The Big Problem With Jessica Jones’ Return in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 has been an action-packed installment in an already action-packed show. This new season alone, there have been numerous twists and surprises that have made the show feel even more thrilling and unexpected, from Karen Page’s characterization changes to the shocking death of Vanessa Fisk, Wilson Fisk/Kingpin’s wife.

In addition to these surprising choices, in episode 6, Daredevil: Born Again brought Jessica Jones back in the MCU, which is something that had been teased before the episode’s drop and suspected by fans for even longer than that. While this was exciting for many viewers, it did introduce a host of problems, from issues with her powers to a perhaps much larger issue for the show overall.

There Was No True Reason For Jessica Jones’ Appearance

It was undoubtedly exciting to see Jessica Jones in the MCU once again, as was the point. In fact, as great as Daredevil: Born Again season 2 has been, there’s little getting around the fact that this appearance was almost completely fan service, and therein lies the larger issue. Despite how nice it was to see her again, Jessica Jones’ appearance in the episode served no real purpose.

Narratively, there wasn’t much that she contributed in that episode, as there wasn’t really anything for her to do. Theoretically, the show could have built a compelling arc around her character’s return and given her some crucial role, even if it was still a relatively small or brief one, but that wasn’t at all the case, unfortunately. Instead, this felt like a throwaway appearance that was meant only to appease fans, and while many were surely pleased to see her, it does feel like a wasted opportunity and a disappointing shift.

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Daredevil Is Better Than Fan Service

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 is far from the first MCU project to be accused of fan service just for fan service’s sake. In fact, this has arguably been an increasingly loud complaint from audiences, particularly following Avengers: Endgame, which has seen the MCU in a bit of a tumultuous period, to say the least.

Yet, for as relatively common a fan frustration as this might be, it’s particularly frustrating and even troubling to see in Daredevil: Born Again season 2 because this show, and really the entire Daredevil character and franchise within the MCU, is better than this. Known for its darker, grittier approach to a heroes and villains narrative than many of its MCU counterparts, Daredevil: Born Again has largely proven itself as a unique, well-crafted addition to the MCU—making this issue with Jessica Jones’ appearance all the more disappointing.

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