By Brady Steele / twitter: @mrbradysteele. This revelation happened last episode so this is not really a spoiler. Foggy finds out and he is not happy. The episode “Nelson v. Murdock” was so good at adding layers upon the relationship between Matt Murdock / Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) that I had to watch it again right after it ended. In an episode all about dishonesty there is something brilliantly honest about the early interactions of these two. Even the small moment where Matt almost reveals his secret feels natural and trusting. Foggy was always meant to know, but Matt never knew how to tell him. Now that it’s been a secret for so long it has destroyed them. Communication, people, it’s the only way to have a healthy relationship.
You can feel a best friend’s betrayal throughout the scenes with Henson and Cox so much. Marvel’s Daredevil continues to impress with his sophistication and mature approach to a superhero story. There are so many great moments in flashbacks between Matt and Foggy where their friendship is re-evaluated as to whether any of it was real to Matt at all. The times they were in law school together, interning, deciding to start their own law firm together are some key moments seen in a new light. Foggy’s anger is justified and he doesn’t know what to do with it.
Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) and Ben Urich (Vondie Curtis-Hall) finally catch a break in finding something stick to the elusive Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio). It’s a combination of tender and poignant moments that culminate with a great payoff. These two actors really work well together and you can see some of that chemistry this episode from the way they banter with one another. Ben is pushing Karen to be something more than a innocent bystander, but Karen is far too ambitious for her own good.
Fisk has a crossroads moment with Lady Goa (whom I think may have a connection to The Steel Serpent of K’un L’un). That may give us some more easter eggs for other Netflix Marvel shows down the line. The hope that she’ll appear in an Iron Fist episode or two is VERY VERY real. The reference to Roxxon, the nefariously notorious corporation that keeps popping up in the back of Iron Man films, the inclusion of the future Mrs. Fisk, Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer) and Leland Owlsley aka The Owl (Bob Gunton) are plenty for uber-fans to enjoy this time out.
Daredevil hears too much all the time. That’s why he does what he does. Matt feels so much rage against the injustice all around him that he feels compelled to stop as much as he can on his own. Foggy’s trust in his best friend is gone and now so is he. Murdock’s crusade has put not only himself but Foggy and Karen in danger. Without that trust, can Daredevil continue on? It’s an intelligent approach to the secret identity revealed storyline on every good hero’s journey. I can’t wait to see how the resolution affects them both down the road.
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Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on.