There was a lot of stuff happening in this episode of Daredevil. Narratively, “World on Fire” was probably the most far-ranging episode of the show to date, and it was successful for the most part. The problem with trying to check in on every character (except Ben Urich) is that some storylines are more propulsive than others, which can lead to some narrative whiplash.
It turns out that Fisk’s war strategy with the Russians is both convoluted and straightforward. A mask is planted on Anatoly’s body to convince Vladimir that Daredevil is responsible; then Turk Barrett shows up to tell Vladimir that a friend of his overheard Fisk talking about employing Daredevil; then Vladimir wages war against Fisk. If this seems like a long way to go for Fisk to punish someone for interrupting his date, it is, but he has other motives.
Speaking of Fisk on dates: he goes out with Vanessa again, and I have to say she’s becoming more and more fascinating. She brings a .22 in her purse, just as a precaution. “Do you want to go?” Fisk asks. “No,” she replies, “I want you to give me a reason to stay.” The two of them have good chemistry and their conversations have a nice ebb and flow. Fisk trusts her enough to really open up. “I’ve hurt people and I’m going to hurt more,” he says, and you know he doesn’t mean emotional pain. “I take no pleasure in it.” Yet again, Daredevil keeps finding ways to defy anyone’s expectations of how a villain is supposed to talk. Vanessa doesn’t seem repulsed by Fisk, nor does she seem turned on. Here’s a woman who by her own admission has slept with a prince, having a private dinner with a man who by his own admission has to destroy the city in order to save it (one small complaint: this is a little too close to Bane’s motivation in The Dark Knight Rises). The pact is sealed when she turns over her gun. “By my side is the safest place you could possibly be,” Fisk tells her. I think it’s a very wise move on Daredevil‘s part to limit the amount of violence we’ve seen Fisk perpetrate; most of his scenes so far have just been him talking.
Elsewhere, Matt overhears a cop executing a Russian for speaking Fisk’s name aloud (one of Daredevil‘s best recurring bits). After interrogating (read: beating the shit out of) the dirty cop, Daredevil tracks the Russians down to a warehouse, where they’re just about to go take out Fisk when KABLOOEY! Warehouses full of Russians start blowing up all over town, while Fisk and Vanessa watch from the restaurant. DD makes a break for it, and lies in wait for Vladimir, who of course is not dead. Daredevil is beating him good, and about to deliver the coup de grace – for Claire – when the cops show up. He has no choice but to surrender. “World on Fire” was a busy, sometimes scattered episode, but it was smart enough to end on a hell of a cliffhanger.
A Few Thoughts
-
Foggy and Karen go to help their elderly client Mrs. Cardenas, only to find that they’re on an actual date. Well, until the explosions start. I like that Daredevil isn’t focusing on the more canonical pairing of Matt/Karen
-
Speaking of Foggy, Elden Henson finally seems to have found the right tone for the character, and he now has a fighting chance of being more than comic relief in a show that doesn’t really need any. The way he dressed down his condescending ex girlfriend was great to watch
About Author
