The Marvel Cinematic Universe is continuing a complicated villain trend in its most recent release, furthering a Multiverse Saga issue. It is widely known that the MCU’s Infinity Saga saw the franchise at its best, while the Multiverse Saga has had to deal with a fair share of criticism. A lot of that comes from the creation of the Disney+ MCU TV shows.
That meant Marvel Studios had to release too many projects in such a short amount of time, not leading to the necessary, longer development timelines to make sure that each new film and show could end up among the MCU’s best releases. Some of the casualties that came from the Multiverse Saga’s changes to the MCU were promising villains that never got to live up to their potential.
Since the start of the Multiverse Saga, several villains have debuted, with some of them initially seeming like they would be better, stronger, or more important in the grand scheme of the MCU. That list includes Marvel villains like Gorr the God Butcher, Taskmaster, MODOK, Kang the Conqueror, and more. Either by being played off as a joke like MODOK, being replaced by Doctor Doom like Kang, not really doing the one thing his name states like Gorr, or being a shadow of their comic book self like Taskmaster, all these MCU villains were wasted in some form.
Now, the MCU’s latest release, Daredevil: Born Again season 2, is falling down the same road. While Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin and Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye remain nuanced antagonists, the MCU series is having a hard time making its exciting new villain matter. Mr. Charles could amount to so much more, but he has not shown why audiences should care just yet.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Is Wasting Its New Villain So Far
Matthew Lillard as Mr Charles in Daredevil Born Again season 2
Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Daredevil: Born Again season 2, episode 6.Matthew Lillard joined the cast of Daredevil: Born Again season 2 as Mr. Charles. That was a big get for the MCU, as Lillard has a long history of delivering magnetic performances in popular franchises like Scream, Scooby-Doo, and Five Nights at Freddy’s. All that is to say that Lillard is uniquely equipped to bring an energetic MCU villain to life. At first, that is what seemed to be happening.
Mr. Charles had the perfect first scene with Wilson Fisk by showing up at the mayor’s office and just bossing everyone around. It looked like he would be a major force in the show, especially due to Mr. Charles being a shadowy government figure, not an outright villain. However, after the release of Daredevil: Born Again season 2, episode 6, the character’s inclusion feels mostly pointless so far.
After initially being uncomfortable with Mr. Charles’ control, Kingpin does not seem to pay the character any attention anymore. Since Buck easily killed the character’s men, Lillard’s MCU player has yet to show how he could bounce back. Mr. Charles’ presence is fun, but it does not really impact the story in a major way, which is a waste of an actor like Lillard after a promising debut.
There Is Still Time To Turn Mr. Charles’ MCU Story Around
Hell’s Kitchen · Street-Level Edition How Well Do You Know Daredevil?
♻OriginsBlinded
☠VillainsKingpin
⚖AlliesJustice
⚔CombatNo killing
🎥TV SeriesNetflix
01
Matt Murdock was blinded as a child by radioactive material that fell from a truck. While he lost his sight, the accident gave him something extraordinary in return. What did the radioactive exposure give Matt?
✓ Correct! The radioactive chemicals that blinded young Matt Murdock simultaneously supercharged his remaining senses to extraordinary levels and gave him a radar-like spatial awareness. He can “see” the world around him through sound, smell, touch, and taste with superhuman precision — making him one of Marvel’s most unique heroes.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is superhuman radar-like senses. The radioactive accident didn’t give Matt strength, telepathy, or X-ray vision — it heightened all his remaining senses to superhuman levels and granted him a radar sense that lets him perceive the world around him in 360 degrees.
02
Daredevil’s greatest enemy is a massive, calculating crime lord who controls most of the criminal underworld in New York City. This villain is known by his real name and his title. Who is he?
✓ Correct! Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin, is Daredevil’s most iconic adversary. Despite having no superpowers, Fisk’s immense physical strength, ruthless intelligence, and iron grip on New York’s criminal underworld make him one of Marvel’s most terrifying villains. Their battle is deeply personal — both men believe they’re saving Hell’s Kitchen.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is Wilson Fisk / The Kingpin. Bullseye is a deadly assassin, The Hand is a ninja organization, and The Owl is a lesser crime lord. But the Kingpin is the definitive Daredevil villain — the immovable force that controls New York’s underworld from the shadows.
03
By day, Matt Murdock fights for justice in a courtroom as a lawyer. He co-founded a law firm with his best friend in Hell’s Kitchen. Who is Matt’s law partner and best friend?
✓ Correct! Franklin “Foggy” Nelson has been Matt Murdock’s best friend and law partner since they met at Columbia Law School. Together they founded Nelson & Murdock, a small firm dedicated to defending the people of Hell’s Kitchen. Foggy is the heart and conscience of the partnership — often the one pulling Matt back from the edge.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is Franklin “Foggy” Nelson. Ben Urich is a journalist at the Daily Bugle, Danny Rand is Iron Fist, and Luke Cage is a Harlem-based hero. Foggy Nelson is Matt’s irreplaceable best friend, law partner, and moral anchor.
04
The Netflix Daredevil series (2015–2018) was praised for its dark tone and incredible fight choreography. Which actor portrayed Matt Murdock/Daredevil in the Netflix series and later in the MCU’s Daredevil: Born Again?
✓ Correct! Charlie Cox brought Matt Murdock to life with a nuanced, critically acclaimed performance across three seasons of Netflix’s Daredevil. His portrayal was so beloved that Marvel Studios brought him back for the MCU, appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home and starring in Daredevil: Born Again.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is Charlie Cox. Ben Affleck played Daredevil in the 2003 film, Oscar Isaac is Moon Knight, and Jon Bernthal plays the Punisher (who appeared in Daredevil Season 2). Charlie Cox is the definitive live-action Man Without Fear.
05
Bullseye is one of Daredevil’s deadliest foes, a psychopathic assassin with an extraordinary ability. What is Bullseye’s signature power?
✓ Correct! Bullseye possesses an innate ability to turn virtually any object into a lethal projectile with perfect accuracy. From playing cards to paper clips, anything in his hands becomes a deadly weapon. He’s responsible for some of the darkest moments in Daredevil’s history, including the murder of Elektra.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is perfect accuracy — he never misses a target. Bullseye doesn’t have super speed, invisibility, or mind control. His terrifying gift is unerring aim — he can kill with a toothpick, a playing card, or anything he can throw.
06
Elektra Natchios is a complex character in Daredevil’s life — sometimes lover, sometimes enemy. She is a deadly assassin trained by a mysterious ninja organization. What is the name of this organization?
✓ Correct! The Hand is a secretive ninja organization that plays a major role in Daredevil’s mythology. Founded centuries ago, they deal in assassination, mysticism, and resurrection. Elektra was trained by The Hand and has been both their weapon and their enemy — her complicated ties to the organization mirror her complicated relationship with Matt.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is The Hand. The League of Shadows is from DC’s Batman universe, HYDRA is the broader Marvel villain organization, and The Foot Clan is from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (actually inspired by The Hand). The Hand is the ancient ninja order central to Daredevil’s world.
07
Frank Castle, the Punisher, has a complicated relationship with Daredevil. They share a mission to fight crime but disagree fundamentally on methods. What is the core philosophical difference between Daredevil and the Punisher?
✓ Correct! This is the defining tension between Daredevil and the Punisher. Matt Murdock, a devout Catholic and lawyer, believes in the justice system and refuses to cross the line into killing. Frank Castle believes the system is broken and that lethal force is the only way to permanently stop criminals. Their rooftop debate in Season 2 of the Netflix series is one of the greatest scenes in superhero television.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is that Daredevil refuses to kill while the Punisher kills criminals. It’s actually the Punisher who uses weapons (guns, explosives), and neither works with police. Daredevil fights at all hours. The real divide is moral: Matt believes in redemption and the law, while Frank believes in permanent, lethal justice.
08
In the Daredevil Netflix series, Vincent D’Onofrio’s portrayal of Wilson Fisk was widely acclaimed. In Season 3, Fisk manipulated a specific FBI agent to become the new Bullseye. What is this character’s name?
✓ Correct! Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter, played brilliantly by Wilson Bethel, was an FBI agent with a troubled past and an innate ability for perfect marksmanship. Fisk recognized his psychological vulnerabilities and manipulated him into donning a Daredevil suit to frame Matt Murdock, setting up Dex’s transformation into the classic villain Bullseye.
✗ Even Daredevil’s radar sense couldn’t find the right answer there! The answer is Benjamin Poindexter (Dex). Ray Nadeem was another FBI agent manipulated by Fisk but in a different way, Brett Mahoney is an NYPD sergeant allied with Daredevil, and Mitchell Ellison is the editor of the New York Bulletin. Dex is the one Fisk groomed to become Bullseye.
Case Closed Your Hell’s Kitchen Verdict
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Are you the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen — or just a blind spot?
There are still two more episodes of Daredevil: Born Again season 2 left. As such, there is time for the Marvel series to turn it around and make Mr. Charles’ inclusion in the show finally matter. Given how a conversation between Jessica Jones and Daredevil in episode 6 teased that Luke Cage is working for Mr. Charles, the opportunity for the antagonist to stand out might be coming.
If Mr. Charles is responsible for bringing Mike Colter’s Luke Cage back to the MCU, the character will have served a crucial purpose in Daredevil: Born Again season 2. It would also reveal how Mr. Charles is playing a larger game than anyone could see, which was teased in his MCU debut but not followed up on until now. Hopefully, Daredevil: Born Again season 2 will fix things and avoid continuing the Multiverse Saga’s disappointing villain trend.
