Daredevil: Born Again – Epic Continuation of Night Vigilante Saga on Disney+

Disney+’s new continuation of the superhero crime series, Daredevil: Born Again, carries forward the saga of Matt Murdock, the lawyer by day and vigilante by night, played by Charlie Cox. This sequel picks up from where Netflix’s Daredevil series left off, marking the first transition of a Netflix Marvel series to Disney+ platform. The primary focus for creating a refreshing story while retaining the essence of the original series is to ensure the inclusion of existing characters and actors. Here’s a deeper look into the ensemble of characters in the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again.

Matt Murdock, the masked hero of Hell’s Kitchen, lost his eyesight in a childhood incident involving radioactive material, which in turn heightened his other senses. His parents having passed away, Matt was brought up in an orphanage where he found a mentor in Stick, who trained him on harnessing his enhanced senses for combat. But they eventually parted ways, and Matt took the legal route to fight crime, studying law. Before the advent of Daredevil: Born Again, Matt was seen defending Peter Parker and Happy Hogan in Spider-Man: No Way Home, wearing a vibrant yellow-and-red variant of his suit in She-Hulk, and in a flashback fight sequence with Maya in Echo.

Wilson ‘Kingpin’ Fisk, played by Vincent D’Onofrio, made appearances in Hawkeye and Echo, where he was a mentor to Maya Lopez, persona of Alaqcua Cox. Their unique alliance was initially hinted at in Hawkeye and later delved into deeper in Echo. At the close of Hawkeye, Maya shoots Fisk in the eye, forcing him into surreptitious medical recovery away from Vanessa. Fisk’s efforts to patch up with Maya triggers the manifestation of her powers. Her intervention aids Fisk in addressing his deep-seated anger and trauma, setting him on a path towards legitimate power claims, as he steps into the role of a mayor.

But his new role as a mayor isn’t easy, as it goes against his nature of manipulation and intimidation. Like Matt, Wilson’s honorable intent is laced with obstacles and temptation. Vanessa Marianna-Fisk, played by Ayelet Zurer, first crossed paths with Fisk as an art dealer, bonding over their shared appreciation for the finer things in life. After Fisk’s shooting incident, she managed their business empire as Wilson sought closure. In Daredevil: Born Again, however, Vanessa grapples with their transition to a more public and legitimate life, causing her emotional turmoil within the dynamics of their marriage.

Given the couple’s transition to legitimacy, Vanessa’s loyalty to Wilson seems to falter as she navigates an affair with a man referred to as Adam, extracting a promise from Wilson not to harm him. Meanwhile, Benjamin ‘Dex’ Poindexter, portrayed by Wilson Bethel, made his first appearance in Season 3 of the Netflix series. An FBI agent with exceptional marksmanship skills, Dex eventually descends into psychological turmoil, masked as Daredevil due to his loyalty towards a manipulative Fisk. Post netflix series, Dex undergoes a cutting-edge medical procedure to fuse his spine with Cognium steel, following an attack from Fisk.

With his spine reinforced, Dex pulls off a breathtaking stunt in the premier episode of Daredevil: Born Again, navigating a steep fall from a rooftop. Ever since his last appearance on Daredevil, Dex has acquired his suit, branding himself as ‘Bullseye’. Although it is currently unclear who commissioned this hit and for what purpose, time will unveil the truth. We also reunite with Franklin ‘Foggy’ Nelson, played by Elden Henson, who has been Matt’s stalwart companion since college, even amid professional turbulence.

Despite Foggy’s grim fate, there seems to be a silver lining in the form of an anticipated comic storyline that may see him return. Another familiar face is Karen Page, portrayed by Deborah Ann Woll, who has been extensively involved in the justice system since her association with Matt and Foggy. Her role as an investigator, even before formally becoming a lawyer, positions her as the connecting thread between Matt and Foggy. However, in the onset of Daredevil: Born Again, Karen relocates to San Francisco, denoting a profound shift in their dynamic.

As we catch up with known faces, new characters participate in the struggle between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk. Kirsten McDuffie, played by Nikki M. James, is a former Assistant District Attorney of New York City, partnering with Matt to establish their legal firm, Murdock & McDuffie. In the comic saga, Kirsten relocates to San Francisco with Matt after his Daredevil identity gets revealed, and the duo start a law firm of their own. However, after an incident causes amnesia regarding Matt’s Daredevil persona (Ring a bell, Spider-Man: No Way Home?), their relationship falls apart.

At the opening of Daredevil: Born Again, an outgoing NYPD detective, Cherry, uncovers Matt’s hidden Daredevil identity, following a rooftop tussle with Dex. A year later, Cherry transitions into private investigation, assisting Matt in safeguarding his clients and witnesses. The series introduces Cherry as a unique addition with no comic equivalent. Heather Glenn, enacted by Margarita Levieva, is a therapist and author whom Kirsten introduces to Matt, leading to unexpected sparks and a budding romance despite their initial reluctance.

During a book signing event, Heather attracts the attention of Fisk’s aide, leading to her appointment as the couple’s therapist. In the comic series, Heather, a socialite and the daughter of Glenn Industries’ CEO, Maxwell Glenn, shares an intense, on-off relationship with Matt. Inheritance of her father’s company and the accompanying legal tangles embroil her in criminal complications. Another new face, Buck Cashman, played by Arty Froushan, is Fisk’s reliable chief of staff and fixer. He plays a key role in managing Vanessa’s tasks by mitigating squabbles and tidying up messes among the divided Five Families.

Buck’s comic counterpart, also known as Bullet, is a high-level covert government agent turned mercenary, employed by Kingpin for various beneficial schemes. Despite confessing to a crime and gaining release, Cashman consistently finds himself rehired to support Fisk against Daredevil. Daniel Blake, enacted by Michael Gandolfini, is a young staff member who firmly believes in Fisk’s vision for the city. In an attempt to reach younger demographics, he invites journalist BB Urich to interview Fisk. Unlike other characters, Daniel is original to the series and does not have a comic counterpart.

BB Urich, played by Genneya Walton, is an underestimated young journalist whose coverage of Fisk’s campaign land her on Fisk’s radar. Fisk intents to use her influence to curate his public narrative, despite BB is named after her late uncle, Ben Urich, killed in Daredevil’s first season for probing into Fisk’s crimes. Will she plot her own takedown is up in the air. Kamar de los Reyes portrays Hector Ayala, a Puerto Rican ex-Army vigilante ensnared in the escalating conflict between law enforcement, Fisk’s political agenda, and vigilantism. After an intervention in police brutality that turns deadly, he is wrongfully accused and arrested for murder. In custody, Matt hears him being manhandled and subsequently decides to represent Hector.

Cherry, Matt, and Kirsten soon discover that Hector is the vigilante White Tiger. In the comics, Hector Ayala uncovers a trio of tiger amulets which, when worn in unison, convert him into the superhuman White Tiger. The comic narrative mirrors the series, wherein Hector is wrongfully charged with murder and represented by Matt. The second episode of Daredevil: Born Again serves as a tribute to de los Reyes, who lost his battle to cancer on December 24, 2023.