The post-credits scene from Echo sets up a major comic book storyline for Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. the Kingpin. It is one that will most likely play out in Daredevil: Born Again, and possibly, a potential fourth MCU Spider-Man film. The scene shows Fisk in his private plane after his defeat at the hands of Maya Lopez, heading back to New York. He watches a news program talking about how New York City doesn’t have a strong candidate for Mayor, and that the people are looking for “a fighter.” You can practically see the lightbulb go off over Fisk’s head as the Echo post-credits scene ends and the wait for Daredevil: Born Again begins. Clearly, a mayoral run for the Kingpin is happening and it’s a story straight from the comics.
Wilson Fisk: The Mayor of New York City in the Marvel Comics
In the comics, the fallout of the 2017 Secret Empire event led to New York City’s invasion and occupation by Hydra, under the direction of an alternate Steve Rogers. Since Fisk used his wealth to help hapless New Yorkers during the occupation, his criminal past was suddenly swept under the rug, and he used his newfound popularity to run for Mayor. He won, although it was later discovered he fixed the race. What made this story interesting was that Mayor Wilson’s Deputy Mayor was none other than his arch-enemy, Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil. Murdock was constantly trying to catch Fisk in illegal activity, knowing full well his nemesis had not reformed. Matt knew that Wilson Fisk had no one’s best interest at heart but his own.
Eventually, Murdock catches Fisk in the act. He discovers that the Kingpin had a meeting with the heads of the organized crime families of the city. Because of this, the city temporarily removed Fisk from office, and New York had a Mayor Murdock for a brief time. But it would not be the last time a superhero was the Mayor of New York. As retaliation towards Murdock, Fisk then institutes a city-wide ban on all masked vigilantes. This turn of events was not good news for another one of the Kingpin’s old adversaries, Spider-Man. But Fisk’s lack of anger management, a significant character trait in both the comics and MCU versions of the character, causes him to publicly lose control. Because of this, Luke Cage, who was running against him, became Mayor of New York City. He instantly repeals Fisk’s anti-superhero laws. The Kingpin then departs New York in disgrace.
Mayor Fisk in the MCU with Daredevil: Born Again and Spider-Man 4?
So how much of this will factor into Daredevil: Born Again? Is the “Born Again” of the title actually referring to Fisk, and not Murdock? After all, the original Born Again storyline from the comics was more or less adapted in the original Daredevil Netlfix series. Publicly exposed as a criminal at the end of Daredevil’s third season, Fisk goes to prison. Obviously, as Hawkeye and Echo showed us, he got out of the Big House and continued his criminal ways. Someone with that much wealth and power would likely spend little time in prison.
After the events of the now officially MCU canonized Daredevil, Fisk is a known criminal to the world. But a known criminal gaining political power is hardly that far-fetched. Daredevil: Born Again could end with Wilson Fisk taking mayoral power in New York City. This could lead to a potential Spider-Man 4, with Peter Parker now an illegal vigilante in Manhattan. And everyone wants Mike Colter back as Luke Cage in some form. Maybe he runs against Fisk for Mayor? How cool would that be? There’s a lot of story possibilities here. It will be interesting to see just how the MCU adapts all these plotlines into Daredevil: Born Again and beyond following this big Echo post-credits teaser.
