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Daredevil Recap And Review – S01E12 – The Ones We Leave Behind

By Steve Lam

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The Ones We Leave Behind is Season One’s penultimate twelfth episode of Daredevil.  It’s a sad episode and not because it was badly written.  In fact, like all the other episodes, it was superbly scribed and directed.  I’m talking about the loss of a friend.  The audience should’ve guess that by now from the title of this installment.

The team is still separated from the fallout between Matt and Foggy, but they’re still working to expose Fisk.  Ben, more concerned about his wife’s well-being, starts to get more resolve and is determined to show the world who Fisk is.  In the end, a key player pays the ultimate price for his heroic efforts.

A Daring Recap

Karen is at the docks.  She takes the gun she shot Wesley with and tosses it into the water.  Rushing home, she drinks hard liquor and takes a shower.  In the morning, she awakens to find Fisk in her kitchen speaking to her, telling her the murdering gets easier.  When he grabs her, she wakes up from her nightmare.

Karen arrives at the office and is startled by Foggy.  When he asks what’s going on with her, she feigns that everything is okay.  Foggy vows that no matter what’s going on between him and Matt, he’s going to continue his investigation into Fisk.  He asks for Ben’s files, but Karen hides the shoe box and only gives him a folder.  When pressed on whether he still thinks Daredevil is a terrorist, Foggy rejects that idea.  As Foggy leaves, he runs into Matt at the doorway where they share an awkward moment of silence.  Foggy eventually exits.  Matt inquires if Karen is alright.  She tells him that the world is falling apart.

Fisk gets a call notifying him of Wesley being found.  When he arrives at the scene, he sees Wesley’s body still seated.  In a fit of rage, he beats Francis unconscious for not staying close to Wesley.  Fisk has Leland look into who poisoned Vanessa and killed Wesley.  Going through Wesley’s pockets, Fisk finds a phone.  He searches through the call history and discovers that his mother was the last person to speak to Wesley.

Daredevil finds Ben and hands him one of the Triad’s heroin packets.  Daredevil is guessing that Fisk took over distribution of heroin after the Russians were taken out.  He wants to interrupt Fisk’s cash flow, putting Fisk into reactionary mode.  Daredevil inquires about Madame Gao.  Ben’s only seen her occasionally, but doesn’t know her base of operations.  Knowing that the Triad uses the blind to discretely transport the heroin, Daredevil will seek Madame Gao out at her last known location.  As the conversation ends, Ben tells Daredevil that he may need a better outfit, to which Daredevil responds that he’s working on it.

Foggy meets Marci at the bar.  He wants her to help him with Elena’s case and mentions that Fisk is involved.  Marci is reluctant at first because Landman and Zack represent Fisk.  She eventually gives in and agrees to look at the folder Karen gave to Foggy.

Karen startles Ben when he arrives at his front doorstep.  She suspects that Fisk knows they spoke with his mother.  Worried, she wants Ben to publish what he has on Fisk.  Ben is reluctant because the facts aren’t backed up with hard evidence.  Karen pleads with Ben to get the story out.  He promises to make an attempt at getting the report to his editor.

Foggy reveals to Marci that he’s working with Daredevil and that the recent explosions are Fisk’s doing.  Marci denies this and claims that Fisk is one of their most billable clients along with Leland.  Foggy recollects to Marci her younger self — someone interested in doing the right thing.  He offers her a chance to expose Fisk along with Landman and Zack.

At a street corner, Matt finds a blind heroin transporter from the tapping of her walking stick.  When she gets in a car at a crosswalk, Matt climbs up a building.  He runs and jumps off rooftops to track her.  He finally senses her entering a guarded building.

Fisk transports his mother, who’s reluctant to leave the nursing home.  He asks her about why Wesley called her.  She’s no help due to her dementia.

Matt calls Karen to let her know that he’ll be out for the day.  In reality, he’s mending his reopened wounds from his earlier physical activity.

Ben corners Ellison and wants him to publish his story.  Ellison is reluctant.  When Ben presses him further, Ellison suspends Ben for a week.  Ben, angered, accuses Elliot of being in Fisk’s pocket.  The accusation gets Ben fired on the spot.

Daredevil infiltrates the Triad’s heroin production facility by stealthily taking out the guards.  Madame Gao discovers him and has her blind workers attack him.

Fisk meets with Leland who reports that his investigation into the poisoning of Vanessa turned up nothing.  Fisk tells Francis to up the offer until something is found.  Fisk receives a call which prompts him to leave immediately.

Madame Gao attempts to make her escape with her bodyguards.  Daredevil ambushes them and confronts Madame Gao.  A fire is started from one of her bodyguards firing his gun.  Daredevil learns that her workers weren’t blinded from her — they willingly blinded themselves.  When he moves towards Madame Gao, she strikes him with a blow so hard it throws him backwards.  Daredevil fires a gun at water pipes to temporarily quell the fire.  He forces one of the guards to lead the workers out.

Outside, Daredevil is stopped at gunpoint by a uniformed police officer.  As the officer approaches, Daredevil overpowers him and warns him about dirty cops on the force.  Daredevil quickly escapes when more officers arrive.

Madame Gao meets Leland who’s surprised that she now speaks English.  It’s revealed that both Leland and Madame Gao worked together to poison Vanessa.  They thought she was too much of a distraction for Fisk.  When Madame Gao leaves, Leland questions if she’s going back to China.  She only answers that her home is much farther than that.

Ben visits Doris and tells her that he was fired from his job.  She motivates him and tells him that he can always publish his story online because the world needs him.

Ben calls Karen and tells her that he’s going to publish a blog.  He’ll write the story tonight and send her the link tomorrow.

Karen is startled when someone tries to open the locked office door.  She finds Matt outside trying to get in.  Karen asks Matt about their dissolving friendship.  Matt tells her of someone (Stick) who once told him to push people he cared about away in order to be effective at what he does.  Tearfully, Matt admits that can’t do this alone.  Karen hugs him, telling him that he’s not alone.

Ben arrives home.  In his box of belongings, he takes out a framed newspaper that reads “Battle of NY” — a reference to the events of the Chitauri invasion from Avengers (2012).  As he sets up to type his story, he finds Fisk waiting for him in a chair.  Fisk is calm at first, but becomes progressively angry when he talks about Ben visiting his mother.  He finally asks if Ben was alone when he met her.  Ben lies and says he was.  Fisk then tells him that he’s not here to threaten him, but to kill him.  Fisk lunges at Ben and violently chokes him.  In a matter of seconds, Fisk kills Ben and nonchalantly walks out.

Moments That Blind You with Awesomeness

  • Matt going after the blind heroin transporter parkour-style.
  • Daredevil’s confrontation with Madame Gao at her heroin production plant.  She’s definitely more than meets the eye.

Final Thoughts

Rest in peace, Ben Urich.  I was rather disappointed that Ben had to die in this episode, but had to also give kudos to the writers.  They pulled a risky move here and took out one of the most likable characters in the series.  It really was rather emotional.  I’ve grown to like Ben and saw him as a friend.  So when Fisk killed him, it really tore my heart out.  Secretly, I wished Daredevil showed up.  But then again, it wouldn’t have made much sense and would’ve been too deus ex machina.

This episode also showed Fisk getting more and more violent.  He’s becoming the Kingpin we all know from the comics.  I think he can really give the Mountain from Game of Thrones a run for his money … or Gold Dragons.

After two episodes with Matt and Foggy not talking, I’m really feeling the sadness.  That just shows how effective their relationship was from the start.  If I didn’t care, then there would definitely be a problem with the writing.  After The Ones We Leave Behind, I’m making a guess that Ben’s death will be the catalyst that brings Matt, Foggy, and Karen back together again.

Here’s to the trio reuniting and facing off with Fisk.  I can’t wait for the season finale when Daredevil debuts his red suit!

Next: Check out our previous recap of Episode 11 - The Path of the Righteous

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