Daredevil: Born Again - episode 3 - The Hollow of His Hand, title explained - "The rule of law must prevail."

The titles of Daredevil: Born Again are never random, and episode 3’s "The Hollow of His Hand" carries weight beyond the surface. The phrase originates from biblical scripture, describing divine protection, the idea of being cradled in the hands of a higher power, watched over by something greater than oneself.

Heather Glenn, Matt Murdock’s new love interest, speaks these words in an intimate moment, telling him:

"We are all in the hollow of His hand."

This phrase is meant to bring comfort, a reminder that justice, in some way, will prevail. Or remind us we are all part of something bigger, held by a force beyond their control.

Yet, moments later, Wilson Fisk delivers his own decree:

"The rule of law must prevail."

Heather speaks of faith. Fisk speaks of power. The contrast could not be clearer.

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A Daredevil: Born Again's episode title rooted in faith, twisted by power

The phrase "the hollow of His hand" appears throughout religious texts, specifically from the Bible (Isaiah 40:12), often representing divine authority and the safety of being under God's watch. It conveys the belief that justice is inevitable, that fairness will be served by forces beyond human control.

Matt wants to believe in that justice. He fights for it in the courtroom, trusting that the system, despite its flaws, can still work. When Hector Ayala is declared not guilty, it feels like proof that the law, when followed, can still deliver fairness.

But the law in Hell’s Kitchen does not belong to the courts. It belongs to Fisk.

Hector Ayala’s murder is proof of that. The moment he walked free, he was already dead. The legal system exonerated him, but the real power in the city had already decided his fate.

Fisk does not believe in justice. He believes in control.

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"The rule of law must prevail"—but whose law?

Fisk’s words should represent stability. Instead, they reveal his greatest hypocrisy. He does not uphold the law. He rewrites it.

When Hector Ayala is executed in the street, it is not because he broke any laws. It is because he did not obey Fisk’s. White Tiger was a symbol of resistance, a reminder that the people of Hell’s Kitchen could take justice into their hands. That is why he had to die.

Fisk is not upholding law and order. He is eliminating threats to his version of it. He does not punish crime. He punishes disobedience.

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Fisk as a false protector

The religious undertones of the episode’s title take a darker turn when placed in Fisk’s hands. In biblical context, to be in "the hollow of His hand" is to be under divine protection, watched over by a higher power.

Fisk sees himself as that higher power. God.

He believes he is the only one who can protect Hell’s Kitchen, but his protection comes at a cost. He does not shield the city. He controls it. He does not save people. He decides who is worth saving.

Heather’s words offer reassurance, the idea that justice will prevail naturally. Fisk’s actions show a different truth: justice, in his world, is whatever he says it is.

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Matt’s belief versus Fisk’s control

At its core, Daredevil: Born Again is not just about heroes and villains. It is about a war of ideologies.

Matt still clings to the idea that the system, flawed as it is, can work. He believes in truth, in evidence, in the power of a jury’s decision. That belief is doomed to be shattered when he finds out Hector Ayala was killed in cold blood.

Fisk does not believe in the system. He never has. He does not need to break the rules when he can rewrite them. He does not need to get his hands dirty when he has an entire city willing to do it for him.

And so, as the episode closes, one thing becomes painfully clear. "The rule of law" will always prevail in Hell’s Kitchen—but only for those who own it.

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Final thoughts

Daredevil: Born Again does not just expose corruption. It shows how justice is never about what is right, but about who has the power to define it.

Heather’s words were meant to bring comfort. Fisk’s words were meant to bring fear.

The title of episode three is more than just a phrase. It is a warning. Who is in "the hollow of His hand?"

Hell’s Kitchen is not ruled by laws, but by the hands that hold them. And Wilson Fisk’s hands? They are stained with the blood of those who thought the law could save them.