Redrawing of Daredevil: Born Again's Muse Episode Demands Larger Scale
In the latest episode of Daredevil: Born Again, titled "Art For Art's Sake," a significant twist unfolds as Bastian Cooper, a character who attended Heather's book signing in episode two, is revealed to be Muse. This revelation, while not inherently a problem, seems to have left some viewers feeling that the episode is forced to hurriedly explain Cooper's backstory and display his relationship with Heather.
Heather's shooting of Muse in the episode's big action scene has been the most noteworthy thing she's done all season. However, Heather's character has felt underdeveloped and serves primarily as a sounding board for Matt and the Fisks.
The development of Cooper's character was intended to play out across multiple appearances but was significantly chopped down, leaving many viewers craving a deeper exploration of his transformation into Muse.
The Muse plot and Matt's decision to suit up as Daredevil have put a strain on his relationships with Heather, Kirstin, and Cherry. Cherry, in particular, is the most upset about Matt's involvement in the Muse situation and feels responsible for keeping Matt on the straight and narrow.
The central villain, Wilson Fisk, is disappointingly undercut along the way. Fisk is determined to use his mayoral power to stop any vigilante action in the city, and his spiraling out after hearing about Matt's return as Daredevil adds a layer of complexity to his character. Fisk is eager to send in the anti-vigilante force to rescue Heather when he learns of her connection to Bastian.
The show is hinting at a potential adaptation of the Devil's Reign event, but the steps towards this event are noticeably shakier than before. Fisk sees Heather's action as a win and uses it to boost his anti-vigilante stance. Fisk holds up Muse's mask to the press as a declaration of war.
The White Tiger arc earlier in the season gave more space for Hector's story and wove it in with Matt's journey. However, there is no indication from the latest MCU series that Bastian Cooper's arc has been adapted or that there is a direct development arc for him in Daredevil: Born Again. Therefore, a comparison of Cooper's character development in Daredevil: Born Again versus the White Tiger arc is not possible with current information.
[1] Marvel Database: Bastian Cooper [2] Comic Book Resources: White Tiger (Bastian Cooper) [3] Newsarama: Bastian Cooper's White Tiger Debut [4] IGN: White Tiger (Bastian Cooper) Review [5] Den of Geek: Bastian Cooper's White Tiger is a Refreshing Take on the Character
[1] Gizmodo might write an article discussing the underwhelming development of Bastian Cooper's character in Daredevil: Born Again, comparing it to his portrayal in the White Tiger comics, where he was given more screen time to evolve into the villainous Muse.
[2] io9 could feature a piece analyzing the role of technology in the series, pointing out how the rapid revelation of Cooper's backstory and transformation into Muse seems to have relied heavily on modern storytelling techniques, perhaps in an attempt to keep up with the fast-paced demands of movies-and-tv entertainment.
[3] In an upcoming Entertainment Weekly issue, there might be a feature on the impact of Bastian Cooper's character on the dynamic between Matt Murdock (Daredevil) and his relationships with Heather, Kirstin, and Cherry. The piece could discuss how Cooper's actions have tested these relationships and potentially shaped the future of these characters in the series.
