By Liz Declan
With just one episode left of Daredevil: Born Again season 2, the show has largely maintained its status as one of the MCU’s best projects of late. Although the MCU is clearly making strides toward more consistent success, and it seems like Avengers: Doomsday will be particularly key in that process, the fanbase is generally on the same page about the fact that the franchise just hasn’t been the same since Avengers: Endgame. Even those who didn’t hate projects that got major backlash, such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Eternals, have noticed that dip.
That context made the 2025 release of the first season of Daredevil: Born Again quite exciting, as this was a beloved character, and the story had great potential. Season 1 thankfully met many audience expectations, and season 2 has generally been well-received as well. Even with that positive reception and history of success, though, one thing has become very clear for the upcoming third season of the show: It’s time for Daredevil: Born Again to get a new story arc.
There’s no denying that Wilson Fisk/Kingpin is a brilliant Marvel villain; he’s a fan-favorite for a reason. Not only does he have terrifying brute strength, but he also manages to weaponize the city itself through political power, making him a particularly difficult adversary to beat. It also made sense for Daredevil: Born Again to carry over the Matt Murdock versus Wilson Fisk arc from the Netflix show, to offer continuity and make that show’s integration into the MCU more seamless.
Daredevil: Born Again season 1 also set up Fisk’s ever-increasing threat level in season 2 with his new position as mayor and his targeted attack on all vigilante activity. This setup justified Fisk’s return as the main villain in the second season, given that it did feel like a new and exciting narrative. With season 2 almost concluded and season 3 on its way, however, it’s definitely time for Daredevil: Born Again to move on from Kingpin and begin exploring truly new story arcs.
There were still some major moments for Fisk in season 2 (and presumably more are coming in the season 2 finale), including the recent death of his wife, Vanessa Fisk. In terms of Kingpin being the main villain, though, it does feel a bit overdone at this point, and it would unfortunately only feel much more so if season 3 returned with even more focus on Kingpin and his ongoing battle to bring down vigilantes.
In addition to the show’s continued emphasis on Fisk/Kingpin feeling drawn out at this point, the truth is, Daredevil: Born Again season 3 has so many more interesting stories it could pursue than just Fisk’s—many of which, in fact, were set up in season 2. It’s currently unknown how season 2 will wrap up, but already, a few key figures have emerged as being much more interesting, including with the potential for and, of course, the return of Bullseye.
Perhaps most interesting of all has been Karen Page’s character transformation in season 2. Specifically, Karen has become a cutthroat vigilante herself, which is why she now finds herself in legal hot water. That marks a major change in her characterization, particularly from Daredevil: Born Again season 1, as she was hardly in that season. Exploring a darker side of Karen would be fascinating, and she is certainly a character who deserves more of a focus.
No matter which characters become the focus next, Daredevil: Born Again season 3 should absolutely take advantage of these options and move beyond the Fisk versus Matt storyline. A cat and mouse story can only work for so long, even when the hero and the villain are as compelling as Daredevil and Kingpin are, and it would be a true shame for this show to begin feeling old or stuck.
There’s also the fact that Fisk’s story may now feel stagnant following the death of Vanessa. He’s almost certainly going to continue his attack on vigilantes, but one of the most fascinating, nuanced aspects of his character is now gone. So far, Daredevil: Born Again has proven itself as a solid MCU show, so hopefully that momentum continues with a brand-new focus for season 3.
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I’ll Say It: Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 Badly Needs To Move On From Kingpin – comicbook.com
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