Daredevil: Born Again - Episodes 5 and 6 Review

With Interest

Following the opening arc of the first four episodes showing Matt give up the mantle and then coming back to being Daredevil, episode five is a bit odd as it serves as a bottle episode. Almost the entire episode takes place at a bank on St. Patrick’s Day, with it starting with Matt’s arrival and ending with Yusef Khan finding a diamond that had been taken from the vault in his candy dish. During the course of the episode, Matt asks for a loan, is denied, and then a gang that owes money to another gang takes hostages while trying to steal money to pay their debt.

This episode feels like it was supposed to be the pilot before Marvel retooled and reshot the show. A lot of Matt’s character is re-introduced in this episode through his interactions with Yusef Khan, the bank assistant manager and father to Ms. Marvel. While a bottle episode, it demonstrates Matt’s abilities as Daredevil, as he fights off several people and grabs a mask to protect himself to attack the leader of the heist.

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The best part of this episode is how it connects the series to the overall MCU. The first four episodes helped the series stand on its own so fans could join and not have to watch the entire MCU. However, it being an MCU show, it needs to connect beyond a passing mention of Spider-Man. Matt Murdock directly quoting the line he gave Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home and the appearance of Ms. Marvel’s father helped give the world a more connected feel. Plus, a blind man acting like a hero in front of the father of another hero was perfect because Khan wouldn’t ask too many questions after being inside a flerken in The Marvels.

Excessive Force

The second episode mostly picks up after the events of episode four, although it does reference Matt being held hostage in a bank, so it’s clearly still after episode five. Hector’s niece reveals that her uncle had been investigating disappearances of young women and wants Matt to investigate it. As a lawyer, it’s not Matt’s job, it’s supposed to be the police department’s job. Of course, crooked cops led to Hector’s trial, so Angela del Toro decides to go investigating herself.

Mayor Fisk has to swallow his pride due to the duties of his office. Luca, a gang leader who once worked for Kingpin Fisk, is pushing back against Mayor Fisk. Fisk increases Luca’s debt but the gang leader keeps pushing back. Meanwhile, Fisk has to grovel to rich donors including Jack Duquesne, the Swordsman from Hawkeye. Fisk has so much rage boiling and it’s clear that he needs an outlet.

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Meanwhile, a new mural has gone up in the city and Mayor Fisk wants it removed. However, the sanitation department determines it was made using human blood and not paint. This causes Mayor Fisk to launch a task force since sanitation discovered a serial killer before the police department did. The serial killer is, of course, Muse who takes Angela hostage and starts draining her blood. Her family calls Matt who decides “Fuck It” and takes up the Daredevil mantle.

After a discussion about not falling into their old ways, both Matt and Fisk are back as Daredevil and Kingpin. Matt nearly kills Muse until he hears Angela’s heart slowing. Mirroring the first ten minutes of episode one, Daredevil must decide if he will keep fighting the villain or save the victim. He fought Bullseye while Foggy died. He chooses to let Muse go while saving Angela. Meanwhile, Fisk’s rage has boiled over. He can’t take it out on the rich donors or the gang leaders yet, so he pulls Adam, the man Vanessa had an affair with, out of his cage and starts beating him. The hero and the villain are firmly back where they once were.

Rating

This was an odd pairing but if Marvel planned a second two episode drop, this kind of makes sense. The first episode being shorter than most and all being in one place means it probably needed to be paired with something, especially if it wasn’t intended to be a middle of the season episode. It really feels like a season premiere and almost like a soft reboot of the series midway through the season.

In contrast, the second episode picks up where many viewers have wanted the series to move. Matt Murdock is finally wearing the Daredevil suit. Wilson Fisk is finally acting like a villain rather than pretending to be an upstanding Mayor at all times. He may still put on a front to the public, but behind the scenes, he is cruel and vicious. It’s time to pick up for the story arc to end the first season.

Check out Daredevil: Born Again streaming exclusively on Disney Plus.