Daredevil: Born Again's Muse Explained: Who Is Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk's New Enemy?

Disney+ has unveiled a new trailer for Daredevil: Born Again, premiering March 4th. This footage confirms what the D23 trailer hinted at: Daredevil and Kingpin, unlikely allies, are uniting against a common threat—the artistically inclined serial killer, Muse. But who is this villain, and why are they forcing this uneasy alliance?

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Who Is Muse?

Muse, a relatively recent addition to Daredevil's rogues' gallery, debuted in 2016's Daredevil #11, created by Charles Soule and Ron Garney (Soule himself confirmed Muse's appearance in the D23 footage). This villain is reminiscent of Hannibal, viewing murder as the ultimate artistic expression. His debut involved a mural painted with the blood of a hundred missing persons, followed by a gruesome arrangement of Inhuman corpses.

What makes Muse particularly dangerous to Daredevil is his unique ability to disrupt Matt Murdock's radar sense, acting as a sensory black hole. Combined with superhuman strength and speed, he's a formidable foe. His rivalry with Daredevil and Blindspot intensifies when he blinds Blindspot, leading to a confrontation where Muse self-inflicts injury to prevent further artistic creation. Despite this, he escapes and resumes his killing spree, fixating on New York's vigilantes, creating twisted tributes to figures like the Punisher. This escalates his conflict with Blindspot, culminating in a final confrontation where Blindspot, empowered by The Beast, defeats Muse, who subsequently commits suicide. However, given the nature of the Marvel Universe, his return is inevitable.

Muse in Daredevil: Born Again

The D23 and subsequent trailers confirm Muse's appearance in Daredevil: Born Again, sporting a costume mirroring his comic book counterpart—a white mask and bodysuit with bloody red tears. This suggests the series draws inspiration from more contemporary Daredevil comics, diverging from the 1986 Born Again storyline, despite sharing the name. While the original focused on Fisk's discovery of Daredevil's identity, the show seems to be taking a different path, especially considering Fisk's prior knowledge of Daredevil's identity in the MCU.

The series hints at an alliance between Daredevil and Fisk, shown meeting in a diner. Matt threatens Fisk, prompting Fisk's intriguing response, suggesting a new threat compels their collaboration.

Could Muse be that threat? Born Again appears to be influenced by Soule and Zdarsky's Daredevil comics, with Fisk potentially becoming mayor (as hinted in Echo's post-credits scene), campaigning against vigilantism. Muse, in direct opposition, glorifies figures like the Punisher, creating a conflict of interest for both Daredevil and Fisk. Daredevil seeks to stop a killer, while Fisk aims to eliminate a threat to his mayoral authority. This forces an unlikely alliance, even if it's with someone actively working against Daredevil's existence.

The series will also feature the Punisher and White Tiger, likely caught in the crossfire of Fisk's anti-vigilante campaign. Muse's actions could further fuel public fear and provide Fisk's task force with targets.

While the Daredevil/Fisk rivalry remains central, Muse emerges as the immediate threat. His powers and bloodlust make him arguably Daredevil's most challenging opponent yet. His appearance necessitates this unusual alliance.

For more on the MCU's future, check out what's in store for Marvel in 2025 and the upcoming Marvel movies and series.

Note: This article was originally published on 8/10/2024 and updated on 1/15/2025 with the latest info about Daredevil: Born Again.