On Daredevil: Born Again and Matt Murdock's Religious Convictions
One of the most glaring differences between Netflix's Daredevil and Disney's, thus far, has been in the (lack of) overt religiosity. While a lot of folks are upset about this, I actually think it's an important creative choice that tells us a lot about the state of Matt's mind and his soul.
Matt Murdock has always been a man of powerful convictions, and possesses a strong sense of both morality and ethics. He is also a deeply divided man, and has divided his life into two separate personas: The Lawyer, and The Devil. Very rarely is he ever Matt Murdock: The Man.
These two personas have mirroring missions, drives, and beliefs; both The Lawyer and the Devil work to defend the innocent, expose the truth, and punish the guilty. They work to carry out "the law."
However, they are carrying out two very different laws—and so they are, quite frequently, diametrically opposed.
The Lawyer side of Matt Murdock is deeply intertwined with the legal system. The Lawyer has a deep sense of ethics, integrity, and a faith in the power of the American justice system. Though he recognizes that it is not always just or equitable, The Lawyer continues to work within that system and believes that it can be redeemed from corruption. The Lawyer operates based on ethics.
The Devil side of Matt Murdock, ironically (or perhaps not ironic at all), is deeply intertwined with his Catholicism. Rather than the legal system, The Devil follows a higher law: the law of God, at least as far as Matt interprets it. The Devil cares about deeper issues of good vs. evil, and believes that he is carrying out the will of God as His soldier. The Devil understands that there is a deeper good in the world than the law; he operates based on morality.
In Daredevil: Born Again, Matt has given up Daredevil. He tells Fisk that he "lost the privilege;" he no longer believes he is worthy of acting as an arbiter of God's higher law. After losing Foggy and attempting to murder Dex, Matt cannot reconcile his conviction for carrying out God's law with the tangible results of his pursuit of it.
In episode 2 we see Matt standing outside a church while a choir sings "I am unworthy that you should enter under my roof." Matt feels too unworthy to enter, and also feels too unworthy for God to enter into his heart. He has "lost the privilege" of Daredevil; and thus, he has "lost the privilege" of practicing his faith like he used to.
Being Daredevil was an act of worship; without Daredevil, Matt can't (or won't) pursue the higher law.
However, during the Hector Ayala trial, it's clear that Matt is missing the sense of spiritual guidance, comfort, and wisdom that he found in the practice of his religious faith. One of the most beautiful, and telling, sequences of the show thus far is when he sits in the empty courtroom.
The shots are framed deliberately to remind us of a chapel. The aisle, the pew-style seats, the white light streaming in through the high windows, the judge's seat almost like an altar at the head of the room. Especially with the solemnity and solitude of the moment, we are meant to see the courtroom as Matt's substitute for a church.
This is taken even farther when Matt pulls out the piece of his horn, clasping it in his hands like he's praying the rosary.
Matt, although he claims to no longer need Daredevil, clearly misses the deep sense of spiritual connection he no longer has—both from his faith, and from Daredevil. Because the two are inextricably linked.
The Devil cannot worship at a church, nor can he practice a higher law.
Therefore, The Lawyer substitutes where he can. He worships at a courtroom, and practices the literal law.
To me, the lack of religious imagery in this show is not the writers shying away from a depiction of faith; rather, it seems to be a deliberate choice: they're showing us that Matt, although he still believes in God (see: the cross pendant), cannot worship Him fully until he picks up his mask again.
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