WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Daredevil #25, by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, Marcio Menyz and VC's Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
In Daredevil #24, Matt Murdock made a shocking decision when, as Daredevil, he pleaded guilty for second-degree murder. For the trial, Matt remained in his guise as Daredevil, for it was the Hell's Kitchen hero standing trial -- not the man under the crimson costume. While Matt initially meant to go through with the trial, he changed his mind when he learned that Elektra had essentially bought Hell's Kitchen, wrestling control of the neighborhood away from the Stromwyn twins.
With the Kitchen now in safe hands, Matt was free to pay for his crime, as he intended. Now, in Daredevil #25, we find the Man Without Fear in prison. But how long is his sentence, and will he truly go through with it all, or will he get an early release?
Daredevil was the one on trial, and he's the one who gets locked up issue #25. Matt Murdock is in prison, yes, but he is allowed to continue to wear his mask while he is incarcerated. This is part of the deal that was made to protect his superhero identity and that of all others who could find themselves in a similar situation. When he gets a visit from Elektra in prison, she asks if he's really willing to go through with this for the next two years.
By saying this, she reveals that Daredevil's prison sentence is meant to be two years long. Now, that number is so specific that we can't help but wonder if Matt will actually spend the next two years of Marvel publishing in prison. After all, the number is just long enough for the character to pay his debt, but it's also short enough that it seems like a realistic number for him to go through.
In terms of comics publishing, two years equates to roughly 24 issues of an ongoing comic series. 24 issues is the exact number that came before the milestone Daredevil #25, which means it's wholly possible that the latest issue in the series is meant to serve as the halfway point of this story -- a bridge to the next 24.
At the end of Daredevil #25, Elektra officially suits up as Daredevil to protect Hell's Kitchen, which means she is now, for all intents and purposes, the new Daredevil. This is a big moment not just for the title, but for the larger Marvel Universe as well. Since there's a new Daredevil in town, someone Matt trusts, he could really go through his full prison sentence, and Elektra could be new Daredevil for the foreseeable future.
Of course, there's always the possibility that Matt will get an early release. If the situation is dire enough, he could deem it necessary to break out of prison. Or, depending on his good behavior, his sentence could be cut short. But whatever ultimately happens, it seems likely Daredevil's stay in prison won't be resolved in the span of a few issues. If the events of Daredevil #25 are anything to go by, it seems Matt Murdock really is in it for the long haul.