Daredevil: Born Again might have just proved that Iron Man was right to reveal his identity, here's how

Daredevil: Born Again brings our favorite devil-horned superhero back to our screens. But it also does something majorly significant. Remember when Tony Stark casually dropped one of the most iconic lines in superhero history?

“Truth is... I am Iron Man.”

That one single moment broke the long-standing rule that heroes should keep their identities hidden. Well, it did make for a cool and unexpected twist.

Now Daredevil is back in Daredevil: Born Again, and the vigilante already has us on the edge of our seats. The show has done something similar to Tony Stark but in his own way. And to be honest, this feels more real.

The show takes a more nuanced approach to the whole secret identity debate. It shows how superheroes' lack of transparency actually makes people lose trust in them and makes people like Fisk take advantage of that. It becomes clear that the hero has nothing to conceal when they reveal their identity to the public, and it is also simpler to hold them responsible in the event that something goes wrong.

Let's explore a bit more.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again. It also reflects the author's opinions. Reader discretion is advised.

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Daredevil: Born Again —Daredevil removes his mask

In Daredevil: Born Again, it is on a rooftop where Daredevil is fighting Bullseye. But his mind isn’t entirely in the fight. Down on the street is his best friend, Foggy, bleeding out. Bullseye had already shot him. Foggy is somehow holding on. Karen is with him. She is crying and begging him to stay with her.

Matt, aka Daredevil, on the rooftop can hear it all. He can hear Foggy’s heartbeat slowing and fading.

He’s holding Bullseye but his strength is breaking. Then in pure devastation he throws Bullseye off the roof.

This is when he removes his mask, and Cherry walks in. But Daredevil: Born Again might actually go on to reveal Matt Murdock's secret identity to more people in the show. Read on to know why.

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Why Tony Stark’s move was a big deal and how Daredevil: Born Again does it differently

For decades, superheroes followed a simple rule. It was—don't let the world know who you are.

The reasoning was simple but definitely solid. It was so they could keep their loved ones safe, avoid any legal trouble, and maintain some kind of mystery at least. But Tony Stark threw all of that straight out the window.

In Iron Man (2008), his reveal was a power move. But it didn’t really cost him much. Tony remained a public hero. Still rich and influential enough to handle any sort of fallout.

The problem with this approach is that it doesn’t work for everyone. Especially for a street-level hero like Daredevil. Matt Murdock doesn’t have the luxury of billion-dollar tech and government backing. He operates in the shadows. He takes down criminals in back alleys and courtrooms. So if his identity became widely known, it wouldn’t just be inconvenient. It would be dangerous.

For decades, superheroes have operated under the idea that secrecy equals safety. Tony Stark flipped that. But he was already powerful. Daredevil doesn't have the same resource.

So Daredevil: Born Again takes a different approach and shows how keeping an identity a secret actually leads to suspicion and eventually hatred.

Being transparent tells people that the hero has nothing to hide. And that's what Daredevil: Born Again plays on.

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Daredevil: Born Again —Fisk proves why Iron Man was right to reveal his identity

In Daredevil: Born Again Wilson Fisk understands public perception. He doesn’t just want Daredevil gone. He wants to control the narrative. He launches a campaign against masked vigilantes and paints them as criminals who operate outside the law. And the worst part? It actually works.

Fisk even beats Matt in the court of public opinion. He didn't need to convince everyone, just enough people to make the change. And when he won, it was a clear sign that the public would rather trust someone they can see than someone who hides behind a mask.

Daredevil: Born Again shows us that maybe Iron Man was right when he revealed his identity to the world. In this new chapter, Matt Murdock is back at it. But now his biggest enemy, Wilson Fisk, is sitting in a place of too much power as the city’s mayor.

Fisk says masked heroes are undermining trust in the law. And honestly, the fact that he won shows just how much people are scared of heroes doing their own thing without oversight.

It turns out hiding behind a mask only fuels suspicion. It makes people wonder what you’re hiding. Maybe it’s time for heroes to be more like Tony Stark, open and upfront. Because in the end, transparency might just be the key to earning trust.

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