The third season of Daredevil is widely considered to be the strongest Marvel/Netflix collaboration since... well, the first season of Daredevil, and succeeded in getting many Man Without Fear fans back on board after a somewhat disappointing sophomore run.
While several major plot points were wrapped up by the final episode, there were still a few lingering questions, and showrunner Erik Oleson was happy to delve into them and more during an interview with EW.
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The Characters
This season of Daredevil gave us our best insight into what makes the main characters tick yet, stripping away their masks - literally and figuratively - and forcing them to confront some of the demons from their past.
Oleson says that was his intention right from the start, and the opportunity to make a more character-focused season was one of the reasons he signed on.
"One of the goals I had for season 3 was I wanted the audience to experience, not watch the show. What I mean by that is I wanted to employ the techniques of deep point of view, where you are in the head of the characters and experiencing the events and the decisions the characters make as if you are the character."
Dex
Daredevil season 3 gives one of the Marvel hero's most well known villains an origin story, and a somewhat tragic one at that. Dex may be a psychopath, but when we meet him he is trying to manage his condition and fit into society as best he can.
Then Kingpin takes an interest.
"The tragedy that befalls him is that he comes into the orbit of Wilson Fisk, who is a narcissistic personality, a tyrant, a would-be dictator who twists him into the evil version of himself on Fisk’s own path to power. One of the things that fascinated me was that otherwise good people who might have been positive members of society, who fall under the sway of somebody that preys on their fears and on their dark side and gets them to carry tiki torches through Charlottesville."
Bullseye
In the season finale, Kingpin breaks Dex's back and takes him out of action for a while, but the last shot makes it very clear that this isn't the last we'll see of the fan-favorite character.
So, does this mean Dex will return as Bullseye in season 4? Well, Oleson is keeping his cards close to the chest on that one.
I’m not allowed to answer that question, I’m afraid. Let’s just say we have now seen the origin of Bullseye, and there are many, many stories yet to tell with this cast of characters. Whether season 4 goes in that direction or another, Bullseye will be living and breathing in this world because we’ve now seen how he has been created.
Season 4
Speaking of a potential fourth season, with both Iron Fist and Luke Cage cancelled there are some concerns that the adventures of The Man Without Fear will go the same way.
Oleson says he hasn't heard anything concrete in regards to another season, but that he is hopeful Daredevil will be renewed.
"I can tell you that I’m very hopeful to go do a season 4. There has not yet been any kind of an official pick-up, but if there is, I’m very hopeful that I will be a part of it."
The Costume
It's been well documented that Matt decides to go back to basics and ditch the armored red Daredevil costume for season 3, but many fans assumed he'd don it again before the final episode.
Oleson explains why that doesn't happen.
"I really wanted an emotionally honest season. There are times when shows like this can do something just because it’s cool, but it takes you out of a story because it’s imposed by writers from the outside as opposed to character driven and real, and something that might actually happen if this world were real and the characters were doing what they want to do and taking the action that were a natural progression of their wants and needs."
Matt Murdock
Daredevil season 3 certainly puts Matt Murdock through the ringer, testing his faith in God, his friends, and even himself. By the end he seems to be at least somewhat back to his old self, but going through an experience like that is bound to take psychological toll.
"I think he’s in a much better place," confirms Oleson. "He’s been vindicated spiritually, physically, and emotionally. I have to stop there because I don’t want to talk about where I want to take it next.
Karen Page
Season 3 finally gives us that Karen Page flashback episode, and we discover the events surrounding her younger brother's death and the part she played in it. Page also confesses to the murder of Wesley - something which she'd been carrying around since season 1 and very nearly broke her completely.
Like Matt, Karen is also in a better place by the season finale, however.
"What Karen has to confront, what Karen comes to realize, is kind of what Matt says to her at the end of the season in the finale, which is that in the grand scheme of things, we’re all trying to do the best we can and in the balance sheet of life, Karen has done more good than bad."
Crossovers
With the exception of a brief appearance from a couple of minor Luke Cage characters (played by Annabella Sciorra and Danny Johnson) and a Jessica Jones mention, Daredevil season 3 was fairly self-contained and avoided making too many connections to the other shows.
Though some fans will take issue with this, Oleson felt that having "drop-bys from characters from other shows or the Marvel Universe" woul not have felt organic to the story he was telling.
"That’s my personal taste. Some people will miss it and disagree with me, and there’s no right or wrong. For me, each one of the Marvel Netflix shows has its own tone and I very much wanted to keep my eye on the ball this season and I wanted to fully flesh out the characters of Daredevil and not get distracted by setting up spin-offs or other elements."
Kingpin
Though he comes close, Daredevil ultimately decides to spare Wilson Fisk's life and even cuts a deal with his nemesis in order to protect his friends. With Fisk now off to jail again, presumably for life, is this the last we'll see of The Kingpin?
Oleson won't confirm or deny, but it sounds like Matt's most dauntless foe will return in some capacity of the show continues.
"All I will say is that there is a reason I ended the season the way I ended it," explains the showrunner. "There are more stories to tell with all of these characters, but at the very end, I also didn’t want to forever damn Matt’s soul by making him a killer, even though he comes as close to that as he ever has. So, I think let’s see whether or not I get to do more of these seasons."
Tell us, what did you think of Daredevil season 3? Was it really the best Marvel and Netflix have had to offer yet, or do you think it's been over-hyped? Drop us a comment down below.
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