Warning -- this post contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 3.
Nothing that Daredevil: Born Again does in what remains of its episodes will erase the memorable brilliance of the original Marvel Netflix series that first introduced audiences to Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock. Let's just get that reality out of the way upfront. Thankfully, Born Again doesn't seem to be trying to recreate that magic. Rather, it feels a little bit like a TV show revival done right. It both honors what came before while also making the effort to do something new.
In Episode 3, we finally get to see Murdock lawyering it up -- though whether or not he's at the top of his game remains questionable. He's very clearly still mourning the loss of Foggy and wrestling with his decision to hang up his Daredevil suit. But that in itself shows us the Matt we knew before. He not only struggles with his morality, but also with how he fits into the larger puzzle of criminal justice -- or if he even fits there at all.
Ayala's brutal fate at the end of the episode -- by the way, whoever decided to add those sound effects to the end credits is a terrible person, how dare you -- is a direct consequence of Murdock's failure. Some might argue that this isn't the Daredevil we know, who would never expose a vigilante in such a reckless way. But I'd argue that's exactly the point. Murdock no longer identifies as a vigilante. He has completely lost the plot. His failure reflects the devastating impact of his grief. It was a stupid thing to do. Perhaps soon he will come to realize that.
This wouldn't be the first time Murdock has fallen pray to his own internal conflict, and ro see him return to that is far from a lack of character growth. That's still likely yet to come. In so many ways, Foggy was his anchor. At first I thought his death was an easy way for Marvel to close out old chapters and introduce new characters, but more and more it has become clear that this loss will define whatever Murdock decides to become, or run from, as the series progresses.
The lack of his Daredevil persona since Episode 1 is actually quite refreshing. If it feels out of place, that's because it is. Deep down, Murdock knows he can't escape the vigilante life forever. The longer he runs from it, the more he's going to pay the price later. Probably sooner than we think.
New episodes of Daredevil: Born again drop Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Disney+.