Why Wilson Fisk Isn't Kingpin In Daredevil: Born Again (& What's His Real Plan?)

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again episodes 1 and 2.

Daredevil: Born Again

finally sees Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk reunite after many years apart, but this is not the same Kingpin that appeared in Daredevil. When Daredevil initially debuted on Netflix in 2015, it quickly became one of the most widely praised Marvel TV shows ever made. This legacy persisted well into the period of time when Marvel Studios began producing their own shows on Disney+, with many fans of the series still lauding its success.

And while the Disney+ Marvel shows initially forced the Netflix shows to conclude prematurely, Daredevil managed to find new life in the MCU, with Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio returning to reprise their roles and make the Netflix show canon. However, despite the addition of these familiar faces to the MCU, the characters have clearly changed from the time of their first appearance, with Fisk going so far as to detach himself from the nickname he held as a terrifying mob boss operating under the radar in Hell’s Kitchen.

Kingpin’s Mayoral Run Was Set Up In Echo

Wilson Fisk Has Been Lingering Around The MCU

Daredevil: Born Again is evidently the series that delivers a primary storyline for both Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk as the pair meet one another after some major incidents and changes. Matt continued operating as Daredevil in the city for years after sending Fisk away, but after his best friend, Foggy Nelson, is murdered by Bullseye, Matt decides to retire from his vigilante efforts and focus on his life as a lawyer, even partnering with someone new in an effort to bolster his practice. However, Fisk is not content to stay away from Hell’s Kitchen, and eventually he returns, supposedly a changed man.

In Echo, a glimpse at Fisk’s life from both before and after the main Daredevil series is seen as the former crime boss takes in a young girl after ordering a hit on her father. When he returns in the present day, he is preparing a campaign to run for mayor, and transition to a much more public-facing role. And in order to stay squeaky clean and be successful as a candidate, Fisk presumably had to clean up his act, and avoid participating in shady criminal activities. However, Fisk still has a temper, and he continues to be led by his emotions, as seen in Echo.

Why Kingpin Became Mayor In The Comics

Kingpin’s Comic Book Storyline Resembles Daredevil: Born Again

In the comics, Kingpin maintained his focus on being a criminal mastermind, and opposing heroes like Daredevil and Spider-Man at every opportunity. In fact, even his efforts to become mayor stem from a place of trying to cause a nuisance to heroes, and he ran on an anti-vigilante campaign, as was repeated in Daredevil: Born Again. Due to some general distrust of vigilantes, Fisk managed to win the vote, and became the mayor of New York City. However, in order to ensure his victory, Fisk also rigged the election in his favor, which proved he was in no way a reformed criminal.

Once he held the position of power in New York, he set about immediately trying to make life difficult for heroes. With the backing of a legitimate government body, Fisk had more power than ever before, and he launched an attack on the heroes from all sides. However, this same dogged aggression and obsession with taking down the heroes eventually led to Fisk’s downfall. At present, it is clear that Fisk in Born Again is intent on cracking down on vigilantes, but with Daredevil already out of the picture, and some superheroes maintaining good will among the individuals who remember being snapped out of existence, it’s not so clear how far Fisk can take things.

Is Wilson Fisk Genuinely Legit Now?

Wilson Fisk Has Made Some Changes Since Daredevil

Fisk is trying his best to tackle the problems he sees in New York City in a legitimate manner. He ran on a campaign that made his anti-vigilante sentiments plain and simple, and as a result, people flocked to vote for him. He also appears to believe in his own status as a savior to New York, expressing his genuine love for the city, and a desire to protect it and see it flourish. However, the cracks of the Kingpin are already seeping in within the first two episodes, as Fisk tries to push down his anger, repair his relationship with his crimelord wife, and persuade people to do as he wishes in less than legitimate ways.

Related

Every Daredevil Character Who Doesn’t Return In Born Again

The new series serves as a sequel to the Netflix-produced Daredevil show, but several important characters from the 2015 show do not return.

Most overtly, Fisk has a conflict with the chief of police, who attempts to retire from the force, and persuades a not insignificant number of other officers to follow him out the door. Fisk needs to ensure that he is not made to look weak, and losing the chief of police and a large portion of the force would be detrimental. So, Fisk plays hardball, digging up information about a secret child the police chief has, and threatening the life of the boy and his mother. These are not the actions of someone who is legitimate, and it speaks to the fact that he has not fully turned his back on his old ways.

Daredevil Born Again Already Hints Kingpin Is Still Active

There Is A Lot Going On Behind The Scenes In Daredevil: Born Again

On top of this clear exploitation of the police chief, who anxiously chooses to follow Fisk’s orders to keep his family safe, there are other signs that Fisk is still just as malicious as he has always been. One of Fisk’s fatal flaws throughout his time on Daredevil was the lack of self-control when he got emotional. When he felt personally offended, or when he couldn’t fully control a situation, Fisk would have fits of rage. This could lead to him beating people senseless, crushing the head of his enemies in a car door repeatedly, or breaking a man’s back against a wall.

Fisk had several challenging conversations in the first two episodes of Daredevil: Born Again, with Matt Murdock, the chief of police, and BB Urich, and after each, he appears to gently thump the table in front of him. However, this reaction is considerably more controlled than previous responses to stressful situations. Yet, there is a brief moment when the camera shows Fisk’s bloodied fist as he sits at his desk in the mayoral office. This hints at Fisk still having moments where he lashes out, and could even point towards him having brutally beaten someone to take out his rage. As a result, Daredevil: Born Again is very likely to show Fisk embrace his dark side again, and prove that the Kingpin is far from being retired.

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Daredevil: Born Again

9/10

Release Date

March 4, 2025

Showrunner

Chris Ord

Directors

Michael Cuesta, Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Jeffrey Nachmanoff

Writers

Chris Ord

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