Daredevil: Born Again Finale Sets Up Devil’s Reign in Season 2

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[Caution: This discussion reveals plot details from the Daredevil: Born Again finale, titled “Straight to Hell.” ] The reign of the Devil has commenced. In Tuesday’s “Straight to Hell,” the climactic ninth episode of the first season of Daredevil: Born Again, Mayor Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) exploited Bullseye’s (Wilson Bethel) unsuccessful assassination attempt to activate his Anti-Vigilante Task Force amid a city-wide power outage. The mayor’s band of corrupt cops failed to eliminate Daredevil (Charlie Cox), but they did capture the Punisher (Jon Bernthal). In a stunning display of power, Fisk killed the Police Commissioner, and he imposed his “Safer Streets” initiative, turning New York City into a Martial Law zone. Effective immediately, Mayor Fisk banned all vigilantes in the city.

The climax concluded with Fisk and his wife Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer), having confined the city’s elite in Red Hook Port, transforming it into a mini-nation using a 1855 charter previously discovered by Foggy Nelson. With Fisk as Mayor, they now have control over the police, courts, and an army, leaving little hope for resistance.

A hopeless man is one without courage. Daredevil swore to reclaim the city with his group of comrades, including Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), honorable officers like Cherry (Clark Johnson) and Detective Kim (Ruibo Qian). “This is our town, not his,” declared Daredevil. “We can retake it if we stand together. The weak, the strong, everyone. Resist, revolt, rebuild. We’re the fearless city.

In the narrative of Mayor Fisk, starting from Daredevil #595 to #600 penned by Charles Soule, Fisk unveiled the Powers Act in Devil’s Reign #1, published in 2021. This six-issue series written by Chip Zdarsky and illustrated by Marco Checchetto began with Mayor Fisk stating that anyone demonstrating ‘superhuman’ abilities or engaging in destructive vigilantism will be considered a threat and charged accordingly.

Mayor Fisk’s team of Thunderbolts, which are trained for dealing with extraordinary risks, implemented his ban on superheroes. In their initial round-up, the Thunderbolts – consisting of U.S. Agent (John Walker), Rhino (Aleksei Sytsevich), Electro (Francine Frye), Agony (Gemma Shin, a symbiote villain), Shocker (Herman Schultz), and Doctor Octopus (Otto Octavius) – targeted street-level heroes such as Moon Knight and Spider-Man. They also raided the Baxter Building with the intention of apprehending the Fantastic Four, publicly clashed with Captain America, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage, respectively.

As a movie reviewer, I’d put it this way: Following the capture of Reed and Susan Richards, along with Spider-Man and Tony Stark from the Fantastic Four, and Tony’s unexpected political ambition against Fisk in the upcoming mayoral election, Steve Rogers and his clandestine alliance of rogue vigilantes took action to oust Fisk from office. Amidst this turmoil, Harlem’s hero Luke Cage stepped forward, declaring his candidacy for mayor with the aim of defeating Fisk through legitimate channels.

In this scenario, Fisk confined the mind-manipulating villain, known as the Purple Man (Zebediah Killgrave), within a device created by Doctor Octopus, referred to as a “Psycho-Prism.” Ambitious beyond his role as New York’s Mayor, Fisk amassed Killgrave’s offspring to manipulate public opinion using their persuasive abilities. The absence of superheroes raised concerns that Fisk’s rule might result in a nationwide law similar to the Superhuman Registration Act from the Civil War era. As New York became free of crime under Fisk’s control, it also transformed into an authoritarian state, with his Thunderbolts and a swarm of anti-crime drones maintaining order.

Following the alteration of my memories by the Purple Children, Fisk exploited the Purple Man’s abilities to recall Matt Murdock’s hidden identity as Daredevil. Subsequently, I took the life of Matt’s brother in cold blood and unleashed my Thunderbolts upon the assembled Avengers, who were there to safeguard the Purple Children. In a chilling move, I manipulated the city’s populace under the Purple Man’s control, transforming them into an army of citizens empowered by the Purple Man’s influence.

In a final twist, Fisk aimed to leave behind his criminal empire and life with his partner, Typhoid Mary. However, Daredevil swore to bring down the Kingpin at all costs. Just as Catholic Matt Murdock considered killing Kingpin, dooming his soul for eternity, Elektra persuaded Daredevil to spare Fisk’s life instead.

The Thunderbolts Unit apprehended the former mayor, yet this was a trick orchestrated by his son, Byron “Butch” Fisk, who had previously rejected taking over the Kingpin’s criminal empire. Fisk, with hidden supporters behind him who helped get him elected, the influential siblings the Stromwyns, facilitated Fisk’s release to pursue a presidential campaign. However, Fisk declined their offer.

The police caught the old mayor, but it was actually his son who didn’t want the criminal empire, trying to trick people. His powerful backers, the Stromwyn siblings, helped him get out of jail so he could run for president. But Fisk chose not to go along with their plan.

Fisk, being the unyielding figure he is, never submits to anyone. You don’t strike bargains with the devil when you’re already the devil himself,” Fisk said to Butch, bestowing upon him his ‘inheritance’: the title of Kingpin.

Currently, you can stream all installments of the series “Daredevil: Born Again” on Disney+. The second season is slated for release in the year 2026.

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2025-04-16 05:10