NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The lasting scene in Daredevil: Born Again of Matt Murdock admitting to everyone in the courtroom and watching that he’s Daredevil was bigger than the actual reveal. It was more about the moment that it happened and the expressions in the courtroom. It will go down in Marvel history as one of the best reveals and will forever be compared to when Tony Stark revealed to the world that he is Iron Man. But deep down, what Matt did had more of a significant blow in the MCU.
For Tony, it was about the underlying tone. He was perceived as one who wanted control over the moment. Yes, Tony had his selfish ways about him, but him admiting to the world that he was Iron Man, what exactly did that do? As for Matt Murdock, his move was more calculated, and it was done with a purpose. It was done to save lives and help people get out of trouble. Matt sacrificed himself for the greater good of the city and for those he loves.
While Tony’s held weight, I wonder if those Iron Man fans really understand what Matt did and the impact. Let’s take a look at a few of the things the Daredevil reveal accomplished.
For one, Matt had to find a way to get Mayor Fisk and Kingpin to be seen as one, and that he was doing more harm to the city than what was being led on. For that to happen, he had to pull off a “A Few Good Men” moment. He had to get Fisk riled up, and at one point, he did just that.
But go back a few scenes when Matt and the lawyers were in the judge’s chambers, and Fisk whispers just enough so Matt could hear and said that he’s holding Matt’s identity as a trump card. Well, Matt beat him to the punch and took the upper hand. With that reveal, Fisk lost his leverage.
Go back and check the scene where Fisk called Matt a fool. Once Fisk realized what was about to happen, he knew he was defeated. The expression on his face said it all. He never expected Matt to go that route and reveal his secret identity to everyone. Matt also revealed his identity to help save his girlfriend, Karen, who was on trial.
By revealing himself, he took the spotlight off Karen and put the mark on his own back. Look at Karen‘s face when Matt came out. She was in utter shock. She knew what this meant for Matt and for him to do that to save her freedom; that spoke volumes regarding his love for her.
Then it was the look given by his friend and law partner, Kirsten. She didn’t know who Matt was, but she figured it out right before Matt spoke it out loud. He kept her safe with his secret, and if she had known, that would have put her in danger just as it did Foggy and Karen.
But the best part of it all was his love for the city. Fisk, trying to draw Matt out in the open, labeled him a hero for taking a bullet for him. And Matt used that same hero approach to bury Fisk by saying that the blind lawyer from Hell’s Kitchen was a hero. All that did was turn Daredevil into a hero in the eyes of the public while Fisk was busy trying to paint him as a villain. Matt totally flipped the script with the reveal.
To the city, Matt is the blind lawyer who took the small case for those in his community. He gave them a voice. So, to see one of your own as the one who is actually protecting not only the city but you, that turned Matt into the real hero. The blind man who leaps from buildings, dodges bullets, and can kick the asses of anyone that comes for him, well, how can you not root for that?
So, comparing Daredevil to Iron Man, you can, but to a certain extent. What Matt did was far riskier than what Tony did. Tony did it out of ego; what Matt did was out of desperation, sacrifice, and love. Matt knew he was going to jail for the crimes Daredevil committed, and he was fine with that.
While the naysayers are saying that Marvel is on the decline, that lone scene may have changed the landscape. “I am Daredevil” may go down in Marvel history as the line that jump-started the new movement.
