Marvel Studios is ramping up the darker tones in its franchise with the release ofDaredevil: Born Again, which has reminded me of one of the most tragic villain moments in theMCU.Daredevil: Born Againhas been compared toGame of Thronesby Marvel Studios' head of streaming, television, and animation, Brad Winderbaum, promising political intrigue and particularly violent moments in the bowels of Hell’s Kitchen. This stands to reason, given how the series' predecessor was brimming with violent and bloody moments, earning a TV-MA rating that the MCU wouldn’t deliver until last year’sEcho.
Much of the no-holds-barred violence was thanks to the series arch-villain, Kingpin, who swiftly became one of the mostbeloved villains in live-action Marvelthanks to Vincent D’Onofrio’s portrayal. Kingpin is deeply complex, with a tragic backstory that almost justifies his propensity for violence. He is also shown to be tender at times, particularly in his relationship with Vanessa, who helps to humanize Kingpin beyond his tragic backstory. I’m looking forward to seeing how their relationship has developed, particularly 10 years after they both featured in one of the mosthard-hitting scenes of the firstDaredevilseries.
Daredevil Season 1 Ends With Kingpin Proposing To Vanessa As He’s Arrested By The FBI
Wilson Fisk’s Relationship With Vanessa Culminates In Tragedy
Daredevilintroduces Kingpin as an already-established criminal mastermind with designs to mold Hell’s Kitchen as he sees fit. He courts Vanessa, an art gallery curator, throughout the series while simultaneously engaging in his violent subjugation of Hell’s Kitchen and struggling against Daredevil’s retaliation. DespiteKingpin committing some heinous actsthroughout hisDaredevilappearances - one of the most brutal yet iconic being the complete decapitation of an ally with a car door -Vanessa is more than happy to enter into a relationship with Wilson Fisk, proving that she cares for him deeply despite his violent nature.
10 Best Kingpin Quotes From The MCU
Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. Kingpin, has spoken some of the MCU’s most powerful and terrifying quotes since his debut in 2015’s Daredevil.
As Fisk’s campaign of crime catches up to him in episode 13, with the FBI able to arrest him on charges of racketeering, Fisk sees the writing on the wall. In a fraught final few moments with Vanessa,he implores her to wait for his rescue and produces an engagement ring just as FBI agents force their way into his home. He then calls Vanessa his “heart” before being dragged away. While Fisk successfully escapes his first arrest, Daredevil prevents him from returning to Vanessa, who, at Fisk’s insistence, leaves the city after placing the engagement ring on her finger.
Why Daredevil’s Kingpin Proposal Scene Works
This Scene Is A Prime Example Of Daredevil’s Strengths
Daredevilis one ofMarvel’s most critically acclaimed shows, withDaredevilseason 1 sitting at a whopping 99% onRotten Tomatoes. The show is praised for its gritty realism despite staying true to the source material, withVincent D’Onofrio and Charlie Cox often being at the forefront of positive reviews. This panicked final sequence between Wilson Fisk and Vanessa is a prime example of what makes the show so well-loved, packing an emotional punch into an otherwise optimistic moment for anyone rooting for Fisk’s downfall.
SinceDaredevil, Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin has reappeared inHawkeyeandEcho.
It is indicative of the complexities that make Fisk and the show as a whole so iconic. Despite Fisk being an unabashed villain (even if you find yourself agreeing with his overall motives), the scene brings emotional heft to his arrest,almost making you feel bad for the man who murders innocents so dispassionately. It is also a prime example of the show’s celebrated cinematography, with a tight shot of the two sharing what should be a tender moment being torn apart by the FBI agents out of frame.
Daredevil’s Proposal Scene is One Of The Most Iconic Moments Of Season 1
It’s A High Bar, But The Proposal Scene Clears It
I think thisscene is one ofDaredevil’s best(the hallway fight and Fisk’s brutal murder of Anatoly Ranskahov notwithstanding, of course) for how it encapsulates both Wilson Fisk and Vanessa. We see much of Fisk’s softer side in his interactions with Maya Lopez during flashbacks and in the present inEcho, butI think his characterization is perfectly enshrined in this single scene. He is supposed to be a terrifying villain, yet his desperation in seizing the few moments he can to propose to Vanessa is enough to inspire pity and humanize him.
The fear and sadness in her eyes assure us that Wilson Fisk’s vengeance will be severe due to him being so protective over her.
Vanessa, meanwhile, wordlessly looks on as Fisk is arrested with tears in her eyes. By this point, she has already proved that his violent nature does not phase her, butshe is rendered helpless when the consequences of his criminality forcefully separate the two. The fear and sadness in her eyes assure us that Wilson Fisk’s vengeance will be severe due to him being so protective over her. For all of this, I think these few seconds in the series remain some of the best in Marvel productions, and I hopeDaredevil: Born Againcan deliver something similar.
