Rumor has it that Daredevil: Born Again is introducing a new mystical superhero to the MCU.
Not only has Marvel Studios put Daredevil in Spider-Man: No Way Home and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, but they have also confirmed the Hell's Kitchen hero will receive an eighteen-episode first season on Disney+ in 2024. That extreme length was formerly unheard of, with the longest Marvel Studios series currently sitting at nine episodes.
Now excitement for the project may be able to get even higher, as word on the street indicates that the series could introduce a brand new mystical ally to the MCU.
Is White Tiger Joining Daredevil?
A reliable source, Murphy's Multiverse (MM), is backing Giant Freakin Robot's (GFR) claim that the mystical superhero White Tiger will be joining Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again for Disney+.
The site goes on to point out how GFR also claimed that Marvel Studios has landed Jenna Ortega in the role.
MM alluded to how everyone should take this news with a grain of salt, but that he's also heard the topic of White Tiger come up several times from his own sources. Add that to the character's history as both a street-level hero and ally to Daredevil, and it all makes a lot of sense.
But who is this new mystical figure?
Who is the White Tiger?
White Tiger is a mantle held by several important people. The first was Angela Del Toro, who was first seen in Daredevil (Vol. 2) #8 in 2004, with another being Ava Ayala, being introduced in 2011's Avengers Academy #20.
The original person under the mantle was Hector Ayala, who first debuted in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu way back in 1975. This version of the character was the first Latino superhero and also called NYC home—however, he tragically died in a Daredevil story in 2003.
The character gets its powers from the White Tiger Amulet, which gives the wearers enhanced abilities such as mastery of the martial arts, enhanced strength, speed, agility, and much more. Some have even been able to utilize the amulet's energies as a concussive force.
Every now and then, the actual spirit of the Tiger God can also get directly involved.
What Other Superheros Will Appear In Daredevil: Born Again?
With a mystical character showing up, it could be a sign that Matt Murdock will have a lot more on his hands than simply NYC crime. Could this mean the Hand will be back in a major capacity?
Also, what about Daredevil's other mystic ally, Iron Fist?
Well, funnily enough, the White Tiger mantle has direct ties to Iron Fist's mystical city of K'un-Lun, which is where the mystical amulet originated.
A big part of the character's abilities also parallel those of a recently introduced MCU hero: Moon Knight. One of the heroes to hold the White Tiger mantle, Ava Ayala, had to deal with the Tiger God actually possessing her body on multiple occasions.
While not an exact translation of how Khonshu uses Moon Knight, it's in the same arena of being an Avatar of a God—much like the Black Panther is to Bast.
But out of all the people who have been White Tiger, who is most likely to get their debut first? Given Ortega's potential casting, as pointed out by Murphy's Multiverse, Angela Del Toro is the most likely option.
Both Angela Del Toro and Hector Ayala have direct connections to Daredevil himself; Ava Ayala does not. So, one of those two would make the most sense.
Marvel Studios loves to switch things up, so anyone is fair game. The show could even feasibly touch upon the entire lineage of those who've held the White Tiger Amulet.
Daredevil: Born Again is currently set to hit Disney+ sometime in the Spring of 2024.
