Disney+Daredevil: Born Again Episode 8 ends on a jaw-dropping cliffhanger, with Matt taking a bullet for Wilson Fisk after Benjamin Poindexter – aka Bullseye – breaks out of prison. But why would he save Kingpin?
It’s a fair question to ask, considering Daredevil and Kingpin are longtime enemies. They may be two sides of the same coin – both men give in to their violent temptations to take care of things – but their sense of justice and morality is far apart.
However, after Foggy’s death, Born Again began with a truce: Matt gave up his vigilante lifestyle, just as Fisk pursued a life as mayor in the public eye. They both vowed to keep an eye on each other, but as long as neither of them stepped out of line, everything would be fine.
Alas, that peace was never going to last – but in Episode 8, Matt risks his own life to protect Fisk when Bullseye targets him.
Why Daredevil saved Fisk in Born Again Episode 8
NetflixThere are two reasons why Daredevil saved Kingpin: one, he’s fundamentally a good person, and that’s illustrated by saving the life of his worst enemy; and two, he wasn’t responsible for Foggy’s death, so he didn’t deserve to die in that moment.
Earlier in the episode, Matt asks Poindexter if Fisk hired him to murder Foggy. “In another life, you might be defending me… because that’s what good men do, right? Defend their worst enemies,” he says, and the thought clearly gives Matt pause.
Poindexter says he’ll tell Matt the truth if he gets him out, but he smashes his head off the table instead.
Later, Matt deduces that Vanessa ordered the hit on Foggy. “I know it was you, I know you had Foggy killed… I just don’t know why. You’ll pay for what you did,” he says.
At this point, Bullseye lines up his shot from the upper balcony. Matt hears him pull the trigger and dives in front of Fisk just in time, leaving Kingpin holding Matt’s body as he falls to the floor.
This is the difference between Matt and Fisk: even if he kept his promise and retired the Daredevil mantle for good, Fisk wouldn’t hesitate to let Matt get killed. The ability to put aside a grudge and do what’s right, no matter the cost, is what makes a hero – and Matt isn’t a villain.
What will be interesting in the finale is how this changes Fisk’s relationship with Matt, if at all. We know Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is filming, so there’s no chance Matt doesn’t survive – but if I was betting, I’d say Fisk will be hoping Matt stays down.
For more, find out when Born Again takes place in the MCU timeline, and check out our ranking of every Marvel TV show. Also, if you want to know what to watch before Born Again, we’ve got you covered – and if you want to read deeper, discover Daredevil’s darkest story that’s too weird for the MCU and the Thanos Easter egg you missed.
