Nah, Marvel did it again! Just when Muse (Hunter Doohan) started to truly rise and wreak havoc in Daredevil: Born Again, the writers killed him off. This sudden and unexpected death has triggered a large section of the MCU fanbase, as many wanted to see more of Hunter Doohan’s portrayal of the deranged and dangerous serial killer.
Episode 7, titled “Art for Art’s Sake,” turned out to be a high-stakes episode packed with action and violence. However, Muse’s death completely undermines the episode, as he was undoubtedly the most terrifying character in Born Again—and one of the best Marvel villains in recent times.
This isn’t the first time Marvel Studios has wasted an amazing villain. Take Christian Bale’s Gorr the God Butcher in Thor: Love and Thunder, for example. With his limited screen time, early demise, and Taika Waititi’s overemphasis on childish humour, Love and Thunder ended up feeling noticeably hollow despite its high-stakes storyline.
We know that Daredevil: Born Again will keep the ongoing feud between Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk (aka Kingpin) as the top priority.
As for Wilson Bethel’s Bullseye, he will almost certainly return to wreak havoc on Murdock’s life at some point in either Season 1 or Season 2. But Muse didn’t deserve such an early exit. He could have pushed Daredevil to his absolute limits, just as he did in the comics.
In Marvel Comics, Muse, first introduced in 2016, is a villain shrouded in mystery—lacking a known civilian identity and operating with unclear motivations. This ambiguity, coupled with his Inhuman ability to create a sensory void that even Daredevil’s enhanced senses cannot detect, made him a terrifying and formidable adversary.
However, the MCU’s adaptation of Muse in Daredevil: Born Again significantly alters this portrayal, presenting him as a human character with a defined name. This automatically reduces the sense of mystery and danger surrounding him. While his depiction as a heinous criminal and serial killer in Born Again deserves full marks, his backstory weakens his overall character arc in the show.
In Episode 7, Bastian Cooper (Hunter Doohan)—the MCU’s Muse—undergoes therapy with Dr. Heather Glenn, Matt Murdock’s love interest. During the session, Bastian reveals details about his upbringing, specifically how his domineering parents forced him into taekwondo.
However, this backstory feels underwhelming, uninteresting, and lacking depth. The comic book version of Muse is compelling because of his enigmatic nature, but by giving him such a mundane origin, the show diminishes his mystique.
That said, Hunter Doohan deserves all the credit in the world for his outstanding performance as Muse. Yes, he’s the same guy who plays Tyler Galpin (aka Hyde) in Netflix’s Wednesday, alongside Jenna Ortega and Emma Myers.
Still, there’s hope for Muse. Marvel Studios could bring him back in Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again. In the comics, Muse is an Inhuman—a sensory black hole who is essentially the antithesis of Daredevil’s abilities, making it nearly impossible for him to use his radar sense.
However, it’s possible that Muse’s Inhuman powers simply haven’t emerged yet in Born Again. Or maybe they have, and the writers are keeping it under wraps, setting up a shocking return in the Season 1 finale or Season 2. Who knows? It’ll be interesting to see if the showrunners take this route.
Another way Muse could return is through a copycat—someone just as deranged as Bastian Cooper, taking up the mantle of the villain. Let’s see what happens.
Stream Daredevil: Born Again on JioHotstar. Stay tuned for more updates!