Daredevil: Born Againhas already traumatized fans with Foggy’s shocking death in Episode 1 (Elden Henson) and Hector Ayala’s (Kamar de los Reyes)last-minute execution in Episode 3, butthis week’s installment in the hit MCU revival has me absolutely convincedthe series isn’t done devastating Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) personal relationships. AlthoughDaredevil: Born AgainEpisode 4mainly balances Matt’s turbulent responsibilities as a lawyer with a hilarious glimpse at an uncomfortable Mayor Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio), there’s an undeniable darkness growing in the background of the series. Between the horrific revelation that comes out of Wilson and Vanessa’s (Ayelet Zurer) latest therapy session and our latest look at Muse,Daredevil: Born Againis setting up one of the MCU’s darkest chapters to date, and one character is definitely going out in a horrific way – Matt’s latest girlfriend, Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva).
A new addition toDaredevil: Born Again,who fills the void in Matt’s personal life left by Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) in the series premiere,Heather is a breath of fresh air whose intelligence and professional successare able to keep pace with Matt’s high-stakes personality. Following a surprisingly charming first date set up byDaredevil: Born Again’s Kirsten McDuffie(Nikki M. James), the pair’s relationship is the one good thing Matt has going on in his life while Fisk accumulates political power andpolice officers don Punisher skullsto get away with murder. So far, Heather has even survived having the Fisks as her clients, thoughthe character’s continued happiness is exactly what worries me about her future chances.
Matt Says the One Thing No Superhero Should Ever Say in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Episode 4
If there’s one thing thatDaredevil: Born Againhas already established, it’s thathappiness is fragile and shouldn’t be taken for granted. The revival literally opens with the golden days of Nelson, Murdock, and Page beforeboldly gutting their chances at a future togetherduring Bullseye’s (Wilson Bethel) rampage. GivenHeather Glenn’s bitter fate in the comicsandDaredevil: Born Again’s unforgiving tone, Levieva’s character never seemed likely to make it out of the show alive, butEpisode 4 leads me to believe Heather will be leaving us sooner rather than later. Since even Mayor Fisk seems to acknowledge Heather is just doing her job when the therapist suggests Vanessa may be in danger from her husband, I actually don’t believe Heather’s life is at risk from any car doors in the future, but one line from Matt still suggests the therapist is done for.
After returning fromhis brutal heart-to-heart with Frank Castle(Jon Bernthal) to find Heather waiting for him at his apartment, Matt confides in Heather that she helps reassure him so much that “now I can’t imagine you not being here.” It’s a sweet moment that shows how far the two have come in only four episodes while also illustratingMatt’s devotion to his newest romantic partner. It is also, unfortunately,a death sentence for Heather. In essence, what Matt is saying here is that he can’t imagine living without Heather, and if there’s one thing most audience members know, it’s thatyou can never trust a side character’s survival once someone either starts talking about their future or a relationship peaks before an episode is over. Just as Matt’s conversation about traveling abroad with Elektra (Elodie Yung) preceded her death inDaredevilSeason 2, the crimefighter’s admission to Heather doesn’t bode well here. As for how Heather will die, well,Daredevil: Born Againappears to answer that question too.
Heather’s Death in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Is Probably Going To Be a Brutal Work of Art
The character ofMuse has been teased inDaredevil: Born Againever since the series' first trailer, and the brutal serial killer has only drawn more attention to his presence since the show’s premiere. Glimpses of the mysterious antagonist spraying graffiti throughout the city have showcased Muse’s artistic rendering of the ongoing tension between Mayor Fisk and New York City vigilantes, butthe final moments of Episode 4 serve as a reminder that Muse’s mission is anything but beautiful. Shown draining his latest victim of blood in a subway hideout decorated with his past victims' hanging bodies, Episode 4 ofDaredevil: Born Againunveils our first real look atthe monster who makes his masterpieces out of living humans, teasing the greater danger that awaits New York City throughout the rest of the season.
A popular theory posits that this dangerwill be pointed in Vanessa’s direction, and there are a lot of good reasons to believe this. On the one hand, Vanessa is a former art curator herself, soher being turned into a piece of lethal art by Muse would be highly ironic, and Muse’s past graffiti also suggests he might kill Vanessa as a political statement against her husband. That said, we currently have more evidence to believe Muse will ultimately target Heather, and that evidence hinges upon Muse’s actor. At this point, it feels like an open secret thatWednesdayactorHunter Doohanis playing the sadistic body artist. Not only do the two share a similar physique butDoohan is also credited at the end of Episode 4 as a guest star without showing up anywhere elsein the episode. Doohan does show up in person during Episode 2. However,attending Heather’s book signing and signing up to be one of her newest clients.
‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 2 Is Already Setting Up This Fan-Favorite Character to Have a Bigger Role
The Man Without Fear is about to get some more help from an old friend.
Heather’s Death Sets Up Matt’s Return to Crimefighting in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’
Muse’s potential motivation for killing Heather inDaredevil: Born Againisn’t clear at the moment, but the fact that we see the supervillain’s first real appearance in the series shortly after Matt and Heather’s sweet moment further links the two together. If the series continues deviating from Muse in the comics and actually shows him attending therapy without his mask, it isn’t hard to imagine the serial killer growing unstable and targeting Heather because he isn’t happy with her counseling. What is clear, however, is that the loss of Heather – especiallya loss that involves her being mutilated into Muse’s human art—would absolutely devastate Matt’s already shaky personal life.Daredevil: Born AgainEpisode 4’s continued focuson America’s broken justice systemalready shows that Matt is wavering in his attempts to suppress Daredevil, sothe loss of someone he now says he cannot live without would definitely push him over the edgeback into his darker half.
Realistically, we know this is a change that’s coming. For all its deep themes of social unrest and political upheaval,Daredevil: Born Againis still a superhero show, andwe know from the trailer that Matt will don his old red suit again. That said, the way Matt’s return to crimefighting unfolds will relate directly to the show’s commentary surrounding the Daredevil persona. By havingMatt choose to take advantage of his powersagain in response to one more unimaginable loss,Daredevil: Born Againwill essentially be arguing thatit’s impossible to avoid one’s own violent impulses in a world that feels irrevocably broken. In a world where monsters like Muse are ignored by police officerstoo busy murdering unsuspecting superheroes, Heather’s death feels inevitable, and that inevitability is precisely what the series needs to let its devil out again.
Daredevil: Born Again
