Daredevil: Born Again Is Missing Matt Murdock's Most Important Trait

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This post contains spoilers for "Daredevil: Born Again."

"Daredevil: Born Again" is named for the most famous "Daredevil" comic ever, 1986's "Born Again" by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli. Miller is the writer credited with making Matt Murdock/Daredevil a Catholic, and "Born Again" (running in "Daredevil" #227-233) is the story that canonized that.

The title, "Born Again," evokes Jesus Christ's resurrection. Like Jesus, Matt is betrayed by one of those closest to him — Karen Page sells Daredevil's secret identity for a heroin fix. He finds refuge in a convent, healed back to health by the nun Sister Maggie (who is secretly Matt Murdock's long-lost mother).

Ann Nocenti started writing "Daredevil" shortly after "Born Again" at issue #236, and kept the Catholic themes going. During the X-Men's "Inferno" event, the Goblin Queen literally unleashed Hell on New York City. Nocenti tied into that during "Daredevil" issues #262-263, #265, where Daredevil comes face-to-face with the lord of Hell, Mephisto.

Marvel Comics

The back half of Nocenti's "Daredevil" literalizes Matt's inner struggles as Mephisto tempting him into evil, the way Christianity ascribes temptations to the Devil's work. In "Daredevil" #270, Mephisto creates a "son," Blackheart, from the residual evil of a murder scene.

When "Daredevil" relaunched in 1998 with a new issue no. 1, filmmaker Kevin Smith wrote the first eight issues (drawn by Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti). The story, "Guardian Devil," featured Daredevil having to protect an infant who was apparently immaculately conceived.

Chip Zdarsky, who wrote "Daredevil" from 2019 to 2023, described the contradictions of Daredevil's Catholicism as part of what makes him fascinating: "[Matt Murdock is] the good Catholic boy who dresses as the Devil." Zdarsky's run took a page from Nocenti for its climax, literally sending Daredevil to Hell. In his angelic white costume, Matt Murdock had to face personal and true demons.

Marvel Comics

The original "Daredevil" Netflix series agreed with Zdarsky's assessment, putting Matt's (Charlie Cox) faith front and center. Now that "Daredevil: Born Again" season 1 has finished, though, it's clear the series has pushed Matt Murdock's Catholicism into the background.

In fairness, "Daredevil: Born Again," doesn't completely ignore Matt being a religious man. In episode 2, "Optics," he stands outside a church and listens to a Mass service. Some have read this scene as suggesting Matt let his faith lapse. Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) did murder Matt's best friend, Foggy Nelson (Elden Hanson), and Matt in turn attempted to kill Bullseye. But if so, it's not an idea the show goes back to or explores in depth. In "Born Again" episode 6, "Excessive Force," Matt also reads the Litany of Saint Yves (the patron saint of lawyers) to himself. 

Even as "Born Again" explores violence as an addiction for Matt, it doesn't do so through a Catholic lens like the comics and original Netflix show did. Matt may fight for the right reasons, but going out to beat up men at night isn't saintly behavior. He dresses like the Devil in acknowledgment that what he's doing is wrong and straying from God's path.

The aforementioned Ann Nocenti called Matt's guilt and compulsive need to punish the wicked a crisis of faith. He takes the Sacrament of Reconciliation in "Daredevil" #267, confessing his past violence to a priest. But Matt can't complete the Penace, because when the Priest tells him he must control his urges to solve problems with his fists, Matt dismisses that as impossible.

Marvel Comics

One of the very first scenes of the Netflix "Daredevil" was Matt sitting in a confession booth, discussing his plans as Daredevil with Father Paul Lantom (Peter McRobbie). Lantom stayed a recurring character, acting as Matt's confidante and spiritual advisor. He was Matt Murdock's and the show's own tether to Catholicism. Whenever "Daredevil" needed to give Matt a scene partner for moral debates or to ask what God would think, Lantom was there.

Lantom was killed in "Daredevil" season 3, so his absence in "Born Again" was inevitable. Yet his character still left a hole in the story. Season 3 also introduced Sister Maggie (Joanne Whalley), who could easily fill Lantom's role but is so far a no-show.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe always aims to be as broad as possible. Making a specific religion an integral part of a story by nature narrows audience interest. But in "Daredevil: Born Again" season 2, I hope they remember the specificity of Daredevil's faith was a positive aspect of the original show, not a detraction.

"Daredevil: Born Again" season 1 is streaming on Disney+.