Disney+ has unveiled a new trailer for Daredevil: Born Again, premiering March 4th. This footage confirms a surprising twist revealed in the D23 trailer: Daredevil and Kingpin, longtime adversaries, are teaming up against a common foe. This unexpected alliance is likely due to a new villain, the artistically inclined serial killer, Muse.
Who is Muse, and why does this superhuman murderer force such unlikely allies to cooperate? Let's delve into this twisted Marvel villain.
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Who Is Muse?
Muse, a relatively recent addition to Daredevil's rogues gallery, was created by Charles Soule and Ron Garney, debuting in 2016's Daredevil #11. Soule himself confirmed Muse's appearance in the D23 footage.
Muse is a chilling villain, reminiscent of Hannibal. He's a prolific serial killer who views murder as the ultimate artistic expression. His debut saw him creating a mural using the blood of a hundred missing persons, later composing a macabre piece by arranging the corpses of six Inhumans.
Muse poses a unique threat to Daredevil; his body acts as a sensory black hole, disrupting Matt Murdock's radar sense. Combined with superhuman strength and speed, this makes him one of Daredevil's deadliest foes.
Muse quickly develops a bitter rivalry with Daredevil and his sidekick, Blindspot, culminating in Blindspot's eye injury. After his capture, Muse self-inflicts injury to prevent further "art." However, he escapes, resuming his killing spree and fixating on New York's vigilantes, creating twisted tributes to figures like the Punisher, coinciding with Mayor Wilson Fisk's crackdown on vigilantism.
This leads to a final confrontation with Blindspot, where Blindspot uses the power of The Beast to defeat Muse. Dejected and overshadowed, Muse commits suicide.
This confrontation occurred in 2018's Daredevil #600, and Muse has remained deceased. But given the nature of the Marvel Universe, his return is inevitable.
Muse in Daredevil: Born Again
The Daredevil: Born Again D23 footage, and subsequent trailers, confirm Muse's presence, though the actor remains unannounced. He appears in a costume mirroring his comic book counterpart: a white mask and bodysuit with red "bloody tears." The NYCC trailer shows him battling Daredevil.
This indicates that Born Again, while sharing a title with the iconic 1986 storyline, draws inspiration from more modern Daredevil comics. The original Born Again focused on Fisk discovering Daredevil's identity. The show, while centered on their rivalry, takes a different direction, especially considering Fisk already knows Daredevil's identity in the MCU.
Born Again depicts Daredevil and Fisk forming an alliance, shown in a diner scene where Matt threatens Fisk, prompting Fisk's cryptic reply: "Is that coming from Matt Murdock… or your darker half?" A significant new threat necessitates their collaboration.
Could Muse be that threat? The MCU's Daredevil world seems to be aligning with Soule and Zdarsky's Daredevil comics. Echo's post-credits scene shows Fisk aiming for the mayor's office. The Born Again trailer suggests his election, utilizing his resources and charisma to win over New Yorkers.
Following the comics, Fisk might campaign on ending vigilantism. Muse directly opposes this, being a violent killer who glorifies figures like the Punisher.
Muse could be the unifying enemy for Daredevil and Mayor Fisk. Daredevil seeks to remove a killer, while Fisk aims to eliminate a threat to his mayorship. This forces an alliance, even with someone actively working against heroes.
The series may balance the Daredevil-Fisk rivalry with the Muse threat. The inclusion of the Punisher and White Tiger, caught in Fisk's anti-vigilante crusade, adds another layer. Fisk's task force will likely target them, while Muse glorifies them through his art.
Born Again may parallel the comic's rivalry, but Muse emerges as the most immediate threat to Matt Murdock's world. His powers and bloodlust make him a formidable opponent, forcing an uneasy alliance with Mayor Fisk.
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Note: this article was originally published on 8/10/2024 and updated on 1/15/2025 with the latest info about Daredevil: Born Again.
