So far, Daredevil: Born Again has mainly explored Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) trying to reinvent themselves. Matt is determined to live a straightforward life as a lawyer, while Fisk aims to gain legitimacy as a political figure. But no matter how hard they try, their pasts keep pulling them back. It feels inevitable that the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen and the Kingpin of Crime will collide once more—it’s just a matter of when.
However, Episode 5 isn’t the moment we’ve been waiting for. Instead, this chapter feels uneven, disconnected, and riddled with plot holes. That’s disappointing, especially since the premise of putting Matt in a hostage situation had so much potential. Still, one highlight is his encounter with a familiar face from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Matt Murdock Crosses Paths with the MCU’s Most Wholesome Dad
As always, Matt is struggling financially, prompting him to visit a bank for a loan. There, he meets Yusuf Khan (Mohan Kapur), the lovable father of Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), whom fans adored in Ms. Marvel and The Marvels. Some of the Born Again references to the larger MCU feel a bit forced, but if it means we get more of Yusuf, who's complaining?
Matt and Yusuf share a pleasant conversation, with the proud father singing praises about Kamala—unaware that she’s actually the teenage superhero Ms. Marvel. During their chat, Yusuf casually mentions that Kamala is in California. It might seem like a throwaway detail, but given that Kamala has started forming the Young Avengers and her first recruit was Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), it’s worth noting. If we connect the dots, Northern California is also home to Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), making it likely that Ant-Man’s daughter could be next on Kamala’s list.
Unfortunately, despite the friendly exchange, Matt doesn’t get his loan. And before he can leave, trouble finds him—this time in the form of an Irish mob pulling off a bank heist. As the criminals take hostages, Matt’s enhanced hearing picks up the chaos. He quickly ends a phone call with Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James) and tells her to call the police. But hold on—did he even mention which bank he was at?
A Bank Heist That Falls Flat
Matt soon finds himself among the hostages, drawing the attention of the heist’s leader, Devlin (Cillian O’Sullivan). Devlin mocks Matt’s blindness and legal profession while pressuring Yusuf, the bank’s assistant manager, to open the vault containing a valuable diamond.
As tension builds, Matt is forced to push his "no more Daredevil" rule to its limits. He works alongside Yusuf to stall the robbers while the police try to take control of the situation. But the episode itself doesn’t do much to move the story forward. The hostage negotiations between Devlin and Detective Angie Kim (Ruibo Qian) drag on unnecessarily. There’s even a bizarre moment where Devlin forces Kim to tell a joke, which lasts far too long and kills any sense of urgency.
Other odd choices include a cheesy sound effect when the diamond is revealed and an unnecessary mask-wearing moment from Matt. He briefly disguises himself while taking down Devlin, but considering he’s still in the same clothes and easily recognizable, the move feels pointless—aside from giving fans a dose of Daredevil nostalgia.
'Daredevil: Born Again' Needs to Refocus
At just halfway through the season, Daredevil: Born Again is already losing momentum. This episode, the shortest so far, feels largely skippable. Instead of progressing the main plot, it serves as filler, offering little development for Matt or the looming threats teased earlier in the season, like the rogue cops inspired by the Punisher and the eerie serial killer subplot.
Standalone episodes can work in a serialized story, but only if they add depth to the characters or world. Here, Episode 5 feels like a detour that doesn’t justify its existence. The only real takeaway? A fun setting for Matt and the enjoyable return of Yusuf Khan. But if you’re waiting for Daredevil to fully return, you might need to keep waiting.