Daredevil: Born Again (2025) s01e07 Episode Script

Art for Art's Sake

1
I've been thinking a lot about
projected personas, or masks.
Dr. Glenn, I need help.
I'm sure we can work something out.
[MAN] Thank you.
[FISK] You know, politics, it's a
different type of problem solving.
Most of it is new to me.
This project simply doesn't
align with our interests.
But some things, they remain unchanged.
Find what a person wants,
then either withhold it
Make it 2.8 for Viktor.
Or provide it and
they'll do anything.
[BUCK] Man's obviously
mocking the police.
[FISK] We can use this.
A task force.
[GALLO] It's every bad
apple in the barrel.
[ANGELA] This is what
Hector would have wanted.
All those kidnappings were
all close to the old track 61.
- [METAL RATTLING]
- [GASPS]
[FISK] The rule of law will prevail.
Should you go back to any
of your old activities
- there will be consequences.
- [YELLS]
When you look outside this
window, what do you see?
- Starbucks?
- Voters.
Voters.
What do you see, sir?
Fear. A city churning to a stop
And I promised the city that I would
protect them from this freak,
and we have nothing.
Well, that's not entirely true, sir.
A girl named Angela
Del Toro was dropped off
at Presbyterian late last night.
Says she actually escaped from Muse.
- [FISK] She's still alive?
- [DANIEL] She lost a lotta blood,
like, 2,500 milliliters
which, I don't know,
kinda sounds like a lot,
but she was able to point the
cops toward Muse's hideout.
But how did she escape?
The girl claims she was rescued by
the vigilante known as "Daredevil."
So, he's back.
- [BUCK] We don't know that for sure.
- Get out.
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
He's back.
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]
- [MONITOR BEEPING]
- [BREATHING HEAVILY]
[MUSE GRUNTS]
[DAREDEVIL] It's okay.
I'm here.
I'm here. [PANTING]
Matt
[HEART THUMPING]
[PASSIONATE MUSIC PLAYING]
You were gone when I got here.
Madison case. It's a bear.
Matt, you left your briefcase here
and [SIGHS] you didn't
get those bruises at work.
I went for a walk. I'm
having trouble sleeping. Okay?
Sorry, Heather, I know,
I know you worry about me,
but I do just
occasionally bump into things.
It is part of my reality.
- Then why lie about going for a walk?
- 'Cause it's embarrassing, sweetie.
[BREATHING DEEPLY] No,
Matt. What's going on?
You're checked out a
large portion of the time.
You put yourself in dangerous
situations like the bank.
You're beat up. Is this
some sort of self-harm?
[CHUCKLES] No.
[SIGHS] Look, I'm just
dealing with some things,
and obviously not very well.
Some things?
Look, Heather, you realize I used
to have this whole other life
and it was a lot different to this.
At your old firm, with your old friends.
Foggy and
Karen.
[SIGHS] Kinda.
You know, and sometimes this all feels,
to me, feels like
[SIGHS] fake.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
Fake?
- Not you.
- Yeah. [INHALES SHARPLY]
I'm sorry to do this
but you have been tamping
down trauma for so long
you can't even see when it's
bubbling up inside of you
and threatens to ruin
everything good you have.
I know. I know.
- Everything good we have.
- Yep.
And I'm trying really hard to fight it.
It's not a fight. It's a process.
- Got it. Understood. Thank you.
- [SNIFFLES]
- Dr. Glenn.
- [CLICKS TONGUE] Oh!
- Don't joke your way out of this.
- [CHUCKLING] Okay, okay, I'm sorry.
- Hey, I'm sorry.
- [SIGHS]
I love you, Matt.
[SOFTLY] I love you, too.
- What the hell is wrong with you?
- [MATT] Morning, Cherry.
You think I wouldn't find out?
You give me your word and
then you pull this shit?
Keep your voice down, please.
Let's talk in the conference room.
Matt, can I just chat
with you for a second
Just give me two minutes. I
just need to talk to Cherry
about the Edelstein case.
- Two minutes.
- Mm-hmm.
- I told you to stay out of it.
- [SOFTLY] What was I supposed to do?
The cops were dicking
around getting nowhere.
I found Muse in one night.
- You want a medal?
- He's a serial killer.
Cherry, this is different.
Sixty dead. Would've been one
more if Daredevil hadn't shown up,
- and he's still out there.
- [SCOFFS]
So I need you to reach out to your
contacts and find out exactly where
- all of Muse's victims
- No, what, so you think
- I'm gonna enable you with this shit?
- After last night,
he's gonna go into survival mode
'cause he knows he's got limited time.
If I can figure out his pattern,
I can figure out where
he's gonna strike next.
So, do me a favor,
talk to your contacts
No. No, no, no, no.
If you wanna blow up your
life again, you go ahead
but you're on your own.
[CHUCKLING] You know, was a
time when you were on the force,
moments like this, you called me.
It was just over a year
ago when he vanished.
But why now?
It's not like Muse is the first
serial killer the city's ever seen.
We're talking about a man who
dresses in a devil costume.
- I don't know why.
- [BUCK] If he is back,
if he is going after Muse,
it's not the worst thing
in the world, is it?
[GRUNTS]
I just mean for the sake of the city.
For the sake of the city.
[SCOFFS LOUDLY]
We're talking about a man
who singlehandedly destroyed
ten years of business infrastructure.
- You understand what I'm saying?
- Yes, sir.
[GRUNTS] Ten years I
built that operation.
It was totally fail-proof.
Fail-proof until he had
me unjustly arrested.
He took down my entire business,
one that made hardworking people,
who believed in themselves
and my enterprise,
richer than they ever dreamed of!
An entire network of
blue-collar millionaires,
from distributors overseas to
the to the port workers here.
Those people, they had they had grit.
He went on a rampage. He
tracked down all my workers,
custom facilitators, all of them
[MUMBLES INDISTINCTLY]
Savagely beating them.
He broke bones. Broke spirits.
Without due process. Without
standing or legal cause.
All because of this
twisted, delusional man.
This vigilante.
Because of his righteousness.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
But you've moved
on from that now, huh?
You're the Mayor now.
Yes, I I have more resources.
Institutional resources.
Law enforcement resources.
Using those to settle old scores
could be seen as an abuse of power.
When I brought you over
from your previous life,
can you recall why I said I hired you?
I believe you called it my
ability to think asymmetrically.
Yes, Buck, yes.
Now, I have the responsibility
to protect this city
from anyone who steps
outside of the law.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[ANGELA] I was right, Mr. Murdock.
Hector was right.
And then Daredevil kicked
the shit out of him.
- Daredevil saved me.
- Yeah, I heard. [BREATHES DEEPLY]
Angela, what do you remember? About
Muse? About Track 61? Anything?
Besides the murder basement
and the bloodletting stuff?
[MATT] Yeah, besides that.
[ANGELA] Those detectives asked me
a bunch of questions when I woke up.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
[WHISPERS] Jesus.
What's the point?
- Cops ain't gonna do nothing about it.
- [MATT] No. If they don't,
somebody will. I promise you.
Now, I need you to
think really carefully.
What can you tell me that
was out of the ordinary?
What was different? Unique?
[ANGELA] He had these,
uh these sketches
and he was really amped about them.
Kept talking about
them. He kept doing them.
What of? Like, uh, murals? Of people?
Faces.
[CAR DOOR OPENS]
Thanks for meeting me, Mrs. Fisk.
[VANESSA] You've been
causing a lot of chaos, Luca.
If you're looking for
attention, there are other ways.
Look, I'm a straight
shooter. I don't do politics.
Why the hell does he wanna
be mayor? What's his angle?
I don't have to explain my husband's
actions to you or to anyone.
You think it's bullshit
too, don't you? [CHUCKLES]
We're not earning like we were with you.
Most of us aren't earning at all.
Then he sends the Brit to
ding me for nearly two million.
That was me.
- Oh.
- You know the rules.
Play nice. Keep smart. Keep low.
You did none of that. Now you owe.
The rules were worth it
when you were running things.
It was better then. You know that.
I can see it on your face.
[CLICKS TONGUE, BREATHES DEEPLY]
Maybe [SIGHS]
It's time for a change.
Are you asking for my
permission or my help?
That's up to you.
Hi.
[MAN] I've been having this dream.
It's my eighth birthday and
we're at the house Upstate.
We used to spend summers there.
And I go outside and someone hands
me this bouquet of red balloons,
and I don't know why.
No other kid has them.
And then my parents,
they wheel out this
- like, giant birthday cake
- [BOTH CHUCKLE]
and they call for me to come over
but when I join them, they don't see me.
I mean, no one knows I'm there.
Um, what do you think it means?
I have no idea. [CHUCKLES]
You said your parents put
a lot of pressure on you.
No, I love my parents.
[FISK] Bastian Cooper. Who is he?
And are you certain he's our guy?
Certain, no. Confident, yes.
I, um, found a piece of
clothing in Muse's lair
and we assumed it was fabric,
but our analysis showed
that it was actually canvas.
Canvas?
This particular canvas is
very rare, very expensive.
There's only two stores in
the entire city that sell it.
In the last two weeks,
12 people have bought it
and we have talked to 11 of them.
Bastian is the only
person we couldn't find.
Doesn't prove he's guilty.
No, but when we started
looking into Bastian's past
[CLICKS TONGUE] we made
some troubling discoveries.
Involuntary commitment when he was 15.
Expelled from Phillips Exeter.
Involuntary commitment when he was 17
and another one when he was 20.
- He certainly does have issues.
- There is one more thing, sir, um
How familiar are you with taekwondo?
I like boxing.
Did I ever tell you I used
to compete in taekwondo?
No. Did you enjoy it?
No, I hated it.
I mean, my parents, they always
wanted an athlete in the family.
So, you competed in taekwondo
to prove yourself to them?
No, I competed in taekwondo
because they made me
and it was awful, but
they wouldn't let me quit.
There are really only a handful
of truly elite taekwondo coaches
and Lee Suk Ji was one of them.
That's why his father hired
Coach Lee to live with them
and coach his son.
Bastian was 16 at the time.
You said was
Three months after Coach
Lee started training Bastian,
his body showed up on the estate.
Cause of death was listed as unknown
but there was never an investigation.
And you think Bastian killed him.
I'll put it this way. It
wouldn't surprise me if he did.
But you know, we're in a innocent-
until-proven-otherwise business so
You know, I hated him but
In the end, I learned
a lot from Coach Lee.
[CHUCKLES]
Um, do you still compete in taekwondo?
Uh, God no, um
I mean, all I ever wanted
to be was an artist.
To be the person I am now and
That's all thanks to you.
That is kind of you to say, but
- I'm just the conduit
- No, you're the key.
I mean, don't you see that?
[STUTTERING] I mean, you've
unlocked something in me, Dr. Glenn.
Something I didn't know was missing.
I mean, you've allowed
my creativity to flourish,
to soar to heights I never
even imagined. [CHUCKLES]
So, um, let's talk about homework
No, you're not listening
to me, Dr. Glenn.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
This city is finally starting
to see me for who I really am.
Does that mean you've
been displaying your art?
[EERIE VOICES WHISPERING]
You could say that.
Is there anything else you
found in that tunnel?
Uh, I'm sorry, sir?
There's rumors that, uh,
Muse and the victim wasn't
Well, they weren't the
only ones down there.
Rumors that the vigilante
from Hell's Kitchen is back.
Well, those, uh, aren't just rumors.
We don't have confirmation on that, sir,
but we are definitely
open to the possibility.
Yeah. Uh, thank you.
You've done a good job.
Uh, of course, sir.
And I'll take it from here.
- Thank you, sir.
- Uh-huh.
[CHORUS VOCALIZES]
[DOOR CLOSES]
Bastian, your nose.
[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
[BASTIAN] Becoming your
true self can be scary.
It's like you always say,
"We can't hide from ourselves.
It's only when we embrace who
we are, we can truly be free."
Tell me about that drawing.
[EERIE VOICES WHISPERING]
You already know, Dr. Glenn. I
can see it in your face. [CHUCKLES]
- Hey. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
- [SNIFFLES]
- Come on. This is a good thing.
- [SIGHS]
[CHUCKLING] Now there are
no more secrets between us.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[BREATH TREMBLING] Is that
[CHUCKLING] My true self.
[SOFTLY] Bastian, please
[SIGHS] I I know what
you're thinking, Dr. Glenn.
There's only one question
on your mind right now.
"Can I make it to the door in time?"
[GRUNTS]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
- Hey.
- Kirsten.
- Where is Matt?
- [SIGHS]
Uh, he said he had to go Uptown,
- pick up a report.
- What report?
To be honest, the kid's kind of
on my shit list right now, so
You know, Cherry, I never
thought that you'd be
the one hiding things from me.
- Kirsten
- Matt has got a ton on his plate,
and yet, every time I see him,
he's in some kind of private
conversation with you.
What do you want me to say?
The same confidence I
give Matt, I give to you.
See, that doesn't work
for me! We're a team here,
and hiding things from one another
isn't gonna get us anywhere.
I trust you, and I trust Matt.
Be nice if that was a two-way street.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]
[OFFICER] the battery suspect is
[CABLE CREAKING]
Same.
Oh, Christ.
Hey!
[SIGHS] Shit!
Are you sure it was him?
[POWELL ON PHONE] Well,
yeah. As far as I could tell.
Look, the facial recognition
ID'd the sketch as Heather Glenn,
a psychiatrist downtown.
Yeah, I'll I'll put out an APB.
No! Don't. The Task
Force can handle this.
You are the thin, dark
line protecting this city.
Remind them of that.
- And don't disappoint me, Powell.
- I won't, sir. None of us will.
- [BREATH SHUDDERING]
- [HEAVY BREATHING]
[EERIE VOICES WHISPERING]
Bastian, what are you doing?
My name is Muse.
- Bastian, please.
- [LOUDLY] Don't fucking call me that!
- I am Muse! Muse. M-U-S-E.
- [GROANING, WHIMPERING]
[IN NORMAL VOICE] It was you.
I read your books. I've watched you.
- You know. You understand who I am.
- [GROANING SOFTLY]
[WHISPERS] Please don't hurt me.
[MUSE] Honestly, I can't guarantee that.
[SCREAMS] Muse, where are
you going with all of this?
- [MUSE CHUCKLES]
- [WHIMPERING] Please. Please don't.
Please don't. [SCREAMS]
[MUSE GRUNTS]
[HEATHER] Please don't.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[GROANING]
[CRYING]
- [WHIMPERING]
- [MUSE SIGHS]
[CRIES]
[BREATHING HEAVILY] Please.
Please don't do this.
Please don't do this.
Don't you care about all
the people you killed?
- Huh? Do you feel nothing?
- [GRUNTS]
- [THUDS]
- [BREATHING HEAVILY]
- [SIRENS APPROACHING]
- [MUSE GASPS]
- No. No. Not yet.
- [CRIES]
[GUN COCKING]
[HEATHER GROANS]
- [MUSE SIGHS]
- [HEATHER CRYING]
What the hell is that?
Oh. [BREATH TREMBLING]
[GRUNTS, WHIMPERS]
What the fuck are you doing?
You've kidnapped me, and then
you're gonna, what, shoot me? Huh?
[MUSE BREATHES HEAVILY, MUMBLES]
Look at you. You can't even talk
to me without that insane mask on!
Anybody who needs a mask is a coward.
- [MUSE GROWLS]
- [GROANING]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[MUSE GRUNTS]
[GASPING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
[GASPS]
[SIREN WAILING]
[OFFICER] Let's move! Let's move!
Go! I'm goin' in loud in two! Go!
- [MUSE GRUNTS]
- [GUNSHOT]
[SIREN BLARES]
Approaching the North
entrance. Stand by to breach.
[BOTH GRUNTING]
Stack up!
[DRAMATIC CHORUS VOCALIZING]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[GASPS]
- [CABLE WHIZZING]
- [MUSE SCREAMS]
[GROANING]
[DAREDEVIL YELLS]
Breach.
[GRUNTING]
[GUN FIRES]
- [GUN CLICKING]
- [BODY THUDS]
[PANTING] Heather? Heather.
Heather. Stay Stay
It's okay, stay with me.
Stay with me. Stay with me.
Here. Here. [SHUSHES]
It's all over. Heather.
Hey. Hey. Heather, it's over.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
- Breach.
- [POWELL] Yeah.
[OFFICER 1 ON RADIO] Secure the
scene, we have gained access.
All units, sitrep.
[COLE] Muse is dead.
Secure the building.
[OFFICER 2] Be advised.
There are units outside
waiting for your command. Over.
[COLE] Roll me a bus ASAP. It looks
like someone has stabilized the victim.
[OFFICER 3] Copy. Two confirming.
One down. One victim in need of EMS.
[SIRENS WAILING]
He had a gun. [SIGHS] Part of
some murder-suicide grand plan.
And there's something else, sir.
He wasn't the only one up here.
What do you mean?
When we made entry into the
room, Muse was already dead.
The place was a chaotic mess.
I mean he was here. Daredevil.
- Are you sure?
- [COLE] Positive.
Well, like you said, it was chaotic
up here and hard to see or to tell.
What we do know is that, you
and your men did your job.
That you stopped Muse.
You are heroes.
There was no one else up here.
Isn't that right, Sergeant North?
Yes, it is, Mr. Mayor. That's right.
Yes.
Imma go.
[MAN ON VIDEO] I don't know
about what they say they saw,
but I saw Daredevil
- go through that window.
- [KNOCK ON DOOR]
- [BB] Look at you.
- [CHUCKLES]
You know your boss will
kick your ass for that.
Nah. He's loving me these days.
Besides, he's dealing with
a personal matter tonight.
So, why drag me away
from beers in Bushwick?
New York One and all the majors,
they comb through your blog, don't they?
Of course. 'Cause I
get all the real shit.
[CHUCKLES] Like
Daredevil taking out Muse?
You burned me with that
Mayor garbage thing.
Look, you were high.
- You were slipping. I just
- Shut up.
We're friends, BB, but
I'm not a fuckin' chump,
and you owe me.
The Task Force took
out Muse. Not Daredevil.
Yeah. The one problem
with that is it's bullshit.
You're not stupid, BB.
Mayor Fisk isn't fuckin'
around, and neither am I.
See, this here, this is a
carrot and a stick situation,
with a very big carrot
and a very big stick.
Are you actually threatening me?
No, no. I'm presenting
you with an opportunity.
A great one, with a great man,
and what you decide in the
next few seconds will determine
how totally awesome or totally
shitty the rest of your life is.
[CHUCKLING] And I'd be so stoked if
you made the right call. You know?
[SHUDDERS]
[MONITOR BEEPING]
Matt?
I'm here.
[GROANS]
It wasn't a nightmare.
[SOFTLY] Oh, I'm so sorry.
- It's okay.
- [BREATH TREMBLING]
Listen, the, uh, doctor came by.
Said you have minor
lacerations but no concussion,
so we can take you home, first
thing in the morning, okay?
You're gonna be okay.
- I killed him, Matt. [CRYING]
- You didn't have a choice.
How do you know?
I know. I know 'cause I know you.
- [BREATHING HEAVILY]
- [MATT KISSES]
There was someone else there.
I mean, right before Bastian tried to
And that's when he showed up.
I think.
You think?
[SIGHS]
I think he said my name.
Who?
Daredevil.
[REPORTER ON TV] Breaking news tonight.
- [HEATHER SIGHS]
- The serial killer known as Muse is dead,
and a Tribeca doctor
is in stable condition.
Muse was shot several times
during a daring rescue
- by Mayor Fisk's newly formed
- [SOBS]
Anti-Vigilante Task Force.
[FISK] Masked men can no
longer keep our city hostage.
[CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING]
I promised to keep our streets
safe and I delivered.
[SENTIMENTAL POP MUSIC PLAYING,
THE CRYIN' SHAMES "PLEASE STAY"]
[REPORTER] Mayor Fisk! Mayor Fisk!
If I got on my knee
and I pleaded with you ♪
Not to go but to stay in my arms ♪
Would you walk out the door ♪
Like you did once before? ♪
[PHONE VIBRATES]
This time be different ♪
Please stay ♪
Don't go ♪
If I call out your
name like a prayer ♪
Would you leave me alone in my tears ♪
Knowing I need you so? ♪
Would you still turn and go? ♪
- This time ♪
- This time ♪
- Be different ♪
- Be different ♪
Please stay ♪
Don't go ♪
Please stay ♪
Thank you, Buck.
before I even knew your name ♪
And I wanted to give you my heart ♪
Could you call Vanessa and ask her
if she'd like me to bring
her home some sole meunière?
- [BUCK] Of course, sir.
- Hmm.
Oh, how I knew that the
heartache would start ♪
If I call out your name like a song ♪
Which was written for you, you alone ♪
Would you still hurt my pride ♪
Baby, if I cried? ♪
- This time ♪
- This time ♪
- Be different ♪
- Be different ♪
Please stay ♪
Don't go ♪
Please stay ♪
You know I'll always
love you, darlin' ♪
- Please stay ♪
- Please stay ♪
- Don't go ♪
- Don't go ♪
Please stay ♪
- [SONG ENDS]
- [SOMBER MUSIC PLAYING]
[CHORUS VOCALIZING]
[MUSIC FADES]
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