Daredevil: Born Again's New Trailer Hints at an Unlikely Alliance

A new trailer for Marvel's Daredevil: Born Again, premiering March 4th on Disney+, reveals a surprising development: Daredevil and Kingpin, longtime adversaries, appear to be joining forces. This collaboration is likely fueled by a common enemy: the artistically-inclined serial killer, Muse.

Who is Muse?

Muse, a relatively recent addition to Daredevil's rogue's gallery (created by Charles Soule and Ron Garney in 2016's Daredevil #11), is a chilling villain. He views murder as a high art form, creating gruesome installations with his victims. His abilities extend beyond mere brutality; he possesses superhuman strength and speed, and his presence disrupts Daredevil's radar sense, making him an especially formidable foe.

Muse's conflict with Daredevil escalated when he blinded Daredevil's sidekick, Blindspot. Even after his capture and self-inflicted injury (breaking his own fingers to prevent further "artistic" endeavors), Muse escaped and continued his killing spree, focusing on New York's vigilantes, creating twisted tributes to figures like the Punisher. His ultimate demise in Daredevil #600 (2018) involved a self-imposed fiery end, but his return in the MCU is hardly surprising.

Muse's Role in Daredevil: Born Again

The Daredevil: Born Again trailer showcases Muse, sporting a costume faithful to his comic book appearance – a white mask and bodysuit with red "tears." His presence suggests the series draws inspiration from contemporary Daredevil comics, rather than solely relying on the 1986 Born Again storyline.

While the original Born Again comic centered on Kingpin discovering Daredevil's identity, the show seems to take a different path, focusing on a new threat forcing an alliance between Daredevil and the now-Mayor Wilson Fisk. A diner scene depicts Matt Murdock threatening Fisk, only to receive a cryptic response about Murdock's "darker half," hinting at a significant shared threat.

Could Muse be that threat? The series seems to be mirroring the tone of Soule and Zdarsky's Daredevil comics, with Fisk campaigning on an anti-vigilante platform. Muse, with his glorification of vigilantes like the Punisher, directly opposes Fisk's agenda. This creates a scenario where Daredevil needs to cooperate with Fisk, despite their deep-seated animosity, to neutralize Muse's threat.

The series will also feature other vigilantes like the Punisher and White Tiger, who are likely to become targets of Fisk's crackdown. Muse's actions may further complicate matters by creating artwork celebrating these very targets.

While the Daredevil-Fisk rivalry remains central, Muse emerges as the immediate danger, potentially the most formidable opponent Daredevil has faced. His unique powers and relentless bloodlust necessitate an unlikely alliance, forcing Daredevil to work alongside his sworn enemy, Mayor Fisk.

Note: This article was originally published on 8/10/2024 and updated on 1/15/2025 with the latest info about Daredevil: Born Again.