Rob Reviews: Daredevil Born Again, episode 2.4 “Gloves Off”

We’re back to our regular schedule, and this week, the tension in Hell’s Kitchen finally boiled over. Mayor Wilson Fisk’s “Born Again” campaign hit its stride with a publicity stunt that turned into a bloodbath. Let’s break down the chaos.

WARNING: spoilers follow

The Beat-by-Beat

• A “New York State of Mind”: Disney clearly spent the budget this week, opening with the Billy Joel classic as we see Benjamin Poindexter (Bullseye) meticulously navigating his day. Seeing the world through his eyes—where everything is a lethal projectile—remains one of the coolest (and most unsettling) visual choices of the show.

• The Kingpin’s Reach: Fisk is feeling the heat. Mr. Charles (played by a wonderfully pestering Matthew Lillard) is a CIA “spook” who is not at all intimidated by Fisk, reminding him that the Feds still want control of the free port.

• The Trap is Set: The big charity boxing match against Matter Horn was a total exhibition, but we all knew it was bait. Matt and Karen realized it early on: Fisk was using himself as a target to draw out both Daredevil and Bullseye.

• “I Love You”: Did anyone else catch that? Amidst the chaos of raiding Kirsten McDuffie’s law office and the AVTF goons breathing down their necks, Matt and Karen finally dropped the “L” word.

• The Showdown at Fogwell’s Gym: Fisk is a monster. He pummels Matter Horn (who definitely looked a little long in the tooth for that ring) until Vanessa walks in. The shift in energy when Bullseye finally strikes was electric.

The “Nuance to Notes”

The parallel between Matt’s “good Christian guy” persona and his brutal vigilante side is starting to wear thin for me. I’m over the “rough around the edges church-goer” trope; we get it, he’s conflicted. However, the scene where he uses his senses to pinpoint Poindexter’s apartment window was top-tier Daredevil.

The big shocker, though? Vanessa. Bullseye aimed a glass sculpture at Fisk, Fisk shattered it with his championship belt, and a shard caught Vanessa in the temple. If Fisk just accidentally caused his own wife’s death (or permanent injury) while trying to protect her, the “Kingpin” we know is about to become something much worse.

The Verdict

Rating: 4.5/5 Nightsticks

This might be the best hour of the series yet. The stakes feel personal again. Between the potential death of Vanessa and the tease of Jessica Jones (and the rumors of a kid—is Luke Cage the dad?!), I am fully strapped in for the rest of Season 2.

Rob’s Daily Reflection

“Fisk was doing it to offer himself up as bait… It worked. But not quite the way that Fisk expected!”

Note: We’re shaking things up today to catch the fallout of this massive episode! Check back at 10:00 AM for my regular daily prompt response and today’s look at the timeline.

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All images courtesy of Disney+ and Marvel Studios. Characters and likenesses are the property of their respective copyright holders.

Today’s post is inspired by the WordPress Daily Prompt. While I’ve taken the topic in my own direction for the Road to 1,000 Days, you can find more responses to today’s prompt HERE .

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