Recap: ‘Daredevil Born Again’ Season 2 Episode 1: ‘The Northern Star’

Season two of “Daredevil: Born Again” starts where season one left off. Wilson Fisk is the Mayor, the city is under martial law, and the Anti-Vigilante Task Force is running roughshod over the city. Matt Murdock has donned the mask, and with help, he intends to take the city back from Fisk.

It seems like crime is down, and some people are happy with the job Fisk is doing. But does everyone feel that way?

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

Recap: “The Northern Star”

The Northern Star is a cargo ship we see at the beginning of the episode. Daredevil drops onto the ship, and we get a look at his costume with the linked “DD” on his chest. He moves quickly, and the violence is brutal. Murdock (Charlie Cox) isn’t pulling punches. After he breaks into the cargo hold and reveals guns. But he can hear the captain talking to another man (not in English). Apparently, they have orders to sink the ship if boarded. Daredevil escapes the ship as it begins to sink. But before he does, he takes the wristwatch off a nearby body and puts it inside a weapons crate.

As Murdock and Karen Paige (Deborah Ann Woll) celebrate his success, Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) and his people face the cleanup. He blames the sinking of the ship on Daredevil, and he’s hunting for Daredevil and Paige. Come morning, we learn that Murdock’s plan is to expose Fisk for running guns and using the port for his own personal gain. The captain and first mate of the vessel are “Cypriot nationals.”

Complications

The Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor visit Mayor Fisk and point out that Fisk has taken many liberties without consulting the governor or anyone else. Another man, Mr. Charles (Matthew Lillard), arrives, then the AG receives a phone call from Miss de Fontaine, after which he changes his demeanor and states that his office will support everything Fisk is doing without oversight.

Paige, in disguise with a wig and heavy makeup, retrieves a folder from what seems to be a drop point in a grocery store. Meanwhile, Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva) evaluates Jack Duquesne/Swordsman (Tony Dalton), who has been imprisoned by the Anti-Vigilante Task Force (AVTF). She threatens him with violence if he doesn’t cooperate. And she’s hallucinating the man who attacked her.

Counselor Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James) is fighting to find and defend people who have been taken away, at her own peril. She doesn’t know where Murdock is, and she’s worried about him. Cherry (Clark Johnson) meets with Murdock and agrees to help with information about the ship’s captain and first mate. The AVTF is hunting them down, too. BB Urich (Genneya Walton) is working for Fisk, but only as a cover, so she can also smear him.

Murdock visits a woman who runs a restaurant and helps people get out of the city. He learns the captain has already been captured by the AVTF. Later, the first mate comes to her for help.

Fisk is not pleased with the appearance of Mr. Charles. This man works for someone else, someone Fisk is afraid of. He pushes for violence that even Fisk is reluctant to carry through. When Karen Paige meets with BB Urich, she confides that she thinks Ben Urich died to save her. She says, “There’s a lot of dead bodies behind us, BB. I think maybe the best way to honor them… would be not to join them.”

It Doesn’t Look Good for the Heroes

Dr. Glenn is under the influence of Fisk, too, and she’s coerced into changing Duquesne’s psych evaluation to make it easier to get him convicted. Murdock and Paige are training together and reminisce about the past.

Meanwhile, Cherry gets a visit from the AVTF, but he gets a message off to Murdock first. While Daredevil fights the AVTF officers, Cherry begins to have a heart attack, which distracts Daredevil, and the men get him grappled and remove his mask. It looks really bad for a moment before they’re all taken out by someone outside the window. The last thing we see is a dagger with the words, “You’re welcome,” and a bull’s eye engraved on it.

So, How Was It?

If you’re a fan of the “Daredevil” series and season one of “Daredevil: Born Again,” you don’t want to miss this one. It’s definitely worth making the time. The fight scenes with Daredevil are dark, while the scenes with Fisk are bathed in light. And the music is perfect for every scene. And, since we’re getting one episode at a time, there’s no pressure to binge the entire season at once.

It’s important to note that this series is rife with violence. And it’s graphic. It may be on Disney+, but it is not for children. Of course, if you saw season one, you already know that. Season two is more of the same. It isn’t for the faint of heart. Blood is spilled, and bodies drop.

That said, the story still features the characters we’ve grown attached to. I’m here for Matt Murdock and Karen Paige, and I’m thrilled that they’re together. Even better, seeing her training with him so she can defend herself is a great touch. I’m not a fan of the damsel in distress.

What Else Can We Expect?

As the series continues, we know that Jon Bernthal is returning as The Punisher and Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones. I’d be watching just to see Ritter reprise that role. I’ve been waiting for more of the gritty heroine. I’m looking forward to the team-up, and I hope they don’t let us down. It could be incredible.

For those who want to keep up with the story, or if you just need a recap later, be sure to bookmark our site because we’ll keep bringing you these recaps each week after the new episode drops. I, for one, am looking forward to it!

“Daredevil: Born Again” season two episodes are available each Tuesday night on Disney+.