Daredevil: Born Again is shaking up the MCU with one of the best Disney+ series the franchise has ever produced. A revival of Netflix’s original Daredevil, Born Again picks up Matt Murdock’s story one year after a devastating loss leads him to give up the mantle of Daredevil. However, he soon finds that the vigilante is much more a part of him than he ever thought.
Daredevil: Born Again confirms definitively that Netflix’s Marvel shows, known collectively as the Defenders Saga, are officially canon in the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. These shows were originally envisioned as parts of the MCU but their canonicity fell into question due to their limited references to the larger universe. With characters like Matt Murdock, Frank Castle, and Wilson Fisk all returning in Born Again, there is no denying that the Defenders Saga is a legitimate part of the MCU–and this news comes just in time.
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The Defenders Saga Could Save the MCU
Netflix’s Street-Level Superhero Saga Is Exactly What the MCU Needs
The street-level heroes of New York first came together in the crossover miniseries The Defenders–but that might not be the end of their story. The Defenders Saga followed several vigilantes in New York City, eventually teaming up to stop the villainous criminal organization known as the Hand. Unfortunately, The Defenders marks the first and last time that Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist all worked together. However, with the MCU’s renewed focus on street-level stories like Daredevil: Born Again, the door is still open for some form of the Defenders team to return in future projects. As the sprawling superhero franchise continues to struggle post-Infinity Saga, the return of the Defenders may be exactly what the MCU needs to recapture the world’s attention.
Fans want more street-level characters in the MCU, with the franchise’s many cosmic and multiversal stories beginning to wear thin on audiences. Massive cosmic storylines aren’t always the most relatable, but grounded and gritty superhero sagas tend to be easier to relate to, especially to audiences who grew up loving characters like Spider-Man and Daredevil. The Defenders Saga is a rare stroke of good luck for Marvel, featuring multiple street-level superheroes who have already been introduced and established in the MCU. If Marvel intends to go back to its roots with more street-level stories post-Secret Wars, all they would have to do is build on the characters already introduced in the Defenders Saga. The MCU has a quick and easy path to redemption with its street-level stories, with Daredevil: Born Again‘s popularity already proving that fans are much more interested in grounded characters moving forward.
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How the Defenders Can Return in the MCU
Daredevil Could Get His Own Superhero Team
The Defenders may be coming back to the MCU sooner than anyone realized. A recent rumor suggests that season two of Born Again could follow Daredevil as he builds his own superhero team consisting of street-level vigilantes. This plays into longstanding speculation that the MCU will start to break up its expansive cast into different, smaller factions like the Thunderbolts, the Young Avengers, and the Midnight Sons. With many different superhero teams forming in the MCU, Daredevil could be at the head of the street-level Defenders, who protect the people of New York City and aren’t particularly concerned with the massive world-ending threats that the Avengers or the Fantastic Four deal with regularly.
If the rumors are true, Daredevil: Born Again‘s second season will follow Matt Murdock as he recruits New York-based vigilantes to his new Defenders team. This would most likely be in response to Mayor Wilson Fisk’s new decree outlawing vigilantes on the streets of New York City. Now branded criminals and outlaws, the city’s street-level superheroes would be more than willing to band together to defend themselves. The Defenders’ first mission may be to figure out what Fisk is really after by becoming mayor and foiling his plans once and for all. With the power of the law behind him, Fisk is almost untouchable. This time around, Matt Murdock won’t be able to defeat the Kingpin on his own. A team of superheroes working with Daredevil, however, might be just what it takes to bring down the corrupt mayor and save New York City.
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Who Could Join Daredevil’s New Defenders Team?
Plenty of Street-Level Superheroes Could Join the Defenders
With access to a wide world of superheroes, vigilantes, and crimefighters of every sort, Daredevil would have no shortage of potential team members to recruit for his new Defenders team. His first choices would naturally be his old teammates Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. While none of these characters have been reintroduced to the MCU since the end of the Defenders Saga, rumors continue to swirl regarding their returns. Following the success of Born Again, it seems highly likely that both Luke Cage and Jessica Jones will return to the MCU, even if the unpopular Iron Fist does not. Even if Finn Jones does not return as Danny Rand, the Marvel Universe has other Iron Fists to choose from who could take his place in Daredevil’s new superhero team. Additionally, following the Punisher’s MCU return in Daredevil: Born Again, he could also join the Defenders. The Punisher was the only main character of the Defenders Saga who didn’t join the titular team in their crossover miniseries. Though his methods differ from the other Defenders, the threat of Mayor Fisk’s anti-vigilante agenda may be enough to force the heroes to put aside their differences and work together.
Other street-level MCU heroes could also find themselves as the newest recruits for Daredevil’s Defenders. Fans have long campaigned for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to appear alongside Daredevil. If the MCU plans to embrace Spider-Man’s street-level side in the future, he would make a perfect addition to the New York-based team. Moon Knight may also join Daredevil’s team as a relatively grounded superhero who is still looking for a home in the MCU. While many fans expected Moon Knight to join the Midnight Sons, it seems that this potential team-up has been temporarily shelved following the behind-the-scenes difficulties with Blade. With the Midnight Sons delayed, Moon Knight would fit as the final member of Daredevil’s team.
Daredevil: Born Again is doing more than reintroducing the Man Without Fear to the MCU. The series may provide the path forward for the waning superhero saga by reintroducing more street-level characters with whom audiences can relate. With rumors contending that Season 2 will feature a new lineup of the Defenders, Daredevil may be on the verge of kickstarting a new golden age for street-level superhero stories.
Daredevil: Born Again
- Release Date
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March 4, 2025
- Showrunner
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Chris Ord
- Directors
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Michael Cuesta, Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Jeffrey Nachmanoff
- Writers
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Chris Ord
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Charlie Cox
Matt Murdock / Daredevil
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Vincent D’Onofrio
Wilson Fisk / Kingpin
