Ryan Kirksey
The following recap contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again S2E5, “The Grand Design” (written by Jesse Wigutow and directed by Angela Barnes). Spoilers also include information from Daredevil: Born Again Season 1.
I might be overthinking this, but it seems like the flashback episode is being used more frequently than ever before. The use of flashbacks is as old as television itself, but more complex storylines, interconnected character plots, and the proliferation of intellectual property in modern TV seem to have led to flashbacks being deployed with much more regularity.
Episode 5 of Daredevil: Born Again, “The Grand Design,” is largely a flashback episode, something not frequently used in this show or its Netflix predecessor, Daredevil. While I understand the motive for doing it, this episode felt more like an interlude to me than an episode that propelled the stories of Season 2 forward. The “Design” within this episode is clear, but it is largely self-contained and doesn’t elaborate on a larger understanding of these micro-stories outside of the current episode.
Again, I understand why the writer and director of this episode thought it might be necessary and interesting for fans. These stories told in the past allowed us to bring back two characters from previous seasons. We see plenty of Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) oldest friend, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), who was killed at the beginning of last season. We also get to revisit Wilson Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) relationship with his old confidant James Wesley (Toby Leonard Moore).
But, the episode directly references and recreates scenes from the original Netflix Daredevil era, bridging the old series with the new Born Again storyline. Do these new scenes add anything new or creative to the original Daredevil series? I don’t think so. They seem to exist just to serve the purpose of tying up the loose ends that are introduced in Episode 5 of this current season. The flashbacks seem to simply show that some of the main characters’ past influences (like Foggy and Wesley) still shape some of the current actions of both Kingpin and Matt Murdock.
By bringing back moments with Foggy or Wesley or showing early, crucial moments in the Wilson Fisk-Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer) romance, the show leans into simple fan nostalgia as well. The flashbacks also show that the same darkness and charm that started between him and Vanessa in the early days are still driving Fisk’s actions in the present.
After the shocking ending of Episode 4, the episode opens with Vanessa Fisk in critical condition after Wilson Fisk inadvertently injured her brain while trying to save her life in the boxing ring. She is hospitalized, and doctors work to stabilize her after a very long emergency surgery. Wilson Fisk remains at her side, refusing to leave as her condition remains uncertain. He still is sending out Buck (Arty Froushan) and Daniel (Michael Gandolfini) to do his dirty work, while he stays by Vanessa.
As Vanessa lies unconscious, Fisk reflects on their past through a series of flashbacks that show how the two first met. Wesley advises they diversify their assets into art, and he just happens to know someone who owns a gallery (again, these things are all just a little too convenient to be details about the show’s foundation, like how Fisk and Vanessa met). These scenes depict their early relationship and the development of their affection, including Fisk’s initial attempts to present himself as a legitimate figure while beginning to build his empire.
During the same time in the past, Matt Murdock is shown reflecting on his working relationship with Foggy. Through flashbacks, the episode revisits their early days as lawyers, including one of their first cases together involving a man named Lionel “Ray” McCoy (Nathan Wallace), someone Foggy knew from childhood, and whose brother Foggy was great friends with.
In the flashback, Ray initially behaves aggressively towards Foggy, revealing that he used to bully him when they were younger. He brushes off the offered plea deal, knowing that there are people waiting in jail to kill him the moment he arrives. Murdock intervenes, and eventually they are able to find a technicality that can get McCoy out of jail. The case becomes one of the earliest examples of their partnership in action. It also conveniently introduces Buck, who was hired by Wesley to find and kill Ray. It’s a bit of an origin story for both Buck and the Matt/Foggy working relationship, but in a snake eating its own tail sort of way.
Back in the present timeline, Matt is left to deal with Bullseye after the fiasco at the boxing match in Episode 4. Benjamin Poindexter/Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) reflects on his role in the violence that led to Vanessa’s condition and how he was manipulated to kill Foggy. He expresses a belief that killing Vanessa (not confirmed yet) has restored a sense of balance (anytime you hear balance or balance the scales in the MCU, you have to raise a glass to Thanos and take a shot), and he prepares to face the consequences because he believes Daredevil will now kill him.
The most interesting parts of this episode are the conversations between Matt and Dex about what it means to try to outrun the people they truly are—whether they are assassins or heroes, you can never escape who you are meant to be. Even though Matt thinks he can’t escape the AVTF if he continues to bring Bullseye with him, he remembers Foggy showing mercy to Ray by giving them their life savings, and Matt goes back to rescue Dex, despite his pleas to let him die.
Meanwhile, Vanessa briefly regains consciousness in the hospital. During this moment, she appears disoriented and repeatedly asks Fisk about how they first met, referencing the flashbacks shown earlier in the episode that we have, again, just seen for the first time.
Her condition quickly worsens, however, and she goes into cardiac arrest. Doctors attempt to revive her as Fisk watches, unable to intervene. Despite their efforts, it appears that Vanessa ultimately dies from her injuries, marking a major turning point in Fisk’s aggression towards vigilantes and what will surely send him on a rampage in the next three episodes.
Elsewhere, Buck suspects Daniel is responsible for the various leaks coming out of the Mayor’s office, so he takes him on a drive to the middle of nowhere, picking up an electric saw and shovel along the way. Buck needs to watch more television, I guess, because even I know you don’t buy all these things at the same place. You gotta avoid that suspicion, man. Ultimately, Buck gives Daniel a loyalty test. Help him cut up and bury the body of Savva (Yorgos Karamihos), the first mate of the Northern Star, or suffer a similar fate.
The episode closes with Fisk processing Vanessa’s death. Still at the hospital, he is left alone after the doctors confirm that she cannot be saved. The final moments focus on his reaction, setting up his next moves following the loss. While this news begins to drive him to rage, Daredevil, Bullseye, Karen, and the rest of the resistance have no idea what could be coming for them next.
