The Kingpin Returns — And the MCU Will Never Be the Same

Spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again ahead. If you thought Wilson Fisk was already a problem, buckle up — the show just flipped the switch from dangerous to apocalyptic.

The moment everything changes

Daredevil: Born Again has never tried to pretend Wilson Fisk was anything but a monster. The guy straight-up murdered Commissioner Gallo in front of other cops back in Season 1 to make a point. Even so, Season 4 has been testing his temper in new ways. In Episode 4, 'Gloves Off,' he nearly lost it during a boxing match after taking a cheap shot — he started pummeling the other fighter so viciously the crowd went silent. Vanessa walked in, he saw her, and he stopped. For a second, it felt like she was the only thing standing between New York City and pure chaos.

Then Bullseye showed up to kill Fisk. He hurled a crystal model of New York City (yes, really — sold as merch at the fight, with Fisk's giant head looming over it) at him. Fisk blocked it with his championship belt, the crystal city shattered, and a piece of it lodged in Vanessa's throat. By the end of 'The Grand Design,' Vanessa appears to die. That sound you hear is every bit of restraint Fisk had left snapping in half.

Why Vanessa's death is going to set off a war

The show has already established Fisk's biggest insecurity: he has no one to inherit his empire. Now he doesn't even have a partner to share it with. Earlier in 'Gloves Off,' Vanessa met with the governor of New York, who basically told her, 'I don't trust Wilson, but I trust you to keep him in line.' That leash just broke. Bad for Fisk's soul; worse for everyone living within city limits — vigilantes or not.

In the comics, when Fisk lost Vanessa, they were already estranged, but he never stopped loving her, and her death drove him off the deep end. Born Again looks ready to go even darker. Vanessa was dangerous in her own right — she hired Bullseye to kill Foggy Nelson at one point and did it quietly enough that Fisk didn't clock it right away — but she still served as a brake. Take that away and Fisk turns into a wrecking ball.

Maybe Cashman can talk him down around the edges, but let's be honest: no one is stopping what comes next. Expect Fisk to weaponize public opinion, tell the city that vigilantes killed his wife, and aim his fury right at Daredevil for letting Bullseye get away. There's a very real chance he shifts from 'arrest them' to 'shoot on sight' for anyone in a mask. And given that the task force has already been roughing up regular people, this could be the start of the end of Fisk's grip on New York.

How 'Gloves Off' quietly laid the groundwork

• The ring rage: After a cheap shot, Fisk brutalized his opponent until Vanessa's arrival snapped him out of it. It was a preview of how thin his control really is — and who was keeping it in place.
• The governor meeting: The governor refused to back Mayor Fisk alone but was willing to back Wilson and Vanessa as a unit. With Vanessa gone, he loses political cover along with his conscience.
• The crystal city: Bullseye used a miniature New York City as a weapon. Fisk blocked it, the 'city' shattered, and a shard killed Vanessa. Subtle as a sledgehammer, but effective — Fisk's own move destroyed the symbol of his domain and the person he loved. It's a clear omen: his downfall is coming, but only after a whole lot of blood.

Where this leaves Born Again

Fisk has always been brutal. Now he has nothing to lose. The real Kingpin the MCU 's been hinting at? He's here, and New York is not ready.