Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 7.
Although there was considerable effort taken by Marvel Studios and Disney+ to ensure thatDaredevil: Born Againoffered appropriate fan service to those who had already fallen in love with theDaredevilseries on Netflix, the revival serieshasn’t quite cracked the right approachin revitalizing the “Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.” WhileCharlie Cox’s performance as Matt Murdock has been continuously excellent, the series has struggled to find a way to use his superpowers compellingly.
Although most comic book adaptations have some degree to which the viewer must suspend their disbelief,Daredevil: Born Againfeatures an extremely illogical use of Matt’s powerswhen he is able to identify that Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva) is in danger — and that Muse (Hunter Doohan) has been able to track her down.
In the episode “Art for Art’s Sake,”Matt breaks into Muse’s lair, where he discovers evidence that he has been keeping many paintings of Heather, whom he has become increasingly obsessed with. While it has been shown in the past that Matt can feel objects with obvious contours and shapes and be able to “read them,” he appears to automatically understand that Heather is the subject of Muse’s obsession from the moment that his hand grazes the drawings. This also alerts him to the fact that she is currently in danger in her office, and he races to save her and face off with Muse.The speed at which Matt makes his deductions pushesDaredevil: Born Againtowarda weaker show, as it feels as if his characterization is not consistent with previous iterations.
‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Gives Matt Unexplained Powers
Daredevil: Born Againsuggests that Matt’s superpowers have become heightened, as his superhearing and deductive skills have become much more powerful since the ending of the third season of the NetflixDaredevilshow. While Matt may have grown into his powers in the brief gap between shows, he does not have a new mentor like Stick (Scott Glenn) who would be teaching him; it’s also strange that Matt’s skills are so attuned, as he may have faced some struggles as hedeals with feelings of grief and lossin the aftermath of the death of his best friend, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson). The quick way in which Matt can save Heather is also hard to believe, as it comes after a period in which he had temporarily decided to give up being Daredevil and focus on what he can do legally to serve justice.
Daredevil: Born Againis missing the mystery-solving aspectof the characterthat had made the originalNetflixshow such a breath of fresh air when compared to the other superhero stories that were told on television. Matt’s lack of sight and heightened sensory skills allow him to pick up on subtle clues that are passed over by the police; this has allowed him to track down enigmatic figures that have otherwise avoided being found, such as Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal). Unfortunately,Daredevil: Born Againis so focused on recreating some of the action scenes that Matt’s intelligence doesn’t get the same attention that it once did. Even though the episode “With Interest” featured some of the best action sequences in the new show thus far,Matt’s arrival amid the bank heist almost felt inadvertent.
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Daredevil: Born Againhas also changed the extent to which Matt’s super hearing works.In the original show, Matt was often able to understand muffled conversations without being entirely sure what they meant; in the classic episode “Cut Man,” Matt can understand that a young boy is in danger from the mafia, but has to put in his detective work to find out his location and what the stakes are.
Comparatively,Daredevil: Born Againimplies thathe can fully understand conversations and eventsthat are taking place in different rooms, particularly during his battle with Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) in the shocking pilot episode. This makes it increasingly hard to buy into the idea that Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) can continuously stay one step ahead of him, particularly when dealing with all the political setbacks that come with leading the city.
‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Has Downplayed Matt’s Blindness
Matt’s blindness has taken a backseat to the focus on his super hearing,particularly withinthe stylized aspects of the show; changes in the sound mixing, visual cues, aspect ratios, and depth of focus are utilized to reflect how Matt can pick up on conversations that are far away, but rarely show the challenges that he has from being blind. While Matt’s advanced perceptive skills have made it easier for him to navigate compared to other blind characters, the show has often used his blindness as an “excuse” for him to avoid suspicion.
He even manages to convince Heather that he wasn’t involved in a series of crimes by claiming that he was simply “walking at night.”This makes it even more uncomfortable when the show uses his blindness as the punchline of a joke, as the character Leroy (Charlie Hudson III) constantly insults him during their brief legal counsel together. Moments as simple as Matt walking up to members of the court and identifying them, however brief, suggest that the showrunners have not fully taken account of how his blindness gives him challenges in everyday life.
Daredevil: Born Againhas struggled to once again make Matt a vulnerable character, as by being so emotionally closed off, he is not able to express the crisis of confidence that has always made the character one of themost interesting in the history of Marvel Comics. Matt’s greatest weakness isn’t his blindness, but his humanity, andDaredevil: Born Againhas yet to prove that he is going through an extreme emotional crisis. While exaggerating the use of his identification and tracking skills may seem like a relatively minor flaw, it is representative of a more significant issue that could seriously harmDaredevil: Born Againif it is not addressed in the near future.
