Daredevil: Born Again stars Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio discussed what Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk would've seen in their shame rooms during the Void's attack in New York. Thunderbolts* introduced the Void as a formidable alter ego of The Sentry, who used supernatural darkness to banish his victims into a shame room or a personal mental prison. These pocket dimensions force victims to relive their most traumatic memories (such as Bucky's Winter Soldier initiation inside a Hydra facility) on an endless loop and force them to confront the worst parts of themselves without escape.
Given that the Void's shame rooms were unleashed in New York, many were speculating that some New York-based heroes and villains, like Daredevil and Kingpin, experienced the same trauma-induced pocket dimensions that the Thunderbolts/New Avengers went through.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Direct while promoting Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio revealed what their MCU characters would've experienced in their shame rooms during the events of Thunderbolts*.
Cox admitted that Matt Murdock would've relived Foggy's death over and over again, noting that his regret would revolve around "his inability to take certain warning signs seriously" and place the necessary protections to prevent his death:
The Direct: "Now, in last year's 'Thunderbolts,' a new superhero, Sentry, turns into a villainous character called The Void. He plunges New York City into complete darkness that leads everyone to experience either the darkest moment of their life or their biggest regrets. What do you guys think your characters would have seen when they were put into that situation? What was the darkest moment of their life or regrets?"
Charlie Cox: "I think with Matt, it would have to revolve around Foggy in some way… [There's] regret around his inability to take certain warning signs seriously and to have in place protections against something like that hurting someone that is so close to him."
Foggy Nelson died in Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, after he was killed by Bullseye by being shot in the chest. Foggy's death was shocking because it meant losing one of Matt Murdock's closest friends and his moral anchor. It makes sense that Murdock's shame room revolves around Foggy, since he represents Matt's greatest source of guilt and self-loathing.
While pointing out that Fisk doesn't have a lot of regret in his life, D'Onofrio shared that Kingpin's shame room would revolve around "the killing of his father:"
Vincent D’Onofrio: "I don't think there's a lot of regret in [Fisk’s] life at this point. I think eventually all of this will catch up to him and he will regret, because it's just the human psyche. It has to happen. But not anytime soon, that's for sure, and I do think that… he would probably harken back to... the killing of his father."
In Kingpin's canon backstory in the MCU, a young Wilson grabbed a hammer and beat his father, Bill, to death with it, cementing a violent turn for the once innocent kid that changed him forever and what made him a monster in his eyes.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 will further explore the rivalry between Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk as the enforcement of Martial Law in New York escalates and the Resistance rises against Fisk's political regime.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 will premiere on Disney+ on Tuesday, March 24.
Why These Shame Rooms Expose Daredevil & Kingpin's Vulnerabilities
The Void's attack in New York led many to wonder why Daredevil, Spider-Man, and other New York-based heroes weren't visible in saving other civilians when the city was engulfed in darkness.
There is a strong chance that Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk experienced the shame rooms that Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio mentioned in the interview, which explains why they were absent during the chaos.
Given that Matt Murdock's shame thrives on the idea that he sees himself as irredeemable and toxic for not protecting Foggy, the Void would've exploited this weakness and replayed Foggy's death over and over again to potentially break Matt in the shame room.
As for Fisk, seeing him in despair and in his most vulnerable state inside his shame room would break the idea that he is unbreakable despite his ego. Fisk is known for projecting shame onto others, and Void's shame room would reverse that by focusing on his guilt without a means of escape. If anything, this would've amplified his fear of vulnerability.
Seeing Murdock and Fisk deal with their own demons would've been interesting to see on-screen, fleshing out their traumatic experiences even further and exposing the cracks beneath their armored exteriors.
