The previous episode of Daredevil was another step in the right direction towards finishing the first season of the show. I really like everything that has come together so far and am just awaiting the finale at this point. I wish that there was slightly more interaction between Matt and Fisk, because although I’ve absolutely loved the development of both characters, I don’t want it to feel rushed or unnatural when they inevitably face off in the end. What I think is so neat about all Marvel properties is the thorough planning that goes into everything. We’ve seen the movies be chock-full of Easter eggs and teases towards other heroes, villains, and events, and it seems like they are following the same pattern with their shows. Regardless of how Daredevil concludes its first season, we know there is plenty more coming, and that has me excited no matter what.
Episode 11 concluded with a very intense scene of Karen shooting Wesley in the chest multiple times. We immediately open up to her suffering with what she’s done. While Karen hasn’t necessarily been my favorite character or story to follow this season, I do really like her seasonal arc and how they are establishing her character as an individual. We’ve seen Karen deal with being in constant fear all of Season 1, but she has started to really toughen up and learn to defend herself thanks to Ben. Taking out Wesley was completely different, though. This time it’s as if Karen has killed Fisk’s own brother, and she’s right to be scared again.
Karen and Foggy have a great relationship and interaction. I like that they are normal humans who connect on such a realistic level, and throughout Season 1, it’s been really nice to step away from Matt’s heroic pursuit to focus on these two. This episode is really unique because the three main characters are all, sort of, not on good terms with one another, and the group is divided. When Foggy tells Karen how he’s not sure if he’s right, but he has to be confident in his answer, it shows that, no matter what, he’s there for Karen, and all three of them have a deep-rooted bond.
Throughout this whole first season of Daredevil, Fisk’s objective has been to improve Hell’s Kitchen all while running a drug smuggling business with Madame Gao. Matt has definitely disturbed the waters by taking up his alter-ego and scared everyone more and more as the season has progressed. I think the biggest threat to the drug smuggling was when the Daredevil took out Nobu, who was the top Japanese representative involved in the deal. This episode finally decided to close up this plot and give us a sense of where Madame Gao was headed and how that story would continue to be involved.
It’s fun to watch Matt doing parkour across the rooftops to chase Gao down, but the episode quickly turns to a serious note when he discovers that they have been using blind people to smuggle and distribute the drugs. This obviously hits home hard for Matt and really upsets and enrages him at the same time. This was easily a top, if not, the top moment of the episode, and that’s all because of Charlie Cox. Cox has done a phenomenal job this season, and if anyone ever had doubts in his acting capabilities to pull off Matt Murdock, they should be silenced by now. Cox displays amazing facial expressions throughout this scene.
I honestly can’t believe that Daredevil killed Ben off. I’m pretty upset about it. Ben has been the one character that has grown on me the most throughout the season, because he’s really been a great mentor to Karen and even Foggy as well. I liked that he was the pure journalist, and considering how huge of a Marvel character he is, I really thought he would be safe and pop up more as the Netflix shows continued. I think it’s satisfying that his final conversation is with Karen, because they were clearly the closest to one another. It’s a shockingly sad to see Fisk sitting right behind Ben, just waiting for him, because at that moment, we know what’s going to happen. I think the exchange between Ben and Fisk is actually really great, when Fisk talks about how humanity is consumed with unimportant things, because it’s something both characters do agree on. Fisk even says he admires Ben.
This was a really dark and sad episode of Daredevil, and the show is definitely moving towards its conclusion. I’m curious to see how the final episode finishes because it still feels like there are a lot of stories to tie up and little time to accomplish it. I figured a character would have to die this season, and it seemed like Wesley would be filling that hole, until we lost Ben. Overall, “The Ones We Leave Behind” was the calm before the storm. The show started closing out the smaller plots, which was okay, but slightly sudden. I really really enjoyed Charlie Cox this episode, between Matt’s realization that Gao was using the blind people and his conversation with Karen where he broke down. Despite how Marvel and Netflix have organized the story of Daredevil Season 1, the acting has been amazing, which is probably the most important component as we move forward with the shows that will create The Defenders.
Moments of the episode:
– Dang, Madame Gao can fight!
– The exchange between Daredevil and Ben is really awesome. I liked the idea of Ben being that Jim Gordon-type character for Matt.
– Leland has accomplished being the most accurately annoying character ever.
– R.I.P. Ben…. guess we won’t see you get to work at The Daily Bugle. ):
[Photo via Netflix]
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