Daredevil is back and races Fisk to stop Muse from killing again. At his inaugural Black and White Ball, Mayor Fisk tightens his grip on New York City.
Matt had to give in to his violent nature to save Angela. And now, he has to do so all over again to protect Heather, the woman he loves. The action in the climactic moments is incredibly thrilling. However, it's also apparent how rushed all of these developments actually are. The show strives to set Matt in a world where he doesn't quite feel like himself. He thought it was something better. It's even more foreign after returning to his vigilante work. The people in this world don't know if they can trust him because they see he is keeping secrets. Cherry is the only one who knows the truth. Heather and Kirsten deserve that as well. Of course, that would also require them to have distinct personalities. Right now, they continue to be defined through their relationships with Matt. Those dynamics aren't being challenged in a meaningful. The potential is there with Heather as she declares anyone who wears a mask is a coward. She is rescued by Daredevil. He calls her by her name. Yet she has a different perspective on this matter than Matt does. That sets up this relationship for drama in the future. It's only brief teases right now. Instead, the focus is primarily on catching Muse. Apparently, the character needed to be someone previously seen. And so, one of Heather's desperate clients is the man behind the mask. That's not a rewarding reveal. Bastian informs the therapist that she changed his life. It's hard to get a sense of what she actually did. The dialogue suggests importance. The action doesn't back it up. Muse escaped his first encounter with Daredevil. Justification is given as to why he was a formidable fighter too. But ultimately, Heather kills the serial killer. She carries those emotions. She does so openly.
However, Mayor Fisk is quick to release his own narrative of events. He wants to suppress any information about the return of Daredevil. Moreover, he strives to empower his political weight by showing quick results from his task force. Detective Kim did all the work in identifying Bastian. She examined the lair. She gathered the evidence. The task force collected the reward. It's Fisk choosing which officers are deserving of recognition. He wants to highlight these bad apples who corrupt the moral identity of the police. He doesn't reward honest police work. Matt isn't so honorable either. He doesn't trust the system the same way Cherry does. He must take action himself. He can't stop now. He has unfinished business. That means he's distracted from everything else going on in his life. That's not a particular problem at the moment. As such, it's difficult to feel as if all of this is coming at the expense of something important. Instead, it's easy to champion Matt and Fisk giving in to their core impulses. It's twisted that Vanessa sets up Luca to be killed not knowing what her husband did to Adam. She's fine with the violence. She makes her choice of who to back in this conflict. Yet she isn't aware of the full truth. She had to step back to fulfill a familiar role even though it denied what she thrived as. That's a central conflict. But again, it's the show largely returning to basics in a way that recognizes the extent and weight of these relationships. That's rewarding in its own way. It's simply disappointing that none of the new characters have popped at all.
Everyone tells Matt that he is destroying his life. He is actively making the choices to detach from what is strong and stable. It's not good enough for him. It all stems from Foggy's sudden and tragic murder. That comes to the forefront of the narrative once more with the return of Poindexter. He escapes from prison and immediately targets the black-tie gala thrown by Mayor Fisk. Matt also invades the event desperate to prove a point. He believes everything Fisk has done this season has been a way to get to him. Fisk and Vanessa chose Heather as their therapist because she was dating Matt. It's a slightly paranoid belief. It's justified given the way this power couple has manipulated events in their favor previously. Matt tried to hold Fisk accountable according to the criminal justice system previously. Now, he has resumed work as a vigilante believing that's the only way to achieve true justice. He's grown disillusioned of the system. He doesn't like the clients he is representing. He is jumping through hoops without caring about the work. He reminisces about the past. That confirms his theory about Poindexter being ordered to kill Foggy. It was a targeted hit. Matt still lets his rage blind him. He would never knowingly aid in Poindexter's prison escape. He does precisely that by assaulting him. Even a tooth can become a weapon for this criminal. That's all he needs. Matt delivers an opening. So much of this chaos and confusion are of his own creation. Heather sees the troubling behavior. She believes he needs help. Yet he continues to pull himself deeper into the drama. He won't rest until he gets answers. Fisk wanted Poindexter dead. However, Vanessa was the one who ordered the hit. Matt connects the pieces. Time is still running out for him to actually do something about it. He aims to make a difference. Instead, he's the one shot and currently bleeding out.
It makes for a high-intensity episode that strives to bring all of the narrative pieces together. Of course, it's somewhat dysfunctional given the creative overhaul that occurred this season. The story is trying to make everything seem purposeful and driven now. Explanations that come after the fact are frustrating. They are clarifying too. It puts into context what all of this means to each individual. Fisk wields his power expertly. He has transformed. Vanessa accepts that. She even kills Adam. He promised not to do so. He lived up to that. Adam still needed to die. That was the only way to bury all of the betrayals of the past. To move forward, it was necessary. Vanessa wants this. She thrives in this world too. She exudes just as much power as her husband. The system tries to protect both of them. They encourage lawlessness. Sure, they brag about the reduction in vigilante crime throughout the city. It's all a result of the task force that believes they don't have to answer to anyone. Powell openly assaults a journalist in front of Gallo. He doesn't expect any punishment. Sure, Gallo and BB teaming up to take down Fisk is an intriguing prospect. But again, it provides agency too late in the season to have much usefulness. Everything of importance ultimately has to connect to either Matt or Fisk. And so, Matt takes a bullet that was meant for the Mayor. That's an act of perceived heroism. He notices Poindexter before anyone can respond. His disruption may upend the villain's lethal record. It's still a haunting prospect. It's unlikely the show will kill off Daredevil. The narrative wouldn't have much importance after that. A second season has already started production. All of this is setting up future developments. One where the characters have to be more desperate with their choices. They still have to be informed by history and dynamics. That remains lacking. Some don't even try to explain Matt's behavior any longer. They are just along for the ride. That's not the most interesting. Nor is the act of calling out Matt dropping the illusion of his disability. That should inform his behavior. It helps him in deducing the truth about Vanessa and Poindexter. It's still a struggle to communicate what this means for those he cares about.
