Daredevil: Born Again Kills Off Foggy Nelson – But Is It the Right Move?
The highly anticipated Daredevil: Born Again wastes no time proving that it’s taking big swings. Within the first 15 minutes of Episode 1, the show delivers a shocking gut punch—Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) is murdered in cold blood. What begins as a rare moment of joy for Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and his closest friends quickly turns into a nightmare when Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) ambushes them, shooting Foggy.
The tragic scene plays out in brutal fashion, as Matt, in full Daredevil mode, fights Bullseye through Josie’s Bar, up to the rooftop. All the while, he listens helplessly to Foggy’s heartbeat slowing until it finally stops. The loss is enough to push Matt dangerously close to his breaking point, making him briefly abandon his no-killing rule as he throws Bullseye off the rooftop (though the assassin survives and is later sentenced to life in prison).
Why Did Daredevil: Born Again Kill Off Foggy?
Foggy’s death was rumored long before Born Again premiered. Initial reports in 2023 suggested that Marvel had originally planned for both Foggy and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) to be absent from the show entirely, with their deaths happening off-screen. However, backlash from fans led to major rewrites and reshoots, bringing both characters back—at least for a short time.
Charlie Cox himself hinted at the emotional weight of the first episode, telling Extra, “At the beginning of this season, there’s a very traumatic event, which is going to change Matt Murdock’s life. He’ll probably never be the same again.” That statement left little room for doubt: either Foggy or Karen wouldn’t make it past the first episode.
For longtime Daredevil fans, this decision is undoubtedly heartbreaking. Foggy has always been the heart of the series, balancing out Matt’s darker impulses with his unwavering loyalty and humor. Killing him off raises the stakes, but at what cost?
Matt Murdock’s Darkest Chapter
Following Foggy’s murder, Matt abandons his Daredevil persona, throwing himself entirely into his legal career. But as the show’s ominous title sequence suggests—where the world shatters and then reforms in Daredevil’s image—it’s only a matter of time before he’s forced to don the suit once again.
This mirrors some of the most iconic Daredevil storylines from the comics, where Matt often spirals into grief and self-doubt after losing the people closest to him. Foggy’s death is clearly meant to push Matt into his darkest chapter yet, testing his resolve like never before.
Could Foggy Return?
Despite his seemingly definitive demise, there’s speculation that Elden Henson might still appear in Born Again’s second season. Comic book deaths are rarely permanent, and while a supernatural resurrection is unlikely, there are other ways he could return—perhaps through flashbacks, dream sequences, or even Matt hallucinating his best friend in moments of crisis.
For now, fans will have to brace themselves for a season of Daredevil unlike any before. With Foggy gone and Matt struggling to find his purpose, Born Again is shaping up to be the grittiest, most emotionally charged chapter of the MCU’s Daredevil saga yet.
