Lets Talk About that Daredevil Season 3 Finale......

If you haven't seen season three of Daredevil yet, then I have no idea why on earth you are here, but I will say it anyways...MAJOR SPOILERS FOR DAREDEVIL SEASON THREE. This article discusses the culmination of the entire main Netflix-Daredevil story arc (as the show appears to not be coming back for a fourth season).

I still remember the day I found out that Netflix was taking their own shot at the mythos of Daredevil. Initially I was super excited, because to me, Daredevil has always been one of the most intriguing characters in all of Marvel Comics. The dude is blind and repeatedly kicks the living shit out of meta-humans and crime bosses (with their mobs and guns). What's not to like? However, my elation soon turned to horror as I realized just who was making this thing. Netflix-produced movies and TV shows were extremely hit-or-miss at the time, and although it had a lot of subscribers, it was largely considered a cheap form of quick entertainment where people could go to re-watch the same episode of The Office six hundred times.

Little did I know what exactly Netflix had in store for this legendary character.....

I will never forget what went through my head when I finally finished that first season of Daredevil. They did it. They really did it, and not only did they do the character justice...they made a fantastic season of television. This was enough to leave me, as well as the rest of the comic book community, wanting and absolutely craving for more.

Fast Forward to 2018, and we have reached the release of Daredevil season 3. Let me tell you, not only was it the best season of Daredevil (in my opinion), but it was perhaps one of the best seasons of television I have ever seen. Now, this isn't a full-season review (if you would like one please say so in the comments!), so I will try my best not to delve head-first into the analysis of the entire season. However, it is important to note that the main theme of this season was Matt Murdock's (Daredevil's) struggle with the question of whether he should resort to killing Wilson Fisk (kingpin) in order to stop him for good. Again, I won't delve into the reason why Matt feels this way, but I assure you it is for very good reason. I highly recommend that you watch to find out for yourself!

What we will be taking a look at here, however, is that final episode...and more specifically, one of the final scenes of the season. The scene I mention here is the now-famous scene in which Daredevil has finally defeated Kingpin in his penthouse and has the option of killing him. The moment that really got my emotions flowing was when Daredevil was finishing off Kingpin, and Kingpin gives this look of utter helplessness to his wife. In that moment, we all knew that Fisk was about to give Matt the option of killing him. Everything we had witnessed up to this point was coming to a head. In this one simple fleeting moment of desperation and violence, we as the audience instantly became aware of the significance of what was about to happen next.

Fisk drops helplessly to his knees...bloody and beaten...and Matt sees his opportunity. In horror, we see Matt instantly reach for Fisk's head and grasp it with the clear intention of snapping it like a twig. He pauses, however, and the moment seems to drag on for minutes. The intense look of anguish and regret on Matt's face in this moment alone is enough to give anyone who knows his story chills down their spine. Matt uttered no sound, but he didn't have to. The acting by Charlie Cox here is simply stunning. After deciding not to kill the man who was responsible for the intense suffering of not only himself, but everyone he knew, Daredevil finally lets out a bone-chilling scream that was both terrifying and relieving, and falls to his knees as well. The dialogue that takes place between Fisk and Murdock in the following minutes is so good, that any attempts of summarization on my part would fail to give it justice. This conversation is detailed below, as well as a clip for those wishing to re-connect with this iconic scene.

Fisk: I will never stop hunting Karen Page...or Foggy Nelson. I will tell the world who you REALLY ARE.

Matt Murdock: ...You want me to kill you.

Wilson Fisk: No prison can keep me. You know that. Come on, kill me!

Matt Murdock: No! God knows I want to, but you don’t get to destroy who I am. You will go back to prison, and you will live the rest of your miserable life in a cage, knowing you’ll never have Vanessa, that this city rejected you. It beat you. I BEAT YOU. You’ll keep my secret, and you won’t harm Karen Page or Foggy Nelson or anyone else. Because if you do, I will go after your wife. And I will prove Vanessa ordered the murder of Agent Ray Nadeem, and like her husband, she’ll spend the rest of her life in a cell.

Daredevil had been born again. With this one monumental decision, Matt completes his arc and teaches us seemingly infinite wisdom in doing so. He goes through so much and gets dragged through the mud by Fisk for so long...that the average audience member would not be wrong for wanting Murdock to actually go through with it. To be honest, I even secretly wished for Fisk's demise, even though I knew it would have been hard to pull that off while still maintaining the excellent writing that had endured all season. Vincent D'Onofrio's portrayal of Kingpin, in addition to how he was written for the show, is perhaps the most complex and well-written villain since Heath Leger's Joker. I only make this comparison, because it felt as if the creators of this show (and in particular this season) took heavy inspiration from Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy. Some people would inevitably argue that Killmonger in Black Panther deserves that title, but to me, Kingpin adds so many layers of depth and development to not only himself, but Matt Murdock, that he even transcends Killmonger. Not since the Batman and the Joker have I seen two character's destinies become so intertwined.

Once in a while, there are scenes in movies and T.V. shows that seem to knock the air from your lungs and make your jaw drop in awe. Scenes like this, in my opinion, are what elevate a really good film/show to the status of great. It is the product of a director, his creative team, and their collective visions all coming together in complete harmony to produce a few minutes of pure emotion. This is when you can tell the creators were indeed passionate about it. Granted, this type of analysis is highly subjective, but for me, it's the best way to connect to them. To me, if a film or a show can make me feel with intensity, think deeper, and relate to fictional characters in ways I never thought possible...it deserves a place among the rest of the elites. Daredevil ticks every box imaginable. It has truly earned its place, not only among the great comic book stories of all time, but among the greatest television and film stories of all time.

I do not claim to know everything about how to analyze film or television shows, and I am no critic. I have been developing my ability to break down these things for a long time, but to me, the greatness of any form of art simply boils down to how it makes me feel. I wrote this, not because I think my opinion is so important, but because I am extremely curious to know what you all think about this scene (as well as the show) as well. I place high value in everyone's opinion, and I look forward to hearing what you all have to say in the comments! Until next time....

Peace and love to you all.

-SAF