Daredevil: Born Again – The Hateful Darkness review S2 E7

The Hateful Darkness proved to be a very eventful penultimate episode as the second season of Born Again builds toward an epic finale. By the time the end credits rolled, Hateful Darkness claimed another major supporting player and saw the surprising return of a fan favorite from the Netflix era.

While Matt surveys the aftermath of the deadly protest, Fisk visits Karen in prison. He’s not in the mood to do his normal gloating since Karen was the one who outed his little detention center for those who opposed his unique brand of law and order.

After Fisk makes an appropriately menacing threat, Jessica tracks down Mr. Charles, who is not thrilled to see her. Before she can give him a proper beat down, Charles reminds her that he’s the only one who can connect you with Luke (Cage). Reading between the broad lines, Charles seemed to suggest that Luke is handling business for Charles so Jessica doesn’t have to leave her daughter vulnerable.

Knowing he’s got an attentive audience, Charles gives Jessica the head’s up that Fisk is going after Governor McCaffrey, who’s one of the few government officials who hasn’t bent the knee to him. This is another major fallout from Vanessa’s death. McCaffrey saw Vanessa as an ally who made the Fisk mayoral reign far more tolerable. Losing Vanessa not only cost Fisk his wife, but the bridge to McCaffrey, who is all set to end Fisk’s big, beautiful freeport operation.

A Hateful Darkness doesn’t allow for second chances, but Daredevil remembers the lesson Foggy inadvertently taught him with Leo. Even the worst criminals can sometimes be capable of doing the right thing. Does that apply to Bullseye? DD is willing to take the risk and removes the handcuffs. “Part of me wants to kill you. Part of me wants to forgive you. If you want to do one good thing, here’s your chance.”

That chance reveals itself when Fisk’s goons go after the governor. It’s not Daredevil who arrives to her rescue, but Bullseye. Who may or may not have been far more homicidal with his governor defense techniques than ‘ol Hornhead. Even in a circumstance where Daredevil gives Bullseye some leeway it’s clear they’re not gonna become bosom buddies once Fisk is taken down.

Matt introduces Jessica to Cherry, who’s back on the streets after his heart attack scare. Since Karen has been legitimately imprisoned, Daredevil can’t break her out of custody like the pier prisoners. But maybe Matt Murdock can?

Thanks to an assist from Chief Mahoney — long time, no see well, literally in Matt’s case — Daredevil gets a few minutes to chat with Karen. She knows she has to face Fisk in court to take him down. DD was thinking along those lines and floats the idea of revealing his alter ego to remove the one piece of leverage Fisk has over him.

Kirsten accompanies Karen to the courtroom where she reveals her co-counsel — Matt Murdock. The missing Fisk-anointed hero has stepped back into the spotlight to oppose Karen’s imprisonment at the hands of Fisk. This is not a welcome sight for Fisk, who was all set to enjoy another going through the motions trial simply for his enjoyment. That’s not going to be the case here since he knows Murdock knows far too many of his dirty secrets.

Hateful Darkness introduces something new to Fisk, that feeling of having and losing control. This marks the first true time Fisk is experiencing this since Echo shot him in the face. Bullseye killing Vanessa was one thing, but for his other hated rival to use the law to get him out of office is one step too far unless Fisk can make this lawyer chase an ambulance for a ride to the hospital.

Powell and the task force are dispatched to take Matt and Kirsten out, but he’s able to hold them off despite getting shot. Jessica finds Matt back at the church. This situation has gotten way out of hand, but she’s ready to stand by his side to take down Fisk once and for all. Half of The Defenders isn’t bad especially with no other highly skilled vigilantes on Fisk’s side.

Karen is the most popular detainee at the prison. Heather comes by to size her up. Whatever the woman equivalent of a d-measuring contest, we got it here in Hateful Darkness. While she came up short in the battle of wits despite being in an advantageous position, Heather reacts violently and slaps Karen. Karen takes that as a win despite the smacked-up face.

Now for the biggest gut punch of Hateful Darkness. Daniel isn’t happy with BB rightfully feeling like she took advantage of his feelings for her to make Fisk look bad. BB argues that he got something out of their friendship as well as he turned the BB Report, which she worked long and hard to build up, into a glorified plastic commercial for Fisk’s fascist NYC.

Daniel has been ordered to bring BB to Buck as a sign of his loyalty. He gets as close as driving BB to the location before telling her that he’s going to do the right thing. BB just has to make it count. Buck looks genuinely surprised to see Daniel arrive empty-handed. After their body hacking and burying bonding moment, Buck thought he got through to the kid. Now the reality, which both of them seem to realize is that there won’t be any more hot dog lunches in their future.

Still, Buck tries to appeal to Daniel’s common sense while Daniel does the same to Buck. “How long will it be before you have a gun pointed at your head?” Just when it seems like Daniel got through, Buck pulls out his gun and with no trace of emotion, shoots and kills his little buddy. Buck has been a good soldier, but this could be the start of Buck questioning his loyalties to Fisk if this is what it gets him.

Hateful Darkness lights the fuse for what should be an explosive season finale to Born Again with the tease of another Defenders team-up, Bullseye on the loose as a force for good, Heather spiraling and Fisk reeling.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Photo Credit: Disney

After watching The Hateful Darkness, check out the Daredevil Vol. 3 omnibus on Amazon.

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