Top Ten #19 - Characters Through Daredevil Season 2 Ranked

Top Ten #19 - Characters Through Daredevil Season 2 Ranked

Daredevil, in both season 1 and 2, prides itself from the rich diversity of characters that Hell's Kitchen portrays. This is a ranking of all the characters from both seasons 1 and 2, recurring or not. This is a completely subjective and opinion-based list. Let's get into it, shall we? 

10. Vanessa Fisk: To be fair, Vanessa doesn't have much to do in season 1 and is non-existent in season 2. But it's less of what she does and more of what kind of impact she leaves on the character of Wilson Fisk. Vanessa is essentially the one thing that's holding Wilson together. And you can see how damaged and unhinged he becomes in season 2 when Matt Murdock goes to interrogate him. That being said, yes, she doesn't have much of anything to do. But for what she does, the performance is there and it'll be interesting to see where the character goes. 

9. Stick: Stick is an interesting character. He's a character that I go back and forth on liking and absolutely despising. Because really, Stick is a piece of garbage, no matter what kind of things he says to Elektra and Matt about the Hand the war. He treats his pupils terribly UNTIL the very, very end when he is somewhat redeemed and you can kind of see where he was going with this. That being said, it's too little too late, and i hope that in The Defenders, Stick is given a better developed character. 

8. Wilson Fisk/Kingpin: Many crowned Wilson Fisk as one of the best villains Marvel, both in movie and television, had ever seen. I did not go with this majority; I think that while the character was very, very compelling, Vincent D'Onofrio's performance was lackluster. I completely see what he was going for, but I just wish that he went more for menace than the intentionally stilted, draw own way of talking. It worked the first couple episodes, but it's since gotten old. 

7. Karen Page: At the end of season 1, Karen Page would be much, much higher on the list. But i just didn't find her arc in season 2 quite as compelling, and she became a little more of a nuisance as the season progressed. Plus, what was the deal with her and Matt? I much, much preferred Matt and Elektra, and I think that the people writing the character of Karen didn't really have a clear direction for her, which is why she ends up in a journalism company at the end of the two seasons. 

6. Frank Castle/The Punisher: Here's where it gets good. Jon Bernthal portrays a version of Frank Castle that is so brutal, so violent, yet so damaged and hurt. He manages to blend the two sides so well for MOST of season 2, and it's only towards the later episodes where you begin to question his motivations and what he's really after. I know that he has his own series, but I'm interested to see how well he can carry it, because while he's a compelling character in others' series, he's not quite the leading man caliber, at least not in this series. 

5. Claire Temple: A character that will become much more important in others' series, such as Luke Cage and The Defenders, Temple was first introduced in Daredevil Season 1 and was a welcome presence because of her grounded character. Men in devil costumes jumping around the city fighting crime, and she's there to juxtapose all of it, and to remind Matt that he's still human. She's the first one to know about his identity, and for that, she will be forever important to the Netflix MCU. 

4. Ben Urich: A character that didn't quite make it past season 1, his memory was remembered through Karen. I think that Curtis Hall's performance is what really elevated the character to the next level. The character was important, yes, but that's not what made him so likable - it was the performance. Ben Urich will remain one of my favorite characters simply because he was one of the least conflicted characters in a world of conflict - he knew what was right and he did it. 

3. Foggy Nelson: Some would be quick to brush Foggy off as just the comic relief, or a useless side character. But as the series progressed, Foggy progressively became his own character, and I love how Eldon Henson portrays that. A character that cares so deeply for Matt Murdock and Karen Page, but also knows what's best for them and for himself, and ultimately has to let go in order to be happy. That's a hero.

2. Matt Murdock/Daredevil: This series wouldn't work without Charlie Cox. Cox is everything that Matt Murdock is and the way he transitions from quite, confident attorney to crime0fighting vigilante, and is able to connect the two with a level of vulnerability is what makes the series click. All else fails and Matt Murdock is there to hold up the series on the weight of his shoulders. And Cox makes it seem so easy. But we know it's not. 

1. Elektra Natchios: I wasn't quite so sure about elektra when I first saw her. When she broke into Matt's apartment. But as season 2 went further and further along, I found myself drawn to Yung's performance more and more. She is able to bring out the best and worst in MAtt, while keeping a charming air about her. She's so playful and confident, yet brutal and dangerous, but also vulnerable and human deep down. And Yung is able to bring out al those qualities just like that. That's what makes her such a compelling character. Her chemistry with Matt Murdock feels so real, and they really do feel like thy care about each other, unlike Karen and Matt. There are stakes, fights, wars, and battles, but amidst all of it, Elektra swings through the villains with a cocky grin.