Recap: Matt Takes on a New Client with Impossible Odds in Second Episode of “Daredevil: Born Again”
After the season premiere kicked off with a bang (literally), the second episode of Daredevil: Born Again finds Mayor Wilson Fisk getting accustomed to his new positon. Meanwhile, Matt Murdock is on edge in this tumultuous new situation, even with his budding new romance. Now, with all that chaos, all he needs is an impossible new court case.
This second episode opens with Fisk addressing New York City on New Year’s Eve. In it, he mentions Daredevil, Punisher and Spider-Man. Matt listens to his speech on television before scanning reactions around him, which are mixed. Elsewhere, a man steps down into the subway to find two apparent thugs beating on another man. He rushes in to help and gets into a fight. The man who was being beaten runs off. One of the thugs rushes at the man and he dodges him, allowing him to fall in front of a passing subway train. The remaining thug reveals himself to be NYPD and points his gun at the man.
After the title sequence, The BB Report asks people on the street about their thoughts on the disappearance of Daredevil. The sentiment seems to be negative toward the vigilante. Fisk goes over his appointments with Sheila, his campaign manager. After Fisk reminisces about his father for a bit, he laments the more tedious obligations of his new position. Before she leaves, Sheila asks him about Vanessa, saying it would help his optics if she would appear by his side more often. Fisk admits they are having issues and they have work to do.
At a police station, Matt meets with a relative of a client when he overhears the man from the opening being beat by officers in another room. He heads in to check on the man and learns that he is Hector Ayala. He asks some questions about what happened before telling Hector he is going to represent him and he doesn’t need to worry about the cost. Matt listens to his heartbeat and knows Hector is telling the truth about what happened, so he falls back on his classic desire to help the innocent.
Fisk and his team are stuck in traffic en route to a photo op. Fisk eventually grows impatient and leaves his car, approaching a massive hole in the road. He grabs the attention of the foreman working nearby and orders him to get to work on the hole. With citizens watching and holding up their phones, Fisk tells them he is getting things done.
Matt argues with Kirsten and Cherry, who tell him representing Hector is a bad idea. They warn him that this is picking a fight with the NYPD. After some convincing, Kirsten agrees to take the case. Matt asks Cherry to investigate Hector and find the witness he saved.
Heading into the courtroom, Matt and Kirsten are swarmed by media asking why they are representing a cop killer. The officer who arrested Hector is in attendance for this hearing, but Hector’s wife is notably absent. The judge quickly grants the DA’s motion to deny Hector bail, despite an argument from Matt. The odds continue to stack up against Hector.
At the Mayor’s office, Daniel walks BB Urich in to a meeting with Fisk as they discuss their friendship “with political benefits." Fisk asks BB if her named is short for something, but she tells him she was named for her uncle, Ben Urich. Fisk says he knew her uncle and refers to him as a “good journalist." He neglects to tell her that he killed him however. BB points out to Fisk that there is a situation with the police, with commissioner Gallo set to resign with Fisk now in office. She says a lot of the police force will leave with him, leaving Fisk with a serious problem. Fisk shrugs off this problem however and dismisses her. BB tries to ask another question about Vanessa but Fisk calls for the meeting to end and she is escorted out.
Heather gives a presentation about her new book and signs copies afterwards. There are two people of note who come to her for autographs. The first is a young man who tells her he needs help. She says she can move things around and gives him her email. Credits tell us this man’s name is Bastian, but we don’t know much else about him just yet. He seems like someone to keep an eye on though. The other interesting person there is Buck, one of Fisk’s men, who simply gets his book signed and leaves.
Buck is a character form the comics. He is a mercenary who goes by the name Bullet. He has worked with the Kingpin and faced off with Daredevil a number of times.
After the funeral for the fallen police officer, Fisk meets with commissioner Gallo. Fisk tries to solve their issue, but Gallo is immediately hostile. He tells Fisk he doesn’t believe he actually loves the city and he’s just “a monster trying to rewrite his legacy." He also calls him Kingpin before he walks away. Those of us who know anything about Fisk know you don’t simply get away with talking to him like that.
Kirsten and Cherry meet with Hector’s wife. Kirsten tries to convince her to show up in court with Hector because it will make him look better. Meanwhile, Cherry goes to get Hector’s suit ready for the hearing, but really he’s investigating his room. While doing so, he finds a box with the White Tiger suit and amulet inside. In the comics, Hector was the White Tiger before his sister, Ava Ayala took the mantle.
Matt has dinner with Heather before he is interrupted by a call from Cherry. Matt meets Hector in prison to tell him he knows he’s the White Tiger. Hector explains he wasn’t wearing his suit or his amulet, which would have given him enhanced abilities had he been wearing it, during the incident.
In Fisk’s office, Gallo comes in for a meeting. He hands in his resignation and tells Fisk most of the police force will be leaving with him. Before he can leave though, Fisk threatens him by showing him a photo of a child eating in a restaurant in Philadelphia. Fisk may not be the Kingpin or a murderer any more, but he is clearly still willing to threaten exposing the secret life of a decorated police commissioner. Gallo agrees to stay on, giving Fisk what he wants.
Matt and the DA meet with the judge to determine whether or not Hector’s identity as the White Tiger is relevant to their case. Eventually, the judge agrees with Matt and the White Tiger identity is not allowed to be mentioned in their case.
Matt meets with Cherry in the harbor and he learns that he has still not been able to find the witness Hector saved. Cherry tries to convince Matt this case is dangerous for him because of Hector being a vigilante. Cherry tells Matt he’s been doing good work in the past year, hinting that they don’t need Daredevil.
Matt goes to the police station and follows the officer who arrested Hector. He follows him to his home and listens to him. Heather calls Matt and tells him she can’t make dinner because she’s meeting a new client. It turns out that new client is both Wilson and Vanessa Fisk, who are seeking marriage counseling.
Eventually, Matt hears the officer take a call from a man who says they’ve located the witness. Matt calls Cherry to pick up the witness and rushes to his apartment himself. Matt reaches the witness before anyone else and he gets him to let him inside. The witness says his name is Nicky Torres. Matt warns him the cops are coming to kill him and he sends him out the fire escape.
Matt opens the door for the cops and informs them Torres is already gone. When he impedes them as they try to follow Torres, they attack him. Matt takes the beating so as not to out himself as Daredevil, but when they put a gun to his head he is forced to act. Matt retaliates and seemingly kills both officers. He lets out a primal scream as the episode comes to a close.
Things are heating up, with another vigilante in play, though not in the way you would have expected. Fisk is in hot water but he is also once again getting close to someone Matt cares for, which is never good. And with the violent side of Matt Murdock once again showing up, it’s only a matter of time before the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen returns.