Daredevil

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Matthew "Matt" Murdock was blinded in a car accident as a child, an event that heightened his other senses. He was approached by Stick, an elderly and blind ninja, who trained him to hone these new abilities and learn martial arts for a secret war. When Stick realized Matt wanted a father figure rather than just a soldier, he left the boy. Murdock eventually attended Columbia University School of Law, where he met Foggy Nelson. After interning at Landman and Zack, both grew uncomfortable with the firm's lack of morals as Murdock began taking vigilante action against those the law could not prosecute. They started their own firm, becoming embroiled in Hell's Kitchen politics through client Karen Page. Murdock and his allies took down crime lord Wilson Fisk using the law; when Fisk escaped custody, Murdock defeated him in combat. The media christened this vigilante 'Daredevil', a name revealed off-screen before appearing in a newspaper.

In Their Own Story

At the end of May 2014, Charlie Cox was cast as Matt Murdock after reading the first two scripts, telling his agent they were "two of the best TV scripts I've read." Showrunner Steven DeKnight emphasized that the character is not super strong or invulnerable, but a man pushed to human limits with better-than-normal senses. DeKnight highlighted the moral complexity: "He's a lawyer by day... But every night he breaks that oath, and goes out and does very violent things," calling him one of the most religious characters in the Marvel Universe. Cox found his own Catholic upbringing helpful for the role, noting he didn't have to pretend how to genuflect or sit in the pew. Karen Page, portrayed by Deborah Ann Woll, was an office worker at Union Allied who discovered corruption and was framed for murder. She later killed Fisk's right-hand man, James Wesley, with his own gun in self-defense after he kidnapped her. This act traumatized her enough to sympathize with the Punisher's goals. Page eventually quit working for Murdock upon learning his secret identity and became a reporter after Ben Urich was murdered by Fisk.

Reader's Guide

The series focuses on grounded, human stakes rather than superpowers. Charlie Cox stated he wanted to be involved after reading the initial scripts. Steven DeKnight described Matt as "a man that's just pushed himself to the limits," noting his Catholicism plays a large role in his internal conflict. Costume designer Stephanie Maslansky designed Karen Page's wardrobe based on retro dreams of Katharine Hepburn and Lauren Bacall, using slim skirts and tighter tops to reflect her desire for a New York life while embodying "innocence and knowingness." DeKnight explained that Page did not tell Murdock or Nelson about killing Wesley because she had shot someone before; as she told them, "You think this is the first time I've ever shot somebody?" She feared they would be horrified. Toby Leonard Moore described his character James Wesley as charming yet "dastardly as all hell," always loyal to Fisk. Elden Henson noted he was excited that Foggy Nelson was not just a sidekick but had his own path. Cox reprised the role in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and will return in Daredevil: Born Again.

Did You Know?

• Charlie Cox was cast after reading the first two scripts and telling his agent they were among the best TV scripts he had ever read.
• The name 'Daredevil' was revealed off-screen in the series because showing a character saying it directly while wearing the black outfit before getting the suit was technically tricky from a timeline perspective.
• Deborah Ann Woll does not watch the series, which helped her performance in season two as she remained unaware of Matt's costumed actions just like her character Karen Page.
• Showrunner Steven DeKnight described Matt Murdock as one of the most religious characters in the Marvel Universe, a trait Charlie Cox drew upon from his own Catholic upbringing.
• Karen Page killed James Wesley with his own gun in self-defense but hid this secret because she had shot someone before and feared her friends' reaction.