Daredevil: Born Again—Matt Murdock’s darkest turn proves The Punisher was right

Daredevil: Born Again isn’t just shaping up to be exciting. It’s also evolving into a powerful social commentary. It is touching upon themes of justice, morality, and the cost of one’s choices.

We’re getting not one but two episodes this week. And the anticipation is through the roof. Especially because of where we were left. The last episode left us with three major bombshells.

We finally got a glimpse of Matt Murdock on his rooftop sharpening his Daredevil skills once again. So this means the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen isn’t out of the game just yet.

Then we saw Wilson Fisk finally reveal his true colors. The moment we knew would come has finally come. He is ruthless, cunning, and as dangerous as ever. He’s still the same brutal Kingpin despite his façade of change. His holding Adam captive and lying blatantly to his wife just proves that.

We were also introduced to Muse. He is a terrifying new villain who will definitely shake things up in a pretty twisted way.

But beyond all this, there’s something even more fundamental happening in Daredevil: Born Again. Matt Murdock is breaking his own moral code. He has stood firm in his beliefs for years now. He has refused to cross certain lines. But now we see him stepping into a territory he swore he’d never enter.

Let's explore a bit more on this.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinions. Reader discretion is advised.

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Daredevil: Born Again —Foggy’s death and Matt’s breaking point

The turning point of Daredevil: Born Again happens early on in the series. It sort of sets the stage for Matt Murdock’s darkest descent yet.

We see Matt, Foggy, and Karen together. That moment briefly offers us a sense of nostalgia. But tragedy strikes hard and fast.

In a shocking and devastating scene, Bullseye kills Foggy Nelson. He shatters Matt’s world in an instant. What follows is one of the most emotional moments in Daredevil history.

Matt snaps on a rooftop as he is overwhelmed by grief and fury. He abandons his moral code and throws Bullseye off the roof. He definitely intended to end his life in revenge. But fate intervenes, and Bullseye survives.

As Matt kneels on that rooftop, he listens helplessly to Foggy’s slowing heartbeat. Each fading beat pulls him deeper into despair. Tears stream down his face as he removes his mask, completely broken. It’s a raw and painful moment that marks the beginning of a downward spiral.

After this incident, Matt swears off being Daredevil for good because he believes he has crossed an unforgivable line. His broken mask becomes a recurring image throughout the series. This image is actually a representation of Matt’s shattered morality.

However, can he hold himself back? Can he go against his instinct? Matt struggles to leave Daredevil behind. Time and again he finds himself clutching that broken horn in Daredevil: Born Again. He knows that the world around him demands action. Especially with all the corrupt cops and violent criminals.

There is injustice all around him in Daredevil: Born Again.

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Daredevil: Born Again —Has Matt Murdock embraced Frank Castle’s philosophy?

One of the most defining contrasts between Daredevil and The Punisher has always been their views on justice. Frank Castle sees the world in black and white. There is no room for redemption. He has no faith in the system. He delivers his own form of justice using lethal ways.

On the other hand, Matt Murdock has always believed in the system. As a lawyer, he has clung to the hope that justice can be served through legal means. His mission as Daredevil has never been to judge or execute. Rather, it's to bring criminals to justice through lawful means. Even at his lowest points, he has believed that no one is beyond saving.

But in Daredevil: Born Again we see that the foundation is beginning to crack.

By Episode 4 Matt does something completely unexpected. He seeks out Frank Castle. And what’s striking here is that Matt doesn’t challenge him. He doesn’t argue against his methods like he once did.

Matt, who has always condemned Frank’s brutal brand of justice, now tells him that he could be helping people instead of hiding away. This sort of tells us that Matt is beginning to accept Frank’s methods.

The death of his best friend, Foggy Nelson, in Daredevil: Born Again has changed him. It has shattered the hope he once held. He probably no longer believes that even the worst criminals have some good in them or that the system still works.

The broken horn of his mask, which he keeps holding onto in Daredevil: Born Again is probably a symbol of his fractured morality. He no longer is the same man who once fought to save even the most corrupt. He has now seen firsthand that some people are beyond redemption.

Even though Matt may never fully embrace The Punisher’s philosophy, he is changing, and that's for sure. The fact that he no longer tries to stop Frank is a huge change from the Daredevil we once knew.

At the very least it suggests that he is willing to look the other way and allow the kind of justice he once opposed.

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