Major spoilers for the series premiere of Daredevil: Born Again, “Heaven’s Half Hour,” lie ahead, so read on at your own discretion.
Daredevil: Born Again has long been one of the most anticipated titles on the 2025 TV schedule and, now, it’s finally arrived. The sequel series, which is available for Disney+ subscription holders, kicks off with a bang, to say the least. Its first two episodes deliver the action and drama fans became accustomed to during the Netflix show’s run, and that includes a bit of tragedy as well. A major character is killed off early on in the first installment and, as sad as it is, it’s a necessary loss.
Who Dies At The Start Of Daredevil: Born Again?
The superhero crime drama opens with a prologue featuring Matt Murdock and his two law firm associates and friends, Franklin “Foggy” Nelson and Karen Page. After leaving work one night, the trio go to their favorite watering hole, Josie’s, to celebrate the retirement of NYPD veteran Cherry. The night proves to be a fun occasion until Foggy hears from a client, Benny, who he sent into hiding following a conflict in Red Hook. Matt, unaware of Foggy’s actions as Karen is as well, goes to investigate.
What follows, however, is extremely devastating as, while he’s talking to Karen in front of the tavern, Foggy is shot from afar by Benjamin Poindexter a.k.a. Bullseye. Despite her best efforts to stop the bleeding, Karen can’t keep Foggy alive before the paramedics arrive. All the while, Matt – as Daredevil – does battle with Poindexter and, after he sees that the villain has killed his best friend, Matt attempts to kill the assassin by throwing him off a building.
The sight of Foggy’s bloody and lifeless body lying across the pavement will surely never leave my mind. It’s also sad, considering just how great Elden Henson has been in the role of Nelson, which he originated on the OG show. Nevertheless, I’d argue that EP Dario Scardapane and co. didn’t do this without reason.
Why Born Again’s Major Death Scene Needed To Happen
First and foremost, I’m glad the producers saw fit to show Foggy’s death as opposed to having the character die off screen. Nelson is too important a character to this DD mythos for his demise to not actually be shown. I know that probably sounds odd coming from someone who was taken aback by that tragic moment. However, what it signifies is the start of a new chapter not just for Matt Murdock but for this franchise as a whole.
After the course correcting on Born Again, I was glad to hear that Karen and Foggy would be integrated into the show. However, this sequel series can’t lean solely on the familiar but must blaze its own trail within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Foggy’s gut-wrenching demise firmly represents the end of one phase in this crime saga and the beginning of another. It indicates to viewers that we’re in uncharted territory now and that anything can happen.
This dark turn of events will also have a significant impact on Charlie Cox’s Matt, who’s going to have to grapple with the loss of his best friend. Cox spoke about Foggy’s death with CinemaBlend and confirmed that the development will indeed “haunt” Murdock. The thought of that is unfortunate but, from a storytelling standpoint, it makes things interesting.
I’d be lying if I said I’m not still going to miss Foggy, though. Elden Henson’s performance was a grounding element for the original show. Nevertheless, I applaud showrunner Dario Scardapane and his team for taking such a huge swing so early on, as they kick off the continuing adventures of the Man Without Fear.
Check out new episodes of Daredevil: Born Again when they drop on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Disney+. Those who are eager to know more about the MCU’s small-screen productions can also check out the schedule of upcoming Marvel shows.
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