Recap: Fisk Starts to Make Moves Against Matt Murdock in Penultimate Episode of "Daredevil: Born Again"
With the serial killer known as Muse behind them, both Wilson Fisk and Matt Murdock are attempting to take steps forward as we reach the penultimate episode of Marvel’s Daredevil: Born Again. For Matt, that means trying ensure the safety of Heather. For Fisk, that means taking Daredevil off the board.
This episode opens with a man tending to some blue flowers. Bullseye watching from his cell window before two officers come and take him away. He is led by a group of officers from his solitary confinement to his new home in gen pop, where he will be surrounded by other prisoners.
After the title sequence, Fisk and Vanessa take a walk in Red Hook and we learn that Vanessa did, in fact, set Luka up to be killed. Fisk tells her he brought her there for another reason though.
At home, Matt gets ready to head to work but Heather struggles with the fact that she killed Muse. She talks about the violence of all vigilantes, comparing Daredevil and Muse. Matt pushes back a bit and it sparks a debate. They’re interrupted by a knock at the door and Matt answers it to find Buck, who is looking for Heather.
Fisk leads Vanessa down to the cell where he has been keeping Adam, who immediately pleads for his life. Fisk says he has kept his promise not to kill Adam. Buck delivers an invitation to Heather and when Matt questions how he knew she was there, Buck simply says the mayo cares deeply about the city and its citizens.
Fisk tries to explain that he is better than he once was and Vanessa finds both a key and a gun on the table next to her. Matt questions Heather about Buck and things continue to get a bit heated between the two of them. Heather refuses to tell Matt anything because of doctor-patient confidentiality.
Adam continues to plead with Vanessa and Heather reads aloud the invitation from Fisk. Matt asks if she is actually considering going and explains Fisk is trying to use her to push his anti-vigilante narrative. She asks Matt to come with her and tell him she was given a guest. Matt reluctantly agrees to go. Vanessa picks up the gun and kills Adam, before handing it back to her husband.
Matt arrives at his office where he is greeted by Kirsten, who tells him he is late. Matt asks about the meeting that was called for by their client and she fills him in on the case. Before they head into the meeting, Kirsten also tells Matt about Bullseye being moved to gen pop and that he asked to meet with Matt. Kirsten urges him to let it go. Matt asks who had him moved to gen pop and Kirsten tells him it was Fisk.
Fisk meets with his team and Buck informs them that vigilante violence is down 33% since the task force was launched. Sheila points out that there are also multiple lawsuits against them because of their extreme methods, which Fisk applauds. Fisk also thanks Daniel for convincing BB to tell his narrative and promotes him to deputy mayor of communications, despite Sheila’s protests.
Matt and Kirsten meet with their client, Mr. Madison, who allegedly ran a scam against a bunch of teachers and conned them out of their money. Madison claims it wasn’t his fault and Matt listens to his heartbeat to tell that he is lying. Matt gets aggressive with the client and storms out. Kirsten follows and asks him what’s going on. Matt vents about all that’s been happening and Kirsten tell him she understands and Matt leaves.
Matt stands outside the long-closed Josie’s Bar before Josie invites him inside. Matt and Josie share whiskey before Cherry enters and Josie gives them some privacy. Cherry tells Matt it’s a bad time for Daredevil’s return, given the actions of the task force. Matt tells Cherry about Bullseye and says he still thinks Foggy’s killing was connected to Fisk, which sparks a debate with Cherry.
Josie returns with a bottle of O’Melveny’s, the same fancy whiskey with which Matt and Foggy would celebrate their wins in court. She tells him they’re going to finish Foggy’s final round. Matt questions her memory because Foggy couldn’t have been drinking O’Melveny’s but she insists it’s true. Matt realizes Foggy was celebrating his case prematurely and that someone had him killed before it became official. He rushes out of the bar and Josie notices he doesn’t use his cane.
Matt meets with Bullseye in prison and tries to get information out of him. Matt asks him if Fisk hired him but Bullseye tries to use the information as leverage. He says Matt might defend him in another life because good men defend their worst enemies. Keep that line of dialogue in mind. Matt gets frustrated and attacks Bullseye, leaving his face bloody.
A Fisk’s fancy party, Daniel meets with BB and tries to rekindle their friendship, which she seems to be open to. Jack Duqeusne meets with Artemis Sledge, the woman who talked down to Fisk at their last event. Her attitude is very changed though and when Jack asks about her husband she gets flustered and leaves. It appears Fisk as flipped the script and now has some power over New York’s elite. Heather stands at the party alone, trying to call Matt. Fisk and Vanessa enter to the applause of the party guests.
A doctor stitches up Bullseye as he appears to be chewing on something. An officer comes in to move him before he notices Bullseye has something in his mouth. He opens up to reveal that he has ripped out his own tooth and spits it into the officer’s eye. He then grabs scissors off of the desk next to him and kills both the officer and the doctor.
Vanessa meets with Heather at the party and thanks her for her bravery with the Muse situation. She also questions if she is there alone and offers to introduce her to some people. Meanwhile, we see Bullseye escaping prison in a police uniform.
Vanessa also thanks Heather for her professional help and informs here they’ve worked out their issues. Matt arrives at the party and locates Fisk but is stopped by Heather. Matt tries to apologize to Heather but as she responds, he overhears a conversation between Fisk and Jack and tunes her out.
In an office, Fisk tells Jack that he knows about him operating as the vigilante called Swordsman. He intends to leverage that information into forcing Jack to donate to his Red Hook project. Jack pushes back, but when we see him leave the office, he seems more intimidated by Fisk.
As the two step out, a waiter snaps a couple of pictures of them and Fisk orders Powell after him. Gallo sees Powell follow the mane into the kitchen. Powell finds a press ID on the man and hold his hand over a deep fryer. Gallo interrupts but Powell ignores his order and puts the man’s hand in the fryer. Gallo accuses this task force of their violence but Powell laughs him off, saying they don’t work for him.
Daniel admires Fisk as he brings billionaires one by one into the office. BB steps away to the restroom where she confronts Gallo. She tells him she has ways of getting the truth out as a journalist and he says he has files on every member of the task force. BB gives him a card before returning to Daniel. It appears some of the task force notices their brief meeting.
Matt and Heather continue to discuss his issues with Fisk and Matt starts to approach the Mayor, despite Her protests. Fisk sees Matt approaching but he is stopped when a spotlight turns on Fisk and Vanessa as it is time for them to dance.
Guests watch the Fisks dance as Matt and Heather continue their conversation. Heather says she is going to leave but Matt tells her Fisk isn’t going to let her. Matt takes her to the floor and they begin to dance next to the Fisks. Wilson begins to talk to Matt, knowing he can hear him, reiterating his promise of consequences should Daredevil return.
Buck takes a call from an officer at the prison who tells him Bullseye has escaped and we see him arrive at the party. Buck informs the Fisks of Bullseye’s escape and they remain calm so as not to draw attention. Vanessa tries to make a confession, but Wilson tell her not to say it now, knowing Matt would hear it.
Matt realizes it was Vanessa who gave the order to have Foggy killed and he intentionally bumps into her. He cuts into their dance, leaving Heather with Wilson. He tells Vanessa he knows it was her. She pulls away but Matt won’t let go. Wilson seems ready to tell Heather that Matt is Daredevil and we pan up to see Bullseye in the rafters, holding a rifle.
Bullseye takes aim and there are several seconds of tense energy as we don’t know who is target is. The couples continue their discussions and dances until Matt hears a gun get cocked. Bullseye takes his shot and Matt dives in front of Wilson, taking the bullet meant for the mayor. Remember that line about defending your worst enemy? It has always been Fisk for Matt Murdock.
Bullseye shows a look of mild shock as security responds and guests scramble. Matt falls to the ground at Wilson’s feet, bleeding from the chest, in almost the exact spot Foggy was shot.
The intensity has reached a boiling point for this show with the season finale a week away. While it seems highly unlikely this shooting will prove fatal for Matt, there is still the matter of the fallout. What will Fisk think of Matt taking a bullet for him? How will Bullseye respond to technically missing his target? There is a lot set up for this finale.