Why Daredevil Swings Around NYC Like Spider-Man In Born Again

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Daredevil: Born Again"s two-episode premiere showcased the character swinging through New York akin to Spider-Man, begging the question of why this is different from the Netflix show. The ending of Daredevil: Born Again episode 2 saw Matt slightly embracing his darker persona for the first time in well over a year, with the opening scene of episode 1 revealing why the titular vigilante had gone into hiding. The tragic death of one of the few returning Marvel characters in Daredevil: Born Again resulted in Matt feeling like he had lost the privilege to be a vigilante, effectively retiring Daredevil.
This heartbreaking death surrounded Foggy Nelson, Matt"s best friend and a beloved character from Netflix"s Daredevil. Although one Daredevil: Born Again Easter egg hints Foggy may not be as dead as first thought, he is for now, with the opening scene of the show"s first episode highlighting the titular hero in a way the rest of the premiere did not. Linking to Daredevil: Born Again"s Spider-Man reference, the opening sequence had Matt swinging around New York like the iconic Web-Slinger does, causing many to wonder why this change was made from the more grounded Daredevil on Netflix.
Daredevil: Born Again Has Daredevil Swinging Around NYC More Than The Netflix Show Using An Iconic Marvel Comics Weapon

Image via Disney+
In Daredevil: Born Again"s opening sequence, Matt makes his way up to the rooftops above Josie"s Bar to find who the threat to Foggy"s protected witness is. In order to make it to the roof, Matt - now dressed as Daredevil - is shown swinging up fire escapes, around tight corners, and over gaps between buildings amid bouts of parkour. When Matt realizes Bullseye is down on the street with Karen and a dying Foggy, he swings back to the ground and engages him. This kind of athleticism and traversal is very different from Netflix’s Daredevil, for one key reason.

Related Daredevil: Born Again's Huge Death Explained: What Happens & Why Daredevil"s MCU return just did the unthinkable, with a major casualty inside the first 15 minutes, and we"ve got one big question: WHY?!
Posts 2 The key reason in question is Matt"s weapon, a billy club. Daredevil has long used a billy club in Marvel Comics, and while it was used in Netflix"s show, it tended to be utilized more in combat than anywhere else due to budget constraints. Now that Daredevil: Born Again has the regular, albeit soaring, budget of an MCU Disney+ TV show, the billy club can be used for traversal. Matt was shown using the club to winch himself to various points of New York"s buildings, extending the two handles of the club to allow him to swing and jump around.
How Daredevil Navigates NYC In The Comics Just Like In Daredevil: Born Again

For many, myself included, Daredevil: Born Again"s inclusion of Matt"s swinging using his billy club will be an excellent inclusion in the show. The reason for this is how it links to Daredevil"s Marvel Comics storylines, with the billy club being an iconic piece of kit the hero has used for decades. In the comics, the billy club is used to an even greater effect, with the overstylized, exaggerated possibilities of comic books allowing Daredevil"s weapon to extend to great lengths, making his swinging through New York even bigger in scale.
It is a joy to see Daredevil using his iconic weaponry in live-action in a way that has long been synonymous with the character in Marvel Comics...
In many ways, Daredevil"s swinging in Marvel Comics is like Spider-Man"s. While Daredevil: Born Again included this to an extent, and certainly a bigger extent than Netflix"s Daredevil did, it still did not quite reach the city-spanning heights of the comics. Whether the remainder of the show will do so remains to be seen, but, thus far, it is a joy to see Daredevil using his iconic weaponry in live-action in a way that has long been synonymous with the character in Marvel Comics.
Why Daredevil And Spider-Man Swing Around NYC What Is The True Benefit Of Swinging?

Custom image by Nicolas Ayala Regarding why characters like Daredevil and Spider-Man swing through New York City, the answer is fairly simple. Given the hustle and bustle of a city like New York, ground travel would be incredibly slow. Should Spider-Man or Daredevil need to get somewhere quickly, walking through the crowds or having their own vehicle to drive there would take an incredibly long time, potentially resulting in catastrophic consequences for the heroes. Therefore, swinging through New York allows much more speed given the much less frequent obstacles they would experience high above the ground.
Moreover, navigating the city via subway tunnels could be dangerous. Though Daredevil has his heightened senses and Spider-Man has his spidey sense, the risks would still be big should the tunnels be used as a method of transport. This provides another benefit to swinging through New York, with it being just as safe as it is quick and efficient. Daredevil: Born Again highlights this, with Matt going from the ground to the high rooftops of New York in seconds, allowing his work as the titular vigilante to be carried out at a much quicker pace than it was in Netflix"s Daredevil.
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Daredevil: Born Again TV-MA Crime Action Superhero Thriller Adventure

9/10 67 9.6/10 Release Date March 4, 2025 Showrunner Chris Ord Directors Michael Cuesta, Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Jeffrey Nachmanoff Writers Chris Ord Franchise(s) Daredevil, Marvel Cinematic Universe Cast See All