RIP to a real one… This week’s episode of Daredevil: Born Again, “The Hateful Darkness,” was once again a deadly affair as — spoilers past this point — Daniel Blake is dead, and actor Michael Gandolfini has exited the series. Particularly given the wild theories thrown around about the character over the past two seasons, this a swerve that may end up having big ramifications going forward. Or not! Either way.
To jump back and give a little recap for context, Blake and BB Urich (Genneya Walton) were on Staten Island to celebrate Daniel’s birthday, when he discovered definitively that she was the mole who has been leaking info on the mayor’s office. At the same time, Buck Cashman (Arty Froushan) called, which is where we pick up in this week’s episode… With Daniel holding BB on Staten Island until he figures out what to do, a fate worse than death (i.e., being on Staten Island).
While he seems to imply to BB that he’s going to get her to a safehouse, it’s clear he’s instead steering her directly to Buck. And when they arrive, BB realizes this, begging him not to let her die. It works, and in a charge of heart he gives her his phone so she can reveal all the dirt he has on Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) and tells her to run. In order to give BB time to escape, Daniel gives himself up to Buck. Given they’re hot dog buddies, he thinks maybe he can appeal to Buck’s humanity, and/or take him in a fight.
Wrong on both counts. Buck tortures Daniel, and when he ultimately proves to be useless, kills him. The final shot of the episode is Daniel bleeding out on the floor. So unlike Vanessa Fisk (Ayelet Zurer) a few episodes back, this is a definitive death. Daniel is dead, and Michael Gandolfini has exited the series. Unless of course he does a patented Foggy (Elden Henson) Flashback, but that doesn’t seem likely.
What’s most curious about this death, though, is the disparity between how the show seemed to be setting up Daniel, and what became of him.
Daredevil: Born Again Fan Theories Pegged Daniel As Kingpin’s Son, And/Or The Rose
There’s a crime boss from Marvel Comics called The Rose who is sometimes depicted as the son of Kingpin and Vanessa… And that certainly seemed to be what the show was setting up in some fashion in Season 1, and teasing heavily with the preponderance of roses in scenes with the latter character.
Even if Daniel wasn’t taking the place of Richard Fisk (the name of the first Rose from the comics) in the show, the odd way Kingpin immediately glommed onto the sycophantic boy in Season 1 seems at odds with the rapid fall the in-over-his-head Daniel took in Season 2. There certainly seemed to be more story there left on the table this season… Though unless there is a shocking “Buck killed your son” reveal in the finale, Daniel’s story is dunzo.
As is, any fan theories about Daniel were incorrect. He was just a guy from Staten Island who stumbled into becoming Deputy Mayor of New York, and ended up dead on the floor of an abandoned Brownstone apartment. RIP to a real one, again, and hope you’re sharing hot dogs in heaven.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Premiere Dates And Episode Guide:
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 premieres on Tuesday March 24 on Disney+ at 9pm ET / 6pm PT, with new episodes weekly except for the second week which has two episodes to make room for a Punisher one-shot special episode on May 12.
Here’s the full list of episodes in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 with premiere dates:
- Tuesday, March 24, 2026: Daredevil: Born Again, Season 2, Episode 1, “The Northern Star”
- Tuesday, March 31, 2026: Daredevil: Born Again, Season 2, Episode 2, “Shoot The Moon”
- Tuesday, March 31, 2026: Daredevil: Born Again, Season 2, Episode 3, “The Scales & The Sword”
- Tuesday, April 7, 2026: Daredevil: Born Again, Season 2, Episode 4, “Gloves Off”
- Tuesday, April 14, 2026: Daredevil: Born Again, Season 2, Episode 5, “The Grand Design”
- Tuesday, April 21, 2026: Daredevil: Born Again, Season 2, Episode 6, “Requiem”
- Tuesday, April 28, 2026: Daredevil: Born Again, Season 2, Episode 7, “The Hateful Darkness”
- Tuesday, May 5, 2026: Daredevil: Born Again, Season 2, Episode 8, “The Southern Cross” *Season Finale*
- Tuesday, May 12, 2026: The Punisher: One Last Kill – Marvel Special Presentation
Where To Watch Daredevil: Born Again
Listen to MarvelVision:
Share this:
Discover more from Comic Book Club
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.