Things are heating up in Hell's Kitchen. Daredevil: Born Again will officially see the return of several iconic characters, and a new report suggests that one of Matt Murdock's greatest adversaries will join them. According to industry scooper MyTimetoShineHello, The Hand will reportedly return in the show's third season.
This rumor comes after The Hand's recent appearance in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This wouldn't be the first time that Daredevil and Spider-Man characters have appeared in each other's Marvel Cinematic Universe projects. However, The Hand's alleged appearance in Daredevil: Born Again gives a massive hint at the third season's story.
The Hand's MCU history, explained
The Hand first appeared in the MCU's Netflix shows, specifically Daredevil, Iron Fist, and The Defenders. This ancient clan of ninjas originally pursued control of the globe's criminal underworld and eternal life. Their quest caused them to clash with vigilantes like Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist.
Though they were defeated in 2017's The Defenders, The Hand returned nine years later in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. A new generation of these ninjas appeared in the opening as some of the criminals that Peter Parker took down while living on his own. The Department of Damage Control soon freed them and used them as soldiers in their operations. Jean Grey eventually used her telepathy to control them and fight Spider-Man at the end of the film.
How The Hand could factor into Daredevil: Born Again season 3
Since The Department of Damage Control came under investigation for illegally experimenting on Jean Grey and her sister, Sara, it is unclear whether the Hand is still serving them or if they were arrested after Spider-Man: Brand New Day. It is possible for them to return as fugitives on the run from the authorities in New York City, perhaps then reestablishing them as street-level criminals for The Defenders to take down.
Since Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist will officially return in Daredevil: Born Again season 3, the MCU could possibly give fans a rematch between them and the Hand. Even Elektra, one of the Hand's former fighters (and the infamous "Black Sky" that they were trying to set up as something of a destroyer in The Defenders), is set to return in the third season, with actress Eoldie Yung spotted on set in the Elektra suit, so it would make sense for her to face them as well.
If The Hand does appear in season 3, then Daredevil: Born Again would take another step in officially integrating Marvel's Television universe into the wider, mainstream MCU. The Netflix shows originally operated in a corner of the franchise that made it unclear as to whether they were officially canon or not. Although Marvel Studios did have a plan to rewrite them out of the canon with the launch of Disney Plus Marvel shows, they eventually changed their mind - reworking Daredevil: Born Again to be a direct sequel to Netflix's Daredevil (instead of an initially-planned reboot). A rematch between The Defenders and The Hand would also make the show's third season another major streaming event for Marvel.
Daredevil: Born Again season 3 will premiere on Disney+ in March 2027.
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