Despite what the mayor's office would have the public believe, New York City is in a state of disarray in Daredevil: Born Again. The Anti-Vigilante Task Force is rounding up citizens left and right and gunning for anyone who tries to do the right thing, branding them as vigilantes. All the mayhem has forced the titular hero to work overtime, but there's only so much he can do alone.
Jessica Jones is set to join Matt Murdock's crusade before the credits roll on the final episode of Born Again's sophomore outing. Her incredible abilities will be the boost Daredevil is desperately in need of, giving him a real shot at bringing down the AVTF once and for all. However, other problems in NYC could use The Defenders' gentle touch. Marvel Studios has picked up on that fact and is setting the stage for a full team reunion in Season 3.
Mike Colter and Finn Jones have already been spotted on the set for season 3 of the show (via Variety), along with Krysten Ritter, who will pick up where she leaves off in Season 2. But what's been lost in all the conversations about the band being back togethor is the why. There hasn't been a villian in the last nine years worthy enough of reassembling The Defenders. That could change in a hurry, though, especially if the bad guys on this list start causing trouble.
Villains The Defenders Could Face in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3
Kingpin
Wilson Fisk is like an unstable cockroach, always finding new and creative ways to get what he wants despite taking hit after hit. He's become so good at surviving that he manipulated the people of NYC into making him their mayor. But Fisk's time in office looks like it's coming to an end, especially because Bullseye gave him a reason to take the gloves off.
Whether the MCU needs more Kingpin or not, there's no doubting his potential as a Bad Big for the next Defenders team-up. Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist have yet to go toe-to-toe with him, and that's a fight worthy of putting on the small screen. It might just take the might of four heroes to bring down the Kingpin for good.
The Hand
When The Defenders first crossed paths, they were all hunting down members of The Hand, a secret society that brought corruption wherever it traveled. Daredevil and Iron Fist had experience with the orginization already, and they got their new teammates up to speed quickly about the ruthless threat they were facing. By the end of The Defenders, The Hand was no more, but it was only a matter of time before they resurfaced.
The trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day showed Peter Parker engaging in a fight with Hand ninjas. While their mission wasn't revealed, they clearly have business in the Big Apple. The Defenders may be part of thwarting their plans once again.
Purple Man
Jones is helping Daredevil fight his arch-enemy, so it's only fair that he returns the favor. Kilgrave was an evil metahuman who used his ability to control people's minds for his own person gain. After meeting Jones, he took advantage of her, damaging her mind for years. Fortunately, Jones got the last laugh by killing Kilgrave in her solo series.
All of the love for David Tennant's performance as Purple Man could push Marvel Studios to ressurect the character and give him an MCU makeover. In the comics, he's held his own against the likes of Doctor Doom and Moon Knight, so there's certainly room for him to grow in live-action.
Mister Fear
If Kevin Feige and Co. want to bring in new blood for Daredevil: Born Again Season 3, they should look no further than Mister Fear. A struggling chemist in the source material, he accidentaly creates a fear gas that forces anyone who comes into contact with it to start living a nightmare. Yes, Mister Fear is esentially Marvel's take on Scarecrow.
While it will be hard for anyone to top Cillian Murphy's portrayl of Dr. Jonathan Crane, that doesn't mean Mister Fear has to sit on the sidelines forever. He could release his gas all around NYC and force The Defenders to come face-to-face with their worst fears.
Mephisto
Marvel fans searched for clues about Mephisto's MCU debut for years, grasping at straws whenever something remotely devil-like popped up on screen. All the waiting paid off in Ironheart of all places, when the villain finally appeared and offered Riri Williams a deal too good to refuse. He hasn't shown up since, but it's possible Marvel Studios is playing the long game with him, setting him up for something big.
Having Mephisto visit NYC would show that he's not a one-and-done bad guy. He's also a decent matchup for the members of The Defenders, who are all missing something in their lives they wish they could get back. Just imaging Matt having to wrestle with whether bringing Foggy Nelson back from the dead is the right movie; the conflict writes itself.
