Daredevil Faces a Horrifying Fungal Villain Straight Out of The Last of Us

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Currently, Daredevil isn’t having the smoothest run of luck. While his MCU version is battling Mayor Fisk’s takeover of New York City, the original Matt Murdock from Marvel Comics faces a different set of hardships. His typical adversaries are some of the most ruthless characters in the Marvel Universe, including Kingpin, Bullseye, the Punisher, and Typhoid Mary – just to name a few formidable foes he encounters daily. Now, Daredevil is confronted with an entirely new antagonist that pushes the boundaries of horror to unimaginable levels. This new villain would fit seamlessly into the decaying world depicted in The Last of Us.

How Daredevil Found His Fungal Foe

Since the moment he decided to allow Bullseye to plummet to his death in issue #19, Daredevil has been tormented by haunting dreams and guilt. Following his decision to undergo a transformation and return to his hideous Black Armor attire, Matt made a visit to his lover, Nyla Skin. Unfortunately, upon entering her apartment, he was exposed to some mysterious fungal spores that left him unconscious. In the previous issue, we saw an unconscious Matt being carried away by hazmat-suited goons and deposited into a room filled with other inhabitants of the building who had also been affected by these spores.

The trouble started when Matt awoke from yet another Bullseye-induced nightmare, but instead of his usual predicament, he found himself in an altogether terrifying scenario. His physique successfully repelled the peculiar fungus, and Daredevil whisked the contaminated away for treatment. The police informed him that the cause was a chemical spill, which made him suspect someone in authority was concealing this incident. Leveraging his heightened radar perception, Matt traced a secretive web of intertwined mushroom roots spreading throughout New York City. He pursued this trail to a massive structure at the city’s core, where he encountered two seasoned henchmen he had previously subdued.

Currently, these two entities are distinct, yet they exhibit characteristics reminiscent of zombies due to a peculiar fungus covering their bodies and mushrooms growing on them. They persistently urge him to depart, which is unusual for people. This newcomer seems to be acting more like an adversary. Daredevil brushes them aside, but encounters a voice that appears omnipresent, originating from everywhere yet nowhere simultaneously. The voice compliments his costume, a clear indication that this villain means trouble. Subsequently, a mushroom-like being materializes, evoking strong Clicker-esque feelings. The narrative concludes with the ominous warning that Daredevil is powerless to prevent this mushroom-person from spreading spores across the entire city, given that even Daredevil himself has been infected.

How Can Daredevil Fight What’s Inside of Him?

Daredevil’s adversary seems to be a sentient fungal network, resembling a living organism, that has been spreading its roots throughout New York City. It is apparent that he isn’t operating alone, as evidenced by the thugs who forced residents from Nyla’s building out, and he wields enough political influence to keep this situation hidden. Furthermore, he appears to have the power to transform infected individuals into mind-controlled zombie-like beings under his control through his spores. The number of people already under his command is unknown, as well as how long Daredevil can resist being transformed himself. There’s a possibility that hundreds, even thousands, of New Yorkers could be sleepers waiting for the order to attack. If Daredevil fails to defeat this mysterious entity in time, we might find ourselves in a scenario reminiscent of “The Last of Us.

In the upcoming issues of Daredevil, our hero will grapple with an adversary that seems as much a part of him as it does external – serving as an intriguing extension of the broader narrative’s theme. Throughout the first nineteen installments, Matt Murdock battled manifestations of his wrongdoings, culminating in him allowing Bullseye to perish, a choice that has sparked doubts about his true nature. Is he a hero or merely a self-centered individual constantly wrestling with inner demons? Now, Matt must engage in an actual battle against a malevolent force intent on corrupting him from within, which materializes the struggle between good and evil within him. This is not just a supervillain fight but a battle of souls, and I appreciate how comic books can weave metaphors into action sequences. I’m eager to discover more about this enigmatic and fascinating new antagonist.

Daredevil #21 is on sale now!

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2025-05-18 20:10