Daredevil: Born Again – Straight to Hell review S1 E9
Straight to Hell wraps up one of my favorite seasons of a comic book show. Every episode was solid with excellent character development culminating in an explosive season finale and a tremendous tease for season 2.
Before he got shot, Matt finally pieced everything together. Now we get to see it all play out. A year ago, Vanessa has Poindexter/Bullseye released from prison for a favor. She needs a thief and Foggy Nelson killed. The thief was the witness Foggy had in his apartment and we all remember how poor Foggy met his fate. All season, Matt thought Kingpin was the one who had Foggy killed.
He had the right family, but the wrong suspect! Any illusions that Vanessa couldn’t handle things just fine as a crime boss have been completely erased after Straight to Hell.
Wilson finally clues her in on his grand plan for the docks. “You moved millions through Red Hook. As mayor, I can move billions.” Good thing we only have to worry about shady dudes using tax dollars and government positions to make more money on comic book TV shows, huh?
Sheila is starting to get a sense of her boss’ true nature as he says the city just needs a push to come with him. Maybe she’s got a like-minded ally in Gallo, who knows there’s still sane people in the building. Gallo is going to the governor tomorrow morning and wants her support. That seems like the kind of conversation that needed to happen ASAP, Gallo. Unless he didn’t want to watch his favorite show on DVR after the meeting with the governor? He does tend to spoil things when talking about important state matters like corrupt mayors.
In the hospital, Matt asks for Karen as Heather comes closer to him. Kirsten explains it’s the drugs. That was a good line and all true. No one wants a Karen in any situations, Heather. Now that he’s starting to gather his senses, Matt wants Kirsten to get more info on Foggy’s last case.
Fisk is moving on the end game for his plan and encourages Chief Gallo to have his men use lethal force to stem the tide of vigilantism in the city. Showing a complete lack of gratitude, Fisk isn’t pleased that Matt is coming around and tells Buck “A dead hero is better than a live vigilante.” Buck is working on an impressive hit list this season.
The power grid conks out just as Buck is coming to Matt’s hospital room with a vial of something that’s probably not adrenaline. The darkness doesn’t bother Matt much and he arrives at his place to find Frank Castle chilling. This time, he’s had a chance to spruce up and has a shave and a haircut along with his familiar skull-clad outfit. Frank got a phone call and promised to help ‘ol red out. Unless he’s going by a new identity of nightgown man?
Straight to Hell bringing back The Punisher automatically makes this a season favorite as Matt and Frank have the kind of banter that Wade and Logan wish they had. Kingpin’s task force has co-opted the Punisher logo, but they’re going to learn that Frank doesn’t bother with lawyers. (Even red leather clad ones too much.) He settles his copyright disputes on his own.
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Punisher cameos also ensure a supermax amount of blood and bullets and the massive Straight to Hell action sequence delivers. For a pair of loners, Daredevil and Punisher acquit themselves well working in tandem. Frank spots a familiar looking bullet and identifies it as the same kind used to kill Hector Ayala. That’s the bullets that belong to Task Force member Cole North.
Frank encourages Matt to “Do it, Red!” The problem with the Punisher/Daredevil dynamic is, which is evidenced again in Straight to Hell, is Frank hasn’t been proven wrong. When good guys like Foggy and Hector get killed while bad guys like Fisk, Poindexter and North can keep running around doesn’t seem like a fair and balanced legal system at work. Of course, for Matt killing even a crook would be paramount to going straight to hell.
Before they can finish this discussion, a grenade blows up Matt’s apartment. Sure hope that security deposit wasn’t outrageous as that’s money Matt is never seeing again. As they stumble along, Karen pulls up. As soon as she heard Poindexter was back, Karen hopped on a plane and needed someone to look after Matt. Enter Frank.
Matt and Frank have different agendas now, but it’s nice to know we’re just a Karen call away from getting these two wild and crazy vigilantes back together again. Wait. Does that mean, I actually do need Karen?
BB reports on the craziness on the streets during the blackout including non-vigilantes getting gunned down. It’s all part of Fisk’s Safer Street Initiative, but it’s not exactly going great just yet. In between asking how often Karen chats with Frank, he puts together the legalese of Fisk’s actions.
Red Hook is a free port — making it exempt from taxation. It’s the perfect laundering money spot for Fisk and best of all, it’s perfectly legal.
Frank nabbed one of the task force member’s radios so he could tune in on their action at the port. He manages to send a few officers straight to hell before getting caught. Powell tries to get Frank to come on board as he was their inspiration anyway. “It’d be an honor to serve with you, Frank.” Sadly for Powell, the recruitment pitch doesn’t take and Frank chews them out for even suggesting he’d join them.
Meanwhile, Gallo finds himself on a detour from his normal ride home. Sheila set him up and Fisk is there to make an example of him…with his hands forming a vice around Gallo’s head. Wow. And some folks were worried Born Again wouldn’t be violent enough!
Daredevil sizes up the scene at the dock and realizes to take the city back, he’s gonna need an army.
Fisk wants Heather to be his commissioner on mental health. Matt was right about Kingpin driving a wedge between them. To fully show his full intentions, Fisk is back to wearing a white suit again. It’s a subtle sign that the Kingpin is in charge of NYC. Under his Safer Streets Initiative, vigilante activity is outlawed, an 8 p.m. curfew has been enacted (in New York City? Good luck) and the city is under martial law.
Vincent D’Onofrio makes Kingpin’s forced vacant smile so menacing.
Daredevil has one more pep talk with Karen before emerging from Josie’s back room to the main bar area. Inside our Josie, Det. Kim, Jerry and a few more honest police officers.
Fisk and Vanessa stroll down to his own personal dungeon where he has several people in pens including The Swordsman and Frank Castle. They’re on the way to the Fisks enjoying a nice dinner. Matt rallies his group and says, “We are the city without fear.” As far as rallying cries go, it’s a lot better than “We are Flash.”
Straight to Hell doesn’t end there. We get a post credit scene of Frank talking to the poor task force member assigned on guard duty. He makes the mistake of listening to Frank. And, well Kingpin has one more vigilante back on the loose.
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Enjoyed Straight to Hell?
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