While Murdock, Foggy, and Karen’s mission becomes clearer, Fisk’s world spins further out of control in his battle for Hell’s Kitchen.

Even villains have origins and this episode takes us through some of the things that made Wilson Fisk the man he is. The episode is interestingly broken into segments each beginning with Fisk waking up to stare at the painting he purchased earlier in the season.

The episode shows an even more complicated man, focusing on his relationship with his father and mother and some key events that put him on the path he’s on today. I don’t remember Fisk’s origin in the comics, so I honestly can’t say how similar it is to that, but the scenes are brutal and tragic. They’re actually pretty beyond brutal, they’re rather graphic, again emphasizing this isn’t a Marvel live offering for kids.

In the present, we learn even more about Fisk, including a lot of what he’s been holding back. Again, D’Onofrio’s performance is absolutely amazing, easily the standout of the series. Fisk is probably the most complicated person in the series. All of this is explored at the same time things are getting tougher for him, and forces conspire against him. There’s lots of symbolism towards the end, showing off the small visual queues that make the series stand out.

The show might be titled Daredevil, but it’s as much about Wilson Fisk as it is Matt Murdock. And this episode that gives us a villain who’s more complicated and more interesting than the hero the series is named after.

Overall rating: 9