Daredevil: Born Again Confirms Fate of Its Weirdest New Character

Marvel Television’s Daredevil: Born Again has skillfully reintroduced Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) to New York City after an extended absence, setting him on an ambitious political trajectory that seemingly distances him from his criminal past. The Disney+ series also establishes that during Fisk’s mysterious disappearance, his wife Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer) maintained and expanded their criminal enterprise. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Vanessa’s personal life also evolved in her husband’s absence, as she developed a romantic relationship with a previously unseen man named Adam (Lou Taylor Pucci). This affair creates immediate tension when Fisk returns to reclaim his position beside Vanessa, especially as he promises not to harm her lover despite his obvious rage. However, the recurring visual motif of Fisk’s bloodied knuckles throughout early episodes suggests that the Kingpin’s restraint might be more performance than reality. Episode 4 finally pulls back the curtain on Adam’s fate, revealing the disturbing truth behind Fisk’s apparent composure.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 4

Episode 4 of Daredevil: Born Again delivers a shocking revelation about Adam’s circumstances through a carefully constructed scene that epitomizes Fisk’s complex psychology. Rather than eliminating his wife’s lover as viewers might expect from the notorious crime lord, Fisk has instead imprisoned Adam in a basement cell, keeping him alive but in squalid conditions. In one of the episode’s most chilling moments, Fisk visits his captive, sitting just outside the cell to enjoy an elegant dinner while his starving prisoner watches in desperation. The scene provides context for Fisk’s bloodied knuckles glimpsed in previous episodes, implying regular “conversations” with Adam that typically end in violence. This arrangement is particularly disturbing because it allows Fisk to technically honor his promise to Vanessa while still exacting his revenge. After all, he hasn’t technically killed Adam.

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During the couple’s therapy session with Dr. Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva), both Fisk and Vanessa claim not to know Adam’s whereabouts when directly questioned. While this might be technically true for Vanessa, it represents a calculated lie from Fisk, who is maintaining an elaborate imprisonment scheme while presenting himself as someone working through his feelings constructively. As such, the Adam situation perfectly encapsulates the contradiction at the heart of Fisk’s character in the new series. He’s making genuine efforts toward change, as evidenced by his willingness to attend therapy and technically keep his promise about not killing Adam. Meanwhile, Fisk cannot entirely abandon the brutal methods that defined his previous life as the Kingpin.

The Duality of Identity Defines Daredevil: Born Again‘s Characters

Adam’s imprisonment is a powerful metaphor for Daredevil: Born Again‘s exploration of identity and transformation. Fisk’s treatment of Adam represents his inability to fully separate himself from his Kingpin persona despite his political aspirations and apparent desire to rebuild his marriage. While he presents a public face of legitimacy as Mayor Fisk, championing law and order, his private actions reveal the criminal lurking just beneath the surface. 

The Adam storyline is particularly effective because it illustrates the psychological complexity of Fisk’s character beyond simple villainy. His decision to imprison rather than kill Adam speaks of his desire to honor his commitment to Vanessa and perhaps become a better man while also showing his inability to forgive what he perceives as betrayal. This duality creates dramatic tension as viewers are left wondering which version of Fisk will ultimately prevail: the man attempting to evolve beyond his criminal past or the brutal enforcer who resolves problems through intimidation and brutality.

This identity struggle deliberately parallels Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) own internal conflict throughout the series. Just as Fisk cannot overcome the Kingpin’s calling, Matt struggles to remain solely a lawyer after abandoning his Daredevil persona. The series repeatedly shows Matt’s instinctive reversion to violence when confronted with injustice, most notably when protecting witness Nicky Torres (Nick Jordan) from corrupt police officers. Both men’s bloodied knuckles serve as visual reminders that their attempts at transformation remain incomplete.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday.

What do you think will happen to Adam in upcoming episodes? Will Vanessa find out the truth? And if she does, will that bring her closer to Wilson Fisk or tear the couple apart? Share your thoughts in the comments!