Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Daredevil: Born Again season 2, episode 1, “The Northern Star.”
Daredevil: Born Again‘s return didn’t disappoint, with season 2’s premiere setting the tone for the intense action still to come. Alongside showing Matt and Karen’s persistent attempts to stop Wilson Fisk, we also saw just how ruthless Kingpin’s reign as Mayor has been, especially regarding his anti-vigilante mission, which quietly sets up one missing MCU character’s epic comeback.
Having already confirmed she’ll be reuniting with Matt Murdock ahead of the new season, Daredevil: Born Again season 2 has already teased Jessica Jones‘ return, suggesting Matt won’t be the only crime fighter taking on New York’s Mayor. However, there’s another hero who would be a great addition to this rebellion, having made only one minor appearance in the last three years.
Debuting in Hawkeye back in 2021, Kate Bishop’s MCU arrival made her an instant fan favorite, indicating that she had a big future in this cinematic universe. Unfortunately, despite Hawkeye being the perfect MCU Christmas show, Kate has only received a brief 1-minute cameo since, making Daredevil: Born Again season 2’s story the ideal way to bring her back.
The Swordsman’s Unfair Trial Sets The Stage Perfectly For A Kate Bishop Return
Not only is Kate a New York-based vigilante, but she also has personal reasons to get involved in the fight against Kingpin. Following the Swordsman’s detention in Daredevil: Born Again season 1, he finds himself imprisoned during the season 2 premiere, with Heather Glenn forging his psychiatric evaluation to ensure he loses his trial, as she now essentially works for Fisk.
Interestingly though, this isn’t the first time Jack Duquesne (The Swordsman) has been falsely imprisoned, as the same thing happened in Hawkeye. Introduced as the fiancé of Kate’s mother, Eleanor, Jack was presented as suspicious throughout the series and was arrested in episode 4, yet it turns out he was framed and was actually innocent the whole time.
Instead, Kate’s mother was the guilty culprit and was finally caught in the finale, leading to Kate gaining a newfound sense of admiration for Jack. Although we don’t know what their relationship has been like since the Disney+ series, Jack likely acts as a stepfather for Kate, making his disappearance something the young hero would surely take notice of.
She is also presumably aware of Kingpin’s current crackdown on vigilantes, and assuming she’s connected the dots that Jack is, in fact, the Swordsman, it would give her the perfect motivation to try and rescue him. Therefore, hearing rumblings about Daredevil’s moves against the Mayor could push her to track down Born Again‘s protagonist and join this fight.
Kate Bishop’s History With Kingpin Makes Her Return Even More Logical
As if saving her stepfather wasn’t a big enough reason to act against Kingpin, Kate’s personal history with the villain surely makes her return essential. Hawkeye featured multiple different villains, but Wilson Fisk was ultimately the one pulling most of the strings, hence his introduction in the final few episodes, where he battled Kate one-on-one.
With Eleanor Bishop trying to end her ties to the criminal antagonist, Kingpin approached her, attempting to keep their business alive by any means necessary. However, Kate ultimately showed up to fight this fierce foe, managing to best him using a series of trick arrows before ensuring her mother was arrested for her previous wrongdoings, which undoubtedly impacted Fisk’s operations.
Their interaction may have been brief overall, but this little bit of history gives Kate a reason to dislike Kingpin and want his reign as Mayor ended as quickly as possible. Likewise, Fisk’s run-in with Kate will no doubt place her high up on the list of vigilantes he wants off the street, putting her at risk of joining the Swordsman.
This only makes her return during this arc more logical, since Kingpin is becoming more intimidating as Daredevil: Born Again progresses, especially as his power over New York grows. So, if Kate truly wants to continue her trajectory as a hero, stepping up to face Kingpin again just makes sense, and it’s a worthy justification to end her MCU hiatus.
Kate Bishop Deserves A Chance To Interact With Other Popular Marvel Heroes
In Hawkeye, Kate Bishop had memorable interactions with Clint Barton, Jack Duquesne, and Yelena Belova, proving she has great chemistry with multiple different characters. As a result, she deserves the opportunity to mingle with other heroes and flesh out her role in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, meaning a return in Daredevil: Born Again, or another adjacent project would be ideal.
Seeing her mix with the likes of Matt Murdock, Jessica Jones, and Karen Page would be interesting, as she’d undoubtedly bring humor to the group, yet also be forced into much more serious and violent confrontations. Likewise, there are plenty of other vigilantes based in New York that she could team up with, such as Spider-Man or Miss Marvel.
While she technically did have an interaction with Miss Marvel during The Marvels‘ post-credits scene, it was only a small taster of how fun their dynamic could be. Therefore, with all of these New York-oriented superheroes likely on Kingpin’s list, it makes sense for Kate to come across at least one of them.
Although Kate Bishop’s last MCU appearance was in 2023’s The Marvels, she did appear in What If…? season 3, as well as Marvel Zombies. Hailee Steinfeld voiced the character in both projects.
Better yet, seeing all these crime fighters come together to challenge Wilson Fisk and his anti-vigilante task force would be a sight to behold, and make Kate much more established in the MCU. Considering she could fit seamlessly into a variety of projects, it would feel like a waste not to bring her back for such a relevant storyline.
Could Kate Bishop Make An Appearance In Daredevil: Born Again Season 2?
Despite Daredevil: Born Again season 2’s story being tailor-made for Kate Bishop’s return, questions remain about how probable it actually is. Marvel has successfully kept some huge secrets in the past, but if Kate really was involved in this show, it’s hard to imagine there not being a single rumor about it.
In addition, the idea of Kate appearing in Daredevil: Born Again before Luke Cage or Iron Fist feels like a long shot, but it’s not impossible. That said, the last time we saw the expert archer, she was being recruited by Miss Marvel to join the Young Avengers, meaning she may have left New York.
It would explain why she isn’t trying to fight Kingpin despite Jack disappearing, but then again, if she saw the trial on TV, it would surely make her go back. A season 3 appearance is also unlikely, as filming has already begun, and with Kate Bishop actress Hailee Steinfeld currently expecting a baby, she simply won’t be able to make a cameo.
However, if Kingpin vs. New York’s vigilantes remains a primary story going forward, she could return in another project that could connect to Daredevil: Born Again‘s story, which could be the best way to bring some of Marvel’s most popular street heroes together in a natural way. Whatever the case, the MCU needs Kate back sooner rather than later.
- Release Date
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March 4, 2025
- Network
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Disney+
- Showrunner
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Dario Scardapane
- Directors
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Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, David Boyd, Jeffrey Nachmanoff
- Writers
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Jesse Wigutow, Jill Blankenship, Thomas Wong, David Feige, Grainne Godfree