Marvel Confirms Iron Man's MCU-Changing Decision Made Kingpin More Dangerous

:0:1

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again episode 3.
Daredevil: Born Again episode 3 just tied one of the most significant MCU Iron Man moments to Kingpin, making the latter much more threatening in the process. Daredevil: Born Again episode 3 centered almost entirely on the court case Matt and his new associate, Kirsten, picked up in the two-episode premiere. This court case surrounded Daredevil: Born Again"s White Tiger, otherwise known as Hector Ayala, and the false accusation that he killed an NYPD officer in cold blood.
After a series of trials and tribulations, Matt and Kirsten managed to convince the jury that Hector was not responsible for these crimes. This angered Daredevil: Born Again"s Punisher-inspired dirty cops, leading to a tragic ending for Hector. An unseen assailant donning the skull of Frank Castle lured White Tiger into the open and killed him, circumventing the law so that vigilantes can be punished, despite Hector being an innocent man. This links to the words of Daredevil: Born Again"s Mayor Fisk, who has subsequently been tied to a major Iron Man decision, which only makes the former more dangerous.
Kingpin & Iron Man Agree On One Thing Concerning Vigilantes & Their Identities

The Iron Man moment that Wilson Fisk has been tied to via Daredevil: Born Again is one of the most iconic in the MCU: the "I am Iron Man" scene. In this moment from 2008"s Iron Man, Tony Stark felt that there was no need to hide his identity as a superhero of Earth, instead revealing himself as the man in the suit of armor. This decision was a huge turning point for the MCU regarding superhero identities, and it seems to be something that Wilson Fisk agrees with after the ending of Daredevil: Born Again episode 3.

Related Daredevil: Born Again Episode 3 Recap & Ending Explained Daredevil: Born Again episode 3 ends with another shocking twist that seals a character"s fate and teases a dark storyline for the rest of season 1.
Posts In the episode"s final moments, Fisk is shown talking with Daredevil: Born Again"s Ben Urich link, BB Urich, stating that anyone who covers their face with a mask is a coward. Although this is not the exact same reasoning as Tony Stark had for revealing his own identity as Iron Man, the result is the same: both men do not think superheroes have to hide their faces. To an extent, the Avengers proved as much in the MCU, but this highlights a difference between them and the MCU"s street-level heroes, all while making Fisk more dangerous to the latter group.
Iron Man's Secret Identity Change Was Short-Sighted Tony Stark Had Few Disadvantages To Revealing His Identity Close Firstly, it is worth exploring the distinct difference between heroes like Iron Man and those like Daredevil, White Tiger, and even Spider-Man. Tony Stark was an incredibly rich man and had little to worry about upon revealing his identity as Iron Man to the world. Stark had more than enough wealth to be able to ensure the safety of himself and those he loves, either by creating more Iron Man suits, hiring security teams, or having multiple houses that no one else knew about. In many ways, Stark did not face many dangers in unveiling his Iron Man identity.
Tony Stark was a man who could consider himself above the law and, thus, above the ramifications of his identity being revealed...
However, Daredevil: Born Again proves how short-sighted this was. Men like Hector Ayala do not have this immeasurable wealth nor the privileged protection it would bring to a man masquerading as a vigilante. This was evidenced in the final moments that saw White Tiger killed by a corrupt man who thinks the law should bend to his will, likely inspired by Fisk. Tony Stark was a man who could consider himself above the law and, thus, above the ramifications of his identity being revealed. But people like Hector Ayala and Matt Murdock do not have such an advantage.
Kingpin's Assault On Secret Identities Is Just Another Terrifying Power Move Fisk Is Finding Another Way To Further His Agenda

Concerning how all of this links back to Kingpin in Daredevil: Born Again, the new mayor of New York is using Tony Stark"s short-sightedness as a way to exert his power over the vigilantes he hates. While not every superhero has followed in Iron Man"s footsteps, there is no denying that keeping the secret identities of heroes is less of a pressing plot point in the MCU, thanks to Tony Stark"s original decision. Hector Ayala was willing to give up his secret identity, and this only furthered Wilson Fisk"s distaste for vigilantes.
Fisk used Hector"s notoriety to either orchestrate his death himself or simply push others into doing his dirty work for him and rid the city of another vigilante. He did so by explaining that those hiding behind masks are cowards, proving how easily he can weaponize the secret identities - or lack thereof - of vigilantes in New York. This undoubtedly makes Fisk much more dangerous than he ever has been in Daredevil: Born Again, all while recontextualizing an Iron Man decision from the very beginning of the MCU.
TV Show My Favorite TV Shows My Watchlist Success!

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review Your comment has not been saved
Daredevil: Born Again TV-MA Crime Action Superhero Thriller Adventure

9/10 116 9.4/10 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