Jeffrey Harris is a writer at Collider who specializes in animation, superhero movies, and sci-fi and believes in animation's imaginative power.
Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for the Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 premiere.Daredevil: Born Again is finally back for its second season, and alongside many returning faces is a new addition to the cast: veteran actor Matthew Lillard, portraying a mysterious figure who goes by the name of"Mr.
Charles." Lillard delivers a fantastic performance as the character who appears to be a totally unpredictable variable, courtesy of his debut in the Season 2 premiere. Most intriguingly, Mr. Charles is someone Wilson Fisk has to answer to despite all the vast power Fisk has amassed since becoming mayor of New York — but who is Mr. Charles, exactly, and why is he such a game-changer for Daredevil: Born Again Season 2? Who Is Mr. Charles in 'Daredevil: Born Again'? The Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 premiere does reveal some helpful information about Lillard's Mr. Charles — he's a CIA operative based in Washington, D.C., and agrees to travel to New York City after Daredevil infiltrates a ship, the Northern Star, carrying military-grade weapons in the East River, which is ultimately sunk on Fisk's orders. During a later scene, it's made clear that he works for, and reports directly to, CIA Director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine , who MCU fans will remember most recently from Thunderbolts*. It's revealed that the weapons aboard the Northern Star belonged to the CIA, and the agency was utilizing Fisk's free port in Red Hook to move them undetected. Related Jon Bernthal Officially Confirms More 'Punisher' Is Coming in 7 Weeks As 'Daredevil: Born Again' returns, Jon Bernthal welcomes Frank Castle back. Posts 1 By Adam Blevins Mr. Charles has enough resources and influence to barge into Fisk's office without issue, and he harbors a flippant regard for local authority, wielding his connection to Valentina to get both New York's Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General to back off with a mere phone call. Mr. Charles also has no difficulty speaking to Fisk with an equally dismissive tone, with no fear of the potential threat that the mayor poses. It's rare to see any character display absolutely no intimidation when talking to Fisk, and Mr. Charles' brazen disrespect of the Kingpin makes the character unique from just about anyone who has previously appeared in the Daredevil saga. 'Daredevil: Born Again's Mr. Charles Is a New Obstacle for Wilson Fisk Based on the Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 premiere, Fisk is revealed to be beholden to the CIA as part of an arms deal, which Mr. Charles appears to be mediating, and now that Northern Star has sunk, Mr. Charles is taking charge of the operation. The CIA and Valentina appear willing to look the other way regarding Fisk's illegal activities as the Mayor of New York City and the free port, as long as he stays useful to them. However, the situation with the Northern Star confirms that Fisk's usefulness to the CIA may have its limits. It's both entertaining and compelling to see Fisk chafe under the pressure of dealing with another individual who holds genuine leverage over him. The Kingpin usually has no issue manipulating people to get what he wants, even if it means acting completely amorally or simply beating someone to death. However, Fisk holds absolutely no power over Mr. Charles, with the CIA and Valentina holding all the cards in this situation, completely subverting the dynamic that usually takes place whenever the Kingpin is in the room. Matthew Lillard's Mr. Charles Has Connections to the Greater MCU As fun as it is to watch Mr. Charles boss the Kingpin around, there is still something deeply unsettling about Lillard's character, considering that he works for Valentina and appears to be referring to her Machiavellian playbook. During a private meeting with Fisk and his wife, Vanessa , in the Season 2 premiere, Mr. Charles reveals that he wants any salvage team handling the sunken weapons to be killed to avoid any leaks about moving the military ordnance out of New York. The scene proves that Mr. Charles has no remorse or compassion, given that he's willing to essentially plan out an act of mass murder to cover up illegal activities. Mr. Charles' working relationship with Valentina Allegra de Fontaine also serves as another connection between Daredevil: Born Again and the greater MCU. In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, de Fontaine and the U.S. Secretary of State are planning clandestine operations to destabilize Wakanda. Could the military ordnance the CIA is transporting be related to that mission, or something even more sinister? Despite only appearing in a few scenes in Daredevil: Born Again's Season 2 premiere, Mr. Charles brings something completely new and unpredictable to the show, establishing himself as a resourceful, amoral, and volatile wildcard operating in the shadows of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Daredevil: Born Again TV-MA Drama Crime Action Sci-Fi Adventure Superhero Release Date March 4, 2025
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