Daredevil: Born Again appears to be the next Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) title to feature a superhero title change, and honestly, it could be the best yet. Daredevil: Born Again has already broken new ground in the MCU as the first show to exist outside the official Sacred Timeline and now be integrated in. But, on top of the incredible lengths that Marvel Studios has undertaken to include Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio’s characters, there is a lot more coming in season 2.
After the explosive finale of Daredevil: Born Again season 1, Matt Murdock needs to form a superhero team to rise up against Mayor Wilson Fisk. Evidently, this creates the perfect moment for Matt to reunite with a few of his Defenders friends from the Netflix Marvel shows, but it also opens the door for some new heroes. Namely, one who was introduced in season 1, before finally stepping up and taking on the mantle in season 2.
The MCU Has Now Had Several Hero Mantles Be Passed On In Its Timeline
The Marvel Superhero Legacies Continue To Evolve And Change In The MCU
The MCU is no stranger to introducing new characters to continue another hero’s legacy. Just like in the comics, when a hero gets old, retires, or dies, a new character is often brought in to replace them, and continues using their name to inspire and lead others. And with 17 years of movies and shows under their belt, the MCU is following the comic book protocols perfectly.
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Is Daredevil: Born Again A Continuation Of The Netflix Show?
Despite bringing back many characters from the Netflix series, Marvel has gone back and forth on if Born Again continues that same story.
From Sam Wilson picking up Cap’s shield and becoming Captain America, to Kate Bishop being trained by the original Hawkeye, Clint Barton, to take over his hero name. The MCU is equipped to handle a changeover from one hero to the next, with even more going on in the background, but there is one very exciting legacy that appears to be confirmed to continue in Daredevil: Born Again season 2.
The MCU’s Next Hero Mantle Succession Looks Like It Could Be Its Strongest Yet In Some Ways
Angela del Toro Has A Unique Superhero Origin Story In Daredevil: Born Again
The White Tiger, originally a man named Hector Ayala, who was tragically gunned down by a corrupt policeman in season 1. Now, his legacy will continue through his niece, Angela del Toro, who has been spotted in set photos wearing a homemade White Tiger outfit as reported by The Direct. But unlike the numerous other succession stories in the MCU, Angela’s story can be different. Not only can her journey be studied over the course of season 2 and beyond, but her working in Hell’s Kitchen, alongside heroes like Daredevil, puts her in a unique position to learn and develop as a hero.
And more than that, as a street-level hero. She isn’t training to be an Avenger, she is training to protect her home. And the moment that sparked it all was the tragic death of her uncle. This opens the door to so many unique storytelling opportunities, helping to mold this story into something more significant. Without the pressure of a bigger stage for their heroics, the White Tiger can grow steadily as a hero, making mistakes along the way, and improving over time.
I’m Glad The MCU Is Exploring More Stories Around Legacy Hero Titles
The MCU Needs To Change In Order To Evolve
As mentioned above, the comics have been seeing superheros pass down their mantles for decades. However, due to the nature of most films, it’s been hard to reproduce the same sort of story. But digging even deeper into this idea in an ongoing TV show format makes it far more interesting. For example, if the MCU were to rely on a single character to be a titular hero, their stories would eventually get stale, or the stakes would feel impossibly low as the heroes fight with plot armor.
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Daredevil: Born Again Just Retconned A 10 Year Old Netflix Series Easter Egg (But It’s For The Best)
By making the future for one new MCU character in Daredevil: Born Again much more exciting, Marvel Studios retconned a Defenders Saga easter egg.
The MCU counters this by allowing the legacy to move beyond one individual hero. This creates a much more tense and dynamic universe of stories, where heroes like Tony Stark sacrifice themselves for the benefit of all mankind. And now, another emotional story is set to appear in Daredevil: Born Again season 2 as Angela del Toro sets out to find the people responsible for killing her uncle.
