Daredevil Season 1 Re-Watch (From a Disabled Writer)

As a disabled person, I always felt a special kinship with Daredevil -- for an obvious reason, he is a disabled superhero. I even met Charlie Cox at a convention a few months back, Daredevil Funko in hand. The thing that stands out to be me is just how the show treats his disablity. Matt never laments as a thing that holds him back, or comments on the idea that he is somehow broken. While Matt is not really blind in the traditoinal sense, its how the rest of the world sees him that is a perfect parallell to how diabled people live every day.

Matt Murdock is Weighed Down by his Crusade

Matt Murdock, like every good catholic, is wrestling with his guilt. During my season one re-watch of Netflix's Daredevil I am reminded of the early hay days of classic street-level. A time before Infinity Stones and magic portals. Matt asks father Lantom asks him if he believes in the devil. Not as a concept, but the idea that a individual could be as evil and Luicier himself. As Daredevil ponders wheather or not to kill Wilson Fisk, Lantom tells him that there are truly people evil in the world. And its the series' treatment of real-life evil that makes Vincent D'Nofrio performance as Kingpin all the more terrifying. He's Not an intergalactic Tyrant. Or a Magical Norse God. He is just a man, who believes that his control over the city is not only justfiied, but neccesary, maybe even right.

As a street level hero, Daredevil comparison's to Batman are pretty standard. Even though his augmented abilities give him somewhat of en edge. But while many super hero vigilante stories have develed into the toll it takes on his heroes, Daredevil is one of the few that takes a hard look at the bodies than can often pile up to get to the hero. There was a grounded, almost vsernal charm to the original show. Most of its action was done using practical effects, including its ground breaking and iconic hallway fight.

Ben Urich's Death Hurts The Most in Season 1

There are many heart breaking moments in Daredevils first seson- showing the senseless murder of innocents who subscribe to the wrong place wrong time club. Of all them, the most tragic has to be Ben Urich. He is a somewhat prolific character in Marvel Comics lore. Ben Urich is not only reponsible for revealing the true identity of Ben Parker's killer, but also was the first member of the press to break the news of the secret idenity of Norman Osborne -- AKA The Green Goblin. Ben's death hits especially hard because in a way, he is just as much of a hero as Matt, looking to save the city by taking down corruption. He is unfourtunately taken down by Fisk's unchecked power.

Daredevil does a great job in its first season of setting up its stable of supporting characters. More than that, its writing gives us a window into Matt struggle with how to handle things legally. And it soldifies just how in invaluble Foggy really is. Not only as a lawyer, but as Matt's Moral center. As Fisk continues his cholk hold on the city, its easy to see the how and why Matt sees Daredevil as Hell's Kitchen only salvation. Just as Nelson and Murdock are ready to expose Fisk as a Predator in the Shadows, he reveals himself to public, and Foggy finds out he is Daredevil. The events of "Nelson v. Murdock" is harrowing and heartbreaking. As Foggy tries to unravel Matt's logic behind his crusade the epsidoe delves deeper into the pair's back story.

Karen is Bad Ass, And Should Have Been with Foggy

And of course -- there is those of us who were shipping Karen and Foggy. Now I can already hear my fellow comics readers screaming at me. Matt and Karen are cannon. But I don't think we can deny Foggy's undeniable Irish charm -- and the fact that Neslon and Page are just a better fit. Karen also proved herself a certifiable badass, epeically in the latter half of the season.

The season finale, aptly titled Daredevil finally sees Matt done the cowl, and his fight with Fisk is soe of the most saifsying battles in al of tv. Vincent D'Nofrio portal of a Fisk is amazing, holdig down a blistering rage that is always fighting to crawl its way to the surface. Matt has a similar subdued gravel in his voice, playing into the idea that Fisk is just Matt -- if he was pushed too far. Fisk faces his fight with Matt with his usual self assurance. But in the show's final scenes he seems accepting of the enitibility of all -- as if he self rightious ness will garantee his victory over The Devil From Hell's Kitchen. Daredevil season 1 ends how it begins -- with Foggy, Matt and Karen.