‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Episode Three Recap: “The Hollow of His Hand”

*Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for the third episode of Daredevil: Born Again*

Reactions to the third episode of Daredevil: Born Again, The Hollow of His Hand were met with immediate shock and with reason, especially to one who has never read the comics. Director Michael Cuesta and writer Jill Blankenship brilliantly transpose the tragic story of Hector Ayala (Kamar de los Reyes) from the pages of the comic books and turn it into the catalyst that will eventually convince Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) to suit up again. It will also convince someone else to emerge from the shadows, angrier than he’s ever been, but we’ll get to that aspect of the episode later down the line. 

For now, a massive round of applause is deserved for Kamar de los Reyes, who sadly passed away from cancer in December 2023, making his turn as the White Tiger in Daredevil: Born Again his last-ever performance. Cuesta revealed in a recent interview that they knew the actor was in ill health when he was hired to portray Hector, which makes his time on screen all the more melancholic, especially when he talks about the significance of the Coquí for Puerto Ricans to Murdock before they head to trial, even sadder when the croaks of the same frog play over the end credits after tragedy strikes. 

The episode is limited in action and is more in line with a courtroom procedural, which we previously saw within the MCU in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Perhaps original showrunners Matt Corman and Chris Ord were inspired by this when they initially pitched the show to Marvel Studios because the tone of the courtroom drama feels very much in line with the superhero trials we saw in that series. No one blinks an eye when Matt reveals to the jury – and the public – that Hector is the White Tiger or that he didn’t have his amulet during his altercation with the police on the subway. Superheroes and otherworldly abilities are routine in this universe, though this trial is captured with a grittier, more textured aesthetic than the nine-episode She-Hulk series. 

While Cuesta’s action filmmaking skills leave much to be desired, haphazardly editing a car chase between Cherry (Clark Johnson) and corrupt police officers (who have The Punisher’s symbol tattooed on their necks or arms), his visualization of the series’ legal aspect is continuously engaging. The handheld camerawork from cinematographer Hillary Fyfe Spera puts us in the middle of the “action,” as all hopes in acquitting Hector are lost when its star witness, Nicky Torres (Nick Jordan), lies under oath to protect himself, sending shockwaves to the White Tiger’s defense team, Matt, Cherry, and Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James). 

He was the one whom Hector saved on the subway platform and is revealed to have been an NYPD informant after he was arrested on a drug charge. However, when on the stand, Nicky refuses to confirm that he was indeed there that fateful evening and says he was home, jeopardizing Hector’s chances of ever seeing the beaches of Puerto Rico with his family again. This gives Matt the idea to put him on the stand, where he (shockingly) reveals his identity as the White Tiger, hoping to bolster the court of public opinion’s side in support of him. It’s a risky move, which will spectacularly backfire on him since he doesn’t realize the support Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) currently has in getting rid of vigilantes among New Yorkers. 

Even for Matt, it seems unheard of that he would ever jeopardize Hector’s safety like this, but it’s the only way for him to gain sympathy in the eyes of the public and, more importantly, the jury. It ends up working, as Hector is acquitted of all charges, leaving Mayor Fisk, who has been patiently watching this trial play out, angry that a vigilante could ever walk free. We don’t see much of Kingpin in this episode. However, a sense of friction is further developed in his relationship with Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer), who has her plate full in trying to stop a gang war from occurring after Fisk becomes Mayor and leaves the “family business” to her charge. 

Discussions between the five families aren’t working, but they leave it at that as the two continue their marriage counseling sessions with Heather Glenn (Margarita Levieva). It may be a fruitless endeavor to hope these scenes will ever reach the emotional complexity of The Sopranos, which the show clearly references (Heather is basically the MCU’s Dr. Melfi at this point). Still, if it reaches just a fraction of that depth while continuing to add layers to both characters, we may get to somewhere compelling. 

As Fisk discusses Hector’s acquittal with BB Urich (Genneya Walton), the White Tiger does not listen to Matt’s advice of leaving the mask behind after a verdict has been reached. He believes his purpose is too important to give up the mantle entirely, but now that the public knows who he is, it becomes easier for detractors to threaten him and his family. Matt even subtly tells him that he is Daredevil when he states that, after a while, he may find that he no longer wishes to pursue justice by wearing a mask: 

“You might be surprised at how much you don’t miss being him.”

But that doesn’t convince Hector, who still believes he can do good by continuing his tasks as the White Tiger after his trial. As he walks down the street in full gear, looking for people to help, Hector gets shot in the head and dies by an individual brandishing The Punisher’s outfit. If anyone read the comics, we all saw Hector’s death coming, but how it’s repurposed for the show is even more intriguing than how it was initially treated. 

Matt warned Hector and did everything he could to protect him, but by not listening to his attorney’s advice, Hector sadly paid the ultimate price. His death is bound to profoundly affect Matt, likely on the same level as Foggy’s (Elden Henson) killing, which could only mean one thing: the Devil will soon make his return. How soon? Who knows, but Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) is bound to make his return much sooner than him after being framed for Hector’s death, and he is going to be PISSED. OFF. Whenever this will happen, it’s going to be incredible. 

The third episode of Daredevil: Born Again is now available to stream on Disney+.