Daredevil: Born Again recanonizes the Netflix Defenders universe by following the narrative threads of the original Daredevil series, reviving Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) and Wilson Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) eternal moral conflict while also reintroducing Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher. This deliberate continuation of the Netflix-era storylines gives fans hope that the rest of the Defenders cast could also be reincluded in the current MCU. After all, Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter), Luke Cage (Mike Colter), Danny Rand (Finn Jones), and Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick) all exist somewhere in this universe. Fortunately, the season finale of Born Again gives Marvel Studios the perfect excuse to bring the whole team back, making the return of the Defenders almost mandatory for Season 2.
WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Episode 10
The season finale of Daredevil: Born Again dramatically alters New York City’s landscape when Mayor Wilson Fisk declares martial law in response to his assassination attempt and the death of Commissioner Gallo (Michael Gaston). Using public fear as justification, Fisk establishes his “Safer Streets” initiative, which criminalizes all vigilante activity and imposes a strict curfew across the city. More disturbingly, he creates an Anti-Vigilante Task Force comprised of corrupt police officers who operate without oversight or accountability, essentially giving them license to eliminate anyone opposing his administration. This authoritarian takeover is particularly dangerous for costumed heroes and those with enhanced abilities, as they become immediate targets of Fisk’s repressive regime.
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Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again concludes with Matt Murdock beginning to organize resistance against the mayor’s tyrannical rule, gathering allies at Josie’s Bar to formulate a plan to reclaim their city from Fisk’s iron grip. In Season 2, Matt’s resistance would logically need to grow beyond his small group of confidants to have any chance against Fisk’s resources and political power, meaning Daredevil could reach out to his old Defenders allies. Furthermore, Fisk’s regime directly affects every street-level hero operating in New York, giving the Defenders enough reason to band together again.
Marvel Studios’ Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation Brad Winderbaum has already acknowledged this potential, stating that the Born Again characters “live and breathe in a world where these other Defenders characters are walking around somewhere, so I think collisions are inevitable.” With the narrative groundwork now firmly established, Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again provides the perfect opportunity to fulfill this promise.
How Can the Defenders Help Daredevil Fight Mayor Fisk?
Each member of the original Defenders team has a significant personal motivation to join Matt Murdock’s resistance against Wilson Fisk’s authoritarian rule. For starters, when fans last saw Luke Cage, he had assumed control of Harlem’s Paradise nightclub, positioning himself as a protective crime boss for the Harlem neighborhood. This morally ambiguous position makes him an obvious target for Fisk, who would view Cage as both competition for criminal operations and a threat to his political authority. The conflict between Cage’s protective approach to Harlem and Fisk’s citywide power grab would create compelling tension, especially as Colter has expressed continued interest in returning to the role.
Jessica Jones also presents another natural ally in the fight against Fisk’s regime. Though her character typically prefers to operate independently and avoid larger conflicts, her enhanced strength and investigative skills make her a valuable asset — and a target for Fisk’s Task Force. The private investigator’s personal code of ethics, though complicated by her cynicism and trauma, would ultimately align against Fisk’s authoritarianism, especially if it threatened her friends or clients. Ritter has been particularly vocal about her willingness to return to the role, recently telling ComicBook in an exclusive interview that she’s ready whenever Marvel calls. This enthusiasm, combined with Winderbaum specifically mentioning Jessica Jones as a character he’d like to see return, makes her inclusion in a second season highly plausible.
The Iron Fist situation offers multiple compelling possibilities for Born Again‘s second season. When the Netflix series concluded, Colleen Wing had inherited the power of the Iron Fist from Danny Rand, making her the current bearer of this mystical power. As a protector of Chinatown with enhanced abilities, she would naturally fall into Fisk’s crosshairs under his anti-vigilante crusade.
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Simultaneously, Danny Rand could return from his spiritual journey abroad upon learning of the crisis in New York, bringing his martial arts training and resources to the resistance. Despite the mixed reception to the original Iron Fist series, Jones has expressed a strong desire to return to the role, stating at a recent convention, “I’m very aware of the critiques of the character and my role in it. My response to that is ‘give me a f*cking chance, man. I’m here and I’m ready, and I wanna prove people wrong.’” The opportunity to reintroduce these characters with improved storytelling and action choreography could address previous criticisms while adding valuable allies to Matt’s cause.
Beyond the core Defenders, supporting characters from the Netflix universe would also have natural reasons to oppose Fisk’s regime. Misty Knight (Simone Missick), with her bionic arm and commitment to justice, would likely resist the corruption of the police force under Fisk’s control. Similarly, both Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) and Malcolm Ducasse (Eka Darville) would have compelling reasons to join the fight based on their connections to the various Defenders and their moral compass. Integrating these supporting characters would add depth to the resistance movement while honoring the interconnected nature of the original Netflix series.
The narrative foundation established in Daredevil: Born Again‘s first season creates not just an opportunity but almost a necessity for the Defenders’ reunion in Season 2. Fisk’s citywide threat extends far beyond Hell’s Kitchen, logically drawing in heroes from Harlem, Chinatown, and beyond. With multiple actors expressing their willingness to return and Marvel executives acknowledging the possibility, the pieces are in place for what could be one of the MCU’s most satisfying street-level stories.
Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again is fully available on Disney+.
Do you think Season 2 should reunite the Defenders against Mayor Fisk? Which Netflix character would you most like to see return? Join the discussion in the comments!
The post Daredevil: Born Again Must Bring the Defenders Back for Season 2 appeared first on ComicBook.com.
