Attention: this article contains spoilers from the fifth episode of She-Hulk: Lawyer Hulka.
Many Daredevil fans are watching She-Hulk: Lawyer She-Hulk with great interest. The series is poised to become the first official MCU project to feature Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock in Daredevil mode. We’ve even been given a sneak peek at the upcoming She-Hulk/Daredevil crossover with an easter egg at the end of episode 5. But it turns out that quick look at Daredevil’s helmet can finally solve one of the MCU’s biggest mysteries.
This suit cameo could finally confirm that Daredevil and his supporting cast are being rebooted for the MCU., instead of Marvel picking up where the Netflix series left off. Let’s take a closer look at the tests.
Daredevil in the UCM: what the actors say
Part of the reason Daredevil’s current place in the MCU is so mysterious is that no one at Marvel has come out to clarify the status of the Netflix series. Cox’s appearance in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home raises more questions than it answers, as that single scene gives no indication as to whether this version of Matt Murdock has started dressing up as Daredevil or is simply a defense attorney.
Similarly, the return of Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk in Hawkeye only muddies the waters. That series doesn’t reference the events of Netflix’s Daredevil, and its portrayal of Fisk is different enough to cast doubt on whether D’Onofrio is actually playing the same character. Did the Netflix series take place in the MCU, or has that world been relegated to a different branch of the Marvel multiverse?
To make things even more confusing, D’Onofrio and Cox have tended to give conflicting comments on the subject.. For his part, D’Onofrio seems to believe that the Fisk seen in Hawkeye and the upcoming Echo spinoff is the same version he played in Daredevil… sort of.
“I think from my point of view, like a lot of the Avengers stuff and a lot of the MCU stuff, they tried to connect as many dots with the original canon as they could, and some dots just aren’t possible to connect.“, D’Onofrio told Screen Rant in December 2021. “And that’s what we’ve done with the Daredevil connection and vice versa. there are some points that are connected”.
Cox, on the other hand, suggested the opposite. in an interview with IGN at D23. He indicated that Daredevil: Born Again is a new beginning for these characters as they officially join the MCU.
“Born Again is an iconic Daredevil series in comics and it’s a great title for our series because we’re doing this series again in a new way.Cox said.I think the series will be slightly different in tone, I don’t know how, I haven’t read anything yet. We’re doing 18 episodes, so that tells me the structure and the way we’re going to tell our story is going to be slightly different.“
Cox seems suggest that Born Again wipe the slate clean and does not continue the plot of the Netflix series. But the quotes from him still leave room for interpretation. Is Born Again a harsh reboot of the Netflix series, or is this clean slate approach more philosophical than literal? There is no way to know for sure yet.
Daredevil’s helmet on She-Hulk
That’s where She-Hulk comes in: Lawyer She-Hulk. We know from previous trailers that Cox will appear dressed as Daredevil, and D23 attendees even got to see some sneak peek footage of that crossover. But the costume that Matt wears in She-Hulk is not the same one seen in the Netflix series. This red and yellow suit is inspired by the suit featured in the early Daredevil comics. That suit may be a telltale clue that this is a new version of Daredevil.one that has been active in the UCM for a short time.
this theory matches Daredevil’s helmet cameo in She-Hulk episode 5. This installment in the series reveals how Jen Walters acquires her purple and white suit, which is discussed in various trailers and promotional material. Jen visits Luke Jacobson, an elite fashion designer who specializes in designing stylish, functional and durable superhero costumes. And it looks like she’s not the only superhero who has recently placed an order with Jacobson.
Is may be the biggest test yet to suggest that Cox is playing a new version of Matt Murdock. For one thing, in Season 3 of Daredevil, Matt claimed that he had “evolved beyond” the need for the armor, ultimately besting both Fisk and Bullseye despite reverting to his black spandex look. Why turn back now?
But the most important thing is that Netflix series already revealed the origin of Matt’s Daredevil armor. It was designed by Melvin Potter, a tailor who was blackmailed by Fisk into designing his damage-resistant suits. Even if Matt suddenly wants a costume change, why would he travel all the way to Los Angeles for a simple color change? It’s true that Potter was in the middle of an arrest when we last saw him in the Daredevil series, but surely Matt would have less complicated options for finding a replacement. Jacobson also doesn’t seem like the kind of person who just mimics someone else’s work.
All this suggests that the Matt Murdock that is about to appear in She-Hulk is not the same one from the Netflix series. It’s about a Daredevil sporting his rookie colors from the comics and apparently just commissioning a bulletproof suit for the first time. This Matt Murdock may be very similar to the Netflix version in terms of his origin, his personality and his motivations, but it seems that previous history has not been carried over to the MCU.
We’ll no doubt find out more when Cox’s Matt Murdock shows up in an upcoming episode. Will Matt have other reasons for making the cross-country trip, or is he just looking to pick up his flashy new outfit? But more and more It seems that Netflix’s Daredevil is no longer part of the MCU continuity.
For more on what to expect from Matt Murdock, check out Daredevil’s past and future in the MCU.
