The Death of Daredevil Twist Leads To More Questions

WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Daredevil #612, by Charles Soule, Phil Noto and VC’s Clayton Cowles, out now.

Daredevil #612 is the conclusion of the ominously named "Death of Daredevil" storyline, and as you read through the issue it’s clear there are major changes taking place for the Man Without Fear. Not least of these is that, with this issue, writer Charles Soule ends his run on the title. Knowing that there’s a five-issue miniseries coming in the new year, however, followed by a new Daredevil series in February 2019 (by Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto), could the title be true? Does Daredevil really die?

Well, yes and no.

The start of this arc in Daredevil #609 saw Matt Murdock on the operating table, having been hit by a truck as he jumped into the road to save a young boy. It’s a chilling callback to Daredevil’s origins, as he first lost his sight (and gained his heightened senses) after saving an old man from being hit by a truck, only to then get covered in radioactive waste. Here, though, in #609, Matt gets lucky, and leaves the hotel with nothing but a cast on his arm and a warning from his friend Foggy.

Following this close call, Matt Murdock isn’t willing to wait around for the justice system to do its job when it comes to getting Kingpin out of the Mayor's office. He approaches his team of investigators and tells them enough is enough. He reveals his secret identity as Daredevil and proposes a radical, highly illegal plan to make sure Wilson Fisk is kicked out of office.

Over the issues that followed, they live up to their vigilante reputation, kidnapping Fisk’s right-hand man James Wesley and fighting against an army of Daredevil’s greatest villains, as well as the mysterious Vigil, a ninja dressed like a quasi-religious martyr.

Despite the odds, Matt Murdock and the team (including Elektra, who returned to Matt’s life and seemingly renewed their romantic relationship) bust the case wide open. They find out that the Mad Thinker was hired by Fisk to rig the Mayoral election, and the case goes to trial.

Daredevil takes the stand, as do all the heroes of the Marvel Universe who have testimony against Kingpin (which is a lot). With the evidence stacked up against him, Fisk has no option butto resign. It all seems too good to be true, and unfortunately for Daredevil, it is.

Next Page: A HUGE Twist In Daredevil's Death Leads To Bigger Questions

As he sits atop a skyscraper enjoying the moment, Daredevil is confronted one last time by Vigil. Following a short fight, Matt bests his foe, but when he removes their mask, he sees his own face underneath. It’s at this point that it all comes crumbling down around him, and he sees the truth: he never left the operating table. All of the events from issue #609 onwards only happened in Matt Murdock’s mind.

It seems that the truck that hit him did more damage than we were led to believe, and Matt has been fantasizing about his life for four straight issues. The kidnapping and death of James Wesley, the break in the case, the return of Elektra, the presence of Vigil and, perhaps most importantly, the resignation of Wilson Fisk were all figments of Matt Murdock’s imagination as he lays dying in the hospital Despite the best efforts of doctors and nurses, the issue fades to black and we witness the death of Daredevil… for three pages at least.

After seeing the angelic image of Karen Page reassuring him that he did everything he could, we see multiple pages of pure black as Matt Murdock stops breathing. Then, on the final page, we see his heart beat again, and the Man Without Fear lives to fight another day. “I am Daredevil” declares Matt, “and I am not afraid.”

After reading four issues of what was essentially a dream, however, what does that mean for the status quo of Daredevil moving forward? The five-issue weekly miniseries Man Without Fear, by Jed Mackay and Danilo Beyrouth, begins on January 2nd, 2019, and the ongoing Daredevil series kicks off under the creative team of Zdarsky and Checchetto the following month, but where do things stand as of Daredevil #612?

Well, for one thing, Matt Murdock is alive. The solicitations for Man Without Fear starts by telling us that “Daredevil is gone,” which may be a misdirect, or it may be that Matt is taking a much-needed break from crime-fighting while he recovers. Either way, old Hornhead is off the table for the time being, and the miniseries looks to explore how that impacts his various friends, partners, and enemies.

Speaking of which, Vigil may have been a figment of his imagination, but Matt’s lifelong nemesis Wilson Fisk is still very much the Mayor of New York City, meaning that the battle to oust Kingpin from office must begin all over again.

It may also seem like Mike Murdock -- Matt’s fictional twin brother who suddenly appeared as a real person -- might have also been part of the fantasy; but no, he’s still around. Unfortunately, Matt’s relationship with Elektra was all in his head, as was the reveal of his identity to Cypher, Reader and Frank McGee.

Unless anything has happened that we’re unaware of, James Wesley is still very much alive, too.

As we move into the new year and new Daredevil comics, it seems that, initially at least, we’ll be seeing Matt Murdock recovering from his injuries. Meanwhile, his friends (who are still unaware of his double life) are dealing with his absence. And everyone is still dealing with the presence of Mayor Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk.

The Death of Daredevil may have pulled the wool over our eyes a little (despite making good on the promise of the title, if only for a few pages), but that doesn’t mean the life of Daredevil will be getting easier anytime soon.

CBR

The Death Of Daredevil Comes With A Twist - And A Lot More Questions