Daredevil: Born Again honors Kamar de los Reyes with an emotional White Tiger storyline, here's how

Disney+'s Daredevil: Born Again was released on March 4, 2025, and since then, it has garnered steady viewership and ratings. Among a bunch of new characters, Daredevil: Born Again introduces viewers to Hector Ayala, a character derived from the comic book series. Popularly known as the White Tiger, the character is portrayed by Kamar de los Reyes.

Born on November 8, 1967, Kamar de los Reyes was a Puerto Rican actor who was popular for his role as Antonio Vega in ABC's soap One Life to Live. He also featured in All American, The Rookie, SEAL Team, Sleepy Hollow and Shooter. Unfortunately Kamar de los Reyes passed away on December 24, 2025 at the age of 56 due to cancer.

His performance as the White Tiger in Daredevil: Born Again added emotional depth to the show. Reyes' final performance as Hector Ayala gives a character a unique resonance, making White Tiger's brief journey not just an important point in the MCU but also a tribute to the actor's legacy. At the beginning of the Daredevil: Born Again episode 2, viewers get to witness a memorial card offering tribute to the late actor, Kamar de los Reyes.

From paying tribute to Kamar de los Reyes' Puerto Rican heritage by playing coqui frog in the outro to adding an emotional twist to the White Tiger storyline, here's how Daredevil: Born Again honors Reyes' legacy.

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How did Daredevil: Born Again honor Kamar de los Reyes' White Tiger storyline?

As per the Marvel, Hector Ayala or the White Tiger is a master of martial arts, the powers that he derives from ancient amulets. Daredevil: Born Again introduces Hector Ayala in episode 2 titled Optics where he was tries to save someone who was being harassed by two undercover cops. However, Ayala gets into a physical fight with the harrasers and one of them gets hit by a train.

Meanwhile, as Hector is arrested, Matt Murdock overhears the police forcing him to give a false confession. Realizing his innocence, Matt decides to take his case. As the plotline progresses, it is revealed that Hector Ayala has a mystical amulet that gives him the powers to be the vigilante White Tiger. Murdock wins Hector's case, setting him free from false accusations.

However, the emotional arc to White Tiger or Hector Ayala's comes later in the tragic events of Episode 3. After Matt's successful defense, Ayala resumes his vigilante role as the White Tiger. But his victory is short-lived as he gets shot by an attacker who was wearing the Punisher's skull logo. This sudden and violent death of the good vigilante White Tiger shocks the viewers. The tragedy of the scene increases as the viewers are aware that Kamar de los Reyes died a few days after filming this scene.

The most important and heartwarming scene is when Hector shares about his Puerto Rican heritage with Matt Murdock. He tells Matt, how the coqui frog reminds him of his home and comforts him. Matt assures him that he will once again hear the frogs, a sad irony in Hector's premature death.

Thus, when Hector is brutally murdered, the episode cuts immediately to the credits, not with music but with the coqui frog's cry sounds. This decision makes viewers feel the emotional weight of the moment. The scene double tributes both the character and Kamar de los Reyes himself.

Even though Hector Ayala's MCU journey is short-lived, his debut in Daredevil: Born Again has enormous importance in the context of Marvel's diversity. Hector Ayala, as Marvel's first Latin superhero, plays a pivotal role in this. The choice of casting Reyes for the role of White Tiger was mainly due to his strong affinity to his Puerto Rican heritage, highlighting Marvel's dedication to authenticity and diversity representation.

Read More: Daredevil: Born Again - A major death and key plot clues, here's the Episode 3 recap

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