Daredevil: Born Again Episode 8 ending song might just be the best MCU needle drop since Deadpool & Wolverine

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has always understood the importance of a strategically placed song. The soundtracks for Iron Man and Guardians of the Galaxy are not only earworms, but the songs played at the right moment can transform narrative into an immortal tale.

With Episode 8 of Daredevil: Born Again, Marvel perhaps had its most spiritually profound and thematically loaded musical moment up to date —and probably the most gripping since Deadpool and Wolverine’s revered version of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer".

A Bullet, A Savior, And A Gospel Cry

As Episode 8 reaches its peak, Matt Murdock—scarred, soured, and yet resilient—gets ready to take a bullet for Wilson Fisk. It’s a morally bewildering choice coming from a man in a fight with himself: spiritually and ideologically.

The havoc is unfolding in slow motion, but what breaks the spell is not the bullet itself but rather a booming gospel anthem: “Storm Cloud Rising” by the Florida Mass Choir. That isn’t just a sentimental musical track. It is something that comes closer to a religious lineage.

The track starts with “I see the lightning flash,” echoing the storm revelation and punishment, accompanied by a visual motif from the episode. However, it is the refrain “I’m going home… I wanna see Jesus” that makes Murdock pause and cuts poignantly into the viewer’s soul. For Murdock, who struggles with sin and salvation like Jacob with the angel, it almost feels like a final confession without words.

The Power of Gospel in Superhero Storytelling

Gospel music emerges during moments filled with struggle, transcendence, and the deep, collective yearning for deliverance. Unlike most MCU needle drops that evoke nostalgia or energy by leaning into pop, rock, or funk, Daredevil: Born Again chooses something far more sacred. “Storm Cloud Rising” does not serve to comment on the accompanying action, instead, it elevates it to the realm of a modern passion play.

Its effectiveness is comparable to the “Like a Prayer” Deadpool & Wolverine rendition, which was transformed into a choral ecclesiastical piece. That, too, infused a scene with irony and divinity in equal measure. In each case, the music serves not just as a soundtrack but almost a liturgy—granting the audience the allowance to feel awe, grief, and grace.

Needle Drops That Reshaped The MCU's Soundscape

At this point, I figure it’s essential to round the MCU soundscape needle drop history and recall what came before. Legendary tracks, for example, have become somewhat iconic not just for their sonic appeal but how deeply intertwined they are with character identity and some form of catharsis:

• AC/DC’s “Back in Black” (Iron Man): The swagger of Tony Stark incarnate.
• Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love” (Guardians of the Galaxy): Peter Quill’s dancing defiance of grief.
• Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” (Thor: Ragnarok): A Viking war cry for the God of Thunder.
• Florence + the Machine’s “Dog Days Are Over” (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3): An emotional cleansing, a dance of survival.

And now, Daredevil: Born Again augments that with a spiritual lamentation that feels unlike anything the franchise has attempted before.

Matt Murdock's Martyrdom and the Sound of the Soul

What makes the needle drop in Episode 8 so transcendental is the fact that it does not simply follow the narrative—it enlightens it. Murdock doesn't utter a word in these last moments. He performs and the music serves as his self-monologue. “I’m going home” is more about coming back to the self than dying and speaks of a long-imprisoned self underneath the law’s robes and the devil’s mask.

The selection of a live gospel choir is a depiction not only of Matt’s faith, but also of his isolation. It is a music of testimony—and in this moment, Matt is both the sinner and the savior.

Storm Clouds, Redemption, and a Legacy

On the surface, Marvel’s decision to use “Storm Cloud Rising” may seem trivial. But it exemplifies restraint and reverence in storytelling and shines brighter than the operatic drama of “Like a Prayer".

This is the type of needle drop that doesn’t need an existing pop culture moment to sustain it—it engineers one itself. And like the most impactful choices in cinema, the best of them stay with us long after the credits have rolled.

Final Thoughts

While the world is busy with CGI-augmented, sensory inundation, “Born Again – Episode 08” chooses to center around a single man and a singular choice alongside a wailing ‘Gospel’ in the dark.

"Storm Cloud Rising" might not only be the best MCU needle drop to hit since Deadpool & Wolverine (and let’s be honest, it has been long overdue) but also one of the strongest, soulful, and most defiant drops in music history for the franchise.

Sometimes, the most powerful superpower in the world...is a voice singing from the depths, as Marvel reminds us.