Why Netflix’s Daredevil Worked - Christianity & Heroism

SUMMARY

In this video essay by ArfVentures, the creator analyzes Netflix's Daredevil (2015) success through Matt Murdock's faith crisis, drawing parallels to the Book of Job, emphasizing Christianity's role in his heroism and MCU future.

STATEMENTS

Matt Murdock's declaration to die as the devil rather than live as himself underscores the tension between his identities, making the series' ending powerful.
Daredevil's character revolves around a strict moral code centered on faith, which prevents him from killing enemies while his vigilantism hinders a normal life.
In season 3, Matt feels betrayed by God after suffering immense losses, likening his plight to the Book of Job's trials.
The Book of Job actually involves a bet between God and the devil testing Job's faith, not God directly inflicting suffering as Matt misinterprets.
Matt's season 3 arc mirrors Job's but results in the devil initially seeming to win by tormenting him through losses and temptations.
Dex, as Matt's foil in the Daredevil suit, embodies faithless vigilantism, killing without remorse and living in constant fear.
In the finale, Matt confronts Fisk (as the devil figure) and rejects killing him, preserving his faith and defeating temptation.
After the trials, Matt abandons the Daredevil suit, adopting a humble outfit symbolizing righteousness without fear.
Matt's suffering, like Job's, leads to restoration of relationships and blessings, teaching that faith endures tests for greater strength.
The essay warns that neglecting Matt's faith in the MCU reboot Daredevil: Born Again risks losing what humanizes the character.

IDEAS

Matt Murdock's dual identity crisis is resolved not by eliminating the devil within but by redefining it as a warning against straying from righteousness.
The Book of Job serves as an unrecognized allegory in Daredevil season 3, where suffering tests faith through devilish trials rather than divine punishment.
God permits the devil's existence to forge stronger faith, turning personal torment into a blacksmithing process that sharpens the soul.
Dex as Matt's mirror image reveals that without faith, vigilantism devolves into remorseless killing and perpetual fear of inner demons.
The finale's confrontation with Fisk isn't just physical; it's a metaphorical battle against one's own temptations to ensure evil doesn't prosper.
Matt's misinterpretation of Job highlights a common human error: blaming God for suffering actually caused by adversarial forces.
Post-trial, Daredevil's suit becomes a symbol of distortion and fear, prompting Matt to operate humbly in shadows like a true man without fear.
Faith's rewards manifest tenfold after trials, mending relationships and enabling true happiness, as seen in Matt's renewed life.
Marvel's potential oversight of Matt's religious journey in the MCU could reduce him to a superficial anti-hero, stripping his depth.
Human life mirrors a tapestry viewed from behind; suffering holds hidden beauty in God's full plan, visible only through enduring faith.

INSIGHTS

Suffering often stems from adversarial tests permitted by a higher power to prove and purify faith, not as direct punishment.
True heroism integrates faith with action, transforming internal devils into symbols that guide others toward righteousness.
Misinterpreting trials as divine betrayal blinds one to the restorative purpose, delaying personal growth and relational healing.
Confronting one's shadow self—embodied in foils like Dex—prevents vigilantism from becoming unchecked violence.
Abandoning symbols of fear for humble persistence aligns actions with faith, yielding manifold blessings after endurance.
Faith's endurance through temptation ensures victory over evil, reshaping identity from tormented duality to unified purpose.

QUOTES

"I'd rather die as the devil and live as Matt Murdock."
"Why did he put the devil in me?"
"There is a man from the land of Uz, Book of Job."
"Come on, kill me."
"God's plan is like a beautiful tapestry and the tragedy of being human is that we only get to see it from the back."

HABITS

Maintain a strict moral code that prohibits killing, even against enemies, to honor faith-based commitments.
Balance dual identities by pursuing justice both legally as a lawyer and vigilantly in shadows.
Seek forgiveness and guidance through regular confession and discussions with spiritual mentors like priests.
Confront personal fears through introspection and trials to emerge as a "man without fear."
Mend relationships post-suffering by prioritizing reconnection with friends, family, and self.

FACTS

The Book of Job depicts God allowing the devil to test a righteous man's faith by stripping his wealth, family, and health.
Job never curses God despite immense suffering, ultimately having his blessings restored tenfold.
In the biblical narrative, Satan questions Job's loyalty, leading to a divine wager that permits trials but sets limits.
Daredevil's 2015 series integrates Matt Murdock's Catholicism deeply, influencing his non-lethal vigilantism.
The MCU reboot Daredevil: Born Again risks controversy by potentially sidelining religious elements central to the character's arc.

REFERENCES

Book of Job (biblical text central to the allegory of faith tested by suffering).
Netflix's Daredevil series (2015), particularly season 3, for Matt Murdock's character development.
Daredevil: Born Again (upcoming MCU series potentially neglecting faith elements).
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (related Marvel reviews by the creator).

HOW TO APPLY

Recognize personal sufferings as potential tests of faith rather than betrayals, drawing from Job's story to reframe challenges.
Identify internal "devils" like fear or temptation during crises and confront them through moral reflection to avoid breaking core codes.
When facing ultimate choices, prioritize righteousness over vengeance, choosing dialogue and restraint to preserve integrity.
After trials, abandon distorted symbols of identity (like the Daredevil suit) and adopt humble, shadow-based actions for true purpose.
Restore relationships tenfold by seeking forgiveness and reconnection, trusting in a larger plan that rewards endurance.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Embrace faith through suffering's trials to forge unyielding heroism, as Matt Murdock's Job-like journey reveals.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Integrate religious depth into superhero narratives to humanize characters beyond action, avoiding superficial reboots.
During personal crises, revisit biblical allegories like Job to gain perspective on adversarial tests and divine restoration.
Redefine symbols of fear in your life as warnings that guide righteous paths, promoting humble persistence over flashy vigilantism.
Prioritize mending fractured relationships post-hardship, recognizing faith's role in achieving multiplied blessings.
Cross fingers for media adaptations that honor complex faith elements, ensuring characters like Daredevil retain their soulful essence.

MEMO

In the shadowed alleys of Hell's Kitchen, Matt Murdock grapples not just with criminals but with a profound internal conflict: the devil within, born from a divine plan he struggles to comprehend. The Netflix series Daredevil (2015) masterfully weaves this tension into its narrative, particularly in season 3, where Murdock's arc echoes the biblical Book of Job. Far from a simple vigilante tale, the show explores how faith humanizes heroism, turning Murdock's blindness—both literal and spiritual—into a lens for deeper moral inquiry.

Murdock's journey begins with a boy's loss of sight and father, evolving into a man's relentless justice pursuit as both lawyer and masked avenger. Yet, an undercurrent of discord persists: his Catholic devotion forbids lethal force, while his nocturnal escapades sabotage any semblance of normalcy. This duality ignites in season 3, as tragedy strikes— a collapsing building claims his love, Elektra, leaving Murdock to question God's benevolence. "Why did he put the devil in me?" he laments, misattributing his woes to divine wrath rather than satanic trials permitted from above.

Drawing parallels to Job, a paragon of righteousness afflicted not by God but by the devil in a celestial wager, the series unveils a sophisticated allegory. Murdock endures torment: weakened powers, betrayed trusts, stolen identity, and the rise of Kingpin's empire. His foil, Dex, dons the Daredevil suit as a faithless doppelganger, embodying unchecked rage and fear. In the finale's crucible, Murdock faces Fisk—not merely as foe, but as tempter urging murder. Rejecting the kill, he affirms, "You don't get to destroy who I am," emerging victorious in faith's bet.

This resolution transforms Murdock: the horned suit, once heroic, now signifies distortion and dread, discarded for a plain black ensemble. Operating in obscurity, he embodies the "man without fear," his priest's words ringing true. Relationships heal— with friends Foggy and Karen, mother Maggie, and God himself—yielding a tenfold restoration. Happiness blooms in a new law firm, underscoring the lesson: suffering forges strength, like steel in the blacksmith's fire.

As Marvel reboots Daredevil: Born Again within the MCU, concerns loom that glossing over this faith-driven essence could diminish Murdock to a quippy anti-hero. The original's power lay in its unflinching portrayal of spiritual struggle, reminding us that true heroism demands enduring trials with unwavering belief. In life's tapestry, we glimpse only the reverse side's knots; faith reveals the front's intricate beauty, a pattern only the divine fully sees.