Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episode 4 Review: Gloves Off

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episode 4 “Gloves Off” confidently keeps the ball rolling as Daredevil, Bullseye, and Kingpin finally confront one another.

For the most part, what Bullseye has been doing was kept mostly separate from the shadow war between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk. Although “Shoot the Moon” and “The Scales & the Sword” teased what Bullseye’s role would be, this episode brings him back into Matt’s crosshairs.

To say that Bullseye is much more driven in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2. In fact, the episode’s initial focus on this villain (and yes, in some ways, he still is) gives us a better understanding of why he’s “protecting” Matt.

The opening is quite a bizarre one since we haven’t really seen Bullseye in this light. In a Hannibal-esque opening, Bullseye is actually living quite a normal life, even going so far as to help his elderly neighbor. However, in classic Bullseye fashion, he can’t escape from his sadistic ways.

This is seen when Bullseye decides to call Fisk’s vigilante task force on himself, which only seems in character as malicious as him. The entire build-up to this sequence is meticulously and peculiarly structured.

You just know that the task force is coming to get Bullseye soon. However, it’s his nonchalant behavior, enhanced by the front-facing visual focus, that almost makes this feel darkly humorous.

What Bullseye has been doing so far in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 has felt conflicting, but in a good way. He seems to make a mockery of doing what’s heroic, but he also states that doing just one thing will satisfy his lifestyle of violence. In a way, Bullseye wants to be something more, but he’s accepted his place in the world.

However, that isn’t what Matt sees in Bullseye when the two later confront each other at Fogwell’s Gym. Matt’s still holding that resentment against him for killing Foggy back in Season 1, but he doesn’t know about Bullseye’s redemption arc just yet.

Speaking of Matt Murdock, after managing to escape the Red Hook docks with everyone, including Swordsman, he’s starting to get the answer he needs. With Karen, Angela, and Soledad’s help, another piece of Matt’s legal counterattack gets added to the board.

Although this particular part is somewhat slow, in terms of Matt’s involvement, it gives other characters within his team to shine. Particularly, Angela del Toro, who’s embodying that White Tiger persona even more since “The Scales & the Sword”, is being put to work.

Angela is still learning the ropes, but not necessarily getting into action. Instead, she’s more of an informant and spy for Matt and Karen, using her neighborhood connections to get Karen’s recorded interview to BB Urich.

While it’s nice to finally see Angela also getting some dues in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, it also feels like there’s only so much that they do. It’s clear that Season 2 is trying to balance elements and characters of Matt’s public and hidden lives in a consistent way.

Fortunately, Matt gets some involvement by investigating the diner attack, which leads him to Bullseye’s apartment. Here, Matt has an intriguing dialogue with Bullseye about trying to “level the scales” by putting a stop to Fisk, and, maybe, him too.

It’s clear that there’s also this psychological balance that Matt wants to achieve, but finds it hard to do so. With everything he’s dealt with, from Foggy’s death to the Red Hook escapade and more, the path for him seems divided between real justice or brutal vengeance.

This balance is further achieved by continuing that intertwining, which happens when Fisk’s forces try to raid Matt and Kirsten’s office. It’s chaotic as usual, but it’s meant to make the task force more intimidating than they already are.

Speaking of that intertwining, Fisk’s criminal and public-facing lives are also gradually being upended. Charles continues to rail down Fisk for mishandling the Red Hook operation while he sends Vanessa out to meet with the governor.

Here, there seems to be a conflict of interest that’s forming within Vanessa. Although it seems like Vanessa has this undying loyalty to Fisk, there are seeds of doubt planted within her at the meeting by the governor. This sets up a unique test for Vanessa to face as she’s being given her own choice.

Initially, Fisk sent her out to get the governor to their side, but the conversation that Vanessa has is interesting. It gives Vanessa this choice of independence, to be free of Fisk’s influence and manipulation. She can let go of this criminal lifestyle for her own well-being.

Yet, Vanessa is too hooked in and wants to stay by Fisk’s side. It’s as if she acts like she’s the only one who can truly keep Fisk on a leash, despite the rest of Fisk’s administration. Vanessa rejecting this offer is basically saying “let me deal with this” in true Fisk fashion.

This ultimately leads her to go to Fisk’s boxing match at Fogwell’s, which is an absolutely brutal showing for Fisk. When Vanessa returns from her meeting, it almost drives Fisk mad since he feels like the meeting may have been a failure. With each blow, more of that ruthlessness starts to show in Fisk.

However, everything all goes to hell when Bullseye finally makes his public return and tries to kill Vanessa. As always, fighting ensues and Matt also arrives in the nick of time, but the chaos, the three fighters clash in a fiery battle. It’s a memorable brawl that leads to a potential devastating moment for Fisk: the death of Vanessa.

It genuinely might look like she’s dead here, but viewers will have to watch Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episode 5 in order to see if it actually happens.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episode 4 spotlights characters like Bullseye, Angela del Toro, and Vanessa Fisk, while Daredevil and Kingpin put on a brutal showing. This episode fleshes out these trios in interesting ways even though there’s a slight need to progress.

Stray Thoughts:

• The Bullseye-AVTF diner fight was very fun to watch and him jokingly saying that he’s “one of the good guys” seems on-brand.
• Those flashbacks to Fogwell’s Gym from the original Daredevil show was something I’ve been waiting for a long time!
• I also think this was the first time that Fisk is actually referred to as Kingpin in this show. Also, the way he just grabs the gun post-match was a bit scary.
• I almost like that fake-out ending to suggest that Vanessa wasn’t hit by the bullet, but it’s gonna make her death a bit sadder.

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New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 release every Tuesday at 9 PM EST.

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