Daredevil: Born Again Episode 8 Directors Explain The Final Shot Of Matt Murdock So Perfectly It Makes The Ending Even Better

By Nicolas Ayala

Published Apr 9, 2025

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Image via Disney+

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Daredevil: Born Again season 1, episode 8.who really had Foggy Nelson killed, and allows Bullseye to shoot Fisk in front of everyone. Most importantly, Matt Murdock puts his life on the line to save Wilson Fisk.

In an interview with Brandon Davis, Daredevil: Born Again directors Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson explain how they reached the idea of ending episode 8 on a vibrant red shot of a dying Matt Murdock. According to Moorhead, their original idea was to tilt the camera up to show "religious iconography" as a metaphor of "Matt's soul leaving his body." Since the shot was logistically unfeasible, Moorhead and Benson chose to play with the lighting, connecting episode 8 to Daredevil: Born Again episode 1's final shot, where the red lighting consumes Matt Murdock as he defies Wilson Fisk. Read Moorhead's full explanation below:

"What we wanted to do was have the camera pull out from Matt and Heather and then slowly tilt up into the sky and up on the ceiling there would be some kind of religious iconography on the copola above the dance. It would kind of give this impression of Matt's soul leaving his body, but also this idea of him having committed this act of defending his worst enemy now gives him the grace that he felt like he lost in episode 1; kind of saying like he is Daredevil and he's not lost the privilege anymore.

Logistics prevented that, because if you tilted up you'd see a bunch of movie lights. But we realized there's actually an even better idea here by using this language that we've established with the blue lights. We can do that same idea with these flashing red lights, which we also had in episode 1. Then we can have this image that is kind of like this upside down mirror image where he's on the floor and the blood that's pushing towards the camera kind of reminds you of the wages of this thing that he's done."

What The Daredevil: Born Again Episode 8 Directors' Final Shot Comments Mean

Matt Murdock Shows His True Colors When Saving Wilson Fisk

Knowing the mayor invited Heather Glenn to intimidate him, Matt Murdock is angrier at Wilson Fisk than ever during the ball in Daredevil: Born Again episode 8, and the realization that Vanessa Fisk ordered the hit on Foggy Nelson only made Matt lose his temper more. Yet, right when Matt is ready to attack Fisk verbally or physically, Bullseye's sniper shot convinces Matt to change his mind and save Fisk. Matt Murdock's split-second decision to save Wilson Fisk encapsulates Daredevil's moral com. Regardless of Fisk's actions and history, Matt sacrifices his wellbeing to avoid an untimely death.

Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle aka the Punisher reacts to Wilson Fisk and Vanessa arriving in their ball in Daredevil Born Again episode 8

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Daredevil: Born Again's blue and red lighting is a new addition to its characters' lore. Benjamin Poindexter's blue lighting seems to kick in when his Bullseye alter ego awakens, and Matt Murdock's red lighting appears when he lets out his Daredevil persona. At the end of Daredevil: Born Again episode 1, the red lighting symbolizes Matt Murdock's wish to wear the Daredevil cowl again to confront Wilson Fisk. At the end of Daredevil: Born Again episode 8, the same red lighting represents Daredevil's selflessness.

Our Take On The Daredevil: Born Again Episode 8 Directors' Final Shot Comments

Daredevil: Born Again Lighting Game Is A Nice Evolution Of Netflix's Daredevil Cinematography

Wilson Bethel's Benjamin Poindexter aka Bullseye smiles watching Charlie Cox's Daredevil wear his helmet — Custom image by Nicolas Ayala

Daredevil has been associated with red lighting and set design since the very beginning, and Netflix's Daredevil season 3 used blue hues for most of Benjamin Poindexter's scenes, as a nod to Bullseye's classic blue comic book costume. Daredevil: Born Again could have used the same approach, but directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead decided to go one step beyond and double down on the red and blue colors to underscore Matt Murdock and Benjamin Poindexter's Daredevil and Bullseye alter egos. If not in Daredevil: Born Again episode 9, Daredevil and Bullseye's feud could evolve in Daredevil: Born Again season 2.

Source: Brandon Davis