Daredevil: Born Again is putting Matt (Charlie Cox) in a rough spot: He wants to be the best version of himself, the version that Foggy thought he could be. He wants to stop fighting people or putting on the suit, and instead bring people to justice the honest, old-fashioned way, by letting the law do its thing. That is well and good — this being a show called Daredevil: Born Again, I don’t believe him. But I want that for him if he wants it for himself. I just think he needs to be a better lawyer, then.
[Ed. note: This post discusses the events of episode 3 of Daredevil: Born Again. Read on only if you’re fine knowing them.]
Episode 3 mostly revolves around the trial of Hector Ayala (Kamar de los Reyes), Matt’s client who has been accused of killing a cop. In fact, Hector was scuffling with plainclothes cops who didn’t identify themselves and were manhandling a confidential informant, and one of the cops accidentally fell on the tracks in front of a train in the ensuing confusion. It’s a tough look, and a tough case; Mayor Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) is already against Matt, and now the cops are closing ranks against what they see as a cop killer. They’re prepared to lie to make themselves look good and let the system work for itself.
Which is why it’s bad that Matt comes so sloppy. It’s a rough setback when the CI lies on the stand, saying he wasn’t anywhere near the scene of the crime. But Matt’s audible — revealing to the court that Hector is the vigilante White Tiger — is completely misguided! For starters, he’s the one who fought to get that line of questioning prohibited by the judge, which makes him look disorganized and impulsive. It’s a character choice that could be made for Born Again, sure! But it’s not really feeling like Matt’s strongest stand.
In the end, sure, he gets Hector off on the basis of character witnesses who can attest to all the good Hector has done as the White Tiger. But he’s lucky that the judge didn’t just declare a mistrial to let the prosecution run their case back, this time painting him as every bit the dangerous vigilante Mayor Fisk is pushing as part of his anti-vigilante agenda. And for all the good his defense of Hector did, all he really did was out the secret identity of a superhero. Without even asking Hector, Matt reveals his name, puts a target on his back, and then tells him that if he’s acquitted he’ll have to just give up that life. It’s not necessarily a bar violation, but it’s absolutely uncouth. And, ultimately, his choice gets Hector killed.
Born Again has a good thing going for it so far — the courtroom drama genre gives the show a natural flow and structure, and clearly lays out the red tape that the Red Devil constantly feels like he could cut through much more easily in costume. It’s a great way of showing how Matt is working within the system in a way that constantly exposes him to its limitations. But there are better ways for Matt to try to push for justice through legal means, and better ways for Born Again to make Matt’s fight against the establishment feel worthwhile. Matt’s efforts to go straight may be doomed in the long run, but it’d help if it felt like he knew what he was doing.
Daredevil: Born Again is now streaming on Disney Plus. New episodes premiere every Tuesday at 6 p.m. PDT/9 p.m. EDT.
