Daredevil: Born Again is finally streaming on Disney+, bringing the Defenders Saga back to life as a full-fledged part of the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. The revival is a clear continuation of the original Netflix series, following the latest adventures of Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) as he enters a new and dangerous era of his life–without Daredevil. Having given up his superhero alter-ego after a devastating personal tragedy, Matt tries to live a normal life but finds himself increasingly drawn back into his old ways when his old nemesis, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) returns as the new Mayor of New York City, enacting a treacherous agenda against all costumed vigilantes.

Seven years after Daredevil ended, Born Again has a lot to live up to. All three seasons of the original Netflix series boast all-around terrific performances and unparalleled writing, making Daredevil one of the best superhero shows of all time. As excited as fans are for Daredevil‘s return, they are also understandably concerned that Born Again won’t do justice to its predecessor. Thankfully, Born Again‘s two-episode premiere allayed some of these concerns, proving to be just as well-written and expertly executed as the original series. While it still has a long way to go, Born Again shows promise that will hopefully come to fruition in the next seven episodes of its first season. Though not quite as good as Daredevil yet, the revival series improves on at least one aspect of the original show.

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Daredevil’s Enhanced Senses Are Way Cooler in Born Again

Born Again Depicts Matt Murdock’s Special Senses Much More Artistically Than the Original Series

In the series premiere of Daredevil: Born Again, viewers are treated to the best depiction of Matt Murdock’s enhanced senses yet. The devastating opening sequence centers around the return of Bullseye, one of Daredevil’s most brutal villains, but a memorable moment before the fight breaks out can’t go unnoticed. As the three friends enjoy a night out at Josie’s bar, Foggy Nelson excuses himself to take a phone call, leaving Matt and Karen to continue their flirtatious evening. However, Matt’s enhanced hearing picks up on something odd about Foggy’s conversation. Audiences experience this moment with Matt, as the camera slowly zooms through the bar and toward the window, where Foggy can be seen just outside. The shot shifts from full-screen to widescreen, continuing to narrow in on Foggy as he continues his frantic conversation with a client over the phone. This is, by far, the most artistic representation of Matt Murdock’s enhanced hearing that audiences have seen in the MCU, almost bringing the viewer inside the hero’s head as he zeroes in on the target of his attention.

Although this particular technique is only used once so far in the series, Matt Murdock’s enhanced senses continue to play a crucial role in Born Again‘s storytelling. Throughout the two-episode series premiere, Born Again uses Matt’s senses to push the storytelling forward. Viewers are occasionally treated to the chaotic periphery sounds at the corner of Matt’s attention, which sometimes for a loud cacophony that eventually zeroes in on a particular voice. Other times, the camera simply cuts away to a seemingly random shot of a gating closing, rain droplets falling, or some other ambient noise that Matt picks up on while going about his business. This is an excellent way of showing just how much sensory information Matt Murdock is processing at any given moment. It allows the viewers to share in the experience of being Matt Murdock, with all his senses working overtime, picking up every piece of information they can.

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Born Again Is Making Daredevil More Powerful

Daredevil’s Abilities Are Much Stronger In the MCU

This excellent shakeup in depicting Matt Murdock’s enhanced senses is part of Born Again‘s larger pattern to make Daredevil a more powerful hero. While Daredevil is still a street-level hero, he is portrayed as being far stronger and more agile than he was in the original Netflix series. This trend began during his appearance in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, where he was shown to have grown strong enough to hold his own in a battle against a Hulk–even if he is defeated in the end. Born Again‘s first episodes also reveal Daredevil’s new mode of transportation ripped straight from the comics: a billy club grappling hook that allows him to swing from buildings almost like a certain Spider-Man. While Daredevil is still considered a regular human with enhanced abilities, he has clearly worked to compensate for his lack of superpowers. As such, audiences meet a much stronger Daredevil in Born Again than they last saw in Daredevil Season 3.

Daredevil’s growth in skill, agility, and speed makes sense when one takes into consideration that he has been in the superhero game for a decade. Years of fighting criminals and other colossal threats have made Matt Murdock a force to be reckoned with, even if he doesn’t have any classic superpowers. His increase in strength could indicate that Daredevil: Born Again will introduce more powerful villains in future seasons. Daredevil may even get to go up against some of his more powerful opponents from the comics, rather than keeping to the street-level antics of the Netflix series. While Marvel shouldn’t go too far with Daredevil’s power-up, after a decade of superheroism, it’s time for the Man Without Fear to upgrade to a new class of villain.

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Will Daredevil Become an Avenger in the MCU?

Marvel May Be Building Up to a Big Future for Matt Murdock

Matt Murdock’s gradual increase in strength and agility could hint at his future in the MCU. The Man Without Fear’s return opens the door to all kinds of exciting crossover possibilities. Fans would love to see Daredevil team up with other superheroes like Spider-Man and Moon Knight, street-level vigilantes who share a common goal as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. As exciting as Daredevil’s potential team-ups may be, the real question on fans’ minds is whether or not Matt Murdock will be recruited to join the Avengers. Daredevil has fought alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes often in the comics, though he typically prefers to remain a solo act in Hell’s Kitchen. Nevertheless, the comic book version of Daredevil has proven to be a worthy addition to the Avengers, using his enhanced senses and incredible fighting skills to make up for his lack of superpowers. Though he isn’t as strong or invulnerable as other Avengers, many of Daredevil’s fellow heroes greatly respect him. Such could also be the case for Charlie Cox’s Daredevil in the MCU.

After the events of Captain America: Brave New World, the MCU is preparing to introduce Sam Wilson’s New Avengers. Since defeating Thanos, the Avengers have mostly been underground, never convening as a full-blown superhero team. However, with the threat of an incursion looming in the distance, the time has finally come for Captain America to reform the Avengers to defend their reality. When these heroes come together again, Matt Murdock might find himself one of the lucky new superheroes to join the team. Though he may not have what it takes to grapple with a powerful villain like Doctor Doom or Kang the Conqueror, Daredevil would make an excellent ground agent, protecting civilians caught in the crossfire or dismantling soldiers working for real big bad. Daredevil may not be the strongest hero in the MCU, but he would make a worthy member of the Avengers in their next team-up.

As Daredevil: Born Again continues its terrific run on Disney+, viewers should look for gradual increases in Matt Murdock’s abilities. Matt’s enhanced senses are a central focus of the revival series, hinting at a bright future for the character creatively, but also as a potential future member of the Avengers. As he is “born again” in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daredevil may have a greater destiny in store than defending Hell’s Kitchen. He may find himself protecting the world alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Daredevil: Born Again

Release Date

March 4, 2025

Showrunner

Chris Ord

Directors

Michael Cuesta, Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Jeffrey Nachmanoff

Writers

Chris Ord

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  Charlie Cox

  Matt Murdock / Daredevil

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  Vincent D’Onofrio

  Wilson Fisk / Kingpin