Marvel’s ‘Daredevil: Born Again‘ wasted no time in making a statement. The long-awaited Disney+ revival brought back Matt Murdock, Karen Page, and Foggy Nelson for a fleeting but powerful reunion.
However, they did so only to rip it apart in the most devastating way possible. Foggy Nelson, the heart and moral compass of Matt’s world, was brutally taken out in the opening episodes, setting the tone for a darker, more personal battle for the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.
Why Foggy Had To Die In ‘Daredevil: Born Again’
The first moments of ‘Born Again’ feel like a homecoming. Fans of Netflix’s Daredevil see the trio, Matt, Karen, and Foggy, finally realizing their dream of running their own law firm. However, that dream is shattered in a heartbeat when Bullseye makes his violent return.
A brutal action sequence unfolds at Josie’s Bar, culminating in a gut-wrenching moment where Foggy is shot and bleeds out. When Foggy’s heart stops, so does something inside Matt. Overwhelmed by grief and rage, he nearly crosses his own moral line, attempting to kill Bullseye by throwing him off a rooftop.
Though Bullseye survives the fall, the intent alone is enough to change everything for Matt. Marvel TV’s Brad Winderbaum explained that this moment was central to Matt’s arc. “Matt has to make a deal with the devil, in a way, himself,” he told EW. “In order to be righteous, he has to assume a certain amount of toxicity of his own. The battles that he wages for ultimate justice often come with collateral damage.“
Killing Foggy Off Was The Only Way To Bring Out Daredevil’s Darker Side
Marvel knew this decision would spark controversy. Killing off a beloved character, especially one who has been a fan favorite since the Netflix era, is a gamble. But the creative team firmly believed that 10 years into Matt Murdock’s on-screen journey, something needed to shift.
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“It’s heartbreaking to me that we had to do that,” Sana Amanat admitted. “It was tough. It was really, really tough. But at this point, 10 years later, we have to move forward. We have to be able to start telling a new narrative.” For Matt, that new narrative is steeped in grief, rage, and a desperate attempt to uphold Foggy’s ideals in his absence.
Additionally, as the second episode proves, that’s easier said than done. When two corrupt cops brutally beat him, Matt loses control, giving in to his darker impulses and maiming them in retaliation. Moreover, one thing is clear, this is a Daredevil story unlike any we’ve seen before.
