Daredevil Episode 3 leans heavily into legal drama, centering around Hector’s court case. If you enjoy episodes where Matt Murdock spends most of his time in the courtroom, this one will likely be up your alley.
The episode starts off in an unexpected place. Rather than picking up directly from the intense fight scene at the end of Episode 2, it quickly shifts focus to the trial.
Hector’s trial is the core of the episode, and I found myself genuinely tense during the efforts to get the witness to court. It reminded me of Season 3, where a similar situation played out. While this episode had less action, it carried the same level of tension and urgency.
In the end, Hector wins his case—he’s acquitted of all charges and walks free. However, Matt warns him that he can’t continue as White Tiger, as the trial put him too much in the public eye. Despite this, Hector suits up again, only to be shot in the head by someone wearing a Punisher symbol.
This moment left me with mixed feelings. First, does Hector not have any enhanced senses or abilities to prevent someone from sneaking up on him? I understand that the actor tragically passed away, but his character’s death felt rushed and unworthy of a hero like him. I don’t know his full skill set, but I can’t imagine Daredevil or other street-level heroes being taken out this easily.
Second, I don’t believe this was actually Frank Castle. Instead, it seems more likely that one of the Punisher-emulating cops was responsible. Throughout the season, we’ve seen a group of people adopting the Punisher’s symbol, but instead of targeting criminals, they’re hunting down vigilantes.
Hector’s death will likely serve as the catalyst that finally pushes Matt back into the Daredevil suit. It also sets the stage for the real Punisher to get involved, possibly to take down those misusing his symbol.
Meanwhile, in the background, Fisk takes a step back from direct involvement in crime, seemingly allowing gang warfare to escalate in the hopes of ultimately restoring order. Vanessa believes he’s doing it to spite her, but I think he may genuinely be trying to distance himself from his criminal empire.
Overall, I think I just miss the action-heavy style of the original Daredevil series. Even in the comics, some writers lean more into Matt Murdock’s legal career than his time as Daredevil, so I get what they’re going for. That said, unlike Episodes 1 and 2, this episode lacked any real fight scenes, which was disappointing.
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