RECAP: ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 2 Episode 4 – “Gloves Off”

From a strong opener to a one-two punch of consequential episodes, Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 feels like it’s been working hard to win over those who have felt burned by the previous season. Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episode 4 is the ultimate confirmation that not only is the beloved Netflix incarnation of Daredevil finally, truly back- he’s better than ever. Directed by Solvan “Slick” Naim and written by Chantelle M. Wells, “Gloves Off” is a point of no return in the best way possible for Daredevil: Born Again, and hopefully Marvel Television in general. I’m practically giddy to get into this, so let’s get started. Full spoilers will follow.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episode 4 begins with Benjamin Poindexter (Wilson Bethel), aka Bullseye, sitting in a diner, enjoying a banana milkshake. He’s calm, even jovial, which, with him, means violence is sure to follow. Poindexter calls the authorities and tells them that Frank Castle/The Punisher is in the diner. Of course, this is a ruse.

When the Anti-Vigilante Task Force (AVTF) shows up, Poindexter starts laying waste to them with anything at his disposal in an immaculately choreographed piece of action. After all the AVTF in the vicinity lie dead, Poindexter paints his bullseye symbol in ketchup on the glass door at the front of the restaurant. Dex is on the warpath, and boy oh boy will it be fun to see what he gets up to. 

Benjamin Poindexter is at his most dangerous, yet in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episode 4, it’s all for good…kind of…

On Wilson Fisk’s side of things, the Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) himself is dealing with the agitated Mr. Charles (Matthew Lillard). After a heated exchange where Charles accuses Fisk of not delivering on his end, Fisk has his fixer, Buck (Arty Froushan), wipe out some of Charles’ goons. This show of power is enough to keep the CIA spooked that Charles is at bay, but it raises the question of how long Fisk can keep him at bay without delivering on what he promised to Mr. Charles. Meanwhile, Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer) is busy smoothing over business relationships for her spiraling-out husband. 

Let’s jump over to Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) and the resistance. When Christopher Savva, the first mate of The Northern Star, shows up at her door in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episode 4 , she realizes she has an opportunity to put Fisk to task for her crimes. Therefore, she enlists the help of Matt’s ex-law partner, Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James), to record Savva’s confession and use it in court.

Of course, and this is what makes Daredevil Born Again Season 2 Episode 4 and the rest of the season so great, is that every time there’s a small victory won, there’s another devastating blow to follow. Savva is killed by Buck in cold blood. Of course, the resistance has its confession still, but will it still be admissible? Expect more on this, hopefully, in the coming episodes.

With every victory comes a new blow for Daredevil and the resistance, but change is on the horizon.

So far, we haven’t even discussed the show’s title character, Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox). That’s because we’ve saved the best for last. Murdock searches for Dex, leading him to the church he visited in previous episodes. While it’s not quite at the level of the Netflix series, I appreciate that Daredevil: Born Again is leaning more into Matt’s Catholic roots, which are essential to the character. Matt eventually finds Dex’s apartment across from the church, where the two have an unusual confrontation. 

You see, Dex, who is wonderfully played by Wilson Bethel and is simply relishing the role, feels guilty for the hit he was paid to carry out on Foggy Nelson. Therefore, he wants true atonement; an eye for an eye. In other words, Ben Poindexter has his sights aimed on killing Wilson Fisk in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episode 4 . Matt feels that this will do nothing more than to make Fisk a symbol by martyring him.

This sequence is absolutely outstanding in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episode 4, as Matt seems not to feel anger towards the man who killed his best friend, but confusion, pity, and a strange sort of empathy. There’s a strong “frenemy” sort of relationship brewing here that, frankly, it’s a miracle they pulled off. That just goes to show you how great Charlie Cox and Wilson Bethel are. I can’t wait to see how their arc develops. 

Will the monster Wilson Fisk helped facilitate ultimately be his undoing? 

There was never any way Dex was going to listen to reason, of course. Daredevil: Born Again Season 4 will more than likely be discussed for its shocking climax. In the final act of the episode, Fisk holds an exhibition boxing match as a show of his power. This is a man on top of the world, beating his opponent nearly to death if only to feel invincible as his beloved Vanessa watches. His moment of manufactured glory is short-lived, as Dex busts in and starts taking out AVTF members left and right. 

Vanessa notices that Dex clearly has his sights set on Kingpin, so she fires at him. Dex then throws a glass souvenir mini-sculpture meant to glorify Fisk and the event, which Fisk blocks by holding up his “well-earned” boxing belt. The sculpture shatters, causing a shard of glass to embed itself in Vanessa’s head. As she lies, bleeding out and seemingly very much dead, Daredevil and Bullseye escape together. 

Ending on a new low for Fisk, Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episode 4 shows a potential shift in the battle for New York City.

The only word that comes to mind here is: wow. Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episode 4 is breathless television. The episode builds out the ongoing criminal enterprise of Wilson Fisk, begins to show its cracks, sets Dex on the warpath, brews a tenuous truce between him and Matt Murdock, continues to show the Resistance’s resolve, and destroys the one thing keeping The Kingpin sane.

For all of this to happen in one episode is one thing, but for all of it to be executed this well is perfection. If you’re not watching Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, you’re missing out on some of the most riveting television airing, superhero or otherwise. Gloves off, indeed.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episodes 1-4 are streaming now on Disney+.

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