It Bothers Me That Daredevil’s Netflix Series Wasted an Iconic Comics Villain (But I Think Born Again Can Fix It)

[[{“value”:”

Daredevil: Born Again is in full swing, bringing back many of the most iconic characters from the Defenders Saga and making them full-fledged facets of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio are back as Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk, respectively, each proving once more why he is the perfect representation of his iconic character. Replete with epic action sequences, masterfully written dialogue, and intense character development for its main cast, Born Again is every bit the revival series that fans of the original Netflix show were hoping for.

Perhaps the most exciting thing about the MCU’s latest series is that it is strikingly similar to the original Daredevil. While the cinematography and setting may differ, the show firmly establishes itself as a direct continuation of the original series, retroactively confirming that everything from the Defenders Saga is MCU canon. This means that future seasons of Born Again can include any characters or storylines from the original series, including some that may have been disappointing or incomplete the first time. As such, Born Again has the chance to rectify one of the most disappointing villains from the early episodes of Netflix’s Daredevil.

Daredevil Killed Off the Owl in Season 1

Leland Owlsley Never Became His Supervillain Alter-Ego From the Comics

Leland Owlsley is one of Daredevil‘s early villains, helping Wilson Fisk balance his ill-gotten fortune without alerting the authorities. The snide businessman serves as a member of Fisk’s criminal cabal alongside Madame Gao, Nobu, and several other gangsters. However, as each member of Fisk’s inner circle meets an untimely end, Owlsley begins to worry that he might be next and begins working against his employer. Owlsley arranges for Vanessa Marianna, Fisk’s girlfriend, to be poisoned at a gala, hoping that her death might refocus the mob boss on running New York’s criminal underworld. Predictably, this plan backfires and Fisk discovers the truth. Furious, Fisk lashes out at Owlsley, hurling him to his death at the bottom of an abandoned elevator shaft.

Leland Owlsley’s death at the end of Daredevil Season 1 may have been an important part of the story, but it surely disappointed fans of the comics. In the Marvel Universe, Leland Owlsley is the supervillain known as the Owl. Named for his uncanny resemblance to the winged beast, the Owl is one of New York’s leading crime bosses who, in addition to his great influence, also possesses the ability to glide through the air like a bird. The villain has faced off against numerous supervillains throughout his long history in Marvel Comics, including Daredevil and Spider-Man. While Daredevil had a chance to adapt at least some elements of this iconic villain in live-action, the series instead opted to kill Owlsley off after only a few episodes, ending any chance of his appearing as the Owl.

How the Owl Can Still Appear in Daredevil: Born Again

Daredevil Hinted That the Owl Can Still Return in the MCU

Despite his apparent death in Daredevil‘s first season, the Owl could still return in Daredevil: Born Again. Throughout his arc in the Netflix series, Leland Owlsley makes several mentions of his son, Lee (presumably short for Leland, after his father). This was no doubt a deliberate easter egg planted by the show’s writers to appease fans who would understandably be upset by Olwlsey’s death at the end of the season. Although he never appears onscreen, Leland Owlsley Jr. is still out there somewhere in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, perhaps plotting his revenge for his father’s murder.

Daredevil: Born Again could finally open the door for the real Owl to join the MCU, fulfilling the original show’s clever tease almost a decade ago. There are several interesting storylines that the series could explore with the Owl, who could try to reclaim his father’s position as a key figure in New York City’s underworld. With the Fisks now “going clean” following Wilson’s newfound political career, a void is opening up in the underworld that could leave room for the Owl to rise to power. As the new kingpin of New York’s gangs, the Owl would want to finally get revenge for the death of his father at the hands of Wilson Fisk. Owlsley could emerge as an adversary for both Mayor Fisk, the target of his enterprise, and Daredevil, who has sworn to protect his city. With a common enemy, Fisk and Daredevil might need to join forces to bring the Owl to justice. There are simply too many exciting story opportunities with the Owl for Daredevil: Born Again not to feature the supervillain in future seasons.

Born Again Needs to Explore More of Daredevil’s Rogues Gallery

With More Seasons on the Way, Daredevil Could Fight More Iconic Villains

The Owl’s introduction could finally open the door for more of Daredevil’s villains to feature in the MCU. Due to the limited and grounded nature of the original series, only a handful of Daredevill’s comic book adversaries have appeared in the MCU so far. Netflix’s Daredevil focused on major adversaries like the Kingpin, Bullseye, and the generals of the Hand. Born Again, however, has the chance to expand the Man Without Fear’s rogues gallery to include plenty of his colorful adversaries from the comics. In addition to the Owl, future seasons of Daredevil could feature more baddies like the Gladiator (a character who was set up in the Netflix series), Mister Fear (whom many fans believe Matthew Lillard could be playing in Season 2), the Jester, and even Lady Bullseye.

Although Daredevil’s rogues gallery isn’t as well-known as Spider-Man’s, these villains deserve a chance to prove their strength against the crimson crusader in the MCU. If Marvel intends for Born Again to run for many more seasons, the series will need to explore different antagonists or risk audiences growing tired of repeated appearances by Fisk and Bullseye. Thankfully, the series appears to be heading in the right direction with the introduction of Muse, a brand-new villain who will push Daredevil’s boundaries in upcoming episodes of Born Again. Hopefully, this is the first in a long line of new supervillains who will challenge the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen in his new series.

Daredevil: Born Again thrives with the reintroduction of iconic characters like Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk. However, to remain a groundbreaking superhero series, Born Again will need to introduce new villains to challenge Daredevil as he fights to defend New York City. The original Daredevil already set up potential baddies to appear in future seasons of Born Again, not the least of which being the Owl, whose storyline could shake up the known dynamics of the series.

“}]] Daredevil Season 1 introduced and killed off a famous villain from the comics. Here’s how Daredevil: Born Again can bring him back in future seasons.  Read More