One of the biggest new details announced regarding Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 is exactly what longtime fans of the series have been waiting to hear. According to insider reporting, one of the most memorable villainous teams from the Marvel Netflix series may be stepping back out of the shadows. If this rumor holds any water, The Hand is set to make an appearance in Season 3 of Daredevil: Born Again.
This was announced by insider Daniel Richtman, claiming that the infamous ninja team is being considered to return within the Disney+ series. While nothing has been officially announced by Marvel Studios, just the idea of this infamous team returning within the series is already getting fans excited, especially those who have been following Daredevil, The Defenders, and other darker corners of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Season 3 may explore darker territory with The Hand’s return
For a while now, it seemed as though Marvel had completely closed the door on this side of their universe. While the gritty street-level content that aired between 2015 and 2019 felt as though it had absolutely no place within the larger universe, fans had no idea whether or not characters such as Matt Murdock, Frank Castle, or Jessica Jones would ever be brought back into the fold. This, of course, is no longer the case, as Daredevil: Born Again brings back Charlie Cox as the lead character, as well as other familiar faces such as Jon Bernthal and Krysten Ritter within the series, bringing back the Defenders saga.
And if the Hand is indeed returning, well, their return just got a whole lot more interesting.
The Hand, in the original Netflix universe, has been a thorn in the side of the heroes, particularly in the later seasons of Daredevil and during the crossover event of The Defenders. Their storyline seemed to have been brought to a close with their leadership dismantled and their own Elektra, played by Elodie Yung, falling along with them. However, it is the operative word here. After all, as fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe know all too well, no shadow organization ever truly dies. What makes this news particularly interesting, however, is the fact that this is not an isolated event.
Within the last few months or so, there have been several rumors and reports of the Hand appearing in various projects within the MCU. There have been rumors of them appearing in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which could set them up for a potential showdown with the web-slinger himself, Peter Parker. There have even been rumors of them appearing in a potential sequel for Shang-Chi. Daredevil: Born Again, however, could take their return in several interesting directions. For one, there is, of course, Elektra. With the Hand returning, this means that Elektra could return as well. There have been rumors of Elodie Yung reprising her role as Elektra for several years now, and Season 3 could very well be the time this happens.
Of course, there is a much larger, bolder narrative that fans just cannot stop discussing: Shadowland. In the comic books, Matt Murdock becomes the leader of The Hand, using them as a means to fight against Kingpin. With Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk in a position of power as the mayor of New York City, it looks like the stage is being set for a storyline like this to be adapted if Marvel decides to go down this route. If that is the case, The Hand would not be enemies of Daredevil; instead, they would be part of his own descent into darkness.
This type of storyline would fit right into the darker and more complex place that Born Again appears to be aiming towards. It would also represent a significant change for Matt Murdock, moving beyond street-level heroics and into much darker territory.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 is set to debut on Disney+ on March 4, with Season 3 supposedly going into production shortly thereafter. While nothing has been officially announced, the return of The Hand does not seem quite so far-fetched and out there as it did previously.
