This text incorporates MAJOR Spoilers for Daredevil: Born Once more Episode 1
Daredevil: Born Once more is lastly on Disney+, and the opening sequence will depart followers speaking, seemingly as a consequence of how controversial it will likely be. In its opening minutes, Daredevil: Born Once more takes a giant artistic swing to kill off a fan-favorite character from the unique Daredevil collection. The character meets their destiny by the hands of Daredevil’s foe, Bullseye, who has killed two notable supporting characters within the comics. But, if you happen to’ve learn the comics, that does not imply you recognize who Bullseye kills. In truth, the MCU collection places a brand new spin on two iconic storyline deaths seen in “Guardian Satan” and “The Elektra Saga.”
Regardless of Daredevil: Born Once more pulling its identify from one in all Frank Miller’s most iconic Daredevil comics, the collection doesn’t adapt the comedian e book storyline as a lot of it was already utilized in Daredevil Season 3. As an alternative, the Born Once more subtitle is a meta-reference to the revival of the Daredevil collection after being canceled on Netflix in 2018 and now given a brand new continuation on Disney+, with the precise new collection drawing from a deep nicely of different comics. Nonetheless, the dying of one in all Daredevil‘s breakout characters reveals that the Born Once more title will tackle a brand new which means, as Matt Murdock’s character arc from the collection might want to see Daredevil return after having suffered an excellent tragedy.
Daredevil: Born Once more
- Launch Date
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March 4, 2025
- Franchise(s)
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Daredevil, Marvel Cinematic Universe
‘Daredevil: Born Once more’ Kills Off Foggy Nelson
Followers of Daredevil will seemingly be very dissatisfied to find that Franklin “Foggy” Nelson (Elden Henson) dies within the opening scene of Daredevil: Born Once more. Launched in Daredevil #1 in 1964 alongside the Man With out Worry himself, Foggy Nelson is likely one of the most necessary supporting characters within the bigger Daredevil mythology as not solely is he Matt Murdock’s long-time finest buddy but in addition his enterprise associate as they each run the legislation agency Nelson and Murdock, later renamed Nelson, Murdock, and Web page with Karen Web page becoming a member of the workforce.
Henson’s efficiency on Netflix’s Daredevil was a standout, giving the character a heat within the merciless world that Daredevil made for itself. The writers and Henson did what the MCU excels at: taking supporting characters from the comics that may get neglected as a result of they are not the principle superhero and fleshing them out to make them absolutely realized characters and fan favorites. Foggy helped grind Matt Murdock’s world, and early on, the writers of Daredevil realized it was higher for Foggy to find Matt’s secret life as Daredevil because it opened extra storytelling prospects.
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When Daredevil: Born Once more was first introduced, Henson was not initially set to return as Foggy Nelson. In truth, not one of the Daredevil supporting solid was aside from stars Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onoforio. Nonetheless, when the collection was overhauled after 4 episodes have been shot, the choice was made to carry again lots of the authentic solid members to attach Born Once more with the Netflix collection firmly, and Henson was again. Nonetheless, followers famous that Foggy Nelson was not in a lot of the advertising, which involved them about his destiny within the collection. In any case, with 4 episodes already shot and Henson not in these first 4, there was all the time a query of how he would match into the collection now. The reply is that he returns, solely to die throughout the first jiffy.
Foggy Nelson is at Josie’s Bar with Matt Murdock and Karen Web page, together with many others, earlier than getting a name from a high-profile shopper who’s fearful somebody is coming for them. When Matt Murdock goes off as Daredevil to avoid wasting Foggy’s star witness, he discovers it was a entice, and Foggy’s shopper truly gave up his location, with Foggy later being shot within the chest by Bullseye. Daredevil pursues Bullseye whereas Karen tries to cease Foggy from bleeding out. As Daredevil fights Bullseye, Foggy’s breath slowly stops, and Daredevil hears his finest buddy die with Karen by his facet. The dying is confirmed within the subsequent scene when it jumps ahead a 12 months to indicate a memorial pamphlet from Foggy’s funeral and likewise that Bullseye is on trial for Foggy’s dying.
The MCU Shifts the Loss of life From Karen Web page to Foggy Nelson
The dying of Foggy Nelson by Bullseye’s hand is surprising for followers of the Netflix collection who’re hooked up to the character. Nonetheless, it’s much more stunning for Marvel Comics followers as Foggy’s dying subverts the anticipated storyline, as it’s Karen Web page who dies in Bullseye’s fingers. Karen Web page additionally debuted in Daredevil #1 alongside Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson and was one in all Daredevil’s past love pursuits.
Nonetheless, Karen had a a lot rougher time within the comics than Foggy Nelson and even her future MCU counterpart. Karen was written out of the Daredevil collection in April 1972 and moved to Los Angeles to change into an actress. Web page later returned to the world of Daredevil throughout Frank Millar’s tenure through the Nineteen Eighties, when she is revealed to have change into a drug addict and starred in a collection of pornographic movies. She bought Matt Murdock’s secret id to The Kingpin to get a repair. Whereas Karen Web page later received clear and turned her life round, the character was typically handled as a tragic afterthought in Matt Murdock’s Daredevil story.
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In 1999, Clerks director Kevin Smith and future Marvel editor Joe Quesada relaunched the Daredevil comedian with a “Guardian Satan” storyline. In Daredevil Vol. 2 #5 from January 1999, Karen Web page is fatally impaled by Daredevil’s billy membership when Bullseye makes use of it in opposition to him, and she or he jumps in entrance of it to avoid wasting his life. This particular dying was truly mirrored in Daredevil Season 3, however with Father Lathom leaping in entrance of Karen Web page to avoid wasting her from a billy membership thrown by Bullseye.
That was the second time Bullseye had killed somebody Matt Murdock liked. Bullseye beforehand murdered Elektra in Daredevil Vol. 1 #181 in April 1982. The 2003 Daredevil movie recreated this second, however within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daredevil and Elektra by no means crossed paths within the Netflix collection. Daredevil: Born Once more sees Bullseye kill somebody near Matt Murdock, however as an alternative of Karen Web page or Elektra, it’s Foggy Nelson, and it places a brand new spin on the comedian e book deaths seen in lots of Daredevil storylines, making it work with what has been established within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Foggy Nelson’s Loss of life Is Tragic however Crucial
Tied with Spider-Man, Daredevil is a hero largely outlined by loss. Lots of his tales revolve round not simply the individuals he saves but in addition these they can not. The dying of affection pursuits like Elektra and Karen Web page pushed Matt Murdock to the restrict, practically breaking his spirit and forcing him to confront and face his personal Catholic beliefs. These deaths are a central a part of his character, as somebody who loses those he loves continues to rise up and struggle.
Nonetheless, lots of the closest deaths in Matt Murdock’s life are usually ladies, typically falling into the women-in-refrigerators trope, regularly known as fridging, coined by author Gail Simone. Named after an incident in Inexperienced Lantern vol. 3 #54 from 1994 the place then Inexperienced Lantern Kyle Rayner returns house to search out his girlfriend, Alexandra DeWitt, killed and her physique stuffed right into a fridge, this trope typically entails feminine characters dealing with disproportionate hurt, together with dying, maiming, or assault, to function plot units to inspire male characters. Along with Karen Web page and Elektra, different Daredevil love pursuits who have been killed off within the comics embrace Heather Glenn (who died by suicide) and Glorianna O’Breen (thrown out of a window by a villain), whereas his spouse Milla Donovan was pushed mad by the villain Mr. Worry.
The unique Daredevil collection went out of its method to attempt to keep away from falling into this trope with Karen Page, eradicating lots of the extra controversial and considerably sexist underpinnings from her story whereas refocusing her legal historical past as being a drug vendor along with her brother in her youth earlier than she escaped that life. Killing off Karen Web page, regardless of actress Deborah Ann Woll not being accessible for the early a part of the collection, would have fallen into a foul pattern set by the comics but in addition would have felt extra disrespectful to what the Netflix collection had carried out to develop her character.
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Nonetheless, to maintain the spirit of Daredevil, Matt Murdock must be examined, and the individuals closest to him typically pay the worth. There’s a stability between tragedy and heroism. With Karen Web page off the board, it solely is sensible for Foggy Nelson to be Matt’s major disappointment motivator. Matt Murdock would not fail to avoid wasting a girlfriend however his finest buddy. Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson met as freshmen in school, so by the beginning of Daredevil: Born Once more, they’d seemingly identified one another for 20 years. That is the best bond in Matt’s life, so it carries lots of weight. It’s a completely different kind of affection, however love all the identical. Foggy Nelson is tragic, and it hurts to see him go as a result of audiences love him, however that’s by design. The viewers is supposed to know Matt’s ache, and killing Foggy Nelson does that.
With Elden Henson confirming he’ll return for Daredevil: Born Once more, it actually raises many questions. This may need been carried out to throw audiences off the scent that he would die within the first episode, much like Michael Rooker tweeting a photograph from the set of Avengers: Infinity Battle to cover the truth that his character Yondu was going to die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. With Foggy Nelson useless by the start of Daredevil: Born Once more, which means if Hudson have been to return, it might seemingly be in flashbacks. There’s a seven-year time hole between Daredevil Season 3 and the beginning of Daredevil: Born Once more that might be explored in Season 2 of the Disney+ collection.
With Daredevil: Born Once more, the collection writers used the restrictions of the tv collection having beforehand been shot and the actors not being accessible for each episode to place a brand new spin on a traditional Daredevil trope. As an alternative of Bullseye killing one in all Matt Murdock’s love pursuits, it’s Matt Murdock’s finest buddy who dies, propelling Matt Murdock’s guilt ahead. It places a brand new spin on the MCU Daredevil story that separates him from his comedian e book counterpart and highlights what makes comics and live-action media completely different.
Working round actors’ availability and schedules informs the story and may generally be a hindrance, however author could make it work to their benefit. Right here, the writers of Daredevil: Born Once more put a brand new twist on a traditional Daredevil set-up that may depart audiences speaking for years to return. Daredevil: Born Once more is streaming now on Disney+.