Warning: This article contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again.
In the decade since his debut in 2015, Matt Murdock's Daredevil has battled a variety of powerful villains in the Netflix's original Daredevil series kicked off the Defenders Saga. Daredevil: Born Again has firmly cemented the titular Man Without Fear as a key player in the MCU's street-level stories, and the Devil of Hell's Kitchen has proven himself by taking on some of Marvel's most interesting antagonists.
After putting himself on the map in Netflix's Daredevil and The Defenders series, Matt Murdock's Daredevil has made more appearances in Spider-Man: No Way Home, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Echo and Daredevil: Born Again. In most of these projects, the Man Without Fear has taken on some impressive and powerful villains, and this is set to continue in season 2 and beyond. Matt Murdock has become one of the MCU's most frequent heroes, which means his villains are also becoming some of the MCU's most prominent antagonists.
8 Eugene Patilio’s Leapfrog
Brandon Stanley Debuted As Eugene Patilio In She-Hulk: Attorney At Law (2022)
Eugene Patilio is perhaps the weakest of Daredevil's antagonists in the MCU, as he has no superpowers whatsoever, yet sports a frog-themed costume that, in theory, grants him flight abilities. Leapfrog's misuse of his own costume meant this was insignificant, however, but Patilio still employed a group of goons-come-henchmen to abduct superhero fashion designer Luke Jacobson, which caused Daredevil and She-Hulk to team up and save him. With no innate powers, no combat skills and, after meeting Daredevil and She-Hulk, two broken legs, Eugene Patilio is not a threat at all.
It seems likely that Daredevil and Leapfrog will never cross paths again in the MCU, as Brandon Stanley's MCU character was featured as nothing more than a minor annoyance for She-Hulk, and a vehicle to create conflict between Jennifer Walters and Luke Jacobson, though this didn't last long. Leapfrog's whereabouts in the MCU after She-Hulk: Attorney at Law aren't clear, though it's likely his wealth and connections meant that he avoided prison. Should Tatiana Maslany's She-Hulk return to the MCU, she could come face-to-face with Eugene Patilio again, but it's uncertain if this will happen.
7 Luca’s Masked Bank Robbers
Cillian O'Sullivan Debuted As Devlin In Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 (2025)
Daredevil: Born Again has put focus on the development of a gang war growing in the criminal underbelly of New York City, with one major player being the now-deceased Luca and his henchmen. These minor characters, who have no superhuman abilities but are armed and much more skilled than Eugene Patilio, caused problems for Matt Murdock and the staff and customers in the New York Mutual bank in Born Again episode 5, "With Interest." Sporting colored masks, Luca's gang, led by Cillian O'Sullivan's Devlin, hoped to steal an orange diamond worth $1.8 million, the amount of Luca's debt.
Daredevil: Born Again Episodes 5 & 6 Make A Spider-Man: No Way Home Callback And 17 Other Easter Eggs And Marvel References
Daredevil: Born Again released episodes 5 & 6 on the same night, providing double the amount of exciting Easter eggs, references, and fun nods.
In a mostly standalone episode that took place almost entirely in the New York Mutual bank, it was great to see O'Sullivan's charismatic and witty Devlin leading the charge for his employer, Luca. O'Sullivan had fantastic chemistry with Charlie Cox and Ruibo Qian, who played Detective Angie Kim, which made "With Interest" a stand-out episode in Daredevil: Born Again. Even so, Matt Murdock took down these minor villains very easily, and the only threat they posed was via their ordinary weapons, with no other gifts, so Luca's gang doesn't really pose much of a danger at all.
6 Maya Lopez’s Echo
Alaqua Cox Debuted As Maya Lopez In Hawkeye (2021)
Even though she became a bona fide hero in her solo Marvel Spotlight series, Echo, in January 2024, harnessing the superpowers of her formidable ancestors, Alaqua Cox's Maya Lopez started her MCU career as a villain alongside Wilson Fisk's Kingpin. Lopez's father started working for Fisk after relocating to New York when Lopez was a child, so Fisk became her surrogate "Uncle" and mentor. She sought revenge on the Ronin, her father's killer, in Hawkeye on Disney+, but was soon informed that it was actually Kingpin who ordered her father's death.
Maya Lopez is a steadfast ally and even lover to Matt Murdock's Daredevil in Marvel Comics, so it would be great to see her reunite with Daredevil in the MCU.
Maya Lopez is a gifted hand-to-hand combatant, and has already gone toe-to-toe with Matt Murdock's Daredevil in Echo's premiere, "Chafa." While she started her MCU journey with no other abilities, she has since gained more supernatural gifts that make her even more powerful, as these include photographic reflexes, enhanced strength, memory recall and a regenerative healing factor. Of course, now, Maya Lopez only poses a threat to the villains of the MCU, as it seems likely she'll return as Daredevil's ally, but she was still a great opponent.
5 Frank Castle’s Punisher
Jon Bernthal Debuted As Frank Castle In Daredevil Season 2 (2016)
Frank Castle's Punisher is perhaps one of Marvel's most iconic and beloved antiheroes, so it was great to see him come at odds with Matt Murdock in Daredevil season 2. As a military veteran with little restraint, Frank Castle is an incredibly strong fighter who usually succeeds in taking down any manner of enemy with mostly no problem. He is formidable and terrifying, so it's a good job Matt Murdock is now in his good books, though their alliance is tenuous as the Punisher continues to wage his war on the criminal underworld of New York City.
The Punisher's MCU Project |
Year |
|---|---|
Daredevil Season 2 |
2016 |
The Punisher Season 1 |
2017 |
The Punisher Season 2 |
2019 |
Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 |
2025 |
The Punisher Special Presentation |
2026 |
Daredevil season 2's finale saw the Punisher help Daredevil and Elektra Natchios take on some of the Hand, while he leaned further into the antihero title in his solo The Punisher series on Netflix. Jon Bernthal reprised the role in Daredevil: Born Again, and is set to have a larger role in the MCU's future, as he's already been confirmed for a Punisher-centric Special Presentation. This means he'll continue to be a huge threat to the grounded, low-level villains of the MCU, while he pales in comparison to some of the franchise's more superpowered and enhanced antagonists.
4 Bastian Cooper’s Muse
Hunter Doohan Debuted As Bastian Cooper In Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 (2025)
One of the most exciting and haunting supervillains introduced to the MCU ever was Muse, who made his mark on New York City in Daredevil: Born Again. In Marvel Comics, Muse is an Inhuman with some impressive abilities, and while these were removed for his live-action adaptation, he was still incredibly threatening. Muse was revealed to be Hunter Doohan's Bastian Cooper, who was a serial killer and graffiti artist, said to have killed more than 60 people, who made paint out of his victims' blood and sometimes displayed their bodies as art.
The MCU's Latest & Biggest Marvel Changes Created A New Villain Complaint, But I'm Convinced The Franchise Already Has A Way To Fix This
Daredevil: Born Again introduced one of the MCU's most terrifying villains, and while he's already been killed off, I would love to see him return.
This sadistic killer terrorized New York in Daredevil: Born Again, but eventually targeted the wrong people, as he formed an obsession with Matt Murdock's new girlfriend, therapist Dr. Heather Glenn. It was Margarita Levieva's new MCU character who eventually shot and seemingly killed Muse, though Wilson Fisk's Anti-Vigilante Task Force took the credit. Even though he has no superhuman powers, Muse was very frightening and posed a significant danger in Daredevil: Born Again, so it would be great to see him somehow return to wreak more havoc in the future.
3 Benjamin Poindexter’s Bullseye
Wilson Bethel Debuted As Benjamin Poindexter In Daredevil Season 3 (2018)
Now we're getting into some more superpowered territory, as, while Benjamin Poindexter hasn't actually been confirmed to have any innate superhuman gifts, his sharp-shooting accuracy and ability to turn anything into a deadly projectile makes him one of the MCU's most threatening villains. Wilson Bethel first appeared as Bullseye in Daredevil season 3, and returned to wreak havoc in Daredevil: Born Again. His rampage in Born Again's premiere caused the deaths of eleven innocent people, including Elden Henson's Foggy Nelson, and he continues to pose a huge problem to Daredevil in the MCU.
In Marvel Comics, Bullseye's spine was enhanced with adamantium, which was released introduced to the MCU in Deadpool & Wolverine and Captain America: Brave New World. In Daredevil season 3, however, Bullseye's spine was strengthened with cognium steel.
Daredevil: Born Again episode 8, "Isle of Joy," saw Benjamin Poindexter break out of prison and gatecrash Wilson and Vanessa Fisk's Black and White Ball. He made an attempt on Fisk's life, but Kingpin was saved when Matt Murdock heroically jumped in the bullet's path. Bullseye will surely make himself known more in Born Again's finale, and could show off more of his skills, including enhancements gifted by his cognium steel spinal structure. The psychopathic Poindexter is a truly terrifying antagonist in Born Again, and likely will be for a long time to come.
2 Wilson Fisk’s Kingpin
Vincent D'Onofrio Debuted As Wilson Fisk In Daredevil Season 1 (2015)
Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk is Daredevil's archenemy in the MCU and one of the most threatening villains ever to appear in the live-action franchise. Fisk has appeared in every season of Daredevil, and has also posed a problem to other characters in Hawkeye and Echo, before being elected to the position of Mayor of New York City in Daredevil: Born Again. Wilson Fisk has incredible strength and is highly intelligent, making him very manipulative and tactical, but he is also a formidable hand-to-hand fighter, often using his brute strength to get the best of his opponent.
Wilson Fisk is not only Daredevil's greatest villain, but he could also pose a problem for every street-level hero. Fisk became Mayor of New York City in Daredevil: Born Again, giving him more power and influence than ever before, and he has already used this to establish the Anti-Vigilante Task Force, which will grow even stronger in Born Again season 2. Marvel seems to be setting up an adaptation of the comics' Devil's Reign event, which has Kingpin at the center and impacts every New York-based hero, so Fisk could become even more powerful in the MCU's future.
1 Elektra Natchios & The Hand
Élodie Young Debuted As Elektra Natchios In Daredevil Season 2 (2016)
Elektra Natchios is one of the most interesting characters in Daredevil's corner of the MCU, as she is both ally and enemy, hero and villain, which gives her a great deal of complexity. Élodie Yung debuted as Elektra in Daredevil season 2, where she was revealed to have a lengthy and complicated history with Matt Murdock. Both were trained by Stick, but while Murdock became the vigilante Daredevil, with a vow not to kill anyone, Elektra didn't have such restrictions. She was a brutal killer and morally questionable antihero, and The Defenders made her an even greater threat.
5 MCU Movies & Shows Elektra Could Return In
Netflix's Defenders characters are appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, foreshadowing the possible future return of Elektra Natchios.
In 2017's The Defenders, Elektra became the greatest warrior of the Hand, an ancient organization from K'un-Lun that sought the key to immortality. The Hand was led by Alexandra Reid, Madame Gao, Bakuto, Sowande and Murakami, each posing a threat to the Defenders, though it was Elektra, fulfilling her destiny as the Black Sky after her resurrection, who was the organization's most powerful antagonist. There are hopes that Daredevil: Born Again will bring Élodie Yung's Elektra back, and whether this will be as hero or villain, there's no doubt she'll still be a formidable and threatening femme fatale.
Daredevil: Born Again
- Release Date
- March 4, 2025
- Showrunner
- Chris Ord
- Directors
- Michael Cuesta, Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Jeffrey Nachmanoff
- Writers
- Chris Ord
- Franchise(s)
- Daredevil, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Cast
Matt Murdock / Daredevil
Wilson Fisk / Kingpin
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