Happy Friday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another review/reaction to this week’s episode of Daredevil: Born Again, “The Southern Cross.” Simply put, I liked Daredevil: Born Again Season Two’s finale. It works if Daredevil: Born Again wants to continue with a third season–we already know that Daredevil: Born Again has been picked up for at least a third season–or if the show wants to end with this season. That’s the mark of a good ending. I also love the symmetry between this season’s opening episode title (“The Northern Star”) and its closing episode title (“The Southern Cross”). In the comics, Daredevil has always leaned into religious undertones. “The Southern Cross” works.

Yes. I have some gripes, and they’re ones you’ve heard before in previous episode reviews/reactions, so I’ll continue with what I liked about “The Southern Cross,” for now. Matt Murdock and Kingpin’s showdown in court was inevitable. What occurs in court pays off many of Daredevil: Born Again Season Two’s story threads. Great! Honestly, I don’t think the original Netflix Daredevil spent much time in the courthouse beyond its first season. The fact that Daredevil: Born Again Season Two’s final fight occurs at that same courthouse fits. It’s a little hokey, but I like it. Treating this episode as an extended bottle episode was a good idea. Sure, we see the courthouse’s exterior, and a few shots occur around the courthouse, but “The Southern Cross” is the closest a show like Daredevil: Born Again would ever get to a bottle episode.

Narrowing the final episode to predominantly one location allowed Daredevil: Born Again to focus on its characters. You don’t need to establish another locale if the location of the shot seldom changes. Love. Love. Love. Daredevil: Born Again made the right call. The acting was on point. What else would you expect from Charlie Cox (Daredevil) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Kingpin)? I’ve mentioned it before, but Daredevil: Born Again is a passion project for Cox and D’Onofrio, and it shows. Like I said, “The Southern Cross” manages to tie up several loose ends. Daredevil and Kingpin receive satisfying/interesting conclusions to this season. BB working at the same newspaper as her father made me smile. Heather Glenn’s descent into the new Muse could be terrifying, and I’m here for it. I don’t want to spoil it here, but Glenn’s closing scene legitimately gave me chills.

Other storylines were touched on. I got a better sense of McDuffie. White Tiger got a decent close to her story. It was rushed (more on that in a minute), but functionally, it worked. Jessica Jones and Luke Cage’s moment near the end was equal parts fan service and earned. I questioned bringing in Jessica Jones more than halfway through the season, but for the most part, she worked. Sure, I enjoyed Netflix’s Jessica Jones series, and that may have blinded me to her character being rushed into the season’s story. But Kristen Ritter knows this character. Jessica Jones may have aged since we last saw her, but she still takes a swig of Scotch before punching faces. And Jones felt less of a distraction than The Punisher last season. She didn’t hijack the narrative in any way. Conversely, The Punisher became the symbol the AVTF (Anti-Vigilante Task Force) wears.

Jones (and by extension, Luke Cage) justifies Matthew Lillard’s character’s existence. Funny how Bullseye takes Luke Cage’s place at the end of “The Southern Cross.” That served as another great development. But I hope Lillard’s Mr. Charles and Bullseye don’t serve a sole purpose of linking Daredevil: Born Again to the larger MCU. Yes. I know Daredevil: Born Again belongs to the greater MCU, but I like that it’s mostly its own thing. And I don’t want a heap of crossovers in Season Three.

I’m sure I mentioned last year that the Born Again title is one of several where Matt Murdock’s secret identity of Daredevil gets discovered. It should come as no surprise that Murdock’s secret identity was revealed, but in classic MCU fashion, Daredevil: Born Again takes liberties. In the comics, Karen Page sells out Daredevil for drugs. That wasn’t going to fly on a Disney+ show. And I liked that Daredevil: Born Again gave Matt Murdock agency over his identity. Daredevil has been incarcerated in the comics before, which is where we leave him at the end of “The Southern Cross.” This should lead to more nods to the comics, which are always appreciated.

I’ve staved off my critiques, but it’s time to discuss them. Daredevil: Born Again rushes its story. This stems from a combination of a few too many characters and a shorter episode tally than the original Netflix Daredevil. Again, I don’t think Daredevil: Born Again seasons need to run 13 episodes, but a couple more would help establish some of these characters. While I liked Heather Glenn’s transformation, her arc was rushed. We hadn’t seen White Tiger in a couple of episodes (rightfully so, as the show developed other characters, but again, too many characters), and suddenly, White Tiger appears. Okay. I’m unsure of Buck’s fate. I think he lived. And many of Kingpin’s cabinet members and aides got lost in the shuffle. And that gets us back to Kingpin.

Wilson Fisk’s ending was jarring, and I don’t understand how it took place. And I watched this sequence multiple times. The attorney general offers Mayor Fisk a deal to exile himself in return for not pressing charges against him. Okay. I don’t think that’s a thing, but perhaps. We’ll go with it. But before Fisk takes the deal, he goes on a rampage in the courthouse. The offer should’ve been for giving Fisk immunity for the crimes he committed as Mayor before he rejected the attorney general’s offer. How can Fisk escape any punishment after killing at least a few New York citizens and hospitalizing a dozen more? Wouldn’t the deal be voided? That’s a nitpick. We got to see Kingpin fight, and that was cool.

Daredevil: Born Again Season Two was miles better than the first season. I enjoyed this season of the show and eagerly await the next season. Daredevil: Born Again is Marvel’s flagship Disney+ series and for good reason. Clearly, Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio love playing these characters, and I love watching them. Those are my thoughts. What are yours? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.