in to “cut the head off the snake.”

• The Red Hook Extraction: The action sequence here was a total highlight. Matt frees the prisoners (including Duquesne) in a sequence that felt like a classic Daredevil “oner.” Seeing Angela Del Toro show up with the White Tiger medallion was a huge moment—it looks like she’s officially taking up the mantle.

Final Thoughts & The “Spider-Man” Connection

This two-episode drop essentially wrapped up the “First Act” of Season 2. The action in Episode 3 was a massive step up from the table-setting of Episode 2.

The Spoiler Theory: I saw a theory about the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer. It shows a woman (potentially Governor McCaffrey) presenting Spider-Man with the key to the city. If that movie takes place after this, it heavily implies Fisk is no longer Mayor by the time that movie happens. Whether he goes to jail or someone finally “cuts the head off the snake” remains to be seen.

Rob’s “Extra Innings” (Reflections on the Episode)

On the “No-Kill” Rule:

I’ll be honest, I thought Daredevil was a bit more into killing than he seems to be. Maybe I’m confusing the comics with the MCU, or maybe it’s just the moral gray area he inhabits because of his religious background. I support his idea of wanting to do things “by the book,” but I’m leaning toward Karen’s middle ground. We don’t need to go full Punisher, but maybe someone like Frank needs to take Kingpin down permanently. I’m sure “Foggy wouldn’t want it that way,” but things have spiraled out of control too fast for idealism.

On Angela Del Toro (White Tiger):

She’s definitely going to be both an asset and a liability. I have no doubt her impulsiveness will get Matt into more trouble with the AVTF before the season is over, but she’s clearly a necessary force for the rebuilding of Hell’s Kitchen.

Daredevil: Born Again is currently streaming on Disney+

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Photo Credit: Marvel Studios / Disney+

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