In the season finale, Daredevil is back into the ultimate showdown for his own life – and the future of Hell’s Kitchen

Marvel and Netflix‘s Daredevil‘s finale brings a lot together with a very nice cameo from Jessica Jones to kick things off, and also hinting at what’s to come.

The Hand has set a trap to draw out both Daredevil and Elektra, and for once, things feel a bit more like I’d expect from comics. In battles with the Hand, Daredevil faces what feels like endless streams of hundreds of clad ninjas.

The trap that’s set makes sense in a simplistic way, though you wonder why the Hand isn’t just tracking down the two. That’s only part of my issue with the finale. There’s a scene involving sawing an ankle off that just seems to be forgotten. Daredevil and Elektra seem to have a lot of trouble getting out of a building with lots of windows. Then there’s also the whole death scene pause, as if bad guys will just pause in their fight. Then there’s Nobu’s fate. The guy survived fire!? Daredevil isn’t going to go check on him. Luckily he at least has some help in that department… there can be only one.

The final episode takes a Batman tone both in fighting, style, coloring, and even the music. Daredevil Rises? Daredevil Begins? It’s not bad, and the first season did this at times too, but here I think it’s most pronounced.

So many questions unanswered, so many plot holes left open and things unexplained, but that’s a post for another day.

I will say, the episode ends in a pretty solid way with Foggy and Karen at Josie’s, Karen working on her story about Frank Castle. Matt’s reveal to Karen. And the Hand grabbing Elektra!

Season 2 was rather uneven, but season 3 is looking exciting!

Overall rating: 7.05

The Punisher’s war continues, and so does the body count in Hell’s Kitchen. Murdock tries to finish what the DA started.

Marvel and Netflix‘s Daredevil focuses in on the mysterious Blacksmith as both Daredevil and the Punisher do what each need to do to find the man (or maybe a woman) behind all the troubles.

It’s interesting how each eventually gets to the location and their rather obvious eventual team-up we all knew would come (at least if you read comics that’s the usual arc).

But, to me, the more interesting aspect is Claire’s story and all of the death’s in the hospital. It all feels like that’s the more interesting nad bigger mystery of the series.

The episode emphasizes that when the series focuses on the small instead of the large, it feels like it does better, even when the focus is some fantastical plot.

The action at moments feels a little over the top, but the general direction is much better than previous episodes.

As the series is heading towards its conclusion, things are generally coming together as expected, and it’s more interesting to see how they’re doing that instead of what they’re actually doing.

Overall rating: 7.15

Castle gets an offer he can’t refuse. Foggy and Murdock question the future of their firm, but Karen won’t give up so easily.

Marvel and Netflix‘s Daredevil gets rid of some of what I thought was dragging it down and instead focuses on the Punisher in prison and Daredevil going solo to figure out what the Hand’s plan is.

The Punisher’s storyline is the most interesting thing as it puts him in prison but also has him dealing with Wilson Fisk, a nice twist that really brings together the first and second season. It’s a solid addition that really makes things flow well between the two and makes sense in the big picture narrative. It’s grounded in many ways other things are not this season, showing off an issue the season is having.

Then there’s Matt’s dealing with the Hand which gets into some more really weird stuff. The Hand aspect is so-so, though still a bit early in the solo adventure aspect to really judge. But it ends yet another episode with a fight, as if there was no other idea in how to end episodes.

A better episode, but not nearly as consistent as the first four. It’s better, but still not great.

Overall rating: 7.65

Murdock and Foggy take on the DA in the trial of the century, but their client refuses to play along. Murdock struggles to balance his dual identities.

As choreographed in the last episode Marvel and Netflix‘s Daredevil is looking to explore the balance in Matt’s dual lives. The episode mainly focuses on the preparation of the trial of the Punisher but also sees Daredevil and Elektra taking on the Yakuza.

Things continue the way of the last few episodes in that the trail is the stronger part of the two focuses with Elektra being the one that’s dragging things down.

What I think is slightly rubbing me the wrong way about Elektra is she feels like Nyssa from Arrow. Almost like we’ve seen her before and her twisted worldview hasn’t yet really been explained, making it feel really shallow. Though there is the possibility that could simply be it.

While her and Daredevil’s taking on the Yakuza could be interesting on its own, but the dual storylines just feel like a real mismatch and the tones really don’t compliment each other.

Jon Bernthal’s performance as Frank Castle again really stands out as his quick glances and looks and so much that words can’t say.

The second season so far is very entertaining, but there’s something missing, or maybe there’s just too much attempted. On it’s own it’s good and fun, but as a sequel, it’s starting to feel like it’s a less quality follow up.

Overall rating: 7.7