Daredevil: Born Again Proves Matt’s Best Power Is Being a “Really Good Lawyer”

Fans have been patiently waiting for the return of Matt Murdock since Netflix’s Daredevil was cancelled in 2018. The wait ended on March 4, with the premiere of Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+ officially launching Matt Murdock’s first solo series in the larger MCU. So many aspects of Daredevil and Matt Murdock’s life are highlighted right off the bat, from his deep connection with his friends to the heightened senses that make him a vigilante that criminals fear. One aspect of the character’s larger existence that the series has particularly put on display over the course of the first episodes is his talent as a lawyer, something we were reminded of with his MCU debut.

Matt Murdock Has an Ivy League Education, and it Shows

In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker asks Matt Murdock how he, a blind man, manages to catch a brick thrown through the window in mid-air, to which Matt delivers the iconic line: “I’m a really good lawyer.” Though the scene is humorous and marks Matt’s first appearance in a Marvel Cinematic Universe project, it points to a major truth: Matt is in fact a really good lawyer.

Matt Murdock is a Columbia-trained attorney; a fact that the original Netflix series explored over its three seasons. It was at Columbia that Murdock met his best friend and future legal partner, Foggy Nelson. The two stuck together through not only law school, but internships, and eventually opening up their own small practice together. Murdock’s double life as Daredevil often interferes with his day job, sometimes making it impossible for him to balance the life of a vigilante and successful lawyer.

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Daredevil: Born Again started with Murdock refusing to take up the mantle of Daredevil after Foggy is killed by one of his enemies, Bullseye. Suffering from intense guilt that his actions as Daredevil were responsible for Foggy’s death, Matt spends the next year focusing only on carrying out justice through the legal system as a lawyer. Within that year, Matt establishes a new and successful practice with former assistant district attorney, Kirsten McDuffie. However, it is not until Matt decides to represent Hector Ayala (White Tiger) in court that fans really get to see his legal skills.

The White Tiger Case Has High Stakes and Higher Tension

Ayala, a fellow vigilante, is charged with the murder of a police officer. However, Ayala is being set-up by a network of crooked cops who rally around a lie to paint Ayala as a murderer. The scenes in the courtroom are some of the most tense and emotionally charged moments any Daredevil franchise has shown to date. 

Particularly, in episode 3, “The Hollow of His Hand,” the Ayala case comes to a final head, with Matt making a surprise move in court by revealing Ayala’s secret identity as White Tiger. When Ayala takes the stand in his own defense, Matt hones in on the immense amount of good that Ayala has done as a vigilante. He reads from police reports that praise White Tiger’s aid and heroics, causing the crowd of officers to look at Ayala in another light. But the intensity is dialed up to ten when Matt questions Ayala, asking him why he risks his life over and over again to help strangers. 

Ayala’s heartfelt response (“Because it’s the right thing to do”) is an emotional moment that not many other MCU Disney+ series have been able to do before now. It’s not only Ayala’s sincerity, but Matt’s pointed and sympathetic questions that highlight the selflessness and importance of Ayala’s work as White Tiger. Viewers know that Matt isn’t just talking about White Tiger, but refers to his own life as well, giving even higher takes to his inner conflict over leaving his Daredevil identity behind.

Daredevil: Born Again spends the time away from Daredevil to show that Matt is just as talented and effective on the street as he is in the courtroom.

Daredevil: Born Again is streaming on Disney+ with new episodes every Tuesday.