Summary
Spanning across a decade of shows and movies starting in 2015,Daredevilhas become a beloved character in theMarvel Cinematic Universe. Since the beginning, he has been played by Charlie Cox, who has excelled in conveying the inner turmoil of a dark vigilante and the optimism of an altruistic lawyer.
Due to his popularity, Daredevil is one of the few characters to appear in other MCU projects, either as a guest star or in cameo roles. Despite the cancelation of his original Netflix show, Daredevil has made a comeback as the main character inDaredevil: Born Again, which is a continuation of his previous series. His journey to this point required significant effort and dedication.
Fans did not expect Charlie Cox, of all people, to be cast as the titular vigilante inDaredevilSeason 1, but he quickly won over the hearts of many with his dark yet hopeful portrayal of the character. It felt straight out of a comic book, but it still offered a unique take for the MCU, with Foggy Nelson and Karen Page becoming beloved supporting characters.
The first season deals mainly with the origins of both Daredevil and Wilson Fisk, also known as the Kingpin, as they rise to become more like their comic book counterparts.Vincent D’Onofrio’s performance as the Kingpinhas earned tremendous praise, with some considering him on par with Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. The first season also establishes iconic fight sequences, with entire fights taking place in single, continuous shots.
7Daredevil Season 2
The Punisher Stole The Show In The Best Way
DaredevilSeason 2branches out the MCU even more with the inclusion of more street-level superheroes, includingJon Bernthal as The Punisher, Elodie Yung as Elektra, and even a brief appearance by Luke Cage, who would go on to get his own Netflix series. The Punisher would also become such a fascinating anti-hero that he, too, would get a two-season spin-off series.
On the one hand, the second season earned praise for introducing more creative action sequences, thought-provoking dialogue between Daredevil and Punisher, and going into less grounded territory with The Hand. On the other hand, Season 2 is considered the weakest season, with many considering The Hand to be less interesting than the Punisher storyline from the first half.
6The Defenders
Netflix’s Heroes Come Together To Save New York
After the individual shows featuring Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Jessica Jones, the characters came together in a limited crossover series,The Defenders. If the Avengers had even more anger issues, the resulting team would look a lot like these four heroes, who struggle to work together to stop The Hand from destroying New York City.
The Defendersseries showcases each hero’s strengths and hints at the potential for more stories in the future. It even brought together supporting characters from all the shows, who are just as enjoyable as a team. The series was not as action-packedas other famous Marvel crossovers, but fans were pleased to see four TV shows collide before the CW Arrowverse did it years later withCrisis On Infinite Earths.
5Daredevil Season 3
The Third Season Is Often Considered The Best
Matt Murdock is at his lowest inDaredevilSeason 3, with Wilson Fisk out of prison as the big villain of the story this time. Daredevil has given up his Matt Murdock life in favor of being a vigilante 24/7, having lost his faith in people after the events inThe Defenders. The third season spends more time developing all the characters, with the debut of Bullseye being a major highlight.
The show’s third season features a significant build-up, with themes of vengeance and justice woven throughout. It culminates in an intense second half, showcasing a chaotic battle between Daredevil, Bullseye, and Kingpin. Many fans consider this season to be the best. Unfortunately, just a month after its release, Netflix canceledDaredevil, leaving viewers heartbroken.
Even in the extended cut ofSpider-Man: No Way Home, Charlie Cox has a brief but memorable role as Peter Parker’s lawyer after Mysterio frames and exposes him as Spider-Man. It was the first time fans had seen Matt Murdock after theDaredevilseries was canceled, with some believing that Daredevil was going to be abandoned by the MCU.
Fortunately,Spider-Man: No Way Homewould just be the seed that would bloom into Daredevil’s triumphant return. Audiences were screaming in the theaters, as it was not only fan-service for theDaredevilseries, but also for comic book fans who know thatDaredevil and Spider-Man are good friends, which could lead to future crossover movies or specials.
3She-Hulk: Attorney At Law
New Sides Of Daredevil Were Explored
SinceShe-Hulk: Attorney At Lawis a Disney+ Marvel seriesall about a superhuman lawyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, many assumed that Daredevil would at least make a cameo. They were wrong and correct at the same time, as Matt Murdock became the guest star of an entire episode where he and She-Hulk work together on a case and become lovers along the way.
It was the first time Charlie Cox was officially back in a Daredevil suit, and it wasn’t the same one from the Netflix show, either. After Bullseye tainted the image, the first MCU suit featured gold and red colors, reminiscent of the character’s first appearance in the comics. Additionally, Charlie Cox was able to play the more lighthearted and quippy version of Daredevil, also closer to the comics.
In showing the history of Maya Lopez, Echo, as a once-loyal lieutenant in the Kingpin criminal empire, theEchoseries features another brief cameo for Daredevil. He fights Maya, and she proves that she’s able to last longer than any of Kingpin’s other thugs, just as she did against two versions of Hawkeye in theHawkeyeDisney+ series.
Daredevil never appears again after their action-packed encounter in theEchoseries, but with Kingpin shaping up to be a threat to multiple heroes, there is a chance that she will reunite with Matt in the future. Whether it’s inDaredevil: Born Againor a crossover ofthe MCU street-level heroes, Daredevil and Echo share a common enemy in the form of Kingpin.
After years of campaigning by fans and even the stars of the originalDaredevilseries, Disney+ finally made Charlie Cox the star of his own show once more withDaredevil: Born Again. Vincent D’Onofrio reprises the role of Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin, after first appearing as the villain inHawkeyeandEcho.This time, he’s been elected as the newmayor of New York Citywith the determination to outlaw vigilantes.
Meanwhile, Matt Murdock retired from the Daredevil moniker after a tragedy in his life. As his tension with Fisk and crime start destroying his city again, he returns to the mask. With a bigger budget and heavily embracing a TV-MA rating,Daredevil: Born Againboasts a strong return for a character that respects the past and embraces a new style for the future.
