Reeling from the ending of Episode 4 “Gloves Off”, Daredevil Born Again spends the following episode explore themes of mercy and redemption. Episode 5 “The Grand Design” is one of those episodes that is difficult to talk about without spoiling things. This is the warning that there will be spoilers in this review. One thing that I need to give credit to is the change of pace from each episode. “Gloves Off” felt like a dark comic book come to life with fast paced action and not holding back, “The Grand Design” comes to a halt and focuses on character work.

Spoiler Warning

“The Grand Design” opens with the credits, something that caught me off guard, there was no cold open. Instantly setting the tone, this episode needs to be taken serious. With Vanessa on her death bed, this episode uses flashbacks that connects to the Netflix series. In these flashbacks, we get Vanessa’s point of view of meeting Wilson, the reason why Buck is involved with Wilson and how much of moral compass that Foggy was to Matt. Yes, we get Foggy back in this episode and causes feelings of nostalgia and happiness. Seeing Elden Henson and Charlie Cox together in a flashback made me want to go back and watch the Netflix series.

This season is doing an amazing job at making us feel empathy for the villains. Last episode, Bullseye is getting redemption for killing Foggy by taking out AVTF agents and his goal of taking out Wilson. This episode we feel the pain that Wilson is going through with seeing the only thing he loves being helpless. By the time the episode ends, I was almost in tears because of the acting between Ayelet Zurer and Vincent D’Onforio.

There is very little if not any action in this episode and it fits the episode perfectly. Going forward, Wilson is going to unleash hell on New York for what happened to Vanessa and Daredevil will need help to fight him. I expect brutal action going into the final stretch of episodes. As a episode “The Grand Design” is another showcase of what Marvel studios is capable of when they take a mature approach of storytelling. Brilliant acting and not being afraid to lean into what inspires the story from the comic books to other shows. Seriously at moments this felt like an episode of The Sopranos, and its fitting that it is most apparent during the shows with Buck and Daniel (who is played by James Gandolfini’s son Michael)

Daredevil: Born Again Episode 5 slows down but for the benefit of the story, great character work and continues to prove itself as one of the stronger Marvel shows.