ScreenCrush: The Podcast! - Daredevil RECAP: Everything You Need to Know Before Born Again!

Episode Date: February 28, 2025

Before watching Daredevil: Born Again, get caught up on the history of Matt Murdock in the MCU. We cover the Netflix show, the connections Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Punisher, Iron Fist and the Defenders. And we explain the events of Hawkeye, Echo, and Spider-Man: No Way Home and how Daredevil fits into the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Agent Nate Russo returns in Oracle 3, Murder at the Grandview, the latest installment of the gripping Audible Original series. When a reunion at an abandoned island hotel turns deadly, Russo must untangle accident from murder. But beware, something sinister lurks in the Grandview's shadows. Joshua Jackson delivers a bone-chilling performance in this supernatural thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Don't let your fears take hold of you as you dive into this addictive series.

Love thrillers with a paranormal twist? The entire Oracle trilogy is available on Audible. Listen now on Audible. I don't get to choose who I am. I'm Daredevil. Not even God can stop that now. Hey, welcome back Screen Crush. I'm Ryan Erie, and we're going to recap everything you need to know

before Daredevil born again. We're going to cover every season of Daredevil, The Defenders, his latest appearances in the MCU, and even a little bit of the other Marvel Netflix shows. Now, there is a lot of ground to cover, so let's get going. But first, I am so excited to show you guys this new shirt at our merch store, the No Fear, tribute to the hallway fight. We also have the Fist Can Fix a Campaign shirt, the Rabbit and a Snowstorm,

a replica of the Battle of New York newspaper cover, and we have our Nelson and Murdoch logo and the Law and Order parody teas. Links for all of those are below. And don't forget, you can now listen to Screen Crush on Spotify, Apple, and anywhere you get your podcasts. So Matthew Murdoch is a young Catholic boy living in Hell's Kitchen with his father, Jack. Matt saves an old man from being run over by a truck. You know boy, he pushed me out all the way.

He saved my life. However, the truck was carrying chemicals that got in Matthew's eyes, permanently blinding him. I can't see! I can't see! After he recovers, Matt gains a kind of radar sense and other heightened senses, and he overhears his dad making shady deals with a guy named Roscoe Sweeney, a corrupt boxing fixer.

I go down in the fifth. Instead, Badlin Jack Murdoch chooses to make Matt proud by winning the match, and Sweeney kills him, making Matt an orphan. Matt stays at the St. Agnes orphanage where he is raised by Father Paul Latham and sister Maggie. And then Matt meets Stick. Or stick? No, Doug, an old ninja guy named Stick. Not a real stick. Ah, geez. Stick teaches Matt that his blindness is a gift and Matt learns how to hone his radar sense. Now, he can actually see better than his opponents. So Stick is training Matt so he can be a soldier in some mysterious war. But he walks away when Matt gets too sentimental to

become the warrior that he needs him to be. But as we'll see later, Stick was also trying to protect himself from getting too attached to another person. Fast forward a few years and Matt is attending Columbia Law School. He meets his roommate Franklin Nelson, also known as Foggy, and the two of them become best friends. Matt meets a diplomat's daughter named Elektra Nachios, and she quickly discovers Matt's abilities and the two of them start to date. They're cutting class, breaking the law, and living a dangerous lifestyle. Now Matt is totally in love with her until she reveals her plan. She brings him to Sweeney's house and tells Matt to kill the man who murdered his father. After getting in a few punches,

Matt decides that he cannot kill, so Elektra kills Sweeney and then disappears. Now, this is the first in a long series of toxic relationship in Matt Murdoch's life. After law school, Matt and Foggy opened their own law firm to defend clients who normally couldn't afford legal care. Come on, Mother Teresa, let's go save the world. Matt realizes he can no longer ignore the screams he hears outside his windows, so he uses his powers to become a vigilantee, earning himself the nickname the devil of Hell's kitchen. Matt and Foggy meet their first client, Karen Page. Now, she is a secretary at Union Ally Construction and she's being framed by New York's crime bosses. The crime lords in the city are these Russian Ransakov brothers who run a trafficking ring

and the Chinese drug operation led by Madame Gao. There's also Nobu who runs a mysterious Japanese organization and the bookkeeper Leland Owsley. All of them are under the supervision of James Wesley who represents the big man behind the scenes, a crime lord so shrouded in mystery that they dare not say his name. Tell Mr. We don't say his name. Foggy and Matt clear Karen's name with the help of Ben Urick, a reporter for the new York Bulletin. Karen pays the guys back by sticking around and being their office manager. Now, because the man in the mask has been harassing the Russian mob, the brothers kidnap a child to use as bait for the devil of hell's kitchen. This is where we get the first of many iconic

Daredevil hallway fights. Wesley hires Nelson and Murdoch to defend an assassin and they take the job to get information. The assassin gives up the name of his employer, which scares him so much, he takes his own life. Across town, we get our first look at the kingpin of crime, Wilson Fisk. He stands in front of a painting titled Rabbit in a Snowstorm. Wilson buys the painting from Vanessa Mariana. He is smitten with her and they go out to dinner. You don't do this much, do you? No. But then the Russian brothers interrupt the date, embarrassing him in front of Vanessa, so he gives one brother advice on how to get ahead in life. Wesley and Fisk pinned the murder on the devil of hell's kitchen, so the remaining Russian

forces create havoc in the city trying to find the man in the mask. Matt stages a temporary truce with the remaining Russian brother who gives him Leland Owsley's name and sacrifices himself so Matt can go on to fight another day. Fisk pins the attack on the vigilante in a black mask and makes the devil of hell's kitchen into New York's number one enemy. Matt tracks down Asley but is interrupted by Stick. Our stick. No, Doug, we've been over this. That different, the guy stick. Stick claims that his ancient war is finally arriving in New York City and he is hunting a weapon called Black Sky. He tells Matt about a ninja cult called The Hand, an ancient Japanese ninja organization that is obsessed with immortality. The Black Sky is revealed to be a child and Matt

swears that he cannot allow this kid to die. But, Stee, It kills the kid anyways, and Matt tells him to leave his city. Now, back at the law firm, Matt finds out that Karen, Foggy, and Ben have been investigating Fisk, and they eventually all decide to pull their resources. Then we learn Wilson's origin story, and it's actually a warped version of Matt's own childhood. Fisk had an abusive father who accepted money from some shady people. One night, young Willie murdered his dad with a hammer to defend his mother from his dad's abuse. Now, his dad also used to make Willie stare at a bit of drywall that reminds Wilson of the rabbit in a snowstorm painting.

So for the kingpin, that painting represents the most traumatic night of his life. Meanwhile, Fisk orders the murder of one of Nelson and Murdoch's clients, Mrs. Cardenas. But why would he want to kill a nicer lady? Well, because the kingpin is trying to clear out a housing project so he and his people can rebuild the neighborhood with fancy new flashy condos. So the real bad guy in this show is gentrification. Good point. High five. So Matt takes to the streets in a rage, vowing to break his no-kill rule and murder Fisk. But instead, he finds Nobu, who is a ninja and the two of them fight within an inch of their lives.

Matt barely escapes, and when he gets home, Foggy is waiting for him. So Foggy learns Matt's secret, and this drives a massive wedge between their relationship. They argue, they cry, and they talk about avocados until Foggy leaves him alone. I only never needed my friend. Karen and Ben find Fisk's mother, who admits that Wilson killed his dad. Karen wants to expose Fisk, but Ben doesn't think it's enough evidence for a story. Meanwhile, Vanessa is poisoned at a gala, so Fisk stays by her side. And while he's distracted, Wesley tracks down Karen to confront her about daring to talk to Wilson's mother.

But Wesley gets careless and Caring grabs his own gun, killing him. Now, once Vanessa is on the mend, Fisk finds Wesley's body and vows revenge for the murder of his best friend. I want vengeance! Now, his mom has dementia, and she only remembers speaking to Ben Urick. And right as Ben decides to publish everything he knows about Fist, the kingpin strangles him right before he can smash that submit button. And then Fisk learns that Vanessa was actually poisoned by Owsley, so, you know, this happens. And this sets off a race to find Alzy's informant before he can testify to the cops.

Matt secures the informant before Fisk and the kingpin is arrested. Now on his way to prison, Fisk's men actually attack the prison convoy so Wilson can escape to go meet Vanessa. But Matt just got a new suit upgrade, courtesy of a guy named Melvin Potter who created a new lightweight battle armor in the shape of a devil for him. So now while wearing his new suit, Matt is able to stop Fisk and the cops give him his new name, Daredevil. Daredevil? canyon on his rocket cycle. In season two, someone is hunting the gangs of New York, and Daredevil learns that it's actually the work of one man, and the cops call him the Punisher. Nelson and Murdock are helping a new client named Grotto. Now, he is the only surviving member of the Kitchen's

Irish gang who now wants to turn his life around. So the DA tricks Karen and Foggy into using Grotto as bait for the Punisher, and during the fight, Grotto escapes, but Daredevil is taken hostage by the Punisher. So when Matt wakes up, Punisher shares his backstory. His name is Frank Castle. He is a veteran who lost his family to gang violence. So he's cleaning up the New York streets to get revenge for his family. Now, he argues with Daredevil since he believes that Matt's methods are inefficient. Being the good Catholic that he is, Matt argues that Frank destroys the bad guy shot at redemption. What about Hope? Come on, Frank. You want to talk about Santa Claus? So Punisher gives Daredevil a moral ultimatum. He can either

kill Frank or else Frank is going to kill Grotto. What kind of choice is that? The kind I make every time I pull the trigger. Now, Matt can't bring himself to kill, so Frank kills Grotto and moves on to his next target, the Dogs of Hell. For a another awesome hallway fight. In one last mission, Frank lets the Irish kidnap him to get closer to their base. So Frank fully thinks this is going to be a suicide mission, but Daredevil is there to save him. Frank recites this nursery rhyme.

So Matt asked him about this rhyme that he says before killing, and we get one of the saddest moments of the show, as Punisher tells Daredevil about the day he returned from war. One man, stupid. She begged me to it. I said, no. With the Punisher in police custody, Nelson and Murdoch celebrated Josie's, and afterwards, Matt and Karen, and when Matt feels just a moment of peace, Elektra is back. So as Matt and Karen try to date, Electra takes advantage of Daredevil. So I need to push you this side. As Nelson and Murdoch prepare for the trial of the Punisher, Elektra and Daredevil stumble across a bottomless pit in hell's kitchen. There, they're ambushed by hand ninjas who wound Elektra, and they both

would have died if they weren't rescued by Stick. Stick? Stop, you know who I mean. They head back to Matt's apartment where Matt learns that Elektra is one of Sticks other students and that actually their meeting in college was planned by Stick to teach Matt how to murder people. Seeing Elektra almost dies shocks Matt and he decides that he's never ever stopped loving her. But then he finds out that Elektra is a black sky weapon just like the kid that Stick murdered in season one. So this is now the war that Stick was preparing them for, the three of them against the immortal hand. But the missions with Electra distract Matt from the Punisher case and he

abandons Karen and Foggy in court, causing tension between the three. Electra is not the problem, Matt. You are. With Matt's personal life now at an all-time low, he promises Electra that they will extinguish the hand and run away together. Unfortunately, Electra dies during the big fight against a reincarnated no boo. This destroys Matt, but he decides to go back to helping people as a defense lawyer. But first, he wants to hang up his cow, so he comes clean to Karen telling her that he is daredevil. I'm daredevil. Oh, that's why they call it that. Meanwhile, other superheroes have been popping up in New York. Danny Rand is the immortal iron fist, the protector of Koonloon, and the sworn enemy of the hand. He's able to concentrate his chi into his fist for an extra

powerful punch. Jessica Jones is a private investigator who got powers from a childhood accident giving her super strength and durability. Luke Cage was experimented on in prison, which gave him unbreakable skin and super strength. So these unlikely heroes team up in the show the Defenders, and we find out that Elektra was resurrected and brainwashed by the hand, so she does not remember her old life. Stick is killed and the heroes defeat the hand by collapsing a building onto their dig site. Matt and Elektra sacrifice themselves to save everybody

and they seal off the hand base. So now everybody believes that Matt and Elektra are dead. No, no, no, no, no, no. Wait, wait, wait. But Matt actually survives the building explosion and heals under the care of St. Agnes Church and sister Maggie. Now, because Electra's body isn't discovered, Matt loses all hope and he is angry with God.

With Stick also dead, Matt decides to take the old man's advice and push away all distractions, including Karen and Foggy. You can hear yourself right now? Goodbye, Foggy. Matt. Then we meet FBI agent Ray Nadim, who cuts a deal with Wilson Fisk. Fisk gives up New York City's gangs and corrupt officials in exchange for years off of his sentence. But then Fisk is shanked in prison for snitching, so he demands the FBI move him into protective custody.

They agree because Fisk is providing them with real results. But the prison transfer is attacked by the Albanian mob. But Fisk is saved by a lone FBI agent named Benjamin Poindexter, aka Dex. Now, Dex has the uncanny ability to use anything as a weapon with pinpoint accuracy. So Kingpin takes an interest in his use of extreme force and lack of mercy. So Wilson Fisk is moved to the penthouse floor of a luxurious hotel, which angers the public. So now Matt has to wrestle with how he's going to stop Fisk. And he's also angry that Fisk is doing more to clean up the streets than Daredevil ever could have.

So Matt investigates the Kingpin's old prison, and he learns that Wilson actually hired somebody to stab, him so he can move into his penthouse. So now Matt is looking for the shanker, a guy named Jasper Evans, because he has evidence that could actually put Fisk away. But Fisk still has the prison under his payroll and he orders everyone to attack Matt. So when King Penn sees the video of a blind man fighting like this, he realizes that Matt must be daredevil. For a blind man, you have very impressive reflexes, Mr. Murdoch. So Fisk lies to the FBI telling them that Matthew Murdoch was a corrupt lawyer working for organized crime. sending Deem to question Karen and Foggy.

While Matt and Karen search for Jasper Evans, Fisk manipulates Dex and draws him closer to the dark side. Like Dex is already mentally unstable, so Kingpin shows him sympathy and offers him a greater purpose. He gives Dex a replica Daredevil costume and sends him out to tarnish Daredevil's reputation. Dex's first attack is on the New York Bulletin where Karen works as a reporter. He beats Matt, then kills Jasper Evans so nobody can testify to the King Penn's crimes.

With every lead now gone, Matt tries to turn Agent Nadine against Fisk. Together, they discover that Agent Point Dexter is actually the fake daredevil. Nadine tries to tell his boss, but then she frames him for murder, revealing that she was working for Fisk all along. And around this time, Matt overhears Sister Maggie praying, where she reveals that she is actually Matt's long-lost mother. Feeling betrayed, Matt turns us back on her and Father Lanham. Karen turns to the church in an attempt to flee New York, but Dex attacks before she can leave.

Matt shows up to stop him, but Dex throws one of his billy clubs at Karen with enough power to kill. She fully accepts that she is about to die right before Father Lantam takes the hit for her. He dies in Karen's arms begging Matt to... Please, my God. Matt and Karen are unable to flee the church in time, so when Dex fails, he returns as an FBI agent. With Foggy and Sergeant Mahoney's help, the police get to Karen before Fisk. Even though Fisk is now blackmailing Agent Nadine to work for him, Nadine lets Karen go. So Matt returns the favor, saving his family and revealing his double life to raid Nadine.

Fisk only lets Karen go. go because he's focused on his grand plan, being with Vanessa. She arrives just as Kingpin assumes full control over the FBI. He's freed of all charges and Vanessa moves into their penthouse. So the new plan is for Ray to testify against Fisk since he is seen the whole operation at work. A grand jury is quickly assembled and they almost succeed until Fisk threatens the jurors. Ray sacrifices himself so his family won't be hunted. As long as I'm alive, my family's at risk. But before he dies, he films a dying declaration on.

his phone and sends it to Foggy. Matt is preparing to cross the line and kill Fisk once and for all. So in order to infiltrate the hotel with the penthouse, he leads Dex to an abandoned warehouse where Kingpin killed Julie, a woman that Dex loved. So this sets Dex on a warpath toward the hotel. And while he tries to kill Fisk, Matt is able to sneak up to the penthouse. So all three of them converge on each other in a big fight. Matt's trying to stop Fisk. Dex has tried to kill Vanessa. Kingpin picks up Dex and slams him into the wall, paralyzing him. Kingpin taunts Daredevil to kill him, but Matt refuses. Instead, he makes a new deal.

Fisk must go to jail and keep Matt's secret, or else Nelson and Murdoch will prove that Vanessa aided in the murder of Ray Nadine. So if Wilson wants his wife to stay out of prison, he has to abide by Matt's rules. So with Fisk back in jail, Matt Kieran, and Foggy mend their relationship and plan to open a new law firm under the name Nelson, Murdoch, and Page. Meanwhile, Dex gets surgery on his spine, breaking him one step closer to his comic book origins as Bullseye. Now, while all of this is happening,

Frank discovers the death of his family is actually wrapped up in a CIA conspiracy. He finds out that one of his best friends, Billy Russo, was involved in this accident. Frank works with a hacker named Micro to finally put the case to rest and get justice for his family, which also allows Micro to reunite with his family. Afterwards, Frank tries to lay low and abandon his Punisher persona, but he stumbles across a gang trying to kidnap a girl named Rachel. So after he saves her from a hitman named the Pilgrim, Castle fully embraces being a vigilante and ends the show ruthlessly killing criminals as the Punisher.

I'm sure you guys remember the blip when Thanos snapped away half of all life in the universe and then everybody was returned five years later by the Avengers. But during the blip, King Penn went back on his promise and got out of jail. Now, we don't know all the details. We don't know if Matt Murdoch also blipped or not, but Daredevil Born Again might help us answer some of these questions. Now, while Kingpin was out of prison, he worked with the track suit mafia and grew fond of Maya Lopez, and he saw her as a kind of niece. Now, Maya has the ability to copy or echo any fighting move or action that she sees. After Fisk set up her father to die, Kingpin took Maya under his wing and gave her jobs to train that rage.

She even was able to hold her own against Daredevil. Now, once Maya finds out that her dad was set up, she shoots Kingpin in the eye, believing that she had killed him. Kingpin would return and try to reason with her in the show Echo, but Maya refused. Fisk then goes back to New York, now inspired to run for mayor. And Matt seems to be doing well, too. In the show, Shehawk, he defends Luke Jacobs in court, and later he teams up with Jen Walters as Daredevil when Luke is kidnapped. So the devil ninja guy, he's a lawyer?

I'm just a big fan of legal dramas. There was also this case in New York City involving Spider-Man, but I don't really remember all the details about that. So that's everything you need to know before Daredevil born again. Big shout out to Ethan Inc. for writing this video, and if you have any questions or comments for us, you can let us know in our free to join Discord server or on Twitter, Blue Sky Threads,

and all the other place where you can catch Screen Crush socials. And if it's your first time here, please subscribe and smash that bell for our alerts. For Screen Crush, I'm Ryan Erie.