In terms of a famous rivalry between a hero and villain, the rivalry between Daredevil (Charlie Cox) and Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio) is just as enthralling as the rivalry between Superman and Lex Luther or Captain America and the Red Skull. The original Daredevil series gave us many good moments between the duo, and this list speaks to just a few of those iconic moments.
Incognito as Matt Murdock (Season 1, Episode 9 "Speak of the Devil")
One of the most interesting moments between Daredevil and Kingpin is when Matt decides to go “undercover” so to speak to look into Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer). The conversation between the two of them puts Daredevil dangerously close to Kingpin’s most valuable and vulnerable places. The perfection of the moment is that Kingpin appears unexpectedly, and strikes fear into Matt’s heart. Matt certainly mentally spars with him about the Tully case, but it was an instance when Matt bit off a bit more than he could chew. It is also curious to wonder what may have happened if Wilson Fisk had known Matt Murdock was Daredevil, especially as Matt talked to Wilson’s beloved Vanessa.
After Nobu (Season 1, Episode 9 "Speak of the Devil")
The fight between Nobu (Peter Shinkoda) and Daredevil (well the first one) was a defining moment of the season. But it only becomes more impactful after we realize that Wilson was fighting to kill either or both of the combatants. It is also an important moment for Daredevil as his will to fight what some may argue is an equal (or stronger) opponent in Kingpin is impressive. Daredevil had already been severely injured after his rageful quest and this fight is one of the times that Kingpin’s strategic and tactical brilliance simply overwhelms Matt. We may not like to see our heroes lose but the rivalry between Kingpin and Daredevil is not a one-sided affair.
The Reveal of Daredevil and Kingpin's Failed Escape (Season 1, Episode 13 "Daredevil")
This may have been a stereotypical choice, with Matt finally choosing to be Daredevil and not the Devil of Hell’s kitchen, but it also encompasses the different visions that Wilson and Matt have for New York. Wilson says that New York doesn’t deserve a better tomorrow and asks if one man will make a difference, and we see Matt still standing strong in his belief that he can make a difference, the right way. Matt finally has the Daredevil suit and equipment to even the odds against Kingpin and his armored suit. We see the sparks fly and the punches land and our hero finally wins his victory, but Wilson’s statements at the time eventually prove to be prophetic. This win for Daredevil was a Pyrrhic victory at best.
The Release of the Punisher (Season 2, Episode 9 "Seven Minutes in Heaven")
Season 2 certainly left Kingpin on the warmer for most of the season, but the release of the Punisher was an important moment in the rivalry between the two. Frank Castle's (Jon Bernthal) tactics are morally abhorrent to Daredevil, and his release is not only an attempt to maintain Kingpin’s power but pressure Daredevil once again into deciding what he considers most important. Does he treasure keeping Kingpin powerless and in prison or allowing Frank to walk free and punish those who have attacked his family. Unfortunately, Kingpin is playing the long game, and he makes Frank a pawn in his war against Daredevil’s vision.
The Shadow of Kingpin (Season 3, Episode 3 "No Good Deed")
One moment of indirect conflict is when we see Kingpin come back dressed in white to haunt Matt’s thoughts. Kingpin is the symbol and the force that pushes Matt to come back to being the Daredevil after a time of existential crisis. As Wilson Fisk stands in a 20-million dollar penthouse overlooking New York after literally walking out of his prison, we see a defeated Matt walk the streets as a homeless man who can barely hear. As Matt continues his crusade to fight Fisk, he continues to be haunted by his own moral and physical erosion. This erosion and weakness in the face of Kingpin’s rise underscores the conflict that Kingpin causes even when Wilson is not physically present.
The Prison of Mind and Body (Season 3, Episode 4 "Blindsided")
As Matt continues down his moral decline forced by Kingpin's successful escape, we see him break into a prison in an attempt to gain information. While there, Matt essentially offers to force Wilson back into prison and allow the prisoners to kill him. That seriously underscores Matt’s shaky headspace but even after he makes the offer, all he figures out is that Kingpin organized his entire escape and that he has the FBI eating out of his hands. This forces Matt to work with some of the prisoners that he probably has helped imprison as he breaks all of his own rules to catch Fisk.
Agent Nadeem’s Fate (Season 3 Episode 11 "Reunion")
Agent Nadeem (Jay Ali) is a central figure of Season 3 and throughout the entire season, Wilson and Matt try to fight for his loyalty. Nadeem simply wants to be a family man who can trust the system that Matt wants to use. But Fisk controls the system and has dirty officers on every corner. The fight for the heart of Agent Nadeem, the fight for what lies he should tell his son, and whether Wilson Fisk should be free, is not just a symbolic fight between a hero’s hope and the corruption of the all-powerful villain. In the beginning, it seems that Kingpin has won and has all the leverage. But when it comes time to choose between fighting evil or helping evil, we see that Nadeem makes the right choice, helping not only Karen Page but Daredevil as well. Ultimately this does not save him, but the fight for his loyalty showcases the rivalry between Fisk and Matt's ideals.
The “Final” Showdown (Season 3 Episode 13 "A New Napkin")
With Fisk's former pawn Dex (Wilson Bethel) impersonating Daredevil, we see a thrilling three-way fight scene between Matt, Wilson, and Dex. The rivalry between Kingpin and Daredevil is at the forefront. Both Kingpin and Daredevil choose to protect Vanessa from Dex, but after he is stopped, the weary, bloody duo continues their fight. By this time, Matt is at his absolute breaking point and has finally decided it's time to kill Fisk. But in the end, we see that despite Kingpin being armed with the knowledge of who Matt Murdock is, and his friends Foggy Nelson, as well as Karen Page, Matt commits to not killing Kingpin. He puts Kingpin away for a life in prison, serving what was supposed to be a lifetime sentence away from his love Vanessa. This is the ultimate fight of will and commitment from both parties, and it ends in an uneasy compromise from both that we may get to see play out further in the future.
Honorable Mention: Daredevil in Spider-Man: No Way Home
In a (mostly) unexpected but welcome cameo, we had Charlie Cox make his official entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After Spider-Man's (Tom Holland) secret identity is blown, Matt Murdock is brought in to defend his case. After assuring Spider-Man that he isn't in any real legal trouble, Matt catches a brick flying into the apartment. When everyone questions how a blind attorney could catch a flying brick he gives the meme response saying, “I’m a really good lawyer.”
Honorable Mention: Kingpin in Hawkeye
Not to be outdone, we saw Kingpin reappear as the big bad that even Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) feared during his Disney+ series. To have an Avenger fear Kingpin emphasizes his high threat level and also his importance to the MCU in the future. We see him hold his own in an all-out fight against Hawkeye and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). Then, in the end, we see Maya (Alaqua Cox) shoot Kingpin. That leaves his fate a little unclear and murky as to how or if he survived. It is a comic universe, however, so there is always a way to come back, and hopefully, we will see more of Vincent D'Onofrio’s Kingpin in the future.