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Marvel's Daredevil Season 1 is the first season of the 2015 digital series centered around the popular Marvel Comics vigilante, Daredevil. It takes place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is the first series to air on Netflix as the part of the Defenders line-up. All episodes were released on the website April 10th 2015.
Production
Since the Fox Disney Company had purchased the streaming service Netflix in 2010, Marvel Comics based movies and television were some of the most steamed content on the entire website. After 20th Century Fox announced they were interested in making original content for Netflix they heavily encouraged Marvel Television to expand the Marvel Cinematic Universe onto its catalogue of exclusive content. In 2013, Jeph Loeb finally pitched an idea for four different television series on Hulu, including Daredevil, who would eventually team up in a crossover event called The Defenders, not unlike The Avengers except on the small screen, Kevin Feige and Fox both loved the idea. At comic con of that year plans were announced with Daredevil Season 1 slated to be released sometime in 2015.
Production quickly began on the series with Steven DeKnight being announced as Showrunner. Details revealed about the project confirmed that Daredevil and all the upcoming Defenders shows were going to be adaptations of the Marvel MAX comics. They would contain adult themes, intense gore, and highlight a much darker and crueler part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with an emphasis on high quality storytelling, being compared to series like Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead. Daredevil in particular being inspired by Frank Miller's classic run on the character.
Filming occurred in 2014 in New York City and the series released all of the first season's episodes to Netflix April 10th 2015.
Cast
Main Cast
- Charlie Cox as Matthew "Matt" Murdock/Daredevil
- Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin
- Elden Henson as Franklin "Foggy" Nelson
- Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page
- Toby Leonard Moore as James Wesley/Arranger
- Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple/Night Nurse
- Vondie Curtis-Hall as Ben Urich
- Ayelet Zurer as Vanessa Fisk
- Justin Chatwin as Richard Fisk
Supporting Cast
- Bob Gunton as Leland Owlsley/Owl
- Matt Gerald as Melvin Potter/Gladiator
- Chazz Palmintari as Ray Rigoletto
- Nikolai Nikolaeff as Yuri Brevlov
- Peter Shinkoda as Harry Kenkoy
- Wai Ching Ho as Gao
- Scott Glenn as Stick
- Adriane Lenox as Doris Urich
- Royce Johnson as Brett Mahoney
- Peter McRobbie as Father Christopher Lantom
- Amy Rutberg as Deborah Harris
- Michelle Hurd as Rosalind Sharpe
- Rob Morgan as Turk Barrett
- Geoffrey Cantor as Mitchell Ellison
- Judith Delgado as Gabriela Nuñez
- Alex Morf as Abner Jonas
- John Patrick Hayden as Jack "Battlin" Murdock (Flashback)
Episodes
The Path of the Righteous
The series starts in Hell's Kitchen, New York at midnight. Turk Barrett is bringing in a group of kidnapped young women into a cargo create on the docks. He begins talking with the other crooks that the Owl swears the sex ring market in Europe is growing and they need to sell these women soon before it goes back down again. Suddenly, a bunch of the thugs begin getting dragged into the darkness and quickly beaten. Turk takes his gun out and starts shooting aimlessly until behind him a vigilante in a black mask is exposed under a lamp post and proceeds to break both of his arms and throw Turk into the water. The vigilante lets the women go and once they leave yanks his mask off, revealing his face to the audience.
The next day it shows him at confession to Father Christopher Lantom. Revealing his name to be Matt Murdock, and that it's been "too long" since he's gone to Church. But that his life is about to change soon and he thinks it's important to reconnect with his faith. Lantom quotes Ezekiel 25:17 "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children." The Father adds on that Matthew is defending the innocent. He has no reason to feel shame. Matt thanks him and proceeds to put on a pair of opaque sunglasses and use a white cane to exit the Church, revealing to the audience he has been blind this whole time.
Theme Song Plays
Matt is walking through Hell's Kitchen the next day as it shows Avengers Tower in the skyline overhead. While navigating he is able to hear a quiet conversation between two men about the club they went to last night, he is able to taste the food from a Shawarma Truck across the street, he literally feels a puddle of water on the ground which he avoids stepping into, and smells marijuana hidden inside of a someone's pocket. Murdock soon gets a call from his friend and work colleague Foggy Nelson who asks where he is, the Real Estate Agent is waiting for them. He tells him he'll be right there, he just had to make a small pit stop at first.
At the Office Building, Foggy meets up with Matt and tells him it's not exactly in their price range but once they become big shot lawyers Nelson and Murdock will start racking up so many clients they'll be able to pay it back and upgrade in at least a year. Matt sarcastically tells him sure and the Real Estate Agent gives them a tour of the property, claiming that it was destroyed after the Crisis but completely rebuilt showing off the latest structural designs only too late realizing Matt can't see them. He tells her it's alright and begins to act charming before conversing with Foggy and realizing they'll take it. As she leaves to get the paperwork, he asks Matt if he's going to "hit that" later. He tells him he's not looking for a hook up right now, and Foggy tells him bullshit. Going on about how he could at least live vicariously through the "poor handsome blind guy" every girl wants to fuck. He then comments how odd it is that Matt can always seem to tell when they're hot even though he doesn't know what they look like. He laughs and tells Foggy it's him it's just the luck of the Irish.
He then has a flashback of his childhood where Matt's father "Battlin" Jack Murdock is getting beaten badly in a boxing match until his opponent begins to physically exhaust himself giving Jack the opportunity to pull out a win with young Matt in the audience cheering. At their home Jack sits down and Matt begins helping to stitch his wounds, Jack tells him he doesn't want him to come to his matches anymore. He needs to be studying instead. But Matt tells his father he wants to cheer him on but Jack says he never studied as a kid and now Boxing is all he can do, Matt has to be different. Jack then tells him he'll sleep off these cuts and to just do his homework now.
Back in the present, a Wall Street banker named Leland Owlsley and his partner Frank Farnum go over legitimate finances before discussing their undercover dealings in crime. They go their separate ways, Farnum proceeding to ask out Secretary Karen Page on a date. Owlsley goes to eat his lunch outside until being approached by a man in a black suit, who tells him he knows about his identity as the Owl, and even knows about the fact he's a Mutant. Leland asks who he is and the man says to simply call him the Arranger. That he doesn't wish to expose him but instead desires for the Owl and his associates to begin working with his employer, who they'll call the Kingpin. Owlsley tells him to leave now, he has no proof for his accusations against him and could sue him for slander. The Arranger points out he has very little incentive to expose the Owl but instead wants to show him something. He pulls out a tablet and on it is a live feed of his daughter, Jubula, and a Hitman stationed right next to her. The Arranger tells him there is a meeting his employer is hosting tomorrow, a man they will refer to as the Kingpin. For his daughter's sake he would be wise to attend. Owlsley claims he will discuss it with his associates, but the Arranger tells him they only wish for him to attend. They'll deal with any other unnecessary assets. Owlsley then looks over at Frank talking with Karen. The next morning it shows Karen Page arrive at her apartment and tell Frank that last night was great, she picked up some coffee for both of them. She opens the door and walks into her bedroom only to find Farnum's body deceased and covered in blood, she screams and shortly after the police barge in and arrest her.
Foggy Nelson is walking through Manhattan and delivers a box of doughnuts to local police officer Brett Mahoney. He asks Foggy what he wants this time, and he asks if he can't just buy some treats for his friend from High School. Brett gives him a look and Foggy gives in telling him Nelson and Murdock finally have an office and that if he happens to spot any cases he think they could help them get their foot in the door, he should give them a heads up. Mahoney tells him he's in luck, one just came in this morning. Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson are then at the precinct interviewing Karen Page about what happened and she explains the situation, Matt hearing her heartbeat to realize she's telling the truth. Having little to no clients and Karen not having the money to hire any other legal defense, the two realize they can help each other and Nelson and Murdock officially take on her case. Matt than has a flashback to when he was in elementary school, a bully pushes young Matt down claiming his father put his in the hospital and says he wants to fight him. Matt claims they're not supposed to fight and the bully starts to call him a pussy, before ironically mocking him with the nickname "Daredevil".
In the present once again, Matt and Foggy escort Karen to her apartment. She claims that she doesn't feel safe here but Foggy tells her there's a police unit stationed outside, she'll be fine. Matt then sits next to her saying that he knows this is a scary time and that the world feels like a really fucked up place right now. But to trust him, there is light and they will get her out of this. Karen seems skeptical and Matt says he understands if she thinks he's full of shit, but he's learned that lesson many times in his life and he knows she can too. It then shows inside of an abandoned highrise, Owlsley gently flies up to meet everyone. Don Ray Rigoletto muttering under his breath "Fucking Mutants". Leland says he's not young as he used to be flying this high takes a lot out of him, asking where the Kingpin is. Yuri Brevlov agrees, wanting to meet him as well. The Arranger soon shows up and says he's glad they all could make it, but the Kingpin will not be showing up tonight. All of the men begin to argue with him until an elderly Chinese woman named Gao begins to laugh and mutter something in Mandarin. Owlsley asks Harry Kenkoy if she's with him and he says that he's Japanese.
The Arranger tells the group she's mocking their pigheadedness. The Kingpin doesn't need to show his face to rule. He simply wishes to expand his empire to absorb Owlsley's Syndicate. They already have domain over the Mafia headed by Rigoletto, the Bratva headed by Brevlov, the Yakuza headed Kenkoy, the Triad headed by Gao. The Kingpin desires to expand throughout all of Hell's Kitchen, if he plays along he will be compensated heavily, if he does not he will be crushed and taken in by force. The choice is his. The Arranger soon makes his leave saying to the Owl that this is his opportunity to make deals with his new comrades. At Nelson and Murdock's Law Firm, Matt is going through the files on the Karen Page case and tells Foggy what he doesn't get is who could've killed Frank Farnum on a regular morning and not have left a single eye witness. He tells him she probably did it, they're defense attorneys, innocent to them is anyone not charged of anything. Matt says or this was done by someone good. He the puts the pieces together and tells Nelson he's "going home for the night". It then shows a flashback of Matt skateboarding home from school until running into the bully again with a group of his friends. He tries to go by them but they keep taunting "Daredevil" and he eventually blows up telling them to stop calling him that. The bully tells him to prove he's not a pussy and go skateboard across the busy intersection. Matt does it and when he goes into the street multiple car crashes can be heard.
At Karen Page's apartment, she's sitting on the couch drinking tea until hearing someone come in. She then gets out a knife and hides in the corner until the Arranger's Hitman sneaks in and begins to go after her. She tries to scream for help but the police stationed outside do nothing. Suddenly, Matt in his vigilante mask shows up and begins fighting the hitman and they both manage to be thrown outside the window. On the pavement, he slowly gets up and has his final flashback of Jack Murdock running through the streets of Hell's Kitchen seeing the car crash from before was a Roxxon Truck full of toxic waste, a ton of which managed to get right into young Matt's eyes. Jack tries to wipe it off but the boy eventually sees the entire world go dark as he begins screaming how he can't see! He's completely blind. In the present once again, he lifts himself out of the rain water and kills the hitman by snapping his neck. Karen outside as well is terrified and the Vigilante tries to calm her, before running away.
The next day at the precinct, Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson are talking to two detectives about what happened last night. The lawyers say their client claimed a man tried to kill her and their officers were nowhere to be found. One of the Detectives seems to deny any of it happened, saying Page showed no signs of physical damage and no eye witnesses reports claiming vigilante in a black mask was ever at the scene. Foggy tells him the evidence is irrefutable, the shattered window and the body of the hitman are all the evidence they need. Matt eventually claims they will have to take this to court and have a judge decide for them. As they're walking out Foggy and Matt are both excited. Nelson happy about their firm getting it's big break and Murdock happy they have the chance to help an innocent woman.
It later shows Matt go to the Fogwell Gym and begins training with the punching bag. While he does that it shows a montage of crime all throughout Hell's Kitchen being committed by the Mafia, Bratva, Yakuza, Triad, and Syndicate finally ending with Foggy putting the plaque for Nelson and Murdock: Attorneys at Law on the outside of their building. It later shows Murdock back at Church speaking to Father Lantom telling him he was thinking about their last confession, that there's another part of Ezekiel 25:17 he's been thinking about: "And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you." Lantom tells him the passage has many meanings. It can be a call to defend the innocent or to punish the guilty. The choice is his. Matt responds saying it's a thin line before it shows him that night atop a roof where he proceeds to put on his black mask and jump down to continue his activities as a vigilante.
Cut Man
The episode starts inside Metro-General Hospital nurse Claire Temple leaves for the night and heads back to her apartment where she heats up some leftover Thai Food for dinner. Once she finishes eating Claire goes to throw it out but notices her trashcan overflowing. She swears and then goes outside out to the big dumpster and opens it only to find Matt in his vigilante attire nearly dead inside of it. The nurse drops her trash and quickly takes him to her apartment.
Theme Song Plays
Outside the Nelson and Murdock Offices, Karen Page knocks on the door and Foggy answers it, he wonders if there's anything she needs and Page tells him she can't sleep and wants to be with someone. He asks if Karen has any friends and she claims she doesn't, she usually kept to herself on Wall Street. Foggy says that he could use a drink at Josie's Bar after all the paperwork he's been going through and will take her there.
In a flashback, young Matt wakes up in the hospital overwhelmed by his enhanced senses and terrified about being blind, until Jack comes to comfort her. He tells Matt they're going to get through this. He promises. Matt asks why everything is so loud and Jack explains to him the medication might be making him feel loopy. In the present, Matt wakes up suffering from a near collapsed lung until he is helped by Claire Temple. He asks what's going on and Claire says she found him in a dumpster and it's his lucky day since she happens to be a Doctor. He then nervously asks if he's in a hospital and she tells him it's her apartment, he was bleeding real bad down there and she didn't have enough time to take him. Matt then realizes she saw his face and Claire points out he saw her's too, so they're both accessories to whatever he was involved in. Matt tells her he can't see her. Claire is confused by that and then shines a light in his eyes only for his pupils to not dilate, realizing he's blind. Temple tells him he needs to start talking now maybe tell her his name first. Matt responds with "Lester" and it's a long story. She says her name is Claire, and he has plenty of time to explain to her why a blind man is in spandex nearly bleeding to death, since he's going to need at least six different stitches.
At Josie's Bar, Foggy and Karen are getting drinks. Page says how much of a nightmare this has all been, she just got fired from her job and could actually go to jail. Foggy tries to cheer her up saying that they have a case, a decent chance for her being able to get out of this scot free. After what happened with that nut in the mask the authorities will be bending over backwards to keep her protected. Karen tells him he wasn't a "nut in a mask" he saved her life. Foggy responds that maybe he's old fashioned but to him, masked men who go around murdering dudes is not someone to be looked up to in his book. Like what if he wasn't even there to protect her and was settling some score. Karen says she can't think like that, if she does she'll never be able to sleep again. Page downs her entire drink like a shot and says maybe she should've just stayed in Vermont. Foggy explains Karen shouldn't think like that, Hell's Kitchen is definitely hectic but points out how many people live here and how many of them can make it through a day. If she doesn't want to sleep she doesn't have to, they'll stay out all night and party.
At Claire's apartment, Nurse Temple is working on Matt's wounds while he explains that while he might be blind his other senses, they're... better. He goes on to say he uses his abilities to clean up crime around Hell's Kitchen, the Italians and the Russians were meeting up for illegal arms trading. Matt tried to stop them but he got too excited, they outnumbered and nearly killed him. Claire clarifies that his story is that he's a blind man, with super senses who goes around like Iron Man killing criminals. Temple asks even if she does believe that why would she go out of her way to help him. No matter what the real story behind this is, it isn't going to look good to the authorities. He suddenly bolts up and gets on his mask again, saying if she needs proof of his abilities, the Russians and Italians are outside right now. They're surrounding the entire apartment complex, he can hear all of them walking through the lobby, he also tastes lead, they're all armed to the teeth. He warns Claire that they're going to terrorize every resident until they find him, he has to fight them off. She insists he's too hurt but Matt puts some toilet paper over his stitches and says there's no other way.
In a flashback, young Matt is at school overwhelmed by his enhanced senses, until hearing the bully from before picking on another kid. Angry, he takes his white cane and begins beating him with it. In the present, the Russians and Italians are in the apartment lobby interrogating the receptionist. A few floors up, Matt is sneaking through the halls with Claire Temple and takes out a thug walking up to them via the stairway. Matt informs her if she runs down the steps she might be able to get out through the backdoor. Claire almost listens until seeing her neighbor badly hurt on the ground and rushes over to help them. Matt asks what she's doing and Claire tells him these are her friends and she can't just let them die like this. He tells her he'll take care of them, but the Nurse points out he's barely walking. Back at Josie's Bar, Foggy and Karen are playing pool together both drunk. Page notices her phone ringing and it's an unknown number. Foggy tells her not to worry about it, probably just a telemarketer or something. She listens to him and continues to play, asking how he and Matt met. Foggy says they went to college together, roommates actually before they realized they were both in pre-law. Once they found that out it was only a matter of time before they started working together in the real world. Karen asks where Matt is now and Foggy doesn't respond instead doing hand gestures that simulate having sex.
At Claire's apartment, Russian and Italian thugs are walking around before getting taken out by Matt through sneak attacks. He tells Claire it's clear and she informs the other tenants who leave their hiding places. A mother begins pleading that her son, Alejandro, had been kidnapped by the thugs. Matt realizes there's a whole bunch on the storage area of the building. He physically feels that they're all bundled up which is why he missed them. Claire says he won't be able take them out and Matt claims he'll fight through them. In storage, the thugs have Alejandro tied up and beaten on the ground next to them while they wait. Matt then shows up and throughout the entire hallway takes out every single thug using his own strength and durability. He then frees Alejandro and after he runs out the Masked Vigilante grabs one of the thugs and has a flashback of getting home from school. Jack Murdock asks his son what the fuck for getting in a fight, telling him about his no violence rule. Matt says how he's blind, he won't be able to learn anymore. Jack tells him never to talk like that again, he might need to work harder but that's not going to stop him from being different from his old man. He then gives him a pamphlet with the basics of Braille. Matt begins feeling it and Jack apologizes for lashing out, claiming that they're Murdocks, and it's not about if you fall down it's about how you get up.
It then shows Matt on the apartment rooftop with the thug. He interrogates him about why the Italians and Russians are working together while Claire subtly watches. The thug claims they both have a mutual benefit to it but realizes he's lying and beats him. The thug then tells the truth saying there someone's bigger than both of them in Hell's Kitchen and they all have the same boss now. Matt is shocked to hear that, but realizes it's true. Being done with the thug he throws him off the building while Claire shouts for him to stop. Commenting on how he just murdered a man in cold blood. Matt tells her it's one less criminal on the street, Claire saw what he was doing when she found him in the dumpster. She knew what she was getting into. The nurse tells him that wasn't it at all, she saved him because at Metro-General she'd heard stories of evil doers beaten and innocents saved by a man in a black mask. She wants to think what he's doing is good, but if he's an murderer, he's as bad as them. Matt tells her he's going home and to stay out of trouble. As he's walking away Claire tells "Lester" that if he can't change himself he'll never make a difference in Hell's Kitchen. He simply ignores her and continues to walk.
On the city streets, Foggy and Karen are walking home drunkly talking to one another. Nelson yelling out that Hell's Kitchen doesn't scare them anymore. Asking any men hiding in shadows if they hear that, Foggy Nelson and Karen Page aren't afraid of them. She begins laughing and tells him to keep his voice down. He tells her he's not tired at all and is going to head back to the office and try to work off this buzz with some boring lawyer shit. Karen comes with him and he gets the key back into Nelson and Murdock's office only to see Matt inside working. He calmly tells Foggy he didn't expect to see him there this early, and says hello to Karen. Foggy responds he could say the same thing to Matt, he tells his friend that he went to bed early after the gym and just wanted to get started early. Foggy tells him he totally did the same thing. Karen notices her getting a call again from the same unknown number and Matt encourages her to pick up, she does and talks a little before telling her two Lawyers that was Ben Urich at the New York Bulletin, he wants to interview her.
Condemned
The episode starts with Leland Owlsley and his daughter, Jubula, enjoying a game at the Bowling Alley until Turk Barrett with both his arms in casts confronts them. Turk tells Owlsley that he shorted him five grand for his job at the docks. Jubula asks who he is and Leland tells her it's just a work thing, before whispering if he's out of his mind coming here asking about this. Turk just argues that they both had an agreement but the Owl says their agreement was assuming he wouldn't get the shit kicked out of him and let the loot go. Money and influence are tight now, he'll give him a share when the dust settles. Turk angrily shouts how Leland still seems have enough dough to dick around in this place, Owlsley then pushes him down exacerbating his wounds and causing everyone in the alley, including Jubula to begin staring at him in shock.
Theme Song Plays
The next morning at the New York Bulletin, Ben Urich is focusing intensely on editing his latest article until his boss Mitchell Ellison bursts into his office and tells him to get the latest piece up before lunch. Urich informs Ellison that he's got a good one brewing, Leland Owlsley involved in a scandal concerning the local Syndicate. Mitchell sighs and tells Urich to discard the article and try to get something better tomorrow. He asks what gives and Mitchell says maybe he isn't aware but paper news isn't exactly selling in today's market. They need to be ahead of the game, jumping on trends. No one gives a flying fuck that some fat cat banker might be involved with a few thugs, they all are. Everyone knows already. Ellison suggests he makes an article on that new iPhone Game instead. At the Nelson and Murdock Offices, Matt is giving Karen advice on what to say for her interview and how nailing this could be good for the trial. Foggy comes in obviously hung over and asks what he missed. They both chuckle and Matt points out it's been two days, Nelson informs them staying up all night with a bottle of tequila isn't quite as easy as it was back in his hayday.
Murdock begins catching Foggy up on how they go to court tomorrow. He asks how it's looking and Matt says so far, it could go either way. Page anxiously assures them that they'll be able to do this, no matter how the Urich interview goes. Foggy tells her she's got nothing to be afraid of Nelson and Murdock have been preparing literally their entire careers for this moment. He asks Matt right and he feigns agreement with Nelson's assessment. In a flashback, at the Fogwell Gym Jack Murdock is training while Matt practices Braille. He tells his son how he heard he's heard about his great grades at school, that he's very proud of him. Matt tells him how he's getting the hang of learning the new alphabet until Jack then gets called over by gangster Roscoe Sweeney. He asks what's up and Sweeney tells him that he and the Irish Mob have a lot of stake in the next match, for Killer Casey, Murdock's opponent. They want him to lose and will give him a share of the cut if he does it. Jack seems skeptical but Roscoe tells him it won't be easy raising a blind boy in the streets of this city, the money could do a lot of good for him. Hearing that and looking over at his son continue to familiarize himself with Braille agrees to do it, but wants the money upfront. In the present, Owlsley is in his office at Wall Street until the phone begins ringing and he aggressively picks it up telling the Arranger that he is aware that this is a mess and to stop reminding him of it every motherfucking minute.
Much to his chagrin, the individual on the other line of the phone claims he is the Kingpin, not the Arranger. Leland quickly apologizes and Kingpin claims that the Owl has a reputation in Hell's Kitchen and he is a man who respects legacies. For that reason he will give him one chance to fix this. Owlsley thanks him for the opportunity saying this is all a little bit out of his element, he's usually the one working behind the curtain, and certainly not for someone else. He'll make it up to him and do what he is good at, the court case against Karen Page is coming soon, he'll put the Syndicate to work and ensure the jury makes the right decision. At the precinct, Matt and Foggy walk into an office where they meet a man named James Wesley, who is revealed to be the true identity of the Arranger. He begins telling the two Lawyers that he represents Union Allied Construction who have been represented by Frank Farnum in many mergers and believe they have a non-binding obligation to see his murder brought to justice. In which case he will be funding the prosecution. Foggy asks if he called him down here just to tell him that, and Wesley mentions their first act of business is trying to possibly reach a plea bargain that can satisfy both parties. Matt Murdock begins to smell a certain whiff of cologne off Wesley which he recognizes from one of the Italian thugs he fought before.
He proceeds to quickly tell him they're not interested, as Miss Page is not guilty. Foggy tells Matt not to dismiss it so quickly but he stands firm in the position that they'll get her released of all charges in court. James is annoyed by his stubbornness, though nonetheless tells him the choice is his. Foggy tries to point out how Matt was skeptical they could even win this case before, he simply tells Nelson he'll meet him at the office before walking out. He begins following Wesley who gets inside of a Limo with the Kingpin (who's face isn't shown) telling him how thanks to Owlsley they nearly have every selected jury member in their pocket. Kingpin asks about Nelson and Murdock and he claims they're just a grassroots Law Firm trying to get some wins, they shouldn't be a threat. Matt is able to hear all of that with his super senses before they drive away. In a flashback, young Matt is at his home reciting a poem in Braille much to Jack's amusement and thanks his Dad for pushing him so hard before to keep studying. Claiming how he might actually want to be a Doctor or a Lawyer when he grows up. Jack becomes quiet before telling Matt he's definitely smart enough for it. He then goes over to the phone and calls someone telling them he'll knock out Killer Casey for a huge sum of money. After making the deal he calls someone else, telling them that he knows she doesn't want to talk to him again and he understands. But that Matt and him have fallen on some hard times and he has a scheme to make him some money for his future, but it will probably get him killed. That Matt's going to need someone to look after him, and she's all he's gonna have left.
At the New York Bulletin, Karen Page arrives and is greeted by Ben Urich who has her take a seat. He interviews her basic questions about the case against her and then begins asking questions about Leland Owlsley and working for him in addition to her connection with Frank Farnum. She answers all of his questions candidly and about how working as a Secretary there were inconsistencies in his files but she assumed they were errors. At the Nelson and Murdock Offices, they begin putting their case together and Foggy insists he never realized how boring this could be and asks why he wanted to be a lawyer in the first place. Matt humorously points out because he wants to be rich. Both men eventually leave for the night. On the streets of Hell's Kitchen, a Syndicate thug is talking a handful of the jurors late at night and gets them all to agree to a price that will keep all of their mouths shut. He then goes to his truck to get the stacks of cash before being brutally assaulted by Matt in his vigilante disguise. He tells him to call off the deal the terrified thug runs over the jurors telling them the it's off. They all leave and Matt asks him why the Owl wants Karen Page behind bars and he tells him it's coming from a higher up, Owl isn't the one calling the shots anymore.
Ben Urich at the docks meets up Turk Barrett, who asks if they could've met anywhere else. He brings up how he got thrown right into there arms broken left for dead. Turk then asks what he wants and Urich claims he has reason to believe that Leland Owlsley is involved in Syndicate operations across Hell's Kitchen and he heard from the situation at the Bowling Alley he and the Owl didn't part on good terms. Turk laughs and says he doesn't want to say nothing, except that it isn't a coincidence Union Allied Construction is trying to quickly pin Frank Farnum's murder onto an easy target. At Page's trial Matt and Foggy get ready. James Wesley then enters with Union Allied Construction's lawyer Deborah Harris, Foggy's ex-girlfriend. They exchange fake formalities and agree this will just like the mock cases they did together at Landman and Zack. She meets Karen and begins to annoyed at her friendliness with Foggy before sitting down. The Judge makes order in the court and Deborah proceeds to make her case as the prosecutor. Afterwards Matt Murdock stands up and gives a brilliant defense that the entire room appears to be compelled by.
They have a recess where James Wesley asks one of the Jurors to do what they paid them for but he informs him the deal got called off. Outside, Leland and Jubula are walking until Owlsley gets a text from the Arranger that he better have a plan with this Jury since the bribe didn't go through. He begins to act paranoid and his daughter asks what's wrong. He tells her it's nothing. Just something about work. Back in the Courthouse, the Jury claims to have reached a verdict. They find Karen Page to be innocent of all charges. The lawyers celebrate with her and she asks how she could ever repay them, Matt tells her not to mention it, the exposure will be enough until she gets the money. Karen says how speaking of which, she doesn't actually have a job anymore and has skills as a Secretary, maybe she could work for Nelson and Murdock to help them get more clients. Foggy claims that's a great idea and Matt seems to also like it. He then smells Wesley's cologne and uses his super hearing to listen in on his phone call with Owlsley. Telling him to get his Syndicate in order, make an example of the men who keep humiliating him. Leland responds that with Farnum followed up so soon by those two they'll be leaving trail of bodies, and trails often lead somewhere. Wesley tells him if heads don't start rolling his will.
This causes a flashback, of Matt at home sitting at his television listening to the Battlin' Jack vs Killer Casey match and his father winning. At the boxing arena, Jack runs outside and collects his cash making sure it's held under a secure bank account before going outside. Back at home, Matt hears a gun shot and begins running outside following Jack's sensation to a nearby alleyway where he feels his father body, bloody and murdered for not throwing the match. That night, the Owl shows up at an abandoned underground parking lot dressed in a thick brown coat. Turk Barrett is tied up and being tortured and beaten with billy clubs. The Owl comes closer to him and says he brought this upon himself, Turk tries to convince him none of this is his fault, it's all the man in the mask. The Owl just tells him that fabricated bullshit made to save his own lazy ass has been hurting his family. Owlsley then takes a metal claw off the torture table and begins slashing at him with it until Turk sees Matt in his Vigilante attire in the corner and begins to freak out. When they notice him he begins beating on the Syndicate thugs, even stealing their Billy Clubs right from them. After knocking everyone out he lets Turk Barrett go, and tells him he's going to look the other way and not hurt him, but that he can never show himself in this city again. Turk agrees and proceeds to run off.
Matt starts going too until the Owl literally glides into him and begins flying a dozen meters off the ground grabbing the vigilante, bashing him into walls and digging the metal claws into his skin. Matt uses his Billy Clubs to start attacking Owl and forces him to land breaking the Vigilante's fall. The Owl is in pain on the ground and Matt begins assaulting him more and forces him to talk, demanding to know who he's working for. The Owl claims he's the big man in Hell's Kitchen, he doesn't work for anyone. Matt beats him with the clubs more until he mentions the Kingpin. How he controls everything and everyone in the entire city. Him, the Triad, the Yakuza, the Mafia, and the Bratva. Matt asks what his name is, what he looks like and the Owl claims he doesn't know. He can't fight him and Matt can't either, claiming if they turn he'll go after everyone he loves. The Owl then commits suicide and bleeds out before Matt disappears into the night.
At the New York Bulletin, Ben Urich sees the AMBER Alert on Owlsley's murder and proceeds to change his original article draft to suggest the crime Syndicate possibly having a connection to Union Allied Construction. At Metro-General Hospital Claire Temple is going up the stairs until running into Matt, who says he needs her help again. She asks what he got himself into this time, and he says that he's trying to take down the King. It then shows at an Art Gallery a large bald man in a white suit is looking at a Rothko painting. The collector asks if he's interested and he confirmes that he is, that of all the displays this one feels the most... royal.
In the Blood
The episode starts with Claire Temple stitching up Matt Murdock's wounds in a janitor's closet at Metro-General. She asks him to say again what he's going up against, he tells her he's called the Kingpin. No leads, name, nothing. Just an a vague concept of some monster that has his hand in every crime group in Hell's Kitchen. While Matt is explaining in voiceover it shows Wilson Fisk leaving the Union Allied Construction headquarters and enter a limo. Inside, the Arranger hands Kingpin a New York Bulletin paper connecting their company to the Owl's Syndicate. He looks over it and rips it apart before commanding them to make an example of Urich and get the press back in line. James Wesley tells Fisk that his wife, Doris, frequents a nail salon on 5th and Everett. The Kingpin remains stoic and tells him to inform the Russians.
Theme Song Plays
In a flashback young Matt is shown walking into St. Agnes Orphanage escorted by one of the Nuns. She tells him she knows how hard it is losing his father at such an age, but Jesus is always with him. Matt tells her thank you, he prays everyday. She tells him she thinks he's going to like it here a lot, and introduces him to the rest of the children. He quietly sits down next to them and hears all of their erratic heartbeats, strange smells, and uncomfortable sensations to the point he begins having a panic attack. It then does a blur back into the present where Matt is sitting outside the Church until being joined by Father Lantom. He tells Matt how he looks troubled and asks if he wants to talk about anything, he's always there to heed any questions. Matt tells him he just wanted to be near the Church, it comforts him when he's anxious. Lantom asks what's making him feel that way and he responds that he has "a lot of work to do" before getting up to leave.
Ben Urich is preparing to get inside of his house in Hell's Kitchen until Matt Murdock approaches him and says how he heard about what happened with his wife. Urich asks who he is and Murdock introduces himself as the lawyer who's client he interviewed. He told him he's taking some time off from the Bulletin on account his wife so he can't give his firm anymore publicity. Matt tells him he hopes to see him printing papers soon, but Urich tells him not to count on it. This whole experience has been a wake up call of sorts that the world's changing and he isn't built for this line of work anymore. Matt says how it was a car accident, nothing she could've avoided. He tells him that's what they want everyone to believe. The lawyer sighs and then respectfully tells Urich he wishes him the best in whatever he does decide to do and Ben disappointingly thanks him. At the Nelson and Murdock Offices, Karen Page is getting prepared for her first day as Secretary while Matt asks her how everything is going. She tells him they have a lot of unorganized files, but other than that she's happy to be working again. He tells her that's what he likes to hear, because they just got a new client.
Matt, Foggy, and Karen go into the boardroom where they meet Gabriela Nuñez. She tells them that the state of New York is trying to get her deported since she was born in Mexico. Matt confirms that according to these records her parents brought her into the country illegally when she was three years old. Nuñez confirms that to be the truth, the United States is the only home she's ever known. Her daughter Angelica was born her and she can't leave her. Matt hears her heartbeat and realizes it's fast which he interprets as her lying about something. He tells her she should've applied for citizenship decades ago and if there's a particular reason she's neglected to. Gabriela confesses that in her twenties she got arrested for assault. Foggy comments how that complicates things, but they'll take her case.
At Metro-General Hospital, Ben Urich enters the room where his wife is being held in and begins to cry telling her he's so sorry he let this happen. Doris begins laughing saying she knew what she was getting into when she married a journalist. Mentioning his work against the Mafia and political scandals but Ben tells her it's done after this, he's getting too old for this shit. Whatever he did he really upset the beast and he doesn't have the stamina he once did to fight back. She tells him his soul will never get tired of trying to expose the truth. Ben kisses Doris' hand and tells her to get some rest. As he walks out Claire Temple watches him looking sorrowful. Later that night, the Kingpin is hosting a meeting with Harry Kenkoy, Gao, Don Rigoletto, and Yuri Brevlov. He thanks them all for coming and apologizes for absence as of late. He wanted to address them all personally about what has been happening to their operations recently. Rigoletto tells him he has a lot to say that there's some idiot in a black mask who's been fucking everything up. He already wasted his and Brevlov's boys during a weapon's trade and wasted the Owl. Kenkoy mentions the Yakuza has connections back in Japan who are strongly relaying on him to solidify their foothold in the city. If he fails it will be problematic for all of them.
The Kingpin tells them that the Owl was a weak leader and a living representation of how far Hell's Kitchen has fallen. They've already seized control of the Syndicate's real estate influence so there's no need for him anymore. As for the Man in the Mask he is simply a devoted zealot, but has the potential to become a recurring nuisance. Brevlov mentions how he caught his and Rigoletto's men on a bad night. But in Moscow they've dealt with troublemakers just like him. Urich could be intimidated into silence, but this vigilante has to be put down like a rabid dog. Best way to do that is by luring them out of the shadows and into a trap. It then shows Claire Temple enter her apartment where she sees Matt in his vigilante attire say he needs to talk with her. Claire is startled and informs "Lester" he needs to stop sneaking up on her. Matt asks what's the deal with this Doris Urich situation. Nurse Temple responds she knew it was only a matter of time until he caught onto it. Official reports says it was a car accident, but she works in the Emergency Room, it didn't look like a regular accident. The bone fractures looked like someone purposefully knocked her off road.
Matt says that sounds like the M.O. of the Russians, same type of shit they did here last week. Claire tells him that was what she was thinking. Matt mentions he's been keeping tabs on them and he thinks they're planning something. The Bratva must be the Kingpin's muscle on the streets and with Owl gone they could be trying to enforce order in his Syndicate territory. He then has a flashback at St. Agnes orphanage where young Matt is in the playground trying to cope with his strange feelings. That is until a little girl comes up to him and asks what he's doing, he says everything is distracting him. She points out he can't see but Matt tells her his other senses make up for it. He proceeds to say he knows she won't believe him, but the girl claims that she does, introducing herself as Daisy. The next day, Foggy, Matt and Karen are with Gabriela at the US Citizenship and Immigration Office. The all get called into the front desk after waiting in line and begin pleading their case for her to be naturalized. The Agent insists that they could make this work but her criminal record is holding her back. Neither Nelson nor Murdock have a good response and Gabriela begins to almost sob until Karen gets the idea they could find the person she fought those years ago. Matt realizes that's a good idea, if the assault victim was able to consent to the fact the action didn't yield any significant damage to themselves or their livelihood, it could be just what they need. The agent agrees if they can get that it would change things.
As they're all walking out Foggy praises Karen for thinking outside the box, asking if she's trying to go for a promotion already. Matt asks Nuñez who she assaulted, and she claims it was her daughter's father. Matt rubs his temples telling Foggy and Karen he thinks they may be better equipped to handle this, family drama is, uh, touchy subject for him. He'll be at the office to make some phone calls to sort out the green card application process. Karen tells him she can help, but Matt insists that as Secretary she'll need to move pieces, so to speak, in order to help the case. Foggy tells her it will be fun and she's already shown to have a knack for people skills. That night the Kingpin is having a martini at a private lounge until the Arranger escorts Yuri Brevlov to his booth, where the King had just finished a phone call to someone. Brevlov asks why the Kingpin would call him to this "nauseating place". He ignores the retort and just asks Yuri if he'd like to drink and he rejects it. Kingpin explains that he's been thinking about the Man in the Mask, and what he's doing around Hell's Kitchen. In many ways he admires him, almost the way you would a curiosity at a circus.
Brevlov asks what he wants and the Kingpin claims that he wants the Vigilante captured alive. He wishes to have a conversation with him, an exchange of philosophies between two patriots of this beautiful city. Yuri tells him that's stupid, he's his enemy and hurting his empire. He should simply have him killed and be done with it. Kingpin tells him he didn't ask his advice, he made an order and expects him to follow through. Yuri gets up without a word and begins muttering something in Russian to his accomplices. At a warehouse groups of Bratva thugs begin meeting up outside until the Man in the Mask begins beating on them. One of the thugs manages to stick a tranquilizing needle into his neck, causing the Vigilante to slowly lose consciousness. He has a flashback of St. Agnes again where young Matt is walking until running into Daisy again. She tells him she wants to take him somewhere and they sneak out of the orphanage. In Hell's Kitchen, Daisy begins telling Matt to use his super senses to play pranks on people and see if he can identify things he shouldn't be able to physically see. They have fun doing so until Matt hears someone being brutalized by a violent crime and decides he doesn't want to do this anymore, convincing Daisy to head back with him.
In the present, Foggy and Karen go to Gabriela's ex-lover's apartment. They knock on his door and he answers, Nelson explains the situation to him and how Nuñez could get deported if he doesn't sign these forms and he argues that maybe he wants her to get some bad luck, maybe then he'd get to see his daughter more. Karen and Foggy convince him it would be worse for Angelica if her mother who she grew up with her whole life was gone. Karen pointing out it might seem unlikely right now, but he can rekindle his relationship with them and this is the first step. He reluctantly signs the papers and the lawyer and his secretary tell Gabriela what happened while she's waiting outside. Nuñez thanks them both and says she knows the owner of a famous Mexican restaurant and will let them both eat there for free if they say they know her. Foggy mentions he's starving and Karen says she could eat too. Foggy tries to then call Matt and tell him about what happened. At the Warehouse, Yuri throws water on Matt while he finds himself tied to a chair in Bratva captivity. Brevlov says he put up quite a fight out there, but he finally has him where he wants him. Yuri then punches Matt, and he spits the blood into the Russian's face.
Brevlov says he can't kill him yet, someone else wants him alive. Yuri walks out of the room and Matt uses his superhuman sense of touch to feel his bones and manages to knock himself and the chair over and physically squeeze his hand out of the bonds, before snapping them back into place. Two thugs come in to detain him and Matt fights them before getting his mask and Billy Clubs back out of a drawer. He then begins going through the warehouse stomping every Bratva thug he comes across while Yuri quickly runs outside and escapes in his car. Matt then ignites a propane tank and blows up the warehouse. At the Mexican restaurant, Karen and Foggy are eating dinner. Nelson tells her sarcastically that Matt must be on a smoking hot date with Black Widow since he isn't returning any of his calls. Karen and him get to talking and she mentions how she'd been wanting to get herself out there which is why she accept Frank Farnum's date in the first place. Foggy claims he understands and they eventually get close to each other before Karen tells him she doesn't want this and quickly leaves him alone at the table, saddened and confused.
Ben Urich is walking through the streets late at night until Matt in his disguise lands behind him and informs him that the Bratva are done for, they won't bother him or his wife anymore. Ben asks who he is and Matt tells him he's the "Devil of Hell's Kitchen" and he's going to protect this neighborhood. Ben claims there was a time he would've helped him, the Devil says he can do that now. There's a Kingpin who's behind not just the Bratva but every other crime organization in Hell's Kitchen. Urich realizes it all makes sense, his paper tore apart the Syndicate and the Russians went after Doris, there has to be a man behind it all. Ben then tells the Devil that Union Allied Construction must be involved in this somehow too. Matt claims he thought they were only connected to the Syndicate but Urich mentions how they were still active even after the Owl's death. They must be the laundering front for the Kingpin. If they want to find him, he has to be somewhere inside Union Allied. The Devil asks if he's back in the game and Urich tells him he's piqued his interest now. Matt gives him a burner phone to contact him and says he has a friend at Metro-General, Nurse Claire Temple, her number is in the phone. He then instructs Urich to reach out to her and do some digging into this. He'll see him again soon.
At an abandoned trailer park under the Brooklyn Bridge, Gao, Harry Kenkoy, Don Rigoletto, and the Kingpin are waiting until Yuri Brevlov's car pulls up and he gets out shouting how the Masked Man destroyed everything. All of the Bratva's men and holdings, just because the Kingpin wouldn't let him be killed. The King tells him to calm down but Brevlov says he's starting to think he shouldn't be leading and perhaps it's time to find a new king outside of Wilson Fisk. Everyone is silent after he said that, Rigoletto even asking if that's his real name. The Kingpin stands quietly not moving a muscle before grabbing Yuri by his throat and attacking him. Harry Kenkoy is about to step in but Gao stops him. He then begins to literally smash Yuri's skull in with his own car door completely murdering the Bratva leader. Gao simply mutters something in Mandarin as everyone else tries to accept the gruesome ordeal. At Claire's apartment Matt shows up again and this time she's ready for him. Instantly getting him onto her couch while she looks at his wounds, noting he looks better this time than usual. He claims he knew that but wanted to come anyway, telling her his name isn't actually "Lester" it's Matthew and they proceed to kiss. It then shows the Kingpin walking into his Penthouse where he is greeted by his wife Vanessa and son Richard, revealing to the audience he's had a family this entire time.
Stick
The episode starts with Matt inside Claire Temple apartment's early in the morning as they both start getting dressed. She asks him if he's still killing people, and he asks back how she thinks he gets rid of all the assholes on the streets. Claire wonders why he couldn't just turn them over to the police or something, and Matt says the justice system can be corrupted. He should know, he's a defense lawyer. She is surprised to learn that and Matt goes to comfort her, claiming he spared someone a couple days ago but it's just not possible to do that for everyone. She asks if he really thinks it's impossible, or he just doesn't want to. Murdock puts his head down and tells her he spoke to Ben Urich last night, if Claire really wants to help needs to meet him sometime today and discuss it. Temple asks why Matt couldn't do it and he claims he has Attorney shit that he needs to do when he's not in costume. Claire claims she has Nurse shit though, but Matt tells her to work the night shift for the next couple days. As he begins walking out of her apartment onto the sidewalk Murdock hears someone coming towards him and has a familiar feeling before uttering Stick. It then shows an elderly blind man behind Matt who greets him and says it's been awhile.
Theme Song Plays
Matt takes Stick to his apartment and asks where he's been. He simply responds "around" doing what he does best, Matt clarifies he's talking about some "war" against a non-existent enemy. Stick replies that he and Matt are fighting the same battle on two fronts, he knows what he does every night. Fucking up criminals with a sock over his head. It's sloppy, but has potential. Matt wonders why Stick is back and he responds asking if he's heard of a man named Harold Kenkoy. Matt says that he doesn't, and Stick tells him that he's a high ranking boss in the Yakuza and let's just say he has his dick in something across the ocean that's dangerous for everyone, it shows a montage of Harry Kenkoy instructing Yakuza thugs in Japanese to prepare for something important. Matt realizes if he's Yakuza, Kenkoy is probably connected to the Kingpin. The sensei asks who that is and Matt claims that Stick has secrets, so does he. It then does a flashback of young Matt in St. Agnes. He's trying to use his super senses until hearing something behind him who grabs Matt's arm. He asks who he is and he tells him to just call him "Stick", that he knows what he can do and that it's a gift. He can do the very same things. But unlike him, Matt is just wasting it. The child asks Stick how he thinks he could use it better and the Sensei claims he'll adopt him and teach him how.
At a diner in Hell's Kitchen, Claire Temple is sitting by herself until Ben Urich reveals himself to be in the booth right behind her. The Nurse is about to turn her head but Ben tells her to keep looking forward, that their mutual friend and him discovered an important piece of this puzzle. Claire asks what that is and Ben explains that the Kingpin is somewhere inside Union Allied Construction using it as a means to fund his criminal enterprises. They need to somehow go undercover and get ahold of their records, that way they can find out how exactly they're doing that and narrow down who in the company Kingpin actually is. The Nurse asks how he expects to get all of that and Ben tells her that where she comes in. At the Union Allied Headquarters, Wilson Fisk takes an elevator upstairs to see his son, Richard Fisk who just finishes a phone call and greets his Dad. Wilson tells him he's going to need to look over some permits for shipped materials coming by boat over from Asia. Richard asks why he would need to see those, they spent nearly three years trying to work out those distribution deals but Wilson tells him he needs to renew old contracts for the next quarter. Richard argues but he tells him that he knows what he's doing and to not question him on this, slowly stepping forward, which makes him gulp in intimidation. His son backs down and says he'll forward it to him as soon as he has the time. Wilson then calls Harry Kenkoy on the other line and tells him it's done, he expects the Yakuza's connections will be manageable now that he has agreed to allow this. Kenkoy confirms both his loyalties will be in harmony once this transaction concludes.
At the Nelson and Murdock Offices, Matt walks inside and says good morning to Karen, who quietly passes him by. Foggy asks where he was last night, he left like fifteen messages. Matt tells him his foster father came back to town and it was a little bit a shit show. Foggy tells him he's sorry for pushing it, but that he didn't exactly have a great night either. He and Karen went to dinner and he kinda tried to kiss her, and she moved away. Matt is about to scold him, but Foggy says he knows he's an idiot but it's made things awkward at work. Matt tells Nelson he was the one who made this uncomfortable, it's his responsibility is to make it right. She deserves a break after everything she's been through. Foggy tells him he'll try. Matt continues on it's not like he blames Foggy, they would actually be good together. He then confesses he's actually been seeing someone recently. Nelson responds that's a nice humble brag and asks if she's hot. Murdock simply laughs and tells him he thinks he already knows. Claire Temple and Ben Urich are at an auction where they plan to bid on a former subsidiary of Union Allied. Once it comes up they place their bid only for someone to consistently outbid them, Ben realizes he'll have to put everything on the line to get this, but the only downside is it could stop treatment for his wife. Claire says she can pull some strings at Metro-General to keep her there and Ben makes the bid, which they win.
It then does another flashback of young Matt with Stick. He takes him to his house and tells the child he's going to teach him how to fight. He tries to do an easy move on him and Matt fumbles about, claiming that he can't see him! Stick tells him to use his other senses and Matt says his Dad told him he didn't want him to fight. Stick reminds Matt his Dad isn't here anymore and he tells him this is bullshit. His eyes are gone, he went through this in therapy. He almost cries before saying his eyes, his dad, everything is gone. Stick tells Matt to pull himself together, he went through the same shit as him. But what he learned was losing his eyes the way both of them did, it's a gift. They might not be able to watch movies or see colors, but they can navigate the world better than anyone else can, and that world is fucked up place. He needs to learn how to kick it's ass if he's going to survive it. He helps Matt up and takes him outside to show him something. In Central Park, he begins teaching Matt how to use all of his enhanced senses to understand the world around him and to also focus them to act almost a radar sense to make up for his lost vision.
In the present, Matt is getting on his black vigilante costume at his apartment at night while Stick comments it's just like old times. Matt informs him he still gets nostalgic about it every now and then, but then he remembers how it ended. Stick says him leaving without a trace, he figured that wouldn't sit too well with him. Matt asks then why he would do it and Stick simply asks him if he enjoys his life now. The friend, the job, the pussy. He knew what he was getting out of when he found him this morning, he could taste it. Matt grabs Stick by his shirt and he reverses the attack putting him in a headlock, mocking the Vigilante that even as an old man he's still stronger. Stick lets him go and Matt asks what they're doing. He explains that Kenkoy is prepared to get a shipment, and they're going to disrupt it. At Fisk's penthouse, he's with his wife Vanessa. She goes over how she heard there was an explosion just a couple blocks down from their home, something involving gang warfare with the Russians. Wilson tells her it's terrible what's happening, such disorder plaguing Hell's Kitchen.
She tells him she never understood why he insisted they make a home here, raise Richard in a place like this. He tells her it's hard to understand when she didn't grow up here, it might look rough on the outside but once you become accustomed to it you see everything in a new light. Vanessa tells him if he's happy, she is. Wilson says how much he loves her before kissing her cheek.
In Ben Urich's car, him and Claire are going over the records for the Union Allied asset to see if they can find anything. They eventually come across a record of huge boom in stock price before the sale sometime in spring 2012. Claire remembers that was when the Manhattan Crisis occurred. Ben realizes it all makes sense, after the Avengers tore apart New York in their battle Union Allied Construction had a deal with the city to rebuild everything, they must've been paid billions and given them a foothold in every corner. Claire asks if this is good, and Ben tells her it's very good, this is the evidence they need to show Union Allied has the resources to run a criminal empire. They have to tell the Devil of Hell's Kitchen about this.
On the docks, Kenkoy is overseeing the Yakuza receive a shipment from Japan. Stick and Matt watch from a distance, and the Vigilante says they'll take out the soldiers and it will give them an opening right to Harry. Stick tells him these Yakuza mooks don't matter to him, what's important is the shipments. Matt hears chains going off and formulates a new plan, they'll unlatch the chains moving the boxes and drop them in the water. Stick likes the plan and take out a samurai sword while Matt gets his clubs out and they begin sneaking to the chain holdings and destroy them, causing all the shipments to collapse and fall out of place. Harry Kenkoy becomes panicked when that happens and demands his thugs to fix this, claiming those boxes are worth more than they all are. At the Nelson and Murdock Offices, Foggy and Karen are sitting together quietly until he blurts out they can't sit here and pretend like nothing happened. He gets it, she doesn't feel that way he does about him, he understands, hell, it's only happened to him with almost fucking girl he's ever liked. But he shouldn't let that ruin her new job. Karen says she agrees, and it's not like she's mad at Foggy. Page understands that they were talking about dating and love lives, but she just, she sees Foggy as a friend and needs that right now. Foggy sounding disappointed yet relieved, telling her he can live with that.
At the docks again, Harry Kenkoy begins walking inside becoming increasingly paranoid and jumping at every sound he hears. Until Matt and Stick confront him, he tries to fight but Matt bashes him in the stomach and Stick cuts off his hand. He demands to know what "they" want. He tells him New York is going to be "drained" next. He's helping them in exchange for safety. Stick says it's just what he thought and is about to behead Kenkoy, before Matt stops him. Saying that's all he knows, there's no reason to kill him. Stick points out he's murdered for less before but he claims he's trying to change. Stick laughs realizing his friends are getting to him, making him soft. He didn't think it was possible for Matt's soul to get weaker, but alas he was proven wrong. Matt says he doesn't have to take that from him, and Stick demands he earn his respect. The Vigilante and him begin to fight while he has a flashback of them battling with similar techniques during a training montage, while Matt is a teenager. He finishes and Stick praises him and says he's improving. He adds on they'll continue first thing tomorrow morning, and tells Matt to get some rest. The teen responds by telling him he has an SAT test tomorrow he'll need to do, it's almost the application deadline for Columbia. Stick is speechless before asking if Matt cares about going to college, he tells him he thinks about it everyday. Stick then tells him to get out of his house, Matt says he doesn't understand but the Sensei screams they're done and it's over now.
Matt and him are shown to still be fighting in the present while he tells Stick he's angry that he can't control him anymore, can't turn him into his own personal killing machine. Matt then defeats Stick and brutally beats him down. On the ground he slowly gets up and says he's impressed, to do whatever he wants with Kenkoy, Matt might just might be an asset in this after all. The Vigilante takes Harry and brings him to the Precinct where he drops him off on the stairs. Ben is outside his house and leaves another message for Matt on his burner phone before he shows up telling him this better be important. He claims that it is, he and Claire figured out that Union Allied Construction's stock went up after the Manhattan Crisis which is perfectly in line with the Kingpin's growing influence. He asks if that will give him anymore insight into his identity, Urich informs him not yet, but it's a source for a potential tell all expose. One that might cause them to scramble and get sloppy. Matt finishes his sentence, that Ben's discoveries would in turn make it easier for him to find and take down the Kingpin. Urich informs him if he does this he'll have to protect him. Matt tells him of course he will. He then brings up how he's written about vigilantes in the past, to write a piece for the New York Bulletin about him too. He wants the criminals of this city to know the Devil is coming and they can't fuck with them anymore.
The next day, at the New York Bulletin building everyone is cheering on Urich, even Mitchell Ellison who tells him shit like this is exactly what the Bulletin needs to stay relevant. Throwing a paper onto the table with the headline The Devil of Hell's Kitchen takes down Yakuza operation.
The Things We Leave Behind
The episode starts in Hell's Kitchen during the 70s. An overweight child is walking until a teenager confronts him as Wilson Fisk and proceeds to shove him down, taking everything from his pockets. He runs home crying to his parents and his mother asks him to explain what happened and he yells to her that he got mugged, just like he does every time he comes home. She assures her son it's okay before his father tries to call the police. Young Wilson then pulls up a chair in front of their apartment wall and just begins to stare at it blankly, as he looks deeper into the white paint he starts to twitch in rage. It then shows in the present, the Kingpin is in his penthouse looking out the window at night over the modern metropolis of Hell's Kitchen and simply cracks his knuckles.
Theme Song Plays
It shows Wilson Fisk waking up in the morning. He makes himself breakfast and picks out one of many identical white suits from his closet to put on. Wilson tells Vanessa that he'll be busy all day and she claims that she wanted to spend the day with him. Fisk proceeds to give Vanessa his credit card and tells her to buy something nice for herself, he promises he'll make it up to her. He walks out the door only to be picked up by James Wesley inside his limo, as it shows the Kingpin and the Arranger going around the city running their criminal Empire in addition to managing Union Allied Construction. He returns to his penthouse late at night, impressed by all the glamorous clothing Vanessa purchased before changing out of his clothes and prepares to get to bed. Right before he shuts off the lights he looks into his bathroom mirror and sees his childhood self covered in blood staring back at him.
At the Nelson and Murdock Offices, Foggy is reading the New York Bulletin article about the Devil of Hell's Kitchen and how he disapproves of his vigilante activities. Karen defends him and they ask Matt his opinion, surprisingly he insists that he agrees with Foggy, that in order to make real change in Hell's Kitchen they have to go within the confines of the law. Karen tells them both speaking of which, she's found a new client for them Abner Jonas. Matt asks who he is and Page explains some taxi driver arrested for cocaine possession, apparently isn't his first rodeo. Foggy adds on the NYPD must think they're the only firm desperate or stupid enough to actually take on a case like that. He says it sounds like fun and they head over to the Precinct.
There, Brett Mahoney greets them and leads the trio to Jonas' cell where he's released. The second Matt walks into the room he tastes something strong on Abner which nearly makes him gag. Foggy Nelson goes over his records and learns that he got clean five years ago and asks Jonas what made him relapse again. Abner tells them that he had to try this new Opium from the China, and that it's the fucking shit that literally got him higher than any of the regular stuff ever did. Matt asks if he got it from the Triad, and Abner tells him that surprisingly, he got it from some Mafia goons he was taking across town. Foggy points out that just saying he fell off the wagon because it's the "fucking shit" won't be a viable defense in court. Matt suggests that if they might be able to get him a reduced sentence if they can prove he was under duress from Mafia influence. He confirms they'll pay his bail and speak to the Distinct Attorney tomorrow. Later that night, Don Rigoletto is with his henchmen speaking one of the Triad drug traffickers who begin wheeling large amounts of product. Rigoletto begins discussing with him their pay and how the Chinese aren't giving them a fair cut for distribution, that they've been working twice as much having to make up for the Bratva and the Yakuza. The Triad dealer tells him the deals have been set and if he rejects them he'll inform Gao of his lack of cooperation. Rigoletto just informs him to get out of here, implying he'll continue to do it.
It then shows in the shadows, Matt tracing the familiar scent of the cocaine to find their trafficking ring. Rigoletto begins walking back until the Vigilante comes out and attacks his guards, evading their machine guns and beating the Don into submission, demanding to know the deal behind these drugs. Rigoletto tells them he doesn't know fuck all, just that the Italians were instructed to peddle everything the Triad made. The Devil realizes that he and the Russians were working together on this, these drugs must be the backbone of Kingpin's criminal operation. Matt then asks the Don where they're produced and he says he doesn't know, nobody does. He swears that he doesn't know and Matt realizes he's telling the truth. The Devil then he calls Ben Urich and they meet up and he explains how the Triad's drug trade is connected to the Kingpin. Urich realizes they must be located somewhere in Chinatown, he just needs to find the Union Allied Construction properties and managers who've operated in that region and he could find the Kingpin's identity. The Devil responds then they can finally end this.
The next day, it shows Fisk getting out of bed and continuing his daily ritual of cooking himself breakfast and picking out his suit. He then goes to Vanessa and tells her today is their day, and asks what she wants to do. She tells him she wants to see a Broadway show, and he tells her he'd love that before James Wesley abruptly enters the Penthouse. Fisk informs him he won't be working today but Wesley tells him it's of the utmost importance. He and the Kingpin go into another room to talk. Wesley informs him that Rigoletto was taken into custody last night. Wilson comments that is most unfortunate and Wesley adds on with him, Kenkoy, Brevlov, and Owlsley dropping like flies their influence is collapsing. Kingpin tells him they'll find replacements and regroup in a few months, Wesley warns Fisk he might not have that much time. The Triad has been beginning to question if he even deserves to be the King at all. That gets Fisk's attention who says that his vision of this city isn't done yet, he can't lose everything he's worked for. Kingpin demands the Arranger set up an impromptu meeting with Gao, high class this time, not a garage or a warehouse. They leave the private room, and Wilson apologizes to Vanessa saying work has once again taken priority and he won't be able to spend the day with her. She nearly begins to cry but tells him to go. He too looks saddened and has a flashback to his childhood where young Wilson is at home while his parents are leaving, they tell him to be a good boy before they leave.
As he tries to relax, the teenagers from before break into his house and force Wilson out of it before dragging him into a parking lot and hold him down. The main teenager tells him he nearly spent the whole night in jail because of his fucking lard ass. Wilson yells out for him to please stop, he begins crying and asks why he has to be so mean. The teenager grabs him by the throat and pulls out a knife, telling Fisk because he likes it. Almost as much as he likes stuffing his face with cakes, pastries, ice creams, everytime he lists off another food item the teenager cuts Wilson's belly right before it shows the present where Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson are at District Attorney Rosalind Sharpe's office. Karen Page helps Abner Jonas get his tie on while they all walk into her office. Everyone has a seat and Matt explains the proposition and Rosalind rejects it, and eventually the lawyers take a plea bargain with six months of jail time. It then shows the Kingpin with Gao on a rooftop Garden drinking tea together. Fisk confirms with her that she's having doubts of his leadership abilities. Gao mutters something in Mandarin and Kingpin tells her to please speak english. He knows she can, and there's no one else around here to impress with her foreign tongue. Gao replies in fluent english he's more observant then she thought.
Fisk tells her there's a lot about him that she doesn't know. Gao smiles and simply looks in the distance to Avengers Tower. Claiming that when the Manhattan Crisis occurred, she learned how despite everything books and experience had taught her, she is still just a worm in a universe bigger than either of them can comprehend. Gao continues on claiming she had left her own Empire on the West Coast to take part in the rebuilding of a new world. She has come to learn that the Kingpin who's remaking Hell's Kitchen isn't truly a part of that fascinating catastrophe. He's an imposter, a mere man driven by small desires. The Kingpin crushes the tea cup in his hand and tells her he's above them all! He might not have a magic hammer but by his hand he will turn the cesspool he rules into something even those monster fucks from space would envy. Gao is unimpressed and simply tells Fisk she'll keep her Triad in order, but to remember this, if someone undermines a King's rule, people will cease to believe in them. At the Union Allied Construction headquarters Richard Fisk is walking through the lobby until running into his mother, Vanessa. He asks what she's doing here and she explains that she wanted to surprise his father by bringing him Zuppa. Richard tells her Dad hasn't come into work all day, she claims that's what he told Wesley and they both wonder where he could be. They both figure out he must be lying about something and Richard says they need to ask him on it.
Both of them have been realizing his strange behavior these last few months, and if he really doesn't have anything to hide he should be honest with them. Vanessa tells her son he's right and that she wants them to be a family. At the New York Bulletin, Ben Urich is going to the water cooler until Mitchell Ellison confronts him about still looking into Union Allied and demands he drop it. Urich claims he almost has the evidence that he needs, the Bulletin can be behind another big exposure. Ellison explains he did well with the Devil of Hell's Kitchen piece, and to not mess that up with the same old shit he warned him about before. Drop the story. Fisk returns home to his Penthouse, where Richard and Vanessa are waiting for him. He tells his son he wasn't expecting to see him and he asks where he's been. Wilson tells him he was negotiating contracts across the city but Richard they both know that's a lie. The Kingpin claims he doesn't have any to tell him anything, he put a roof under his head, clothed him, gave him a job at his company. Richard says a justification for why he's been running off out of the blue isn't unwarranted. Fisk tells him that's all tries to do every second is protect and provide for all of them, how he does it should be the least of his concerns. Vanessa screams for them to stop arguing. She tells Richard she needs to speak to his father alone. He leaves and she asks if he's cheating on her, Wilson quickly replies he's not.
He sits down and tells Vanessa that when he started the company it wasn't just to rebuild Hell's Kitchen, it was to transform their culture. This city has the potential for extreme greatness, but so much holds it back. Chaos, lawlessness, cruelty have been taking it over like a parasite. He wants to fix it and turn it into the well oiled machine it once was. Vanessa says she knows. He wonders if she actually does, and Vanessa confirms she suspected. The constant late nights working and the way crime around this city has been changing over the years. She just wanted to know if he'd trust her enough to tell her. He tells her every crime group in Hell's Kitchen is under his control, he owns everything. He is the King this city needs. She then kisses him and he has a flashback to his childhood again. Young Wilson is at his apartment staring at the wall while his parents are arguing in the other room, he begins twitching in rage again until getting up and grabbing a construction hammer and walking out the door. His parents hear it close and realize he's gone. It then shows Wilson walking through the neighborhood late at night until coming to the Teenager who's been tormenting him's house.
He knocks on the door and the Teenager opens it, telling Fisk he's got some nerve showing up again, asking if he wants to get carved again. Wilson proceeds to bash him in the head with the construction hammer and beat him to death on the ground for everything he's done. His mother eventually show up and realize what he's done, she tells him it's alright and realizes that this kid owed money to Don Manfredi and people might not pin it on him. They just need to dispose of his body and be done with it. It then shows the next morning, Wilson and Vanessa are in bed together and he promises her today is finally their day. The Kingpin makes breakfast with Vanessa and she helps him pick out a new black suit for him to wear. At the Nelson and Murdock offices, Karen is insisting that they didn't do Abner Jonas justice at the District Attorney's office. Foggy points out six months jail time for a multiple offenses was the best they could do. Matt adds on that, alternatively, they might be able to take the original deal. If Jonas gives up some of his dealers to the NYPD that might be able to warrant him a reduced amount of prison time.
Karen tells Matt he's so smart and she'll fill out the forms right now. Foggy looks disappointed and in a downtrodden voice tells his partner that he really is. Murdock simply replies they should probably get to work too. At the New York Bulletin, Ben Urich is looking at his computer screen with nothing written. Eventually contemplating and finally clicking on the files pertaining to his investigation on Union Allied. He then makes his way to Chinatown with the alibi that he's interested in starting a business with the asset he had recently purchased in an auction and will need to look over the building contracts to see where he can set up shop. It does a montage of him looking through the files while the Kingpin and his wife to go the Broadway show. As the elegant music plays it shows back and fourth to them enjoying the show while Urich constantly sees the name Wilson Fisk on every permit in the entire area. He then publishes his paper exposing Union Allied and Fisk as the Kingpin of Crime. That night, Ben meets with the Devil of Hell's Kitchen who brings him up to speed on everything. Matt realizes he can finish this all tonight, bring Fisk on a silver platter right to the NYPD and with the evidence from his story there won't be any way for him to weasel out of this one. He thanks Urich for everything he's done and goes to his Penthouse. As he makes it there, Matt unfortunately sees the entire building is guarded like a fortress and won't be able to make it inside. He then smells the cologne of the Arranger, James Wesley and the camera reveals him to talking to security in the Penthouse perimeter.
Wesley rants about how much of a fucking nightmare this is, the guard encourages him to tell the boss but James points out how he demanded not to be interrupted under any circumstances. He eventually leaves and Matt with his super hearing with able to pick up all of that and follows him, attacking the Arranger in an alleyway right outside of his car. He tells him to find a way to get him inside the Penthouse, and Wesley shouts out he isn't even there. Matt questions him on this and James says he's out for the night and to not bother asking where, he won't tell him shit. Matt hears his heartbeat and realizes it's true. He then takes Wesley's cellphone and with his enhanced sense of touch is able to find his contact number. The Arranger does so and it shows Wilson and Vanessa leaving the Broadway Show until he notices a call from James Wesley. Vanessa asks him if it's about fixing the city, and he responds probably, she tells him to take it then, they've had the whole day to themselves she can wait. He picks up and informs Wesley he had specific instructions not to call.
Matt responds on the other line to Fisk that this isn't his assistant, the Kingpin realizes instantly he's the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. Wilson says he's been waiting a long time to finally speak with him, and asks if Wesley is dead. The Devil claims he's about to be, just like him. Wilson responds insisting they're alike the two of them. Matt denies it and Fisk claims they both just want what's best for this city. Sometimes you have to do unpleasant things to achieve that, he of all people should know that. The Devil, hiding in the night killing those who stand in his way. Matt questions if his way of supposedly helping is by torturing and hurting innocent people. The Kingpin tells him he's so naive, like a child, thinking he can fix everything by just fighting every single evildoer in Hell's Kitchen, unaware that a forest needs to burn before it can grow again. He doesn't understand the world like he does. He may have the conviction to do what's right but he lacks the mind. Matt insists he'll find him, and then they'll see who's truly right in what they do. Fisk insists he won't, that a King will always rule the heretics. He then hears sirens in the background and it shows Matt's location where he's surrounded by police cars who begin to place him under arrest.
Speak of the Devil
The episode starts with the Devil of Hell's Kitchen being arrested by NYPD officers. He submits and they proceed to handcuff him, asking James Wesley what happened. He tells them he was just trying to head home until the Man in the Mask assaulted him. An officer says that a lot of good guys around these parts have a similar story, Matt claims Wesley's full of shit and they're being manipulated. The officers tell the Devil he can explain all of this to a judge and begin reading him his Miranda Rights, in the middle of it however he jumps up and shoves the Police down before breaking the Cuffs and jumps up the buildings out of the vicinity. As he gets to safety, Matt stops to catch his breath muttering "I'm not the bad guy".
Theme Song Plays
Outside the Union Allied Headquarters, Wilson Fisk along with Vanessa, Richard, and a wounded James Wesley at his sides are speaking to WHiH News and a crowd of onlookers about the allegations made against him and that they are entirely false. He has been dealing with harassments of his employees by an Anarchist Vigilante called the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, looking over at Wesley. While his efforts have "fortunately" disbanded localized crime has also targeted legitimate businessmen such as himself. Fisk then claims he loves this city, and it's been through enough these last few years. It doesn't need more villains. They all walk away while Richard begins claiming he will get his Dad out of this, he isn't going to go to jail. He then proceeds to ask if everything they're saying about him is actually true, and Wilson responds of course it isn't. Wilson then says he has an idea for who they can go to for legal aid, it's an unorthodox choice but it might just give them the PR boost they need to earn back public favor. At the Precinct, Matt and Foggy are escorting Abner Jonas and explaining their plea bargain, if he gives up his names to the cops he might be able to reduce some time off his sentence.
Abner is taken inside and the lawyers leave while the detectives ask him questions about the Triad. Matt is listens in with his enhanced hearing and Abner answers that he's heard some names around on the street, and apparently the one who's calling all the shots is some old chick named Gao. The Detectives seem disappointed to hear that name and one of them proceeds to punch their own partner and then shot Jonas in the chest. When other officers come in to investigate they spin a lie that Abner tried to take one of their guns and had to be put down. Matt starts putting the pieces together about the Kingpin having influence in the NYPD. At the New York Bulletin, Mitchell Ellison comes into Ben Urich's office and tells him to gather his stuff, he's fired. Ben starts arguing asking if this is because of the Union Allied piece because it's making waves. Ellison says it's the principle of Urich blatantly disobeying him, he's been pulling this shit since he was hired and quite frankly, it's not fucking charming anymore, it's just bad journalism. Ben asks how he thinks he's been able to make all of those stories they have plastered on the fucking walls come to life. By sitting on their asses all day writing fluff about the subway!? Ellison tells him to pack his stuff, or he's going to call security. Urich begins placing everything into a box angrily.
Matt is seen entering the church where Father Lantom finds him again and asks Matthew what he can do for him, Murdock responds he's here for his next confession. At the booth, he tells Lantom that he's been thinking about the Devil a lot recently. Lantom asks why and Matt goes on a tangent that so many people think the Devil is a sign of pure evil. But that he's starting to figure out that sometimes the Devil is necessary. That the Hebrew word "Satan" actually meant adversary, but was misinterpreted during the Middle Ages as a powerful personification of all evil. Lantom asks if Matthew believes he needs to bring out his own inner Devil to battle some malevolent force in his life. He responds citing Proverbs 25:26 "Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain are the righteous who give way before the wicked." Insisting that obviously means he has an obligation to stand up to evil. Lantom tells him it can also mean when a moral man commits sin it is as bad as poisoning an entire community. He then begins telling Matt a story of his own personal experience of certain people's Devils bringing about horrible cruelty into the world. That very few things are absolute. How when one exposes their inner Devil can be the difference between a saint and a sinner. Matt has a flashback of him and Foggy right when they got out of law school working at Landman and Zack.
Matt and Foggy are chatting together while walking into an meeting room to discuss the firm's latest case. They both have a seat and hear the victim and client both explain their sides of the story, Matt hearing the perpetrator's heartbeat when he denies being a serial rapist, knowing full well that he's lying. Foggy Nelson nonetheless stands by insists that Landman and Zack's client is innocent and they will defend him in the court of law. They're both walking out and Matt asks him if he's really sure he's innocent and Foggy says he doesn't know, but it's not like they can just reject him for that. They're lawyers, it's part of the job description. In the present, Matt is talking to Ben Urich about what's happened both of them realizing Kingpin has the Bulletin and the NYPD in his pocket. Urich realizes his expose probably made him a target, but Matt reminds Ben that he'll protect him. He says he hopes they don't go after his brother and then comes to the horrifying realization that Doris is still at Metro-General, Matt asks what room she's in and once Urich tells him he leaves to go check on her. At the Hospital, a group of NYPD officers tell Brett Mahoney he's excused from guarding Doris Urich's room, they'll take over the night shift. He thanks them and tells Doris what will be happening before exiting the room.
After he's gone they begin trying to suffocate her with a pillow until the Devil of Hell's Kitchen bursts in through the window and beats them all senseless, saving Doris before Brett Mahoney shows up and sees everything. He tries to shoot Matt but he escapes out the window, Brett asks what happened and they say how the Devil tried to attack them and kill Doris Urich! It then shows in Chinatown, a Union Allied Construction truck stops by an ordinary looking building where a man in regular clothing begins walking them to the back and opens a manhole, leading to an entire drug manufacturing ring stationed there. On the top balcony, Gao is overlooking the progress until the Union Allied employees tell her they were sent by the Kingpin to take over distribution until the Mafia and Bratva regroup. She looks over them and explains that the Crane Opium must be handled with the utmost care. They tell her it's just heroin, but Gao insists the flowers were grown in a soil that they could never imagine feeling in their polluted homes. In that land, carelessness was a debt repaid in blood. They give her a dirty look and say they'll be extra gentle with the magic dope.
At the Nelson and Murdock Offices, Matt walks inside and sees Karen Page doing Secretary work. They make small talk about Abner's unfortunate death and Karen mentions how it doesn't make sense he would snap like that, he wanted to turn his life around. Foggy eventually comes in talking to someone and tells Matt he'd like to introduce him to Wilson Fisk. He becomes startled when he hears that name and starts clenching his fist tightly, but bites his tongue and shakes his hand. Karen is shown to look openly unnerved and asks what he's doing here, and Foggy tells her Mr. Fisk and his son might actually be interested in receiving legal aid from Nelson and Murdock. He then instructs him to come with him into the office to take notes. Inside, Richard explains that his father has been having some trouble recently with the authorities after the slander piece written by Ben Urich at the New York Bulletin. Matt clarifies the accusations that Wilson was involved with Leland Owlsley and the Hell's Kitchen criminal underworld as the alleged "Kingpin of Crime". Wilson says that many of what he is being accused of can be laid at the feet of a masked vigilante who's been attacking his very business. Foggy awkwardly says he knew that guy was trouble, and asks why they'd come to them. Someone as rich as the Fisks could go Defense Attorney in the city, what makes them so special.
Wilson says that as they might be aware, he's the son of a working class family in Hell's Kitchen. That he's read the news of their work and can see they represent the values he wishes he was fortunate enough to experience in his youth. Now, as an affluent citizen of the community he wishes to give back by supporting them. Richard says they don't just mean that in terms of publicity but financial compensation as well. He hands them a check and Foggy is enamored by it but Matt (unable to see it) remains skeptical. Claiming that a firm their size would have some major adjustments to accommodate representing something as large as Union Allied. Richard claims they'll just be part of a larger legal team, and Union Allied will help them in the transition. In today's economy he's read stories of mom and pop law firms going under left and right. Just even taking up their offer would give them the opportunity to cozy up to the big dogs. The Fisks get up and tell them it's something to think about, Wilson thanks them for their time and they head out.
Richard says he's going to stop for something at a local Italian restaurant while Wilson gets into his limo with James Wesley. The Arranger asking his employer why he is insisting in getting representation from two "overexcited children". He knows ten different firms that would be twice as benefitial. Fisk claims they're clean and having hard working up and coming lawyers part of his defense greatly benefits his image. Asking rhetorically if any of the firms he knows could fit those criteria. Wesley asks what about Karen Page, she works for them and was directly involved against Union Allied's interests weeks ago with the Frank Farnum case. The Kingpin responds that's all the reason to get Nelson and Murdock into his sphere of influence, anything that isn't his needs to be controlled. Speaking of which, Wilson asks how Gao's product has been fairing on the streets. Wesley informs his employer that it's going well, business should be able to function as normal.
At Nelson and Murdock, Matt and Foggy are discussing if they should take on the case. Foggy tells his partner if he could see the amount on this check he wouldn't be so hesitant and Matt responds he just wants to make sure what they started isn't corrupted, he doesn't know what to think about Wilson Fisk or if they should defend someone who's, Foggy asks what, and Matt says "guilty". Foggy responds that every person deserves legal defense, that the constitution of the United States specifically says Innocent Until Proven Guilty. Forgive him if he thinks that should apply to everyone. Matt backs down and says he just doesn't think they should jump head first into something they both might regret. He then has a flashback to the rapist that was defended by Landman and Zack walking through Hell's Kitchen late at night. Matt notices him in the distance and puts on a proto-disguise, contemplating if he should do anything before hearing his teeth grit as he spots a young woman. Matt then brutally attacks the rapist and beats him badly before throwing him in front of a moving train. After the event is over he collapses on the ground and throws up. That night, Karen is finishing up her work when Foggy walks in and she tells him Matt has a point.
He asks what she means by that and Karen says that the Syndicate almost ruined her life, if Fisk is involved they can't seriously make a case for him. Foggy tells her that honestly there really isn't any proof that Fisk is anything more than the majority shareholder of a construction company that helped rebuild Hell's Kitchen after a disaster. On the other, the idiot in a black mask who literally calls himself the Devil, is probably doing some bad shit. Karen says he saved her life, why would he go around hurting innocent people for no reason. Foggy rolls his eyes and asks if she's doing this because of Matt. She's always taken his side. Karen tells him that's bullshit but Foggy asks if it really is, that's how it's always been with them. The pretty girl pining over him and ignoring ugly old Foggy. Karen gets up and says he doesn't know anything about her, and she's leaving. At Josie's Bar, Matt is sitting with Claire Temple discussing what's been going on, and how badly he wants to kill the Kingpin for everything he's doing. Claire reminds Matt that he's a real hero to this community now, not a killer. He tells her sometimes you have to make a sacrifice for the good of everyone else, Temple asks if he doesn't want to kill but thinks he has to, or if he doesn't think he has to kill, but wants to.
Before he can answer Karen Page notices them and introduces herself to Claire. Matt remembers that Foggy introduced her to Josie's and offers for her to have a seat. She does and Karen says not to mention Foggy, explaining how they argued back at the office. Meanwhile, Matt hears on the television WHiH News reporting that a new drug on the street "Crane Opium" has been taking Hell's Kitchen by storm, recent reports have tied it into the the alleged Kingpin of Crime and his operations as reported by New York Bulletin journalist, Ben Urich. Matt tells the two women he has to go and wishes them a goodnight. After he leaves Karen venting to Temple about everything that's going on at her job, Claire eventually confesses that she's been working with Urich and even knows the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. Karen is shocked and asks if she knows who he is, and Claire reluctantly claims she's only spoken to him a few times. But if Karen is working with the firm that's representing Fisk, she might be able to help them gather more proof themselves. Karen realizes she'd be like a sleeper agent, and agrees to do it. Claiming she's been scared everyday since the incident and wants to nail these fuckers more than anything.
Inside of a dilapidated apartment home, a junkie is getting high until he is assaulted by the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. He claims that he knows he's gotten high with a man named Abner Jonas before Crane Opium and asks to know who's giving them their supply. The junkie tells him and it does a montage of Matt going through the neighborhood until he finds the exact location where it's being produced. He knocks out the Triad guards and once he enters inside notices all the Opium producers are blind Chinese immigrants who all sing an ominous lullaby in Mandarin together. As he walks through the facility Gao spots him and shouts out there's an intruder which causes the workers to become hostile. Matt fights them off before finding Gao, he asks her if she blinded all these people and the woman claims they did it to themselves to become part of something greater. Not unlike him when he attempted to break into her home and ruin her business. Matt tells Gao she's a sick fucking bitch who won't poison another person in Hell's Kitchen again. Before he can attack though she places her hand on his breast and shoves Matt back with colossal strength for a woman her size. He quickly gets up and they begin fighting, with Gao easily winning by displaying her supernatural abilities.
As Matt is on the ground beaten, the Kingpin soon enters and thanks Gao for informing him of this ordeal. He tells the Devil that he's waited a long time to see him face to face, didn't expect the man who nearly toppled his Empire to be so... delicate. Matt forces himself to his feet and tells Kingpin he's going to kill him. Fisk tells him he's right here, he won't have another opportunity. The Devil with the last of his strength tries to fight Kingpin, but he is quickly overwhelmed and nearly beaten to the point of death. Wilson tells him there is no justice, only strength. Matt with quick thinking launches his billy clubs to knock out the light fixtures and manages to escape by breaking through a crumbling wall into the sewers while Gao, Fisk, and the security scramble in the darkness. It shows on a street corner a manhole cover begin to open up as Matt crawls out of it, barely conscious but still alive. He then has a flashback of working with Foggy at Landman and Zack again.
They both are working in their office when Foggy begins complaining that other Lawyers at the firm have gotten raises and Matt asks what they're doing here. Foggy responds they're working, but he clarifies what are they doing with their lives. Is this really what they wanted to do when they got their degrees. Foggy points out Landman and Zack is one of the best firms in the city. Matt asks if that really matters, and Foggy confesses he hates working there too. That it would be the shit if they both started their own business. Made their own hours, top of the food chain once they hit it big. Matt asks what's stopping them and Foggy realizes nothing is, and that they should do it. Citing Nelson and Murdock: Attorney's at Law has a nice ring to it. In the present, it shows the plaque outside their office with Foggy inside working late until sighing and getting up before heading to Matt's apartment.
At the apartment, Foggy knocks on the door saying he needs to talk to Matt. He wants to apologize for how he acted earlier. He keeps going until hearing something inside. He then gets a key from under the welcome mat and enters. There, Matt slowly walks in and takes his mask off, the two friends then make eye contact. Foggy only responds "Matt?" When he sees him in his Devil of Hell's Kitchen attire. Matt doesn't say a word before passing out on the carpet.
Nelson V. Murdock
The episode starts with Matt Murdock waking up on his couch, still hurting from the beating he took the night before. He tries to get up until Foggy tells him it would be pretty stupid to walk in his condition, almost as stupid as dressing up like a masked retard running around the city beating the shit out of anyone who gets in his way. Matt tries to tell Foggy it's not what it looks like, but he demands Murdock to save it and to answer one question, is he actually blind. Matt stays quiet and Foggy threatens to call the police and turn him in if he doesn't answer. Matt finally confesses blurting out "no"! In a manner of speaking, he can see just like everyone else. Nelson just asks him why he would lie about this. Matt sighs and tell him it's a long story.
Theme Song Plays
At the Nelson and Murdock offices, Karen Page is on the phone hearing that Matt "fell down a flight of stairs" and she's off of work for the day until further notice. As Karen hangs up she gets an idea. Outside Ben Urich's home, he's taking his wife Doris who just got out of Metro-General into their house, claiming they have enough savings to support them until someone else hires him. Just as he gets her sitting and Ben makes himself comfortable, he hears a knock on the door. He groans and then gets up only to see Karen Page standing outside, he recognizes her from the interview weeks ago and asks what she's doing here. Karen says been following all of his work exposing the Kingpin, Ben confirms to her he's not working at the Bulletin anymore but she explains that she talked to Claire Temple last night and wants to help him get more proof to put all of those criminals where they belong. She works at Nelson and Murdock as a Secretary, they can't come to the office today which means the three of them can physically go and look for any files pertaining to Fisk's case. Ben thinks about it, and tells Doris he's going out with Karen for a little bit. She tells them to have fun and they go on their way.
Wilson Fisk is at the Fogwell Gym lifting a large set of weights until James Wesley approaches him. The Kingpin slowly gets up and asks if they found the masked man's body, and he claims they haven't yet. He then asks if he's been in contact with their connections around the city. The Arranger says their friends at the Syndicate and Yakuza have been cooperative but the Mafia and Bratva are more resistant. Fisk realizes Gao is the key to getting them in line. Her product has been granting substantial profits to the Russians and Italians. They won't turn down the opportunity to continue peddling it. Wesley informs Kingpin Gao has the same idea, she wishes to rework their distribution networks to accommodate the new leaders, at his Penthouse. Fisk opposes that saying she works for him they meet on his terms, never in his home, but Wesley claims she's insisting this time and he knows very well that cannot afford to offend her. It does a flashback of Columbia University where Foggy is getting settled into his dorm room until Matt Murdock walks in.
He realizes he's his new roommate and they exchange formalities. Foggy asks what his major is and Matt claims Law, Nelson tells him he's the same. He then tells his roommate that his sunglasses are the shit. Matt explains his father used to tell him red is his color, he guesses it's one of the few benefits of being completely blind. Foggy points out he also totally fulfills the justice is blind pun all these textbooks keep shoving down their throats. They both laugh and Foggy asks if that was too mean, and if it was he's sorry. Matt tells him not to be, he actually kind of likes being treated like a normal guy. Foggy says that's good because he might not realize it, but he's super handsome and when he starts picking up every girl on campus he's going to hate his guts for it. They both continue to have fun until someone named Brad walks in and Foggy's mood turns sour. Matt notices his heartbeat turning aggressive and asks what's wrong and Foggy explains he tried to rush a Fraternity and Brad hazed him so badly as a pledge he ended up quitting. Matt tells him that he's sorry and Foggy says the one downside to college, there are always assholes who have to ruin everything. In the present at the apartment, Foggy reiterates Matt's explanation for his abilities. Matt explains again that it's not as though he isn't blind, but it's that he can interpret the world physically in the same way someone with average control over their five senses could. Foggy comments how this explains a lot of shit he noticed over the years.
He then asks why he never told him about this. Matt says it's not something he could easily explain. Nelson asks why he didn't try, maybe he could give insight into how to help other blind people. Matt tells him it doesn't work like that, when the waste hit him there was a one in a million chance this would happen. Foggy comments it's just his fucking luck he'd end up getting involved with that guy. At the Nelson and Murdock offices, Ben Urich along with Claire Temple and Karen Page are going through the files. Claire saying she's surprised Matt works there, claiming she expected a high rise with fancy glass windows and a huge long table. Ben eventually finds the Fisk files and the trio begins going through them, only to be disappointed when they find out out how clean he is in pretty much every aspect of his life.
Ben realizes that the file says where Fisk lived during his childhood in Hell's Kitchen, not far from there. They can investigate and maybe ask some questions. Karen adds on Fisk is in his early fifties, there has to still be some people living around there who grow up with that sociopath and have dirt on him. Claire asks how they won't hit another dead end. Karen tells her that everyone has a past. The damaged ones usually like to keep it out of the limelight. At Matt's apartment, Foggy is going through his Vigilante attire and asks Murdock how he learned to fight. Matt asks what he means and Foggy says just because he can see better than a blind man doesn't mean he should know ten kinds of Karate. Matt explains his foster father, Stick, he trained him how to fight and utilize his enhanced senses while they lived together. Foggy clarifies that a wise old sensei pretty much found him out of the blue and turned him into some type of super powered warrior. Either his life was pretty much the plot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or he's feeding him a load of shit right now.
Matt explains it's true, he was overwhelmed by his senses until Stick taught him to control it. His touch, smell, taste, hearing. Ever since the day of the accident he spent his life thinking he was cursed, but Stick taught him that what he has is a fucking gift. He then shows off to Foggy all of the things he's able to detect with his superhuman senses. Nelson though is angry claiming in some ways he violated their privacy by investigating them with his other senses. Matt points out there were a lot of times he saved his ass in school because of them. It does a flashback of Columbia University again where Brad is going to sleep in his bed, until suddenly he gets held down by Matt hiding in the shadows. He tells Brad how he heard that he likes to torture his pledges, and tells him it stops now. Brad nods his head in fear, but Matt says he doesn't think he's going to listen. He needs to make sure he won't forget. The next day it shows everyone on campus witnessing Brad naked taped to the side of a wall with an apology letter to all the pledges stuck in his mouth. Nelson sheepishly tells him the apology is accepted and Matt (after having the situation "explained" to him) notes to Foggy that someone must be looking out for him.
At the Kingpin's Penthouse, Gao is sitting and tells Fisk that a man's home is the gateway into his soul. Wilson asks what she thinks of his, and the woman simply responds quaint. The Kingpin explains to her that the Mafia and the Bratva will be undergoing new leadership soon and that it would be within all of their best interests for her to once again allow them to distribute the Crane Opium throughout Hell's Kitchen. Gao responds that their ordeal last night was certainly amusing, but that it reminded her of another life. One she actually yearns to return to. Fisk asks what she's trying to say, and Gao explains they have no focus here. It's mind numbing. The Kingpin tells her running this city is an art, Gao cuts him off saying a meaningless one. A simple excuse for a vagabond to feel as though he has purpose. She begins getting up and tells Kingpin he can have all of her holdings in the city, she'll be leaving tonight. He yells out she's can't walk away from him, Gao tells him she can do whatever she pleases. After leaving the room Wilson sits there with an enraged look on his face before flipping the table in frustration over the woman's penetrative words.
Ben Urich, Karen Page, and Claire Temple are exploring the area of Hell's Kitchen where Fisk grew up in. Karen asks Ben if he really lost his job because of the expose on Kingpin. He confirms that he did, Fisk has got deep pockets and a wide influence. Karen asks Urich what drives him to do this, and keep going for over twenty years. He claims a fuckton of bourbon for one. But another is a desire for everyone to know the truth as it is. A world without secrets, one where criminals can't hide in the hard to see places anymore. Karen points out it's a thankless job and Ben tells her she's got that right. The three of them enter a Deli and ask Clerk if he grew up in this area, and he confirms that he has. Ben says they want to know if he remembers someone named Wilson Fisk. He tells them he never knew anyone by that name, and Claire asks him if he's sure. Lives could be at stake if he knows anything. He lashes out saying he doesn't know Wilson Fisk and to get the fuck out of his store before he calls the cops of them. They all leave and realize that was a disaster. Karen says everyone who knows anything is too scared to speak up. Ben says that journalism is based entirely on leads and facts built on citations. If no one will make a stand and no other evidence exists, this is a cold case.
At Matt's apartment, Foggy and him have been debating all day. Nelson asking if Matt ever spent one god damn minute thinking about anyone else before he did this. If the police ever found him what's stopping them from thinking Foggy or Karen are accessories. He's hurting the people he supposedly cares about to continue this sick hobby. Matt informs Foggy that the thought didn't cross his mind, but he has to stop Fisk and his empire that's destroying Hell's Kitchen. Foggy rolls his eyes and says he doesn't know what to believe anymore. Is the "Kingpin of Crime" even a real thing or just some made up excuse for Matt to punch people. Murdock tells him it is the truth, Fisk is lying and trying to pin everything on him, Nelson and Murdock cannot defend him. Foggy says he had faith in his word a lot more 24 hours ago.
Matt suddenly begins having a seizure on the couch and Foggy doesn't know what's happening. Matt tells him he has to call Claire, and hands him his phone. Nurse Temple is standing outside with Ben Urich and Karen Page, the latter of whom is smoking a cigarette. Claire tells him not to blow any smoke her way, she's seen enough lung cancer victims to know she never needs any tobacco near her. Ben responds that his wife hates when he lights up too, he's trying to quit but he just needs to take the edge off. Losing a story this big isn't something his regular vices will be able to cover. Karen says this isn't over, there just has to be something they missed, Fisk just can't just fucking win like that. Ben tells her he's not smoking again because he's quitting, he's doing it to prepare himself. Since now he has to go all in to search for the truth. Claire then gets a call from Matt and picks it up, only to hear Foggy on the other line who says that he got hurt doing you know what last night and it's getting bad, they need her to check him out. Claire tells Ben and Karen she has to go, her shift is starting early at the hospital. Ben realizes they should probably all call it a night, he'll get back to them when he can, Karen smiles.
At a warehouse, the Kingpin is talking to the de facto leaders of the Bratva and Mafia. Explaining to them that he has since taken over the Triad's operations in the city and that he wants to extend an offer to them similar to what was implemented before. The Bratva leader tells him the Russians don't know if they want to serve under a King any longer. The word even on the street even being that he himself murdered their own Yuri Brevlov in cold blood, not the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. Fisk explains to him that perhaps he did kill Brevlov and got away with it, just like he could do to them too. Both leader look concerned when they see the entire room and perimeter surrounded by Kingpin's guards. That he doesn't need either of them, he is simply trying to show a gesture of good faith by giving them this most gracious of opportunities. If they reject it, he will simply find others to do it for him. The choice is theres. The guards all begin getting their guns ready until both leaders ask him about the terms. After coming to an agreement he's walking outside with the Arranger and tells him it's time to clean the slate, to handle any threats to his new colleagues that the Devil didn't finish off. Wesley explains it will be done, it then shows at the Precinct prison guards enter both Harry Kenkoy and Rigoletto's cells and begin to murder them and frame it as a suicide.
Back in Matt's apartment, Claire shows up and helps stabilize him. Foggy asks her if she knows what he does, and she confirms that she does. Temple insists Matt's a real hero. Nelson still doubts it though, claiming heroes don't wear masks unless they have something to hide. Claire tells him from the way Matt described him, he sounded like a great friend. Asking why he can't trust him on this. Foggy tells her he doesn't have to explain jack shit and storms out the door. It then does a flashback of Matt and Foggy while still in college wandering through the city. Foggy mentions that he wants some shots and Matt tells him all the bars near campus busted their fake IDs. Foggy moans saying those were the best ones! The chicks were always so hot, Foggy got lucky with that Women's Studies Major and that's also where Matt met that Greek chick he dated last year. Nelson then notices Josie's Bar and says they can go there. The two of them both order drinks and Josie doesn't even ask for any ID whatsoever.
They both cheer and Matt asks where the nickname "Foggy" came from. He tells him how when he was a kid he snored a lot. His sister Candace compared it to the sound of a foghorn, eventually coming up with the name and it stuck ever since. He laughs and tells Foggy he loves those stories, ones of someone who actually had a childhood. Nelson explains that it wasn't all funny nicknames. His parents they were both butchers. One day they stopped by the meatpacking building and he waited in the car. They were taking a long time so he snuck out and ran inside. Only to be horrified by the way the animals got slaughtered, and the man who was doing it he'll never forget it, that mask he wore. Didn't eat meat for a whole year after that. Foggy tells like he said before, assholes always ruin everything. Matt says and now they're both studying to defend those assholes in court. Foggy responds saying he'll drink to that. Murdock tells him but seriously, there's no one he'd rather be studying this with. Foggy tells Matt right back at him.
In the present, Foggy meets up with Deborah Harris. She invites him inside her home and asks him what's up, and he explains that he and Matt got into a big fight and how he thinks he might've made a mistake creating a Law Firm with him. Deborah comforts him and eventually they kiss and begin to have sex. The next day at Matt's apartment, Claire is tending to him and says how she spoke to Foggy, insisting that he's being a tool for not understanding, but Matt defends him saying he's just trying to do what he thinks is right. Temple tells him that she has to make sure he's safe in whatever he's involved in. Matt assures he can take of himself and keep his friend under control, he eventually stands up and she tells him she's going to get some sleep and wishes him good luck. Foggy at Deborah's apartment is getting dressed while she gives a pitch about how he can leave Nelson and Murdock to work at Landman and Zack again, she knows a lot of the higher ups and could pull some strings. Deborah then goes on a tangent about how he and Matt had been close for a long time, but between her and him he always was a little too goody two shoes for her taste. Foggy angrily tells her no, he's not going back there. Foggy then tells her this was fun, but he hopes to never see her again.
Back at the apartment, Matt is trying to walk around until Foggy enters again to grab his stuff. Matt claims he wants to talk to him and Nelson says he only has one more thing to say, he's not going to expose his identity as the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. For everyone's sake they'll continue to work as Defense Attorneys on behalf of Wilson Fisk as they normally would. He won't do anything about his hobbies, but he expects him to be a professional lawyer when they're working together. Matt grits his teeth telling him fine until Foggy coldly leaves Matt, embittered and disappointed at the turn of events.
World On Fire
The episode starts Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson walking into the Union Allied Construction headquarters where they meet with Wilson Fisk. They all shake hands and Foggy confirms to him their Firm will officially be taking on his case. The Kingpin tells them that he's delighted to hear it, and Foggy begins chatting with him until Matt interrupts telling them they should probably go upstairs and familiarize themselves soon. Fisk says of course, he'll lead them right to the rest of his legal team. As he walks in front of them Foggy tells Matt that he has to stay professional here. Murdock explains that is him being professional. Foggy says that as far as everyone is concerned he's just a lawyer taking on a huge gig. Blowing it up would be bad for both of them. He then breathes and tells Matt to change his mindset, asking him what he sees. He responds a world on fire. The camera then showing Matt's perspective of the world with his four enhanced senses appearing to literally create what appears to be a world on fire.
Theme Song Plays
Richard Fisk is arguing with a group of construction workers until his father shows up and the son asks what he's doing here, that he should be meeting with the District Attorney. Wilson explains that he wanted to see it for himself, Richard tells him that's not necessary he'll clean it up a day, tops. Wilson physically moves his son out of the way and sees a building Union Allied was working on completely vandalized. Richard says it happened last night, the Kingpin simply looks at his son and tells him if there are more troublemakers in Hell's Kitchen trying to stifle their business he must find a way to tighten security on their high stakes operations. Richard quietly nods his head, while Fisk tells him perhaps it was a mistake to trust him with such a significant position on the board. As he walks away, Wilson has a flashback of him as an entrepreneur where he's speaking to his hired event planner Vanessa Marianna. He eventually asks her if she'd like to go on a date with him and she says yes. At a fancy restaurant that night, Vanessa and him discuss her recently moving to the United States from Italy, and he asks how she's enjoying Hell's Kitchen. She explains that she actually doesn't care for it much. Wilson says he understands, the company he's trying to create he hopes will be able to bring new life into it, remake Hell's Kitchen from the ground up. He has an image in his head of what this city and it's people can be, and how it drives him to get out of bed every morning and continue to expand. Vanessa points out he's a visionary and how she finds that... charming.
In the present, at the Union Allied headquarters top floor Matt Murdock with Foggy Nelson and the other lawyers are listening to District Attorney Rosalind Sharpe who mentions the multiple violations the county is placing against Wilson Fisk. If these allegations are true he'd be lucky to just get a life sentence. The lawyers all begin arguing against her, and Rosalind dismisses the entire ordeal as a shitshow, the prosecution won't stand for whatever lies they concoct. As Sharpe leaves, everyone begins talking about how to proceed with the case. They eventually decide to move a gala that was scheduled for next week over to tonight. It could be a fundraiser for damage caused by vigilante based terrorism around the city. One lawyer even states that one of their construction projects was broken down by one of them. Matt asks what he's talking about and the lawyer explains what happened that morning. Ben Urich is walking through Hell's Kitchen and passes the Deli owned by one of Fisk's childhood associates seeing police vans stationed outside of it.
He goes closer and notices that the clerk had been murdered. He tries to get closer but the authorities stop him from entering the crime scene. Ben slowly walks away muttering under his breath that they did this, they dragged him back into this. At the Nelson and Murdock offices, Foggy is telling Karen all about working with Union Allied and how intimidated he and Matt felt with so many other lawyers in the room. Matt plays along and confirms it, saying he even thinks a few were from Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg and Holliway. Karen feigns interest while it shows her putting numbers through an online database. After it goes through she asks her bosses if she can go on an extended lunch break, they tell her sure and after Page leaves Matt tells Foggy he can't make it to the gala. Foggy says not to tell him it's so he can go mask up tonight. Matt reminds him that they had a deal, he followed through and kept his mouth shut during that circle jerk earlier. He says how he should go without him and make up an excuse.
Karen walks through the hallway until she runs into Ben Urich and Claire Temple. He seems startled and she asks what's wrong, he explains that the clerk was killed, Fisk must be hot on their trail. Claire points out their investigation is getting really dangerous now. Page assures them it won't be much longer, she went on the deep web and was able to find something that could track license plate numbers. Ben tells her that's illegal but Karen points out they don't have many options. She got Fisk's license plate the time he stopped by to persuade Matt and Foggy to join his legal team. The website kept track of places the license had parking permits for. Most of it was junk but she was able to find one location he kept going to for years, some place called Violet Acres. Claire tells them she knows that place, it's a retirement home upstate, three hour drive from the city. Ben says that whatever is there must be important if Fisk keeps going, they have to go find out. At the Gala building, Vanessa is working with Richard to make sure everything is in order, saying how she misses this work, and Wilson should plan parties more. Richard tells him at least he has her helping him. Vanessa asks why he's saying that and he explains that he fucked up earlier, and Dad was pissed.
He asks Vanessa why he can't just do something right on his own, something to live up to him. She hugs Richard and tells him she knows he tries. It then does a flashback to her being pregnant and Wilson on a phone call arguing with someone on the other line. Vanessa is busy sowing while Fisk hangs up and screams "Fuck!" in rage. He starts ranting to Vanessa how something is going aweary in the business. She tells him to calm down and sit with her, but he shoves her off saying he can't rest. He has land he needs to claim. She says it sounds like a conqueror, Fisk responds asking is that not what she said she loved about him in the first place. Vanessa tells him not like this, and Wilson demands she look around and all he's given her. That he must make a better tomorrow for their son, he expected her to understand. Wilson then walks away and Vanessa goes on the couch to cry, looking down at her enlarged belly and pokes at it with one of her sowing needles. It then shows in the present, Matt go into his closet and pull out his black costume. He feels over it and sighs remembering all the chaos it's causing in his life, but convinces himself to put it on and on a large rooftop begins looking over the Russian and Italian thugs who are peddling Crane Opium in the Kingpin's rejuvenated empire.
He then smells something strange in someone's breath, and notices an armored Gladiator begins brutally taking out all of the thugs screaming for them to get the fuck out of Hell's Kitchen. Matt is confused by the ordeal, until the smell gets stronger and he realizes the Gladiator is behind him. Before he can attack Matt he's able to jump out of the way and they fight. As the Vigilante tries to get a punch on Gladiator, he quickly realizes that he's unable to hurt him due to his body armor. Gladiator though is able to use his sharp wrist mounted blades to cut Matt and leave him wounded as he runs off. At the Gala, Foggy Nelson shows up and is greeted by Vanessa Fisk and James Wesley. He explains that Matt is feeling under the weather and can't come tonight. It then shows Wilson Fisk thanking everyone for coming and donating to their charity fund, how vigilantism is a growing epidemic in this community and once the trial is over he hopes to focus a significant portion of Union Allied to mitigating the problem.
Foggy goes over to Richard Fisk and begins chatting with him pointing out how much different he looks compared to his father. Richard claims they both know it, he didn't inherit his aptitude for business either. Nelson tells Richard not to say that, he's working for the one of the most prestigious companies in the country. Fisk explains though that he's been in the same spot for five years now, he's only here because his father lets him be. At Violet Acres retirement home, Karen Page along with Ben Urich and Claire Temple go inside. They're able to find where Wilson Fisk's associate is staying. Once they enter room they see an elderly woman in a wheelchair resting. Claire speaks to her and asks if she knows Wilson, and the elder claims it's her son. That he was a good boy, that he had no choice but to kill that bullying teenager in his childhood, he just wanted to feel safe again. Karen clarifies that Fisk killed someone and she confirms that he did and even tells them his name. They step outside and Ben points out that could be what they need to at least prompt an investigation and get the authorities to look into Fisk and see his activities as the Kingpin. They might have finally found a way to get him behind bars. Claire then notices one of the Retirement Home workers going to check on Fisk's mother and realizes if they're caught it could sabotage everything and need to leave now.
On the streets of Hell's Kitchen the Gladiator is walking back somewhere while Matt is fighting through his pain trying to follow him by his strange scent. He eventually makes it into a garage workshop where the Gladiator takes his mask off and Matt is able to sneak in. He realizes the smell is coming from a bottle of prescription anti-psychotic medication and quietly lands before being spotted. They fight more and Vigilante has more success and is able to subdue him. Once they both calm down, Matt asks what he's doing and why he attacked him and those thugs out there. Gladiator says they always walk around here and cause trouble, he just wanted to protect himself. Everything is so scary in this city now, it has been for years ever since the Crisis. Matt assures him that he just wants to help and asks what his name is, the Gladiator says Melvin. He then asks about his armor saying it's really durable, Melvin explains that he designed it after the Gladiators of Rome and it's made of a flexible liquid steel, makes movement easy but protects him against most blunt force attacks. Matt asks if he could make one for him. Melvin says if he'll try and protect them from what's out there he'll make him ten suits. He takes out a blueprint and asks what in particular he wants. Matt tells him exactly like he has, but to make to make it crimson with horns on the top, and a new pair of billy clubs.
Melvin wonders if he's trying to look like a Devil, and Matt tells him that's the point. If he's going to save this city he needs to be a symbol, something to strike fear into any who would decide to pray on the weak. The Devil can only condemn those who have committed sin, and so does he. It then shows at the Gala, Wilson Fisk is approached by the Arranger who tells him something urgent has come up. He tells him he's in the middle of hosting this event it must wait but Wesley informs him that it has to do with his mother. The workers at Violet Acres claim she's talking about having visitors today, they're dismissing it as her dementia but it could mean something serious. Wilson stands ideally for a second before agreeing to discuss it outside.
Foggy then gets a call from Karen Page (driving back to the city with Urich and Temple) and she tells him he has to get out of that Gala now, she has evidence that Fisk is guilty. He tells her to slow down and explain what she's talking about. Page rephrases explaining she had a bad feeling about Fisk and did a little digging on him and found out he apparently killed someone when he was a kid, before she can speak Foggy asks if she's been talking to Matt. Karen asks what he has to do with this, and Nelson says never mind, but this is a very serious accusation and she needs to make hard proof for anyone to even consider taking it seriously. She informs him once they sort it out he'll be the first to see it. He hangs up and thinks from a little bit trying to put the pieces together before asking Richard where his father went. He says he doesn't know and seeing how successful the party he set up was going, insists he'll go find him. It then does a flashback of Richard in his childhood.
Wilson comes home and sees Vanessa comforting young Richard who's sobbing and asks what happened. Vanessa tries to explain but he tells her that he asked his son. Richard speaks up claiming that someone was tearing down his Union Allied Posters and he tried to stop them, but they wouldn't and ended up insulting Richard and hurting his feelings. Wilson forces his son up and brings him to go outside. There, Wilson and Richard find the man smoking in a back alleyway. Wilson informs the man that he heard he was knocking down posters for his business and harassing his son, an apology is an order. The man tells him to fuck off. His family used to own a construction business, been here for three generations and just went bankrupt from Union Allied taking over the whole neighborhood. Now he has to work as a shitty bus boy just to pay the bills, so no, he will not apologize for tearing down a few signs. Wilson responds to that by brutally punching the man in the face multiple times. As he's on the ground he demands Richard to beat him too. He refuses and Wilson points out men like this are why Hell's Kitchen is falling to degeneracy. Richard still refuses and Wilson yells that he has to do what says! Richard scared by that begins hitting him as his father keeps telling him to do it more & harder.
As he lays on the ground bloody and beaten, Fisk tells him if he says anything about this to anyone it will get much worse. Back at their home, he takes Richard inside and tells him that man deserved what happened to him, he has an obligation to respect and defend all those below him. But they must show him the same admiration in return. He grabs Richard by the arm and tells him that's why he can never disobey him again. When he tells him to do something he does it, he is his father and he owes him his loyalty. Richard tells him "yes, sir" and Wilson sits him down in the front of a white wall. Telling him that when he was his age, and thought about the man he wanted to be, he looked at the wall until it became a reality, he needs to do the same. Richard obeys Wilson and sits down looking at it. In the present, the Kingpin is talking to Wesley about who his mother claims to have seen. He tells his employer a middle aged african american male, latina female, and a blonde woman. Fisk responds he doesn't know the latter two, but the former sounds very similar to reporter Ben Urich who wrote the expose on him in the Bulletin, likely causing trouble again. Wesley says he'll send someone to take care of them. Fisk tells Wesley once he detain his accomplices to find out what role they have in this mutiny that's been rising against him.
Richard walks out having heard the whole thing and asks his Dad what he's talking about. He tells him it's not important and he shouldn't be eavesdropping. Richard realizes that what he's accused of must be true, he is the Kingpin of Crime. Wilson tells him he can explain it but Richard tells him to get away from him, he tries to go back inside but Fisk puts him in a headlock. He sternly warns him if he knows what's best he'll keep his mouth shut. That he'll destroy their family and the company, everything they've all scarified for would be nothing. He owes him his obedience. He lets Richard go and he tells him he's sorry. Wilson just tells him to get back inside, he'll be out for the rest of the night. Fisk then calls Arranger on his bluetooth and tells him not to pursue Urich, he'll deal with him on his own. Richard walks in and Foggy asks him what happened, and Fisk tells him he's not here, he's leaving for the night and that the party's over. Foggy says that they still have an hour left but Richard yells out it's over and everyone should get leaving soon. Ben Urich's car parks back in the city outside Claire Temple's apartment, he drops them off telling them he's going to the library to try and find an obituary but they should start compiling all of their evidence together. Karen pointing out they'll call Foggy and Matt first thing in the morning to show them.
At the Nelson and Murdock offices, Foggy walks in and is surprised to see Matt in the kitchen making coffee. He asks what he's doing here so late and Murdock replies he could ask him the same thing. Foggy tells him he wanted to get some work done before hitting the sack. Matt says after he, does what he does, he usually can't sleep and needs to get the adrenaline out of his system or something. Stick used to tell him to meditate but Matt could never get the hang of it, couldn't keep his mind quiet. Foggy tells him speaking of which, he can't really sleep because he just realized something seriously fucked up at that Gala. Matt listens and Foggy continues that Fisk might actually be the Kingpin. He can't even think that he forced them to get involved in this case defending a criminal scumbag, he asks him if he ruined Nelson and Murdock. Matt tells him he didn't, nothing is set in stone. They'll find a way out of this just like they did with Landman and Zack. Foggy apologizes for giving him shit all these days and Matt tells him not to worry about it.
Foggy just remembers and tells Murdock that Karen Page and his girlfriend, Claire, they apparently have the same sixth sense he does, they were looking into Fisk on their own and actually had some evidence against him. Matt realizes they might be his lawyers, but if he gets incarcerated for something out of their control, no blood on their hands. Foggy tells him exactly and goes to call her. It shows in Claire's apartment the phone ringing while in the background Karen and Nurse Temple are getting brutalized and kidnapped by the Kingpin's men. At the offices, Nelson suggests she must be asleep. Matt says that out of all the ways he thought he could put Fisk down, he didn't think it would be through legality.
Ben Urich is inside his home and opens the obituary until the Kingpin reveals himself to have been hidden in the shadows. Urich asks how he got in and Wilson explains he walked in, he had a key made months ago after the Syndicate story. His wife is fine before he asks, fast asleep without a care in the world. Ben asks why now, he's been dragging his name through the shit for months now. Fisk explains he didn't think he was anymore than a minor annoyance, an attention hungry rat looking for a way in. But now his antics has caused his family to see a part of him that he should've stayed hidden. His son, his wife, his mother, he has shown he is not something that will go away with time. Urich responds saying he's been threatened more times than he can count, he doesn't give two shits if he's the King of Hell's Kitchen, it means nothing coming from him. Fisk simply states this isn't a threat and proceeds to overpower Urich to the ground, only for Ben to try and defend himself by hitting Fisk with his glasses. Kingpin proceeds to grab a Bulletin newspaper off the desk and shove his down Urich's throat, chocking and murdering him. He then gets up, wipes his fingerprints from the scene and calmly goes downstairs and walks out the door.
Daredevil
The episode starts at the Fogwell Gym where Matt is beating at the punching bag (listening to this song). Brett Mahoney eventually walks inside and explains that Foggy said he'd find him there. That he knows his girlfriend and secretary were taken recently, but no bodies have been found yet which means there's still a chance. The NYPD will do whatever they can to find them. Matt responds they both know that's bullshit, the gangs never leave loose ends. They'll probably end up the same way Ben Urich did, eventually. Mahoney tells him to get some rest, he knows that he has a big trial coming soon. Brett proceeds to walk out while Matt ignores the punching bag and walks over to an old pair of his father's boxing gloves adorned on the wall. In rage, he violently knocks them over.
Theme Song Plays
Karen Page soon wakes up in an abandoned movie theater sitting in a chair directly across from James Wesley. He point out that she's awake. Karen asks where she is and Wesley tells her it's not important. She's been sniffing where she doesn't belong so he had to scoop her up, along with her friend. He looks into a tent where they both see an unconscious Claire Temple. Karen asks if she's... James assures her she's not. That the Nurse wouldn't calm down in the car ride here so they had to inject her with a little morphine. Looks like it hasn't worn off though. Karen asks why they didn't just kill them and the Arranger explains they threw the idea around, but ultimately decided against it. You see, unlike Urich she and Temple were associated with the Devil of Hell's Kitchen in one way or another. They believe he has an accomplice who's been performing the same usual tactics against their operations. He needs to extract every piece of information both of them have on the Vigilantes. Karen swears she won't tell them shit, they can torture her all they want.
James asks her if she really thinks he'd think he'd be able to crack her with simple torture. Of course they're not going to go that route, not physically anyway. But they know of everyone she cares about. Her parents, the two lawyers who graciously saved her from life in prison. They can all meet the same fate Ben Urich did. Karen stops him there and Wesley confirms he's dead. No purpose keeping him alive he didn't was just as clueless as they are about the Vigilantes. Karen begins balling and Arranger tells her she still has so much left, who will all be fine if she cooperates.
In a limo, Wilson Fisk is driving with his mother while she complains about why she has to be moved out of Violet Acres. Her son explains he wants her to stay with him, they barely see each other anymore. His mother says she just saw him yesterday, but Wilson confirms that was last month. Wilson confesses to her that some people are accusing him of very serious things and he needs to defend himself. The best way to do that is for the people who know and love him to stand by in a united front. She tells Wilson that he's a good boy and she always wants to protect him. Her dementia kicks in again and his mother forgets their conversation, excited to see Fisk again. He patiently goes along with it and this time, simply tells her she's going to see Vanessa and Richard again as a fun getaway.
At the Nelson and Murdock offices, Foggy is anxiously pacing around the room saying that when he gets his hands on Fisk for what he did he's going to tear that bald motherfucker a new asshole. Matt warns him they have to keep it together during the trial, they're in too deep now, if they deliberately fuck this up and get caught, it could lead to them getting disbarred or worse make it onto the Kingpin's shit list. Foggy mentions that the Judge would probably call a re-trial anyway. Matt observes they just have to hope the prosecution has one hell of a case. Nelson remembers that Karen said last night she had evidence against Fisk, something about him killing someone when he was younger. Foggy says he didn't get a name so they can't send it to the District Attorney's office. Matt speaks up and says that's why this all happening now, this is how the Kingpin controls the media and the NYPD, by silencing anyone who stands up to him and paying off the rest. They're his eyes and ears, and that's who he needs to go after to find Page and Temple. It then shows at the abandoned movie theater, James Wesley telling Karen that it's kind of tragic when he thinks about it. She was never meant to be involved in any of this, it was just the wrong at the wrong time when they decided to kill Farnum. He then continues to ask her to explain what happened to the night one of their men broke into her apartment.
Page explains the story and Arranger asks if it's possible the Masked Man could've been someone close to her, Karen says the only people she knows are her employers. One is blind and the other hates vigilantes as much as Fisk does. Wesley tells to think deeper, to the people she was involved in before coming to New York, he read over her whole file and what he saw was shocking to say the least, even for a man in his profession. Claire Temple soon wakes up and Wesley helps her to the table next to Karen. He says perhaps she'll be able to give some insight into his questions, he knows for a fact she's worked closely with the Devil of Hell's Kitchen against the Italians and Russians. That night, at the New York Bulletin, Mitchell Ellison is closing up until Matt comes out of the shadows and pins him to a desk. He tells him that he knows he's in Fisk's pocket and that he was involved in taking down Ben Urich. Ellison says he had nothing to do with Urich's death, he tried to save him! He kept discouraging him from looking into the Kingpin but he wouldn't fucking listen! Matt smacks him and gets Ellison's attention again. Telling him he make this right, but he needs to tell him where they're keeping Karen Page and Claire Temple. Mitchell says he has no idea who those people are, his only job was to print propaganda for Fisk.
Matt tells him to go to the Precinct and turn himself in. It then shows Ellison doing just that while Matt watches, the second he goes inside he says the Devil of Hell's Kitchen is following him and the police instantly run outside and spot Matt trying to shot him. He subdues them including Brett Mahoney, demanding he names all of the cops on Fisk's payroll in the NYPD. Mahoney claims he has no idea what he's talking about and Matt hears his heartbeat and realizes it's the truth. He helps him up and explains the situation to him about the corrupt cops and to watch his back and mentions that Ellison is guilty of multiple felonies. The next day, the Kingpin's Penthouse he's getting on a white suit for the trial while Vanessa stands next to him. Saying that he looks handsome, and perhaps once this is done he can start to relish his Empire and finally stop expanding. Fisk distances himself from her and says he'll never do that, this city needs the utmost control to stay in it's prime. Vanessa tells that there would be no point in trying to sculpt a better tomorrow if he cannot enjoy it. Fisk tells her heavy is the head that wears the crown, for his work will be cherished by all of Hell's Kitchen's denizens, except for himself. But it is a sacrifice they must make. Vanessa almost begins tearing claiming that trials, masked men, and violence is all their future holds for them. Wilson apologizes and claims there's no other way it can be.
They both walk out of their bedroom to see Richard talking to his Grandmother. Fisk calls him over and asks Richard if he's spoken anything about the nature of his business, he tells him he hasn't said a word. Wilson says he is pleased that he's able to hide his disagreement for the collective good. Richard puts out his hand expecting his father to shake it, but Fisk instead pats him on the shoulder before they head out. At the Courthouse, Matt and Foggy are going to take their seats. Murdock explains that he didn't find them last night, but Mitchell Ellison is where he belongs. Foggy then asks him if there's any chance Fisk could've bribed off the juries or judges here. Matt says he'd never risk it with his own case. At least that's one factor they have going for them, Foggy suggests. The trial then starts and District Attorney Rosalind Sharpe makes her opening statement. It does a montage of the trial going on with Fisk's army of lawyers defending him and the Prosecution making their own claims against them.
Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson finally get called up and have to make their case, which they are able to word compellingly. Foggy points out they hit it out of the park, and how bad that is for them. Matt listens in on the District Attorney and the Prosecutor and realizes they have nothing, and at this rate Fisk is going to walk. Back in the movie theater, Claire is continuing on about how she never saw his face he just came to whenever he needed stitches and she did it, no questions asked. It then shows under the table, Karen's nails slowly gnawing through her binds. The Arranger responds her story sounds kind of suspect, that she'd help a masked man she has no relation to for no reason. Claire claims she's a Nurse, it's what she does for a living. James says if what they're both saying is the absolute truth, well, he has no reason to keep them alive. Their information is their only bargaining chip and if they have none. Their just lose ends his employer needs tied. Right after he says that Karen breaks out of her binds and grabs Wesley's gun before shooting him square in the eyes.
Claire mentions that was a one in a million shot and Karen responds that it's not the first time she's had to use a gun. Page lets Temple out of her binds and says they can sneak out the back. Karen remembers the trial is today and is able to find the evidence in addition to Wesley's wallet. She says if they hurry they might be able to make it in time. At the Courthouse, the Judge is about to make a decision until Karen and Claire make it into the lobby and get their evidence against Fisk to the Prosecution, in light of the new evidence the Jury reaches a new verdict that Wilson Fisk is guilty under all accounts and will be sentenced to Rooker's Island. Matt and Foggy are speechless while Fisk begins resisting the bailiffs screaming that they'll all come to regret this. Before he can be taken into the truck he tells Vanessa and Richard he'll see them again and informs one of his men to enact the contingency they spoke of. In the court room Rosalind Sharpe tells Matt and Foggy how they made a valiant effort, but justice won in the end. Foggy responds that he thinks they'll pull through.
Matt asks what happens now to Fisk's assailants in the NYPD. Sharpe explains that fortunately Brett Mahoney had filed a report recently that he had received a tip of foul play in the police force that will likely be taken much more seriously with these recent charges. Matt comments "so an empire falls". It then does a montage of Mahoney going after all the dirty cops throughout the NYPD who were working for the Kingpin and has them all incarcerated. At the Nelson and Murdock offices, Karen comes out with a homemade family recipe she cooked for dinner the lawyers along with Claire Temple celebrate Fisk going to prison. Matt asks the women if they're sure they don't need to be in the hospital, Claire claims they already got checked out and are fine. Everyone sits down and starts eating while Karen says how she wishes Ben could've seen this. Everyone agrees.
At Fisk's Penthouse, Vanessa along with Richard and Wilson's mother are packing their stuff and about to chauffeured on a private jet to Switzerland. Fisk's mother insisting she doesn't want to leave, but Vanessa explaining to her that the chocolate in Switzerland is superb, and the views from the alps are breathtaking. Richard asks why his father wants them to do this and the driver just tells him to get his stuff. In the SWAT truck convoy Wilson Fisk is sitting inside and begins telling them that he used to dream of moving far away from Hell's Kitchen, but that this city is a part of him. That even if he forcibly removed from it, the essence will continue to flow through his veins. The agents inside tell him to shut up before their hit off the road by another SWAT truck, who reveal themselves to be loyal to the Kingpin and uncuff before explaining the plane is almost ready, everyone's boarded and are waiting for him. At the Nelson and Murdock offices, they're all watching the WHiH News report on the Kingpin escaping custody. Karen is outraged over it and disappointed that they were celebrating before he was officially behind bars. Matt tells Foggy and Claire that he learned from history and had a plan in case something like this happened, he tells them to keep Karen safe while he heads out. Matt then calls Melvin Potter and asks him if the suit is ready.
At the private Jet, Richard along with Vanessa and his grandmother are on the plane. Richard proceeds then to pull out a gun to the pilot and tells him to leave now, he claims the Kingpin will be stranded and Richard loads it telling him to do it. Vanessa comments that she doesn't understand, and her son says that he knows she always wanted to see Europe again, but not like this. On the run as fugitives. None of them asked for this, it's all the fault of one man and his oversized ego, and they don't know him a damn thing, they never did. Vanessa takes Richard's words to heart and sits down telling the pilot that she's ready whenever he is. At Melvin Potter's garage, he hands Matt the new suit. Matt comments it's right on time, exactly what he asked for. Melvin tells him to stay safe and keep the real Devils out of their homes. It then shows the Wilson Fisk arrive where his Private Jet should be only to notice it's gone. He begins angrily commenting that his family betrayed him. One of his men says they'll drive him to Canada and reorganize another way to get him overseas there. Suddenly, a metal billy club hits all of his men and Fisk powerfully in the head. The Kingpin quickly gets up and looks to see the Devil of Hell's Kitchen in his new red and black armor.
The Devil says that they all turned on him, his family, the city, he destroys everything he touches, but not him. The Kingpin is shocked to realize he's the same man in the mask he beat awhile ago. The Devil fights off Fisk's men while Kingpin begins running away into a large crumbling building currently under construction. The Devil of Hell's Kitchen follows him inside and begins using his super senses to try and find him, but is too distracted by all the debris scattered around. The Kingpin begins speaking from his hiding spot that perhaps he's right. The Devil asks if he admits he's a murdering tyrant. Fisk says if he truly is the Devil himself, he must know the story of the Good Samaritan. He tells the story and mentions that for the longest time he believed himself to be Samaritan, but has soon come to realize he is the villain of that fable. He soon jumps out and wrestles the Devil with enough force to crash through the rotting floorboards down multiple levels. As they both get up, Matt unfortunately took the brunt of the fall as he and Fisk begin dueling with one another.
The Kingpin screams that this city is filth. One that will always be a cesspool shit stain on the world. It needs cruelty and evil to counteract it's own. Stupid fucks like him can't understand it, that he is a necessary force of nature. The Devil says he understands completely, but unlike the Kingpin he does it from a place of justice, to preserve and nurture what's good in Hell's Kitchen, not from the control of those who would tarnish it. The Kingpin says then they're both daredevils in their own right. The two rivals fight more and Daredevil manages to subdue the Kingpin by pummeling him with his billy clubs until, he's too weak to fight. Fisk starts to tear up claiming he just wanted to be a good king. He begs Daredevil to kill him. He tells Fisk that vengeance is the reason this city became what it did, and that's why he's a failed King. Wilson shouts out that killing will get easier the more one does it, and Matt tells him that sparing the guilty gets harder. He then jumps up and proceeds to knock the Kingpin unconscious with a single valiant punch. Matt then notices a can of red spray paint on the ground and gets an idea.
The police eventually show up and Brett Mahoney walks inside the building to see the unconscious Fisk and on the wall DD written in the red paint. He simply mutters under his breath "Daredevil" after looking at it. Weeks later, it shows Matt, Karen, Foggy, Claire, and Doris attending Ben Urich's funeral where Father Christopher Lantom gives service. Page and Claire go to Doris and tells they're she's so sorry for loss, and she tells both of them that she has never seen Ben so happy then when they were working together. The Kingpin was probably the biggest story he's ever done in his life, and she can't imagine him wanting to die exploring anything else. Karen goes to Foggy telling him she wants to make drinks at Josie's a regular thing after work from now on and Nelson tells her it's amazing, he was thinking the exact same thing. Claire goes to Matt and tells her it's only going to get more dangerous from here and she tells him to bring it the fuck on, everyone could use their own personal nurse every now and then. He kisses her and as everyone leaves Lantom approaches Murdock and tells him he seems chipper all things considered.
Matt tells him it's the end of an era. The Father agrees to that and mentions he heard on the news that the man responsible for Urich's death, he was taken in by a new superhero, media calls him Daredevil. Matt says it's unfortunate the world they live in where violence is the only language anyone speaks anymore. Lantom says he didn't look at it like that. Asking if he remembers their talks about the Devil, that perhaps he wasn't entirely faithful to God's plan. Matt asks what he means by that, and Lantom explains it's easy to hate the Devil and all he represents, but what if he was made for a reason. As a warning to show us humans, us imperfect creatures, to always be virtuous or else we fall from grace. As he says that it shows Wilson Fisk entering his cell on Rooker's Island before simply sitting down, taking a deep breath, and staring into the wall. Murdock responds if he's insisting the Devil is a martyr and how that could be used to justify villainy. Lantom acknowledges it's possible, or perhaps it's the reason heroes even exist in the first place. That's the mystery he guesses. It then shows Matt on the rooftop in Hell's Kitchen adorned in his armor listening to all the sounds of the city before hearing a cry for help. He puts on his helmet and jumps down, continuing his heroic crusade as Daredevil!
End Credits
Teasing Iron Fist Season 1
The Triad workers are moving crates of Crane Opium out of the underground ring. One of the guards tells them to move faster, everything has to be gone by tomorrow. They place multiple stacks of crates into a truck and close the back doors. The camera revealing the vehicle to have the symbol of the Steel Serpent imprinted onto it.
Trivia
- The entire series heavily references the events of The Avengers referring to it as the "Manhattan Crisis". In addition the iconic Avengers Tower can be seen in the New York Skyline in exchange for the Metlife Building.
- Father Lantom is traditionally a character who appears in the Marvel Comics series the Runaways helping the main characters hide from their villainous parents.
- The Owl is a Mutant with the ability of flight. A known subspecies of humans who serve a prevalent origin story for many characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- Frank Farnum in the comics is the supervillain called the Masked Marauder. This is referenced in the series by having him be an associate of Leland Owlsley and the Syndicate.
- The Roxxon Corporation, who is carrying the toxic waste that blinds Matt Murdock also appeared in Iron Man 3.
- Despite Claire Temple officially being listed as Night Nurse (her comic moniker) in the series credits, she is never actually referred to by this name.
- Josie's Bar in the comics is a hang out spot where criminals and other nefarious organizations often come to relax.
- Matt Murdock's fake alias "Lester" is a reference to the notorious Daredevil antagonist Bullseye's first name on Earth-616.
- In Ben Urich's office at the New York Bulletin is an article he wrote titled Strategic Scientific Reserve Office Reopens as Tourist Attraction. This is the reference to the main headquarters for the protagonists of the FOX series Agent Carter which took place in Manhattan similar to Daredevil.
- Killer Casey, who Battlin' Jack Murdock fights. is actually a character from a Namor the Sub-Mariner story during the golden age of comics. He and Daredevil were both created by Bill Everett.
- The Kingpin being heavily involved with Union Allied Construction, a company largely dedicated to rebuilding New York after a superhuman disaster, is a reference to him in the comics owning 50% of Damage Control.
- Gabriela Nuñez in the comics is a character who appears in the Marvel MAX universe.
- Foggy making the theoretical off handed remark that Matt must be on a smoking hot date with Black Widow is actually a reference to her and Daredevil having been a couple in the mainstream continuity.
- The girl whom Matt befriends at St. Agnes orphanage, Daisy Johnson, is one of the main characters in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. better known as Quake, who also references St. Agnes during in the series when discussing her childhood.
- Yuri Brevlov in the source material has no affiliation with Russian crime mobs. He is instead an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who has a history of working alongside Nick Fury. He however was suspected of having "questionable motives" later on.
- Stick in the comics is an ordinary blind man with no superhuman abilities. Him having the same gifts as Daredevil is an original addition to the series.
- Harry Kenkoy on Earth-616 is a member of the Snakeroot Clan and goes by the alias Budo. He is once referred to by this name while on the phone with his contact in Japan.
- Abner Jonas is the identity of the mainstream comics super villain the Organizer. A character who surprisingly has a lot in common with the MCU's Wilson Fisk.
- Rosalind Sharpe in the comics is actually the birth mother of Foggy Nelson.
- The Kingpin insisting to Gao that he might not have a magic hammer was a reference to actor Vincent D'Onofrio's famous role in the 1987 film Adventures in Babysitting where he plays a mechanic who one of the main characters mistakes for being the real life version of the superhero Thor.
- Fisk's mother in the flashback mentions that the Teenager owed money to to a Mafia Don named Manfredi. This is a reference to the villain Silvio Manfredi aka Silvermane, implying he was a prominent figure in Hell's Kitchen criminal underworld during the 1970s.
- WHiH News which reports on events occurring in Hell's Kitchen is a notorious News Firm that has appeared constantly throughout a handful of MCU productions.
- Ben Urich says he hopes Fisk's men don't pursue him brother as retribution for his expose piece, in the comics Ben's brother named Arnold Urich is the father of Phil Urich, who is the secret identity of the villain Goblin King.
- Foggy rhetorically observes that Matt's origin story sounds similar to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The TMNT creators, in actuality though, were inspired by Daredevil and his mythology.
- Ben Urich begins to smoke when he realizes he has to go all in on exposing the Kingpin, a reference to his chain smoking habit in the comics. This is only done by the end of the series due to Fox Disney disliking any endorsement of Tobacco products in content from its subsidiaries.
- In one of the College flashbacks, Foggy mentions that Matt met a Greek woman he dated at one of the bars near Columbia University. This is a clear reference to Elektra Natchios, a girlfriend of Matt Murdock from the comics who plays an extremely significant role in the Frank Miller run.
- Gladiator in the comics fights because he hates masked vigilantes, however the Netflix series altered his motivations to have him actually be a vigilante who hates criminals and other threats terrorizing Hell's Kitchen. With only his mental instability and general paranoia making him a threat to Matt Murdock.
- Some of the lawyers on Fisk's legal team are said to be from Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg, and Holliway the same firm Jennifer Walters works for that appears in The Incredible Hulk 3.
- At the beginning of the season finale, Matt is listening to Evanescence while he trains. Referencing the soundtrack to the 2003 Daredevil film.
- In Melvin Potter's garage, one of the armors he has on display is designed identically to Daredevil's original yellow costume from the comics.
- Wilson Fisk is sentenced to imprisonment in a place called Rooker's Island. Which first appeared in the 1990s Marvel Animated Universe as a place to detain non-superpowered criminals.
- In the end credits the symbol seen on the Triad vehicle is the same insignia used by Davos, the Steel Serpent and archenemy to the Marvel Comics character Iron Fist.
