The fifth and sixth episodes of Daredevil: Born Again aired back to back on March 25. This double-feature format happened to work very well with the two episodes in question, “With Interest” and “Excessive Force.”
Disclaimer: This article contains minor spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again Season 1.
Rather than advancing the plotline that’s been building up from the beginning of the season, “With Interest” heads in a new direction and provides its own self-contained adventure. Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), who has been concentrating on his lawyer career and steering clear of his alter-ego Daredevil, goes to the bank to ask for a loan and becomes caught up in a conflict that has nothing to do with him or any of his usual enemies.
As all of the action takes place inside the bank or on the streets just outside, it’s more or less a bottle episode, something that isn’t often seen in the television format preferred by today’s streaming services. Matt is the only regular character who gets any screen time, and he’s the one who saves the day with his wits, enhanced senses, and fighting skills.
Ms. Marvel's Dad on Loan
Marvel Cinematic Universe fans will recognize one other protagonist: Yusuf Khan (Mohan Kapur), the father of teen superhero Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel. Yusuf is the assistant bank manager who first discusses the loan with Matt, and he’s quick to show his pride in his daughter, even keeping a Ms. Marvel Funko Pop! figure on his desk. When a gang of bank robbers busts in (wearing Infinity Stone-colored ski masks), Yusuf helps Matt defeat them and later offers him an invitation to dinner with the family.
Although there are some bleak moments in the episode, overall it has a much more lighthearted vibe than we’ve seen in the show so far. Not only is “With Interest” a refreshing change of pace, but it nods to the style of classic superhero comics, which would often break up serial arcs with one-shot stories.
Muse Is Out For Blood
With that feel-good victory completed, “Excessive Force” brings back the despair and violence of the main plot. The masked killer known as Muse, who drains the blood of his victims and uses it to paint graffiti murals like a deranged Banksy, has finally drawn the attention of Mayor Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio).
Using the same kind of strategic manipulations that he did as a crime boss, Fisk is turning public sentiment against vigilantes, equating criminals like Muse with local heroes like Daredevil and gathering a team of plainly corrupt officers to work as his special strike force. When it comes to his own criminal history, though, Fisk is forced to negotiate with a former associate holding his past over him, rather than beating him senseless as he once would have.
Daredevil and Kingpin have always had interlocking arcs, and here their struggles run parallel. Matt’s determination to solve problems through the law is wavering, especially after he’s approached by Angela Del Toro (Camila Rodriguez), the niece of his recently murdered client Hector Ayala/White Tiger. Angela’s insistence that Matt is the only one who can help her take down her uncle’s killers feels like a stretch, as she only knows him as a blind lawyer, but it does the trick. Angela soon gets in over her head and Matt is back in the Daredevil suit to rescue her.
Fisk’s inevitable return to form, of course, is much more brutal than Matt’s. He’s fueled by jealousy over his wife Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer), even as their broken marriage begins to heal. Matt doesn’t have anyone locked in a dungeon, but he is keeping his girlfriend Heather (Margarita Levieva) in the dark about his double life, even when she says she wants to write a book about vigilantes.
Will Swords Be Drawn?
“Excessive Force” also has a returning face from a prior MCU show. This time it’s Jack Duquesne (Tony Dalton), last seen in Hawkeye. The crossover came as a surprise, but as Jack was introduced as a charming New York socialite, he fits right in with Vanessa’s circle and his presence in the show makes perfect sense.
It’s hinted that Jack’s alter-ego Swordsman will become relevant in Daredevil: Born Again, but even if he was just a cameo, this kind of guest appearance is delightful for fans and exactly what the show needs to cement its place in the MCU. Some inconsistencies between the original Daredevil series and the wider shared universe will never be resolved, but it’s great to see proof that all of these characters do exist in each other’s worlds and really can pop up where you least expect them.
All that aside, there are some Daredevil mainstays who still have stories waiting to unfold, and their roles in Born Again have been very limited so far. Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) and Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) both left loose ends after their brief appearances, and the mysteries behind the death of Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) are far from resolved.
The slow pace of Daredevil: Born Again has its pros and cons. Fans will need to be patient to see how it all comes together, but hopefully, we’ll continue to enjoy the ride.
Rating: ★★★★☆
About Daredevil: Born Again
Premiere Date: March 4, 2025.
Episode Count: 9
Executive Producer/Showrunner: Dario Scardapane
Writers: Dario Scardapane, Brad Winderbaum
Directors: Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, Michael Cuesta, Jeffrey Nachmanoff, David Boyd
Production: Marvel Television, Disney
Distribution: Disney
Cast: Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, Margarita Levieva, Deborah Ann Woll, Elden Henson, Zabryna Guevara, Nikki James, Genneya Walton, Arty Froushan, Clark Johnson, Michael Gandolfini, with Ayelet Zurer and Jon Bernthal
Synopsis: In Marvel Television’s “Daredevil: Born Again,” Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), a blind lawyer with heightened abilities is fighting for justice through his bustling law firm, while former mob boss Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) pursues his own political endeavors in New York. When their past identities begin to emerge, both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course.