Daredevil: Born Again's Martial Law Twist Explained

After Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk imposes martial law in the Daredevil: Born Again finale, many fans wonder if this tactic is realistic.

In its grand return to television, Daredevil: Born Again wrapped up its first season on Disney+, acting as a spiritual successor to the Netflix original.

Episode 9, "Straight to Hell," saw Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock suit up as Daredevil one last time this season, joined by Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle. This episode set up Season 2 and the Punisher Disney+ Special Presentation.

Daredevil: Born Again's Martial Law Meaning

Warning - The rest of this article contains spoilers for the Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 finale.

In the Daredevil: Born Again finale, Wilson Fisk becomes Mayor of New York and declares martial law through his Safer Streets Initiative, taking complete control of the city under the pretense of restoring order. 

After his militia of rogue cops fails to kill Daredevil, Fisk responds by killing Commissioner Gallo (Michael Gaston) in a brutal show of power and officially outlaws all vigilantes. 

This allows him to override civilian legal systems and unleash his loyalist forces without oversight, potentially setting up the Shadowland Marvel Comics arc in Season 2. Martial law uses military or paramilitary power to replace civilian authority, typically during emergencies, wars, or natural disasters. 

In this case, Fisk uses martial law to expand his criminal control while silencing the opposition. D'Onofrio told Variety that martial law is Kingpin's "grand plan" in an attempt to "expand his reach beyond New York:"

"His grand plan is martial law, and while he can hold the city in martial law, to complete as many crimes as he can and get rid of the vigilantes. That would be included in his mindset of being able, at some point, to expand his reach beyond New York."

The episode ends with the city in chaos and Daredevil facing an authoritarian regime that has turned the law into a weapon.

Can a Mayor Declare Martial Law in a City?

In the real-life United States government, a mayor has no legal authority to declare martial law. That power typically rests with a state governor or the President of the United States, as it involves suspending civilian legal systems and placing a region under direct military control. 

While mayors can declare a local state of emergency, issue curfews, or mandate evacuations, these actions do not equate to martial law. Martial law is a far more extreme measure that usually requires state or federal authorization and is only used in dire situations like war or large-scale disasters. 

A historical exception occurred in 1871 when Chicago's mayor declared martial law after the Great Chicago Fire, but he did so by voluntarily placing the city under the control of General Philip Sheridan. 

That moment remains an outlier, and in modern practice, a mayor unilaterally declaring martial law would likely face legal and constitutional challenges.

Of course, this is the fictionalized Marvel Cinematic Universe, where aliens, robots, and celestials regularly try to destroy the Earth, so Daredevil: Born Again isn't necessarily rooted in reality.

Kingpin's Vigilante State of Emergency

In the wake of Bullseye's attempted assassination in Epsidoe 8, Kingpin uses the chaos as justification to declare a state of emergency, an action that, while legally questionable, effectively grants him martial law powers over New York City. 

Despite the murky legality of it all, the public unrest, growing riots, and mounting vigilante activity created the kind of crisis that allowed Fisk to operate unchecked. 

His anti-vigilante task force has become more aggressive, targeting anyone operating outside the law, while Fisk positions himself as the only figure capable of restoring order.

The city is unraveling, and the lines between law, justice, and power have all but disappeared. Now, with vigilantes in hiding or hunted, the Defenders might be coming back, as Daredevil tells Karen he needs an "army" to fight back against Kingpin's city rule.