Daredevil: Born Again season 2 episode 8 has premiered on Disney+ — and it not only closes out the show's latest chapter in typically tense fashion, but also sets up some intriguing storylines to come in its already announced third season.
So, how does the Marvel TV series' sophomore season end? What happens to Matt Murdock, Wilson Fisk, and Karen Page? And what can we glean from it as regards what to expect from season 3, which is being filmed as we speak? I'll answer those questions and more below. This is your one and only warning, then: full spoilers immediately follow for Daredevil: Born Again's season 2 finale.
How does Karen Page's trial end in Daredevil: Born Again season 2 episode 8?
With Karen's freedom still hanging in the balance after Daredevil: Born Again season 2 episode 7, Matt Murdock — aka the titular hero's civilian identity — continues to make a case for her defence as Page's lawyer, alongside co-attorney Kirsten McDuffie.
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The trial plays out as you'd expect, with both sides trading verbal blows and twisting every piece of evidence in their favor to gain the upper hand.
Eventually, Murdock uses the first of two aces up his sleeve — calling none other than archnemesis and New York City mayor Wilson Fisk to the witness stand.
As gasps ring through the courtroom, Fisk — who, in a show of strength, brings the full might of his Anti-Vigilante Task Force (AVTF) with him — enters the chamber and takes the stand to say he'll tell the truth and nothing but the truth.
Unsurprisingly, Murdock's intense cross-examining of Fisk ratchets up the tension further. Murdock supplies plenty of evidence that Fisk was responsible for the Northern Star, its huge arms shipment, the deaths of its first and second mates when Daredevil — aka Matt's vigilante alter-ego — discovered said cargo, and the freighter's wrecking and sinking when Fisk realized his criminal activities could be exposed. In response, Fisk denies all knowledge of these claims.
In spite of the proof he's provided, Murdock quickly realizes that he's losing. Indeed, the judges — who, fearing for their own lives, are in Fisk's back pocket — are clearly unswayed by Murdock's evidence.
It's here where Murdock makes his second Hail Mary pass: he publicly reveals that he is Daredevil. The reason? As the only other individual who saw Fisk's black-market arms supplies first-hand on board the Northern Star in Daredevil: Born Again season 2 episode 1, it's the kind of testimony that can't be ignored.
As a stunned courtroom is left reeling by this revelation, the aforementioned judges belatedly find their courage and rule in Murdock's favor, dismiss the case with prejudice, and allow Page to walk free.
Is Wilson Fisk still New York City's mayor by the end of Daredevil: Born Again season 2?
No. Not only is he dethroned by this season's climax, but he's also been exiled from the US.
After Murdock outs himself as the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, an indignant Fisk heads for the court's exit with his allies. There, he's stopped by Governor McCaffrey, who informs him that the Attorney General has filed various charges, including racketeering, smuggling, and the attempted murder of McCaffrey in this season's penultimate episode. Additionally, his monetary assets have been frozen, and his Red Hook port is now under government control.
Murdock and his charges soon arrive on the scene and, as the sides start trading verbal blows, Bullseye — who's still out for Fisk's head — launches a sniper-rifle attack from a building opposite the courthouse.
As panic spreads through the foyer, Fisk and his supporters flee and barricade themselves in a courtroom. From there, Fisk delivers a war-style speech — one broadcast live from said court chamber — to sow further division among New York's residents. No sooner does the livestream end, though, than B.B. Urich broadcasts her final video as the satirized version of Fisk, with the investigative journalist calling on New York's citizens to make a stand against the autocratic mayor and force him to leave his post.
An embattled and defiant Fisk sends his AVTF troops to prevent Daredevil's supporters, who've assembled outside of the courthouse, from entering, and to track down Murdock and Page, who've also barricaded themselves in a nearby office.
In the chaos that follows, Murdock as Daredevil — with some help from fellow superhuman Jessica Jones and Angela del Toro, aka White Tiger 2.0 — take out the AVTF officers sent their way. Meanwhile, ATVF enforcer Cole North leads a mutiny against field leader Conner Powell when the latter threatens to shoot Daredevil's followers outside the courthouse, and lets said supporters enter the building.
With the walls closing in around him, and two calls from the Attorney General telling him to step down as mayor and renounce his US citizenship to avoid prosecution, Fisk loses his cool. Ordering the courtroom to be opened, a bloodthirsty Fisk strides out to meet Daredevil's followers, and severely injures or kills those who stand in his way.
Reaching the foyer where Murdock, Page, Jones, and Del Toro now stand in front of Daredevil's vigilante army, Fisk refuses to yield, which causes the supporters to surge up the stairs towards him as the aforementioned quartet plead their allies not to do so.
Fisk begins fighting off the crowd, but is soon overwhelmed. Fearing they'll tear him apart, Murdock — again, with Jones' aid — reaches Fisk and, lambasting his followers, tells them they're better than this.
Turning to his archenemy, Murdock reasons with Fisk and implores him to take the Attorney General's deal. Initially hesitant, Fisk soon realizes it's the only option — other than another jail term, anyway — available to him, and reluctantly accepts the terms.
Why is Matt Murdock arrested and imprisoned in Daredevil: Born Again season 2's finale?
Having ousted Fisk, Murdock and Page enjoy a romantic dinner at the Panna II restaurant after a hard-fought battle won. There, they talk about trying to have a normal life, and agree to giving it a try.
But their joy is short-lived, because members of New York's police department show up. Charging Murdock with all the crimes he's committed as a masked crimefighter — remember, Murdock publicly outed himself as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) hero earlier this episode, and has committed numerous offenses as his alter-ego — they arrest and imprison him in the same penitentiary as the AVTF members they've rounded up.
Does anyone die in Daredevil: Born Again season 2's last episode?
Some AVTF officers and Daredevil supporters do, but nobody who's part of the Marvel Phase 6 TV show's main cast dies.
Of its ensemble, Arty Froushan's Buck Cashman is the only one who comes close to losing their life — Fisk's right-hand man and fixer takes a bullet to the abdomen from Bullseye during the courthouse entrance scene.
However, while his fate is left up in the air by the time the season 2 finale end-credits start, we know he survives, because Froushan has already confirmed that he'll return in Born Again season 3. Unless his one and only appearance next season is in an open-top coffin, we'll see Cashman again in the not-too-distant future.
Does Spider-Man appear in Daredevil: Born Again season 2's eighth episode?
Nope. It's been explained countless times before but, for those who don't know, Sony owns the live-action rights to Spider-Man and every character who operates in his circle. Marvel and Disney, then, aren't legally allowed to use the iconic webslinger in any live-action project without Sony's say-so.
Sony and Marvel have a years-long partnership that allows Peter Parker to exist in the MCU, but it's one that only allows Tom Holland's wallcrawler to appear in Marvel's cinematic juggernaut on the big screen. As such, Spidey isn't able to cameo in Marvel's Disney+ productions, hence why he didn't appear in Born Again season 1 or its sequel.
Thankfully, it won't be long until we see Holland's hero again. His next solo movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, will hit theaters on July 31 — and, depending on who you listen to, it might even somehow feature a cameo from Charlie Cox's Murdock. To learn more about one of 2026's most anticipated new movies, find out everything we know so far about Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Does the Daredevil: Born Again season 2 finale have a mid-credits or post-credits scene?
No. Unless you count the epilogue as an end-credits sequence, there are no mid- or post-credits moments to stick around for. Don't expect a ridiculously early tease for Born Again season 3, then. Speaking of which...
Does Daredevil: Born Again season 3 have a release date?
Not yet. However, filming began on the series' third installment in early March, so production is well underway on it.
Great — but when might season 3 launch on Disney+, aka one of the best streaming services? Its two forebears premiere in March 2025 and March 2026, so the smart money is on Daredevil: Born Again season 3 coming out next March. That's my best guess, anyway.
What do we know so far about Daredevil: Born Again season 3?
Not a lot. However, speaking on an episode of the Official Daredevil: Born Again podcast, executive producer Sana Amanat explained that, like its predecessors, season 3 will continue to pull from the Mayor Fisk and Devil in Cell Block D comic storylines. And, with Murdock behind bars as of season 2 episode 8's ending, we at least know that next season will open with him doing time for his crimes.
Furthermore, official photographs of Jessica Jones, alongside other heroes who first appeared in Netflix's Marvel-Verse, including Luke Cage and Danny Rand/Iron Fist, have been snapped on the season 3 set. It's clear, then, that the series' next installment will be a Defenders reunion of sorts.
As for why they'll be working together again, I can't say. However, considering that it took this quartet and their allies to defeat the criminal organization known as The Hand in Netflix's The Defenders crossover show, it wouldn't surprise me if they're banding together to defeat new foes who fill the power vacuum left by Fisk.
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