Daredevil and Kingpin Unite Against New Villain in Born Again Series

Disney has unveiled a fresh trailer for Daredevil: Born Again, set to premiere on Disney+ on March 4. The footage reinforces hints from the earlier D23-exclusive trailer, revealing that Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin will join forces to confront a shared enemy. What could compel these fierce rivals to collaborate? The trailers point to a new antagonist, the creatively driven serial killer known as Muse.

Who is Muse, and how does this superhuman predator force even sworn enemies like Daredevil and Kingpin to align? Here’s everything you need to know about this sinister Marvel villain.

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Who Is Muse?

Muse is a recent addition to Daredevil’s roster of adversaries, created by Charles Soule and Ron Garney in 2016’s Daredevil #11. Soule has confirmed Muse’s appearance in the D23 footage, dispelling any doubts.

Muse would fit seamlessly into a series like Hannibal. A prolific serial killer, he views murder as the ultimate art form. In his debut, he crafts a mural using the blood of a hundred missing individuals. Later, he orchestrates a macabre display by posing the bodies of six Inhumans.

Muse poses a unique threat to Daredevil, as his body absorbs sensory input, disrupting Matt Murdock’s radar sense. Combined with superhuman strength, speed, and a talent for killing, Muse ranks among Daredevil’s most lethal foes.

Muse quickly becomes a nemesis to both Daredevil and his ally, Blindspot. Their conflict escalates when Muse blinds Blindspot by gouging out his eyes. When Daredevil finally apprehends him, Muse deliberately breaks his own fingers, denying himself the ability to create further art.

Despite this, Muse’s hands are later restored, and he escapes to continue his deadly rampage across New York City. Obsessed with the city’s vigilantes, he erects grotesque tributes to figures like the Punisher, even as the newly elected Mayor Wilson Fisk intensifies his crackdown on vigilante activity.

This leads to a climactic showdown between Muse and Blindspot, who channels the power of The Beast—a demonic entity tied to the ninja cult The Hand—to defeat him. Devastated that Blindspot has overshadowed his story, Muse takes his own life by walking into a fire.

That confrontation, from 2018’s Daredevil #600, marked Muse’s last appearance. Given the Marvel Universe’s penchant for resurrections, it seems inevitable that this sadistic killer will return to unleash his gruesome artistry once more.

Muse in Daredevil: Born Again

Footage from D23 and subsequent trailers confirms Muse’s role in the upcoming Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again, though the actor portraying the villain remains undisclosed. Muse appears briefly in the teaser, donning a costume nearly identical to his comic version—a white mask and bodysuit with red, blood-like streaks down his face. The NYCC trailer features him in multiple scenes, including a fight with Daredevil.

While the series shares its name with the iconic 1986 Daredevil storyline by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, it clearly draws from more recent comics. The original Born Again story centered on Wilson Fisk uncovering Daredevil’s identity and dismantling Matt Murdock’s life. The show, however, builds on their existing rivalry—Fisk has long known Daredevil’s identity in the MCU—and takes a different path.

The series appears to position Daredevil and Fisk as reluctant allies. One trailer scene shows them meeting at a diner, where Matt warns Fisk against crossing him, and Fisk retorts, “Is that coming from Matt Murdock… or your darker half?” A new, formidable threat in New York City seems to force this uneasy partnership.

Could Muse be this threat? The series seems to draw heavily from Soule and Chip Zdarsky’s Daredevil comics. The post-credits scene in Echo revealed Fisk’s mayoral ambitions, and the latest trailer suggests he has secured the position, leveraging his charisma and resources to win over New Yorkers.

If the show mirrors the comics, Fisk will campaign to eradicate vigilantism in New York. Muse, as in the source material, opposes this agenda. A violent killer himself, he creates art that glorifies vigilantes like Frank Castle.

Muse could be the catalyst uniting Daredevil and Mayor Fisk. Daredevil seeks to stop a ruthless murderer, while Fisk aims to neutralize a threat to his authority. This alliance, though fraught, may be Daredevil’s only option, even as Fisk works to outlaw heroes like him.

The series will also feature vigilantes like Jon Bernthal’s Punisher and White Tiger, likely targeted by Fisk’s anti-vigilante task force. Public fear of unsanctioned vigilantes fuels Fisk’s crusade, and Muse’s artwork may further elevate figures like Castle and White Tiger, complicating the conflict.

While the rivalry between Daredevil and Fisk remains central, Muse emerges as the immediate danger to Matt Murdock’s world. With his powers and unrelenting bloodlust, Muse may prove to be Daredevil’s toughest adversary yet. Fortunately, he has an unlikely ally in Mayor Fisk.

For more on the MCU’s future, explore what Marvel has in store for 2025 and check out every upcoming Marvel film and series.

Note: This article was first published on August 10, 2024, and updated on January 15, 2025, with the latest details on Daredevil: Born Again.