Daredevilwaited 30 hours of viewing time to show the backstory of one of its main characters, and looking back, I can’t believe both this feat itself and how it actually works for the show. WithDaredevil: Born Againseason 1 debuting to considerable positive reception, it seems the originalDaredevilis in an even more important position forMarvelthan ever. However, interestingly enough, season 1 has kicked off by removing two of Matt Murdock’s closest allies, with Foggy Nelson dying in episode 1, and Karen Page moving away and appearing to lose all contact with him.
While this has been regarded as a surprising decision, it is worth noting thatthe original Netflix Defenders showhad a habit of also making unusual seeming decisions with Foggy and Karen throughout its original run, and was able to make many of them work effectively in the long term - which could bode well forthe MCU showand Karen and Foggy’s confirmed appearances in theDaredevil: Born Againseason 2cast. A prime example ofDaredevil’s ability to make the unexpected work can be seen in the show’s final episodes, wherein a major figure gets a very, very late full backstory reveal.
Daredevil’s Entire Run Took 4 Years & 33 Hours
Daredevilprovided its hero one of the more prolific screentimes in Marvel movie and show history, as the story of Matt Murdock and his vigilante double life was told over the course of three seasons and a runtime of 33 hours (though this would be closer to 34 for viewers who watched every single credits montage).Daredevilalso came very close to releasing yearly, with season 1 debuting in 2015, season 2 releasing in 2016, and season 3 closing off the original series' plot in 2018.
All in all, this not inconsiderable runtime coming relatively close together can be seen to have potentially helped the show overall, as audiences were not left with several years between each chapter of the plot - or even a need to wait between episodes of a single season. With that said, the decision to wait until what ended up being almost the very end of the 30+ hour-long show to fully reveal one character’s backstory still feels somewhat surreal, despite the overall real-life timeline of the show not being over an exorbitant amount of time.
Karen Page’s Backstory Is Only Fully Revealed In Daredevil Season 3 Episode 10 Despite Being A Main Character For The Entire Show
Despite being one of the show’s main characters - and being part of the central trio that consists of herself, Matt Murdock, and Foggy Nelson -Daredevilonly actually shows the viewer Karen Page’s backstory in season 3, episode 10, a whole three episodes away from the finale of the entire series. Audiences had been given details about Karen’s past before - especially regarding the fact that her brother died, and she was still dealing with a lot of grief and guilt about it - but only episode 10 actively shows what happened and how things led to where Karen is in season 3.
Daredevilseason 3, episode 10 - fittingly named “Karen” - delves into the unseen chapters of Page’s past while she hides in a church that, unbeknownst to her, is about to be attacked by Bullseye, with much of the episode pulling away from this time period and focusing on some far earlier days in Karen’s life. It reveals a younger Karen’s strife, as she’s stuck taking care of her family’s failing diner and feels she can’t leave without dooming the business, causing her to seemingly abandon her dreams of college and deal drugs with her then-boyfriend Todd.
After her brother Kevin re-enrolls her in college without her knowing, a series of events kick off that see Kevin and Todd get into a fight and Karen shoot Todd in the shoulder to prevent him from killing Kevin. Shaken by this interaction and the conversation she’s having with her brother, Karen then loses control of the car she’s driving and crashes, killing Kevin - a move that the local law enforcement blames on Kevin instead, preventing her from dealing with a potential court case but driving a wedge between Karen and her father, even as her final living relative.
This backstory helps explain Karen’s simultaneously often hopeful and kind nature and her jaded responses to the world - as well as her willingness to do things like shoot James Wesley to death earlier in the series, having clearly handled guns well before the events ofDaredevil. However, given the vast majority of other characters have already gotten their full backstories shown by this point - and given the series essentially spent around 30 hours waiting to unveil said backstory - it’s certainly a notable story decision.
Why Revealing Karen Page’s Daredevil Backstory So Late Makes Sense
Having Karen’s full backstory delved into in this episode works well alongside the overarching story ofDaredevilseason 3, asit builds audience empathy and understanding of Karen further just before she’s put directly in harm’s wayby Bullseye arriving at the church she’s hiding out in. Having now had several lingering mysteries surrounding Karen tied up via these flashback sequences, the show teases the idea that Karen may not survive the season, since wrapping up these plot threads so close to putting her in danger certainly amps up the tension about whether she’ll survive.
It is also worth keeping in mind that there were previously plans forDaredevilto extend into a fourth and even fifth season. As such, the plan to actively show Karen’s backstory at this point in the series may have also initially been created with the idea that this wouldn’t be in the final three episodes of the entire season, and could instead be close to the middle of the entire show’s run.
Either way, placing this part of the story inDaredevilseason 3 works to keep intrigue on Karen throughout the show, as it’s clear as the series unfolds that there’s more to Karen than meets the eye, and that certain past events have evidently played a role in her complex and three-dimensional outlook on the world. Given how celebratedDaredevilis to this day, it seems like saving Karen’s full backstory may well have been the right move for the show ultimately.
Daredevil: Born Againseason 1 is set to release weekly until July 15, 2025.
