After a critically acclaimed season one, Daredevil is returning for a second season, heralded by a flood of rumours and trailers, but what should we expect?
First of all, Matt, Foggy and Karen still seem to be in business together, and it looks like there’s a potential romance between Karen and Matt. Of course, the fact that Matt is Daredevil is still a secret to her, though it’s quite likely she’ll learn the truth this series. Karen also obviously has some secrets of her own that have yet to be revealed. It’ll be interesting to see the dynamic between Foggy and Matt, now that Foggy knows who the man in the mask is. Foggy was supportive in the series finale as the fight against The Kingpin came to an end, but without the massive threat of The Kingpin we might see Foggy take a more negative stance.
Though The Kingpin is currently incarcerated, it would not be surprising to see him return given not only his importance during season one, but his acclaim and popularity outside of the show. Having said that, if The Kingpin was brought back this season in a major role, it might make it difficult to imagine the show without him making further seasons difficult.
“The Punisher represents what Matt could have been, or perhaps what he is yet to become.”
The official trailers show that Elektra and The Punisher will have major roles in the new season. The Punisher offers an interesting new perspective, as his methods differ from Daredevil’s in the fact that he has no problem killing his enemies. Matt Murdock has struggled with this issue in the past and The Punisher represents what he could have been or perhaps what he is yet to become. The murky morality of The Punisher means that it is also unclear whether he will primarily an enemy or an ally to Daredevil, though confrontation between the two is certain.
Elektra, likewise, also has an interesting moral compass, being portrayed as both a hero and a villain in the comics. From the trailers, it appears that this version of Elektra will be fighting against The Hand alongside Daredevil, but their alliance is likely to be quite complicated.
With Elektra being Matt’s ex-girlfriend, the set-up allows for a lot of tension, especially as they fight against The Hand, a mysterious Yakuza-like group of ninjas. Last season, the mystical undertone of The Hand’s schemes felt at odds with the gritty tone of the rest of the show and out of place at times. If the role of The Hand and mystical forces is increased, the entire feel of the show could change. While not necessarily a bad thing, this may alienate fans of season one. This particular plotline will also likely bring back Stick and Stone, the mysterious people who are in part responsible for creating Daredevil for some goal which has been touched upon but not explained. The father/son dynamic between Stick and Matt is always enjoyable and it would be nice to see this explored further.
All in all, Daredevil season two really looks like something to look forward to. Whether it can emulate the highs of season one and create an antagonist as developed and engaging as The Kingpin remains to be seen, but with the addition of Elektra and The Punisher to the mix, it’ll certainly be interesting.
