The season 2 premiere of Daredevil: Born Again is now streaming on Disney+, and Marvel Television almost immediately sets the tone for what's to come with a brutal, bone-crunching action sequence.
If you haven't watched yet, spoilers follow.
After a brief vignette showing how happy the citizens of New York are with the measures Mayor Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio) has implemented to "clean up the streets" (which may or may not have been paid for by the friends of the Kingpin), we catch up with the Man Without Fear (Charlie Cox) as he prepares to board a boat known as the Northern Star (also the title of the episode).
Fisk has been using the harbour as a means of transporting illegal arms, and this particular boat is carrying an entire arsenal. Daredevil takes down the crew with more ferocity than we're used to seeing from the hero, snapping arms, cracking heads, and likely leaving them all in need of serious medical attention.
Though this sequence is a lot shorter than the elaborate action scenes the Netflix series came to be known for, it does a terrific job of highlighting just how far Fisk has pushed Murdock (he's still not willing to kill, but how long will his reserve hold?), while also showcasing the vigilante's new black suit. Fans will also be pleased to hear that we get to see Daredevil utilise his billy club in some unique ways.
The sequence ends with the captain and first mate realising that they've been boarded, and reluctantly following Fisk's orders to blow up the ship with the unconscious crew still on board. Murdock narrowly escapes before returning to his base of operations, where Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) is in the middle of training.
Matt and Karen, who have renewed their romantic relationship, have made it their mission to expose Fisk at (almost) any cost, and while two people don't exactly count as the "army" we were promised in the season 1 finale, they do have a few other people working behind-the-scenes - including someone named "Jess" (who could that be)?
Needless to say, the sinking of the Northern Star does not sit well with Fisk, who orders his forces to intensify the hunt for Murdock and Page. The incident also catches the attention of a very powerful individual from the wider MCU, but more on that later!
What did you make of the Daredevil: Born Again season 2 premiere?
Across eight gripping episodes, survival, resistance and redemption collide as the battle for the soul of New York begins," reads the season 2 synopsis. "In Season 2, Mayor Wilson Fisk crushes New York City underfoot as he hunts down public enemy number one, the Hell’s Kitchen vigilante known as Daredevil. But beneath the horned mask, Matt Murdock will try to fight back from the shadows to tear down the Kingpin’s corrupt empire and redeem his home. Resist. Rebel. Rebuild."