While the likes of the Kingpin, the Hand, Elektra, Bullseye and the Punisher have all proven to be formidable opponents throughout the Netflix run of Daredevil, one foe has proven to trip up the Man Without Fear more times than most. The enemy I’m speaking of is the rather odd habit the series has of following up an absolute belter of an episode with a couple that don’t really go anywhere other that mull over the aftermath. I get that Matt has to heal from any grievous wound he’s sustained and it’s sensible for both the characterization and the budget, but it aways seems to absolutely take a piss all over the momentum the season has built us thus far.
Well, Episode 6 was an absolute cracker that finally saw the breadth of Wilson Fisk’s plan come to fruition and we saw the Netflix incarnation of Bullseye literally tear lumps out our long suffering hero while kitted out in a replica Daredevil outfit. Can The aftermath (conveniently entitled… Aftermath) manage to pick up the pieces and lick all the wounds while not fatally wounding the excitement and tension that’s been built.
Matt Murdock has been taking losses even before he lost his eyesight in a freak accident, but his brutal defeat at the hands of a disguised Benjamin Poindexter may be he most painful yet. Not only does he return back to the church and Sister Maggie with blood pouring from countless serious lacerations, but he also is struggling with the fact that the plan to get his old gang back together to get serious dirt of Fisk resulted in the lives of Foggy and Karen being placed in mortal danger.
However, while he rues his decision and accepts that Fisk has been five steps ahead of him, Fisk himself is smug that in one fell swoop he’s cleared the board of enemies and even managed to frame Daredevil for the murderous assault to book. But with his more obvious adversaries taken care of, he now turns his attentions to the members of the FBI who are supposed to be his wardens.
However, Agent Nadeem is starting to get that sinking feeling that he’s getting played by his own prisoner, but despite voicing his concerns, things may already have gone too far.
Meanwhile, while Foggy assesses his life choices after his near death experience, Karen finds herself ousted from the New York Bulletin when her insistence that that wasn’t the real Daredevil enrages her wounded editor who correctly figures out that she must know the identity of the real one. However, as Karen feels like she needs to step back a bit and contacts her family, Murdock manages to realise that a fairly obvious lead is dangling right in front of his face: where did the attacker get a perfect replica of the Daredevil suit from? There’s only one conceivable answer – the man who made the suit in the first place. Melvin Potter.
There was no way this episode could possibly hope to top the previous one which fed us a bunch of perfectly balanced build up only to pay it off with one of the best fights the series has ever seen; however, instead of doing the usual Netflix/Marvel thing of having Matt be bed bound for an entire episode whole everyone else ponders the ramifications, the writers manages to keep things going in a way that channels that all important momentum elsewhere. That elsewhere proves to be Melvin Potter of all people; the infantile hulk who designed defensive outfits for both Daredevil and Kingpin and his return means that the episode can keep the energy up without having to take the shine from the previous installment. It’s always oddly sweet to spend time with Potter and we finally get to find out what all the Betsy stuff is all about (she’s his lover, but she’s also his parole officer), but it’s a genuine surprise when Murdock’s visit turns out to be something else that Wilson has predicted and Potter attempts to trap him after the police has already been called.
Compared to the fact we technically just got Daredevil vs. Bullseye, getting Daredevil vs Gladiator (Potter’s comic book villain name) may seem like small change, but the whole diversion actually proves to be quite a nice pallet cleanser which sees plenty of nods to Potter’s comic origins with a certain design located on his shirt and copious use of bandsaw blades. While some who favour the slightly more realistic grit of the Netflix stuff may complain that Murdock is suddenly able to brawl with Potter and fight off an entire swat team despite nearly losing all of his blood the night before, it keeps things moving and the stakes in play while giving a familiar something of a tragic end as he’s carted away by cops while wailing Betsy’s name.
Of course, while Murdock has all but given up the mantle of Daredevil now that it’s been taken from him (even Matt says at one point that his ideals no longer synch with the classic suit), Wilson Fisk has never been more Kingpin, be it staring at his wardrobe of white suits in smug satisfaction and heading down into secret room to spy on the feds. In fact, Wilson’s been playing a blinder this season, clambering ruthlessly towards his former position over the bodies of those who would stand in his way. Although he hasn’t yet managed to achieve his ultimate goal of securing safe passage back into the United States for his wife, Vanessa, he’s certainly well on the way and he genuinely seems invincible compared to everyone else.
However, while recent events have led to Foggy asking Marci to marry him in the wake of nearly getting murdered, Karen turns to something closer to home. While she’s briefly alluded to her family life in the past with mentions of her dead brother, during an emotional down point, she rings her father to ask if she can visit only to be rebuffed. Now, while any amount of back story is welcome for any character, I have to admit introducing a whole new potential plot thread for Karen at the halfway point of a season seems a little risky and could possibly divert attention from the main plot which has been kicking all the ass.
While Neflix has broken their streak of halting all the action after a huge episode, the show is still in danger of that other Netflix/Marvel curse of almost always feeling three episodes too long and the hint that Karen now has some family stuff to suddenly work through suggests that it’s still possible for season 3 to be temporarily put off its stride. However, I’m a positive sort of guy and I’m sure that we’re certain to dodge the same kind of mid-season confusion that affected parts of season 2 if the showrunners can keep their eyes on the prize.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
We Have Issues 
One comment