Daredevil: Born Again is set to replace one of its most important characters in Season 3, and it could alter the show for the better. After Daredevil (Charlie Cox) successfully defeated Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) and his anti-vigilante campaign, the villain was ousted from his position as mayor and sent into exile. The Disney+ series is preparing for its third and final season in 2027 (following a surprising cancellation), and things will look very different after Season 2’s explosive finale.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 will officially be replacing Kingpin as the mayor of New York, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day already suggesting that his campaign director, Sheila Rivera (Zabryna Guevara), has taken his place. This opens up Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 for a whole new world of opportunity, as Fisk’s time as mayor ends, and the show puts him in a completely new situation.
For the first two seasons of Daredevil: Born Again, Fisk has been in a position of power. Rather than operating in the criminal underworld as Kingpin as he did throughout Netflix’s Daredevil, Fisk entered a new era of political power, either running for mayor or having been successfully elected. After Fisk took a deal in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3’s finale to accept exile to avoid the charges against him, he’s now entering a completely new status as an outsider, and no longer commands the authority he once had.
Rather than writing Fisk out of the show, Disney+ is keeping D’Onofrio’s character and exploring this new chapter with him. Season 3 set photos have hinted at Kingpin’s return to New York City, with a brand-new look that is a stark contrast to the typically refined white-suited attire he’s worn in the past.
Fisk’s new situation will mark a new era for D’Onofrio to explore as the character, this time finding Kingpin at the bottom of the totem pole, without his political career or criminal ties to support him. While Daredevil and Daredevil: Born Again have found success in portraying Kingpin as a ruthless and powerful entity, Season 3 of the Disney+ show may gain an unexpected win by flipping the scenario and showing new sides of Kingpin as someone without his usual power.
This completely shifts the dynamic between Daredevil and Fisk as well. Previously, Fisk had always been an almost insurmountable enemy for Daredevil to face, but now the tables have turned. Season 3 will find both characters in entirely new positions, as Matt Murdock serves time in prison after his vigilante identity is revealed to the world, and Fisk operates in exile. This opens up exciting territory for the Marvel TV show that hasn’t been explored previously in either Daredevil series.
While removing Fisk from power was a bold decision in Season 2, it may ultimately serve the series well, as Season 3 now has a fresh perspective to explore that hasn’t been covered in the TV adaptation before, creating strong, intriguing new story territory heading into the final season.
Kingpin’s New Era in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3
Kingpin’s storyline was left hanging at the end of Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again, and as D’Onofrio promised in his interview with The Direct, it’s “[made] the audience wonder where Fisk is at.”
While nothing has officially been released by Marvel Studios to hint at what Kingpin is doing in Season 3 of the show, the set photos have confirmed that Fisk will be weaseling his way back into New York City, although he seems to no longer have the power or luxuries he once commanded, which will put him at a distinct disadvantage for once.
It’s unclear what Fisk’s intention is in returning to New York, but he may be attempting to return to his criminal roots by rebuilding his empire from the shadows. Alternatively, Daredevil: Born Again could explore a redemption arc for Fisk, perhaps through a team-up between Kingpin and Daredevil as they combat a greater threat to their city, which may be coming with the return of Elektra and the Hand in Season 3.
Being the last season, Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 will need to somewhat tie up the storylines of all its characters. That said, the end of the series doesn’t preclude these characters from returning in spin-off stories, their own Special Presentations, or other MCU movies.
In Kingpin’s case, D’Onofrio has noted that it’s “very hard” for Marvel to use his character outside of TV, so while he may not be able to join a Spider-Man movie like Jon Bernthal’s Punisher did in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, he could still be used across other streaming projects, like a possible Defenders reunion show or the rumored Young Avengers/Champions series.
