In Review: Daredevil: Born Again (S1 – EP9) Straight to Hell

Synopsis: In Straight To Hell, Mayor Fisk becomes Mayor Kingpin, and Daredevil is unleashed as chaos takes over the city.

The Story

Picking up moments after last week’s explosive events, everything goes straight to hell. Bullseye has escaped after attempting to assassinate Mayor Fisk. Ever the opportunist, Fisk finally gives in to his darker urges, fully embracing his role as Mayor Kingpin. He orders New York’s power grid to be shut down and sends his handpicked police force to hunt down all vigilantes and criminals on the streets. On top of that, he places a hit on Matt Murdock — currently hospitalized after taking a bullet meant for Fisk.

With the city under martial law and an 8 p.m. curfew looming, chaos begins to spread.

At the hospital, Matt hears the footsteps of the assassin sent to kill him and uses the blackout commotion to make his escape. Barely dressed in his hospital robes, he returns home — only to find Frank Castle, a.k.a. the Punisher, has been sent to protect him. It doesn’t take long for Fisk’s corrupt officers to break into Matt’s apartment, but they’re no match for the combined fury of Daredevil and Punisher. The pair escape to Castle’s hideout, where they’re soon joined by Karen Page, now determined to help Matt in any way she can now that Daredevil has resurfaced.

Matt soon learns that Vanessa Fisk was behind the hit on Foggy and uncovers Kingpin’s plan to turn Red Hook into a Free Port — a haven for money laundering and all manner of shady dealings.

As Matt and Karen investigate Red Hook, they quickly realize they’re seriously outnumbered. Meanwhile, Kingpin tightens his grip on the city: jailing every political figure who opposes him and ordering the capture of Frank Castle. To ensure total control, he murders the police commissioner in front of his officers — a brutal display meant to silence any potential dissent.

Later, at Josie’s Bar, Daredevil and Karen gather a handful of trustworthy law enforcement allies. Their goal: to build a small army and take back their city from Kingpin’s reign of terror.

The Acting

It was great to see Deborah Ann Woll return as Karen Page — I’ve seriously missed her presence in the series. She always had her own investigations running alongside the main plot in previous seasons, which added a lot to the drama. Her chemistry with Charlie Cox has always been a strong element of the show, and it’s great to see that dynamic back in action.

Jon Bernthal also makes a powerful return as the Punisher, and his scenes with Daredevil are as intense and chaotic as ever. Watching the two clash over their very different methods never really gets old. One standout moment is when Punisher is overwhelmed by the cult-like group of police officers who’ve been idolizing him throughout the series — his reaction to them is pure Frank Castle.

Overall, the performances in Straight to Hell are spot-on and do a great job of grounding the story’s chaos in something emotionally real.

Overall

Straight to Hell is a solid season finale that leaves everything on a knife’s edge, with New York City completely under the thumb of Kingpin and his organized crime empire — thinly disguised as government. It’s a theme that hits especially close to home, given today’s headlines.

I’m really looking forward to Season 2 and seeing how Daredevil and his allies ultimately take the city back. I just hope we don’t have to wait too long to find out.