Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*.

Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts* has shaken up the MCU’s street-level landscape in a big way — and no character stands to be more affected than Matt Murdock. With Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 already setting the stage for a radically different New York under the iron-fisted control of Mayor Wilson Fisk, the events of Thunderbolts* drop a metaphorical bomb in the middle of Hell’s Kitchen. The presence of the team in New York, the carnage unleashed by the Void, and the political aftermath are all likely to reshape the direction of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, whether directly or indirectly.

Thunderbolts* brings together a ragtag group of anti-heroes and ex-villains. The climax on Thunderbolts* is set primarily in New York City, where their mission collides with a much bigger problem: the emergence of Robert Reynolds’ darker alter ego, the Void. The destruction caused by the Void wreaks havoc across Manhattan. Meanwhile, Daredevil: Born Again season 1 established that Wilson Fisk has leveraged his political influence to become Mayor of New York. Fisk’s new regime is defined by harsh anti-vigilante policies, aimed at cracking down on street-level crimefighters — a crusade that puts him on a collision course with Daredevil.

The Thunderbolts’ Actions In New York Would Have Drawn The Attention Of Mayor Wilson Fisk

One of the most important plot threads in Daredevil: Born Again season 1 is Mayor Fisk’s campaign to criminalize vigilante activity in New York. The storyline echoes real-world debates about authority and power, with Fisk positioning himself as the law-and-order candidate while targeting people like Daredevil and other street-level heroes. His administration pᴀssed sweeping anti-vigilante ordinances that give law enforcement — and Fisk’s own private security forces — broad authority to detain masked operatives.

Enter the Thunderbolts*, a team that launches a covert mission into New York only for it to end in catastrophic fashion. Their incursion into Avengers Tower results in widespread property damage and civilian endangerment. Yet worse still is the unleashing of the Void, which tears through the skyline and leaves half the city in shock.

From Mayor Fisk’s perspective, this is a goldmine. He can now point to the Thunderbolts as proof that vigilantes and so-called heroes are a public threat. Even though the team is now backed by the government, their rogue behavior and inability to contain their own teammates will likely become part of Fisk’s political propaganda machine. For a man who thrives on exploiting fear, the chaos caused by the Thunderbolts only strengthens his hand.

The Kingpin’s Anti-Vigilante Laws Are Complicated By A New Avengers Team

Ironically, while Thunderbolts* helps justify Fisk’s crackdown on vigilantes, it also introduces a wrinkle that could weaken his position: the emergence of a new Avengers team. During the Thunderbolts*‘s climax, the team are introduced to the world as the New Avengers. The Thunderbolts* post-credits scene jumps ahead in time to reveal the groundwork for a second Avengers-affiliated team, led by Sam Wilson.

This complicates Fisk’s strategy in a big way. On the one hand, he wants to suppress all costumed hero activity under the guise of public safety. On the other, the U.S. government is now actively ᴀssembling new super teams. As at least one is based in New York, then Fisk’s hardline policies may face federal resistance. Furthermore, if Sentry’s instability is viewed as a consequence of government overreach (via the shady OXE experiments), public sympathy may shift against the state and back toward independent heroes like Daredevil.

Will Thunderbolts* Change Daredevil: Born Again Season 2?

It’s hard to imagine Thunderbolts* not having some impact on Daredevil: Born Again season 2. Even if Matt Murdock isn’t directly involved with the Thunderbolts, the fallout of their actions will likely ripple through the city he protects. The second season could explore rising anti-hero sentiment, public distrust of masked vigilantes, or even Fisk leveraging the Thunderbolts disaster to implement more aggressive surveillance and control measures.

At the same time, Daredevil: Born Again season 2 could act as a thematic and narrative bridge toward Avengers: Doomsday, dealing with the political and social climate post-Sentry. With the lines between state power and superheroism becoming increasingly blurred, Daredevil may once again find himself at the center of a moral and legal war — one that may determine whether masked heroes still have a place in the MCU’s future after Thunderbolts*.

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