Daredevil: Born Again Disrespects Netflix MCU’s Canon

by

As a huge fan, I was absolutely devastated when Netflix cancelled Daredevil. It felt like a real blow when Disney bought Marvel and they started getting rid of all the best shows, like The Punisher and Jessica Jones too. I honestly thought we’d never see Charlie Cox back as Daredevil, so it was a total miracle when they decided to bring the show back – a true rebirth for the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen!

The show remains as intense and realistic as Disney originally advertised. However, something felt off with the reboot from the beginning. Now that we’re well into the second season, things have changed, and it’s clear what the show was lacking all along.

Daredevil: Born Again Disrespects the Netflix MCU’s Canon

Bringing Daredevil back to Disney+ wasn’t easy. Although fans really wanted to see Matt Murdock return, the first attempt at a revival was completely discarded because the story wasn’t working.

While the recent airing of Daredevil: Born Again was a noticeable improvement, it still sparked debate among viewers and disappointed many fans. Despite speculation that a character might not be truly gone, Season 2 strongly suggests otherwise. The latest episode, “The Grand Design,” clearly shows that the decision to remove Foggy Nelson is a problem the show can’t fix.

While Daredevil often explores grim themes, the death of Foggy Nelson felt like a step too far. Daredevil’s inaction was a major failing, and it extinguished the show’s only source of hope. This turned Born Again into a bleak and humorless portrayal of the human condition.

As a huge fan of the show, I really appreciated the episode “The Grand Design” and how it used flashbacks to highlight just how genuinely good Foggy is. Seeing those earlier days, when Matt and Foggy were working as defense lawyers at a different firm, really made his current absence feel even more impactful. The flashbacks centered around a case they took on – defending a drug dealer – and it was fascinating to see Foggy’s strong moral compass become the central conflict. It really underscored what makes his character so important and why things feel so different without him.

Ray and Foggy have been friends since childhood, and Ray warns Foggy that if he accepts a plea bargain, Fisk’s men will likely kill him while he’s in prison. Matt wants nothing to do with helping a criminal, but Foggy discovers a technical mistake in the paperwork that could lead to Ray’s release. The central conflict of the episode revolves around Matt’s unwillingness to let a known criminal go free versus Foggy’s belief that everyone deserves a second chance.

This situation is complicated by the fact that both Matt and Foggy are legally bound to defend their client, even if they disagree with their actions. Matt, as a lawyer, is obligated to investigate, and the storyline seems designed to highlight how Matt is consistently making poor choices, especially in contrast to Foggy.

Matt’s recent actions feel off, but the bigger issue is the show just doesn’t feel the same without Foggy. While the series has had strong moments in the past, this isn’t one of them. It feels like Foggy’s death was simply a way to make this version of Daredevil even grimmer. The show still has the same feel as the Netflix series, but it’s gone a little too far with the darkness.

Vanessa’s Death in Daredevil: Born Again Is Another Fumble

Foggy isn’t the first comic book character to fall victim to a blade. Vanessa faces repercussions for arranging the lawyer’s murder, as Bullseye reappears seeking revenge for her having hired him to kill Foggy.

During a ridiculous boxing match orchestrated by Fisk, Vanessa is hit by flying glass and rushed to the hospital. Despite surviving the initial surgery, her mental state deteriorates, and she tragically dies. Her death feels like a tired trope – a woman sacrificing herself to further her husband’s story – and ultimately doesn’t feel earned or logical within the narrative.

Vanessa isn’t just a supporting character in the comics; she’s a strong, complex figure in her own right. In many portrayals, she’s not simply aware of Wilson Fisk’s criminal activities – she actively participates with him, and is often even more intimidating than he is.

It’s surprising to see this happen, considering the character’s importance in both the comic books and the previous Netflix series. The new Daredevil show seems to deliberately frustrate fans by changing so much of what made the original so popular, essentially offering a much simpler version of the story.

The emotional impact of the new Daredevil: Born Again series doesn’t measure up to the original. Matt Murdock feels very alone and is acting in ways that don’t make sense, such as… Even when he does the right thing, he seems to be losing touch with his core values as Daredevil. This might be a result of Foggy Nelson’s death, but it only makes the story feel even more depressing.

The show diminishes Vanessa’s character by ending her storyline prematurely. Her absence removes a key element of what initially made the series compelling. This new iteration of Daredevil: Born Again is bleak and struggles to recapture the magic of the original, becoming a cold and uninspired story that doesn’t honor the characters fans loved.

Read More

2026-04-17 20:40