Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, Episode 4 Finally Makes This Season Worth Watching

Spoilers ahead for "Daredevil: Born Again" season 2, episode 4, "Gloves Off."

"Daredevil: Born Again" season 2 has been a mixed bag until now, with the drama, action, and political commentary not always landing as effectively as it should. In fact, "Daredevil: Born Again" season 2 has been full of missed opportunities up to this point, often neglecting things that made the original "Daredevil" Netflix series so appealing in the first place. That said, throwing Benjamin Poindexter, aka Bullseye (Wilson Bethel), into the mix is a sure-fire way to shake things up, and "Born Again" season 2, episode 4, "Gloves Off," benefits from his presence.

"Gloves Off" starts off strong, as the aforementioned villain enters a diner, calls the cops, falsely reports seeing Frank Castle, aka The Punisher (Jon Bernthal, who, sadly, does not show up in the flesh in this episode), and then proceeds to lay waste to the corresponding Anti-Vigilante Task Force agents as they charge in, guns blazing. He also orders a milkshake, and I'm happy to report that he seems to enjoy that as much as he delights in destroying a corrupt police unit. 

"Daredevil: Born Again" season 2 hasn't lacked in the action department so far, but this sequence is a much-needed shot of adrenaline. It's exciting as a spectacle, sure, but it also gives one of the show's most complex characters a purpose. Still, while the episode's opening sequence is a season highlight, its closing moments raise the stakes and then some. Specifically, this is where Kingpin himself, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio), learns that he is no longer untouchable ... and neither are his loved ones.

One of the most interesting ongoing storylines on "Daredevil: Born Again" season 2 is the unlikely alliance between Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Bullseye. The pair have been sworn enemies ever since Bullseye killed Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) back in the "Born Again" season 1 premiere, but their mutual hatred of Wilson Fisk now makes them strange bedfellows. Of course, Bullseye's methods are way deadlier than Daredevil's, as evidenced by his possible assassination of Vanessa Fisk (Ayelet Zurer) at the end of "Gloves Off."

Notably, this moment occurs on the heels of a brutal public boxing match involving Wilson. The whole thing serves to allow Wilson to unlock his inner Kingpin and remind audiences that he's still a ruthless killer, contrary to his attempts to publicly portray himself as some kind of noble politician. As soon as Vanessa appears wearing a white dress, though, you can't help but feel that this scene is going to end on a bloody note — and it does. Bullseye takes his shot from afar, and Vanessa's ultimate fate is left in the air for the time being.

Frankly, "Daredevil: Born Again" season 2 needed this episode. "Gloves Off" is bookended by some violent, shocking developments that add an air of unpredictability to the proceedings, and the dramatic stakes have never felt higher. Let's just hope that the series can maintain this momentum for the rest of season 2.

New episodes of "Daredevil: Born Again" season 2 drops on Tuesdays on Disney+.