Happy Saturday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another reaction/review of a Daredevil: Born Again episode. This one may be more of a reaction than previous installments in this series. I only had time to watch “Gloves Off” once (getting ready for this weekend’s convention and sprucing up my board games for the Great Plains Gaming Festival’s gaming library has taken a lot of my time this week). As a result, I didn’t give “Gloves Off” my usual two or three viewings before posting a reaction/review. But I don’t think “Gloves Off” needed a second viewing. It was pretty straightforward, and that may be for the best.

I’m sensing a trend with Daredevil: Born Again. The show uses Bullseye as a catalyst for major change: Foggy’s death at the beginning of season one and Dex shooting Matt at the end of season one. We’ll get the spoiler part out of the way real quick. And just in case you have yet to watch “Gloves Off,” consider this a spoiler warning. Bullseye kills Kingpin’s wife, Vanessa, at the end of the episode. Again, Daredevil: Born Again choreographed this development before it happened. And again, I think this was the right move. “Gloves Off” may have other players sprinkled throughout its runtime, but the bulk of this episode focuses on the main cast. Another great development that I don’t think will continue in future episodes. Getting back to Venessa, her meeting with New York’s governor served as a farewell and foreshadowing.

As soon as Governor Marge McCaffrey said, “I can’t put my faith in Mayor Wilson Fisk…but I can put my faith in Mayor and Mrs. Fisk,” she signed Venessa’s death certificate. I knew immediately Venessa would perish. Daredevil: Born Again needed the tension an unleashed Kingpin would provide, and we saw Kingpin’s rage throughout “Gloves Off’s” runtime. The episode literally ends with Wilson Fisk boxing and killing (?) his opponent. Kingpin looked every part the role of someone who could challenge Daredevil to a physical confrontation. And Bullseye also gets portrayed as a competent killer. Most scenes with Bullseye are fun.

Daredevil: Born Again “Gloves Off” has plenty of dynamite scenes. The Bullseye scene at the beginning, where he takes down an entire squad of AVTF (Anti-Vigilante Task Force) members, was epic. I love it when Bullseye gets to cut loose. After watching this, I did question how Fisk could recruit so many people to the AVTF. Bullseye has been systematically killing off AVTF like they’re nameless Stormtroopers. I can’t imagine too many people wanting to sign up for AVTF duty when the survival rate is so low.

But moving on, Bullseye’s current storyline mirrors The Punisher’s from the original Netflix Daredevil. Bullseye is taking an extreme view, going further than Daredevil would ever consider, and the two (Daredevil and Bullseye) share a debate while they fight. Honestly, I think Daredevil: Born Again did a better job of integrating this debate (of killing versus non-lethal means of subduing enemies) in an action sequence than the original Daredevil. If I remember correctly, the bulk of The Punisher and Daredevil’s debate in Netflix’s Daredevil took place with Daredevil tied to a chimney. I much prefer Daredevil: Born Again’s presentation of this debate. At least, so far.

“Gloves Off” did a great job of tying up some loose ends, like the Northern Star’s first mate. It further develops Angela del Toro (soon to be White Tiger) as a member of the resistance, and Daredevil as the resistance’s symbol. “Gloves Off” does a fantastic job of setting up the idea of Kingpin without his wife, showing him to be a formidable foe (from a physical standpoint), and ending with what should be the catalyst for Fisk embracing the Kingpin moniker again. Daredevil: Born Again even did a good job of showing Wilson Fisk’s disdain for New York, calling him Mayor Kingpin through BB’s underground videos. “Gloves Off” is a great example of a standalone Daredevil: Born Again episode.

I do wonder if Daredevil: Born Again intends to continue using Bullseye as a narrative crutch. The show may be training viewers to perceive Daredevil: Born Again episodes that include Bullseye as more consequential. And Bullseye gets injured at the end of “Gloves Off.” We may not see him again until closer to Daredevil: Born Again’s season finale. You can’t see it, but I’m stroking my chin. Hmm. Bullseye may return closer to Daredevil: Born Again’s season finale. Coincidence?

But what do you think about Daredevil: Born Again “Gloves Off?” Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.