After the closing moments of Daredevil: Born Again episode three, it’s very unlikely we will see the character of Hector Ayala (the late Kamar de los Reyes) again this season, despite his exoneration by Matt Murdock in court. A crooked cop wearing the Punisher symbol executed the New York vigilante known as White Tiger in the streets, presumably just days after his release from jail. But just because Hector is gone, doesn’t mean we’ve seen the last of the White Tiger. In Marvel Comics, Hector was the first to use that codename, but far from the last. And we have a feeling we may see some of them in future Daredevil: Born Again episodes. Here’s the list of the most likely suspects, based on the Marvel Comics.
White Tiger II (Heroes for Hire)
The second White Tiger had nothing to do with Hector Ayala, or his mystical amulets. She was actually a Bengal white tiger, transformed into a humanoid by the High Evolutionary, the villain of Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3. Marvel introduced her as a member of the Heroes for Hire in 1997, alongside Matt Murdock’s Defenders buddy Iron Fist. She was a short-lived character who eventually devolved back into a tiger and returned to the jungle. She might be the second White Tiger, but having no connection to Ayala, and having such an extreme sci-fi origin, she just wouldn’t fit into the world of Daredevil: Born Again. We think her chances of being the next to take on the mantle after Hector are very low indeed.
White Tiger III (Kevin “Kasper” Cole)
The second White Tiger in Marvel Comics was Kevin “Kasper” Cole. And much like the White Tiger from Heroes for Hire, he had nothing to do with the Hector Ayala version or his amulets. This version did live in New York, and was an officer in the NYPD. When he was unjustly fired, he stole a Black Panther costume and assumed his identity. This occurred in an era when T’Challa was missing. When T’Challa returned, Cole went through a Wakanda ceremony, ingesting an artificial version of the Heart-Shaped Herb. He became an acolyte of Black Panther, known as White Tiger. Although a version of this character could appear in the MCU, we think they’ll tie him to a Black Panther sequel, not shoe-horn him into a Daredevil series. But as a New York cop, his odds of being in Born Again are slightly higher than the second White Tiger.
White Tiger IV (Angela del Toro)
The fourth White Tiger in Marvel Comics is the most likely the second MCU White Tiger. This is Angela del Toro, niece of Hector Ayala and inheritor of his mystical amulets. A Federal agent who becomes a superhero, she first appeared in Daredevil #58 in 2004, created by writer Brian Michael Bendis. She even received her own series in 2006. We know an Angela del Toro exists in the MCU as a P.I. That’s because Jessica Jones mentions her in an episode of her Netflix series. But that could be another unrelated person entirely. We see Hector’s teenage niece in court during his trial, whom he lives with. We can assume that’s Angela. Given that White Tiger IV is directly related to Hector Ayala, and that her creator Brian Michael Bendis is a credited producer on Born Again, we think Hector’s niece is the most likely to take over for her uncle and avenge his murder.
White Tiger V (Ava Ayala)
In the comics, the fifth White Tiger is Ava Ayala, the younger sister of Hector Ayala. After Angela gives up the White Tiger mantle, Ava takes on the mystical amulets and continues her big brother’s legacy. She first appeared in 2011’s Avengers Academy, while also showing up in comics like Mighty Avengers. In animation, they reinvented her as Hector’s daughter instead of sister for the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon series. Hector’s sister is mentioned during his trial when he says he lives with her and her daughter. So far, they have not officially stated that Hector himself has a daughter in Born Again. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t exist. We say Ava is the second most likely MCU White Tiger, as we still lean toward Angela first.
Of course, it could be that no one succeeds Hector as the new White Tiger. But we doubt it. It might be someone not based on the comics at all! We’ll find out in future episodes of Daredevil: Born Again.