In Review: Daredevil: Born Again (S2 – EP8) The Southern Cross

Synopsis: In The Southern Cross, the city and its heroes enter an unprecedented era. Matt Murdock has Wilson Fisk take the stand in the trial.

The Story

The trial of Karen Page continues, but things do not get off to a good start given that Matt Murdock is delayed while receiving treatment for the bullet wound he suffered during his escape from the courthouse in the previous episode. Jessica Jones patches him up as best she can and, suffice to say, the treatment is a lot more brutal than anything he would have received in a hospital.

As psychiatrist Heather Glenn is called to the stand, Matt finally arrives at the courthouse. Heather does her job by effectively delivering a character assassination of Karen Page, inferring that she is a sociopath. Murdock quickly turns the tables by asking Heather point blank, “Is it true that you struck Karen Page last night?” The judge is visibly uncomfortable with the line of questioning, but allows it to continue.

Having cast doubt over Heather Glenn’s motives and professional judgement, Murdock then summons Mayor Wilson Fisk to the stand. While the trial unfolds, Fisk has a team of operatives and a sniper standing by to kill Karen Page as she leaves the courthouse. Thankfully, Bullseye deals with the situation so events inside the courtroom can continue uninterrupted.

Back in court, Wilson Fisk takes the stand and proceeds to deliver grand speeches about everything he has sacrificed and done for New York City. Murdock is having none of it and systematically tears into Fisk’s carefully crafted image using evidence gathered over time during his activities as Daredevil. However, in order to make the case stick and ensure Fisk cannot escape justice yet again, Matt is forced to reveal that he is the man behind the Daredevil mask.

Once the truth comes out, all hell breaks loose. Fisk is ultimately offered a deal. If he steps down as mayor and leaves New York permanently, he walks free. After a tense standoff involving Fisk, Daredevil, and the people of New York, Fisk reluctantly accepts the terms and leaves the city behind.

In the closing scenes, Matt is out on a date with Karen when the police arrive to arrest him for the murders and assaults committed during his time as Daredevil. Rather than resist, he peacefully goes with the officers and is taken into custody.

Elsewhere, psychiatrist Heather Glenn is shown putting on Muse’s mask, strongly hinting at the villain’s return in season three. Over the course of the season we have gradually seen Heather’s mental state begin to fracture and unravel, so it will be interesting to see how far the transformation goes when she fully embraces the role of Muse in next year’s series.

Acting

Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio take centre stage as Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk engage in a tense war of words inside the courtroom. Fisk is banking on the fact that Matt will never publicly reveal himself as Daredevil and confidently calls his bluff during the proceedings, which adds an extra layer of tension to the drama and sets off a chain of events that quickly spiral out of control.

We also get strong performances from Margarita Levieva as Heather Glenn and Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones, who offers Matt far more than just first aid as she stands alongside him in the fight to bring justice back to New York and finally put Fisk in his place.

Overall

This was a solid season finale that delivered plenty of drama and action, both of which escalate to chaotic levels when Fisk completely loses control and savagely attacks many of the New York citizens who storm the courthouse intent on bringing him down and exacting their revenge. In a surprising twist, Daredevil and Jessica Jones ultimately find themselves defending Fisk from the enraged mob as the crowd piles onto him in a frenzy of anger and vengeance.

The episode closes with Fisk living in freedom on an exotic beach somewhere far away, while Matt Murdock is left having to answer for the many crimes he committed during his time as the vigilante Daredevil. With Matt now behind bars, New York is effectively left in the hands of Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, who makes a welcome appearance during the closing minutes of the finale.

Overall, this was a strong ending to the season and I look forward to seeing what season three will bring when it hopefully premieres next year.