The season finale of Daredevil: Born Again, titled “Straight to Hell,” concludes with an intense confrontation between Daredevil and Mayor Wilson Fisk’s Anti-Vigilante Task Force (AVTF). Public safety vigilantes have only recently been made illegal in New York City. In retaliation, Fisk has declared martial law and instituted a city-wide curfew, turning the city’s crime-fighting landscape completely on its head.
In this tense episode, Daredevil joins forces with the Punisher. United in their opposition to Fisk’s heavy-handed tactics, they become critical allies in the ongoing struggle against oppression. The stakes could not be higher as the vigilante duo dangerously battles the AVTF tooth and nail. This vicious gang has publicly proclaimed jihad on those who choose to go outside the law.
Throughout the rest of the episode, we see Daredevil dealing with the truth that he won’t be able to fight this fight himself and win. He has sworn an oath to stand against Fisk’s despotic reign, proclaiming New York a “City Without Fear.” As hard as he tries, even the resolute Matt Murdock has no way of knowing what will become of the Punisher. The Punisher was finally apprehended after killing the same corrupt cops that he had once inspired.
Daredevil’s situation only escalates when the AVTF roofs his apartment, making the place not just unwelcoming but deadly. With his home destroyed and his comrades scattered, he chooses to live to fight another day.
This episode sets a number of other exciting things in motion for the lives of some other major characters. Kirsten McDuffie is alerted to the underlying chaos in Red Hook, while Heather Glenn aligns herself with Mayor Fisk’s administration, signaling a shift in her loyalties.
At Josie’s Bar, Daredevil gathers his remaining supporters, including Cherry, Detective Angie Kim, and a few honest cops who are willing to stand against Fisk’s regime. Angela Del Toro has a short-lived role, teasing that she will become White Tiger with the character’s development later in the series.
As Fisk’s dictatorship looms larger with the closing season, New York City becomes a hardened police state into the hands of Mariah’s ally, Chairman Fisk. The build up to the finale adds both an exciting momentum and sense of urgency. We’d love to see Daredevil seriously consider getting help from the Defenders when the series returns to Disney+ next year.
In a beautifully filmed scene, we see Daredevil accept the harsh truth of his circumstances. New York now belongs to Fisk, and he understands that he needs to regroup before plotting his next move.
“A masterpiece of epic proportions, Daredevil: Born Again delivers a powerful, unmissable take on the Man Without Fear,” – The reviewer
In response, Fisk and his wife Vanessa further consolidate their hold on power. They obliquely enslave their foes, such as Swordsman and the Punisher, under the Red Hook pier. This assertion of power underscores the lengths to which they are willing to go to maintain dominance over the city.