How Will Daredevil Die?

After almost three years and more than 40 issues, Charles Soule has announced that he will bring his run on Daredevil to a close. It has been a very exciting period for ol’ hornhead, introducing lots of new allies and villains, having him serve in Wilson Fisk’s mayoral office, and bringing a lot of nuance to his day job from a writer who shares the character’s legal credentials. As part of this announcement, Soule has stated that he plans to leave on the biggest cliffhanger that he could possibly imagine: killing Daredevil.

While the writer next assigned to tackle this seminal Marvel series will likely resent Soule’s instincts, it has summoned a lot of excitement for fans as the final issues arrive. Recent events have made Matt Murdock’s life even more chaotic than normal, but it’s unclear exactly where a fatal threat would arrive from. We have reviewed the most recent developments in Daredevil in order to determine what the most likely outcomes will be.

Who will kill Daredevil? What could possibly bring down the guardian of Hell’s Kitchen? Keep reading to see our best guesses and their associated probabilities, and be sure to share your own favorite theories in the comments.

Kingpin

Created by Stan Lee and John Romita, Sr.

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #50

Even without any context, Kingpin would have to top the list of suspects behind Daredevil’s murder. Not only does he hate Daredevil as much as any character to ever exist, but he is one of the most cunning, effective, and manipulative villains in Marvel Comics. He has enough motive and know how to get the job done several times over. When you combine that with a current situation that has Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk bound together in the mayor’s office every day, it seems like only a matter of time until one kills the other. If Daredevil is going to die, the smart money should always be on Wilson Fisk, especially in 2018.

Odds: 1:2

Bullseye

Created by Marv Wolfman and John Romita, Sr.

First Appearance: Daredevil (vol. 1) #131

The only villain who rivals Kingpin in Daredevil’s rogues gallery is Bullseye. He has all of the hate in the world for Daredevil and plenty of deadly skills; he’s just a much messier individual. That lack of efficacy bumps down his odds, but the real reason that Bullseye isn’t the likely assassin is his general absence from Daredevil over the past several years. Given their history and the importance of an issue in which Daredevil dies, it is always possible that Bullseye will make a last-second return. However, given the current arrangement of the Marvel universe, Bullseye reappearance to murder Daredevil would be surprising.

Odds: 1:20

The Hood

Created by Brian K. Vaughan, Kyle Hotz, and Eric Powell

First Appearance: The Hood #1

While The Hood isn’t generally known as a Daredevil villain, the two have tussled across the years as this low-level hustler with a tremendous amount of power has become an all-purpose bad guy for every sort of Marvel hero. His recent appearance in Daredevil and allusions to big plans suggest that he will play a key role in future events. The Hood may not have the same history with Daredevil as Kingpin or Bullseye, but he does possess the ability to knock off a street-level superhero, and he’s also the sort of character that could be destroyed as a result due to middling popularity with readers.

Odds: 2:7

Mike Murdock

Created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan

First Appearance: Daredevil (vol. 1) #25

One particularly odd suspect that has to ride high on this list is Daredevil’s until-recently-fictional brother Mike Murdock. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, this alter-ego from the Silver Age was made into a flesh-and-blood person, one who isn’t keen on ceasing to exist again. The newly formed Mike Murdock has quickly stepped into the role of an antagonist, and it’s easy to imagine him filling the shoes of Daredevil if Matt is killed. It’s not difficult to imagine Mike, searching for his own place in the world, playing directly into that killing as well.

Odds: 1:5

Typhoid Mary

Created by Ann Nocenti and John Romita, Jr.

First Appearance: Daredevil (vol. 1) #254

Typhoid Mary is another Daredevil villain (and occasional love interest) who has come very close to killing the hero in the past. While she isn’t part of the picture at the moment, one should never underestimate the power of marketing. Typhoid Mary is entering the Netflix collection of Marvel universe shows this year, and that sort of debut usually heralds a high-profile appearance in Marvel Comics. This one is a bit of a stretch, but it’s entirely within the realm of possibility that Mary won’t just reappear, but also play a central role in the death of Daredevil.

Odds: 1:40

Blindspot

Created by Charles Soule and Ron Garney

First Appearance: All-New, All-Different Marvel Point One #1

The most notable legacy of Charles Soule’s time writing Daredevil will be the creation of Daredevil’s invisible ward Blindspot. Over the past few years, this pair have been incredibly close and at one another’s throats during different circumstances. There is no doubt that Soule will write Blindspot into a key role in his final story, even if that makes him Daredevil’s killer due to an accident of fate. Odds are better that he will fill the role until Matt Murdock’s return, but nothing is off the table.

Odds: 1:25

Natural Causes

It’s easy to forget that radioactive waste is pretty dangerous stuff when you’re operating in the world of Marvel Comics. The truth is that Matt Murdock has been exposed to a lot of dangerous substances over the years in addition to too many beatings to count. If Soule is looking to end his Daredevil run on a down note, it would be easy to have the toll of too many adventures add up and for natural causes to remove Daredevil from the mortal coil.

Odds: 1:4

Fake Out

One final thing to remember is how often the word “death” is used in a metaphorical manner in superhero comics. Daredevil has died before when Matt Murdock’s identity was revealed or the hero quit wearing pajamas. “The Death of Daredevil” is a title that catches a lot of hype and likely sales, but it isn’t a guarantee that Matt Murdock will actually become deceased. We will put even odds down that Daredevil’s “death” may leave his heart beating.

Odds: 1:1