The first four episodes of Daredevil: Born Again are streaming now on Disney Plus! You can find the new show's release schedule here, which will come in handy as it has a couple of multi-episode drops coming up soon.
This page, however, is all about Easter Eggs. Here, you can find every reference and hidden detail that Marvel Studios has snuck into the new Daredevil show that we spot, from deep cut comic book characters, to allusions to the Netflix shows, and more.
Major spoilers ahead for Daredevil: Born Again episodes 1-4
Episode 1 catches us up with team Nelson, Murdock, and Page years after the events of Daredevil season 3. The future is looking pretty bright, but then something happens which causes Matt to hang up his Daredevil mask, seemingly for good. Meanwhile, Wilson Fisk – AKA Kingpin – has set his sites on becoming mayor of New York.
In episode 2, Fisk's plan has succeeded and he has seized control of New York. Meanwhile Hector Ayala, who operates as a vigilante under the name White Tiger, witnesses a case of police brutality and intervenes – only to find himself arrested. Matt takes on his case.
In the third episode, Hector's case goes to court. It's not looking good for White Tiger, but Matt is able to successfully overturn the prosecution. What seems like a clear cut victory, however, ends in tragedy.
In episode 4 both Fisk and Matt are pushed to return to their old ways. Meanwhile, serial killer Muse starts to make his presence felt around the city.
Now, let's get into the Easter Eggs...
Episode 4 - Sic Semper Systema
The episode title: 'Sic Semper Systema' is a mangled version of the latin phrase "Sic semper tyrannis" (which translates to "thus always to tyrants"), which, roughly speaking, means that tyrannical leaders will always be overthrown. This tweaked version – "thus always to the system" – suggests that the system Matt is both serving and fighting will inevitably fail.
White Tiger's amulet: The previous episode ended with the assassination of Hector Ayala – AKA White Tiger. This episode picks up with his costume, including his mystical amulet, being picked up and put in storage. Something tells us we'll see that again sooner rather than later...
Meet Angela: Perhaps related to that, in the very next scene we are properly introduced to Angela Del Toro, as played by Camila Rodriguez. Angela is Hector's niece, and was mentioned in the previous episode. In the comics she becomes the next recipient of the amulet and takes on the role of the second White Tiger.
Muse: One of the more slow-burning plot threads this season is the arrival of this classic Daredevil villain. We finally get a proper look at him here before the opening title sequence rolls. He is also responsible for the mask mural we see on the side of the club that BB Urich and Daniel Blake leave shortly after.
Captain Planet: BB Urich dubs Blake "Captain Planet" – a reference to the ecologically-themed cartoon superhero created in the early '90s. Coincidentally, Captain Planet is making a comeback soon in the form of a new comic from Dynamite Entertainment.
The Skrulls are still out there: Leroy Bradford, the small time crook who has been arrested for robbing a bodega, suggests that a Skrull might have impersonated him. Matt responds with a blunt, "No."
Frank doesn't like his fans: We finally get our first proper look at the Punisher this season, and he confirms that he is not affiliated with the corrupt cops who bear his symbol, calling them "bullshit fanboys." Frank also calls Daredevil "Red" – his classic nickname for the Man Without Fear.
Bullseye: Frank calls Benjamin Poindexter Bullseye – the first time he has been referred to by that name in the MCU.
Rabbit in a Snowstorm: Keep an eye out in the closing montage of Fisk and Matt and you'll see Kingpin walk past this painting – the iconic blank white piece of art that introduced Wilson Fisk to his future wife Vanessa way back in the first season of the Netflix show. It's still smeared with blood – a reminder of Kingpin and Daredevil's brutal fight in the season 3 finale.
Tools of the trade: We get a brief glimpse of some of Matt Murdock's numerous masks and his billy clubs as he begins to prepare to take on the persona of Daredevil once again.
Episode 3 - The Hollow of His Hand
The episode's title: This is a reference to an old Irish blessing: "May God hold you in the hollow of His hand." Heather Glenn tweaks it slightly when she raises a tribute to Matt and Foggy at the end of the episode, saying "May God hold them all in the hollow of His hand."
The premise: Daredevil: Born Again is not a direct adaptation of the comic of the same name. This episode, however, is a pretty solid riff on another Daredevil comic arc, 'Trial of the Century' by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artists Manuel Gutierrez and Terry Dodson. The three-part story, originally published in Daredevil (Volume 2) #38-40, also concerned the trial of White Tiger. There are a few key differences, however. The first is that at this point in his life, it's out in the open that Matt is Daredevil. The second is that rather than focusing on corrupt cops, prosecutor Paul Delacourt is out to turn people against superheroes. The biggest change is the ending, however: in the comic Hector is found guilty, and after fleeing the court, he is gunned down by police. In the show, Matt successfully defends him, only for one of the corrupt cops to assassinate Hector.
Pingo Doce: Keep an eye out for an advert featuring this fictional Brazilian soda which debuted in The Incredible Hulk, and then later appeared in Ant-Man, and Deadpool & Wolverine, as well as the What If...? and I Am Groot TV shows. You can actually buy it at the Avengers Campus theme park and, while we've not tried it ourselves, it apparently tastes of lemon and lime with a hint of vanilla.
Another old saying: While Officer Powell is giving his testimony, Matt asks about his black eye. "There's this thing they say in boxing: 'The best cure for a black eye is fast hand." It's never explicitly said where Matt would have heard this, but we can certainly assume he picked it up from his boxer Dad, Battlin' Jack Murdock.
The Punisher mural: This episode is pretty internal, spending much of its time in the courtroom, but we do get a brief look at a mural of the Punisher symbol with the word 'TRIGGERED' painted on it. Frank Castle probably isn't one for street art, so we can safely assume this is the work of the villainous Muse.
Hector's family: The trial confirms that Hector Ayala has a sister and a niece. This is more significant than it might seem, as in the comics his niece Angela Del Toro becomes the second White Tiger after Hector's death, with his sister Ava Ayala later taking the Amulet to become the third White Tiger.
Officer Morales: Matt shouts out some of the police officers who have commended White Tiger's bravery, including one Officer Morales. That's a name of significance in the Marvel universe, thanks to Miles Morales, the second Spider-Man. So is this a reference to his father? Possibly. In the comics, however, Miles father had the surname Davis, so it's not quite that clear cut – we dig into the mystery more here.
White Tiger's amulet: Matt once again references the mystical amulet that grants Hector Ayala "extraordinary strength and power."
O'Melveny's: Matt and Heather share a drink of this (fictional) whiskey after clearing Hector's name. The same scotch appeared in the first episode of the series – it's what Foggy was drinking in the bar before he was shot. Matt explains here that it's what he and Foggy would drink after they won a case in the early days of their law career.
Punisher logos: We've seen a few of these in the series now, starting in the first episodes and continuing here: one of the cops in the courtroom has one and, of course, the assassin who kills Hector at the end is wearing a shirt with a DIY Punisher logo. It's not like Frank Castle to work with a crew, so it feels like his symbol may have been co-opted by the dirty cops that Matt is facing this season.
Episode 2 - Optics
Times Square: The opening scene of New York reacting to Fisk being elected mayor is full of visual references. There's a billboard for Rogers: The Musical, as seen in Hawkeye. There's also a poster for Harlem's Paradise, the nightclub from Netflix's Luke Cage, while the PymVanDyne Foundation – belonging to Hope van Dyne – has a Happy New Year sign.
Fisk on vigilantes: "We don't need a gun toting vigilante who wears a skull on his chest. Or a man who dresses in a spider outfit. Or a guy who wears devil horns." These are very clearly references to the Punisher, Spider-Man, and Daredevil.
District Attorney Ben Hochberg: Hochberg is a minor character from Marvel Comics, first introduced in Daredevil (Volume 5) #2 from 2015. As in the show he is a New York District Attorney.
The title of Heather's book: Heather Glenn has published a book titled Life Without Fear: A Guide to Confronting Trauma by Heather Glenn MD. The first part of that title is a clear nod to Daredevil's longstanding nickname, "The Man Without Fear".
White Tiger's mystical amulets: Matt makes a passing reference to White Tiger having "mystical amulets". These are the Jade Tiger amulets, which originated in Iron Fist's heavenly city of K'un-Lun and which grant Hector superhuman agility and strength.
Punisher tattoos: An obvious one to finish off the episode, but one of the cops that tries to kill Nicky Torres – the key witness in Hector Ayala's trial – is sporting an adapted Punisher tattoo. It's not like Frank Castle to work with the police, so are these cops who have taken on some of the Punisher's lethal methods?
Episode 1 - Heaven's Half Hour
Josie's bar: Josie's bar was a frequent hang out spot for the trio of Nelson, Murdock, and Page. We see it again here, still run by Josie herself (Susan Varon), shortly before things go very badly for Foggy...
Kirsten McDuffie: The woman Foggy is flirting with is a recurring character from Marvel Comics, introduced in 2011's Daredevil (Volume 3) #1. In the comics, Kirsten is an assistant District Attorney who suspects that Matt Murdock is Daredevil. Over time their relationship becomes romantic and the two start dating. In later comics, having revealed his identity as Daredevil, Matt leaves Hell's Kitchen and moves to San Francisco with Kirsten. The two set up their own law firm, but when the Purple Children wipe everyone's memories of Daredevil's identity, Matt decides it's a good time to break up with her (Matt Murdock: never not a dick to his girlfriends). Despite this acrimonious split, however, she later helps clear Matt's name when he is falsely arrested for murder.
Hogarth, Chao & Benowitz: The firm that Foggy mentions having previously worked in is partially owned by Jeri Hogarth, Carrie-Anne Moss' character from the Jessica Jones show.
Fisk's breakfast: Kingpin is a man of routine. In the Netflix show he was shown making an omelette, which he eats again here, this time with a single stick of asparagus.
The BB Report with BB Urich: The TV show that we see intermittently pop up in the show is hosted by BB Urich, a new character played by Genneya Walton. We learn in episode 2 that she is the niece of Ben Urich, from season 1 of the Netflix show, where he was played by Vondie Curtis-Hall. Alas, the character was murdered by Wilson Fisk, which adds an extra resonance to his meeting with BB in episode 2, where Kingpin admits that he "knew" Ben.
"He supposedly crushed a guy's head!": In The BB Report segment an irate talking head refers to an infamous scene from season one of the Netflix show where Kingpin killed a man using a car door.
Kingpin references Echo: Matt and Wilson sit down for a catch up. While talking about family, Fisk notes, "I tried to mentor someone… Well, that's the closest I've come." He is, of course, talking about Echo here, in a reference to her Disney Plus show. Matt can't help but snipe back, "Didn't she try to shoot you in the face?"
Fisk is a man of his word: In the meeting Fisk also says, "About your friend. I had nothing to do with his death, I kept that promise," referring to a pact that Daredevil and Kingpin made in the Netflix show to not target each other's loved ones.
Heather Glenn, MD: Meet Matt's latest love interest. Heather Glenn is a fairly important character in the Daredevil comics, and we have a full explainer for Heather Glenn. Having said that, the TV version and the comics character are really quite different.
Fisk becomes mayor: This isn't an Easter Egg, as such, but it is something that happens in the comics. We have a guide to Fisk becoming mayor if you're eager to know more.
Spectrum News NY1: The real life news station (also sometimes called NY1 and Spectrum NY1) that reports on Fisk's election is a regular fixture of the MCU, having featured in The Avengers, Iron Man 3, Spider-Man: Homecoming and No Way Home, the Netflix seasons of Daredevil, Punisher, and Jessica Jones, WandaVision, and Hawkeye. Anchor Pat Kiernan, who has also appeared in various MCU projects, also recurs here.
Daredevil: Born Again streams new episodes every Tuesday on Disney Plus, so check back in weekly for the rundown on the latest instalments. Click to find out about all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows, learn about the best Daredevil comics and how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
