BothDaredevilandDaredevil: Born Againare exceptional TV shows that elevate simple stories, including one narrative thread about a blank wall. While theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)has managed to deliver a powerful, connected story that takes place over dozens of movies and shows,Daredevilwas able to dial into its storytelling on a more granular level. From the beginning of the 2015 Netflix show, it was clear thatDaredevilwas something special in the landscape of Marvel television, from its casting, to the writing, and the incredible action.
However, being someone who likes to focus on the story, and the threads that run throughout, I find myself absolutely enchanted by the longstanding narrative that defines Wilson Fisk’s life in both shows. This man, who stands at the head of criminal activity in Hell’s Kitchen, and goes on tobecome the Mayor of New York, has his mind revealed through both shows. However, thesingle greatest element that unlocks the mysteries of the Kingpin is a blank wallthat continually becomes a focal point for his character.
Daredevil’s Blank Wall Storyline Explained And Why It Works So Well
WIlson Fisk’s Relationship With The Blank Wall Is Symbolic
When Wilson Fisk was just a boy, his father tried hard to instill in him what it meant to be a man. Unfortunately, Wilson’s father had a skewed perspective, and when his manhood was put into question, he would fly into a violent rage. This was seen clearly when Wilson’s father took offense at comments made by his wife, and would begin to act violently towards her. In those moments,young Wilson was instructed to look at the wall, and not turn around. In this way, the soundtrack of violence, paired with the serene calm of a blank wall, became a twisted and warped juxtaposition in Wilson’s mind that defined the rest of his life.
This is seen clearly when Fisk first meets Vanessa, and she shows him a painting of a large, white canvas, resembling the wall he stared at as a child. Looking at the image,Wilson sees violence, pain and suffering, a reflection of his childhood, and it further evidences how broken he is. But beyond that, this theme of contradictions, and the violence beneath the calm, or an image being presented in one way while concealing something much darker, becomes a larger concept that is explored in both Fisk’s life and Matt Murdock’s.
Daredevil Making A Blank Wall One Of Its Most Interesting Story Elements Is A Testament To The Show
Daredvil Laid The Foundation For The Bigger Meaning Behind The Wall
Here’s the thing, most shows don’t have the confidence or the skill to pull off making a blank wall a central tenet of the show. Especially an action, or superhero series, that relies on fast pacing, and fantastical stories. But Daredevil threw caution to the wind, took the building blocks of characters like Wilson Fisk and Matt Murdock, and boiled them down to their simplest components. In that way, they were able tosee the differences and thesimilarities between Daredevil and Kingpin, and showcase this in their use of a blank wall.
Yes, the show takes the image and starts applying it to other things, like a painting, but that just goes to show how clever and imaginative the creatives working on the series were. Rather than constantly flashing back to Fisk’s childhood,Daredevilshows the connection, and implants that new meaning in the viewer’s mind. From that point onward, every time the image is seen, it immediately evokes these layered meanings, and thepower of the image grows when Daredevil fights Fisk in his apartment, and spills blood on the image, suddenly bringing that hidden meaning to the surface.
How Daredevil: Born Again Makes The Blank Wall Storyline Even Better
Daredevil: Born Again Takes The Image Even Further For Wilson Fisk
Daredevil: Born Againhad the ability to take or leave as much of the original seriesas it wanted. Being set in a new universe, the show could break free of the original’s constraints, or it could build on that foundation. I am eternally grateful it went with the latter, and even included the painting from the original series, with thebloodstain still clearly visible. Rather than hide the stain, or clean it, Fisk embraces this sudden push into the light. His violent nature exposed, and the complexity of his character revealed.
While the original show saw Fisk hide from the spotlight for some time,Born Againsees him embrace change and visibility, while he condemns those that still wear their mask to conduct their business. This is a clear separation from Daredevil, and one that defines both characters in different ways. The painting also evolved to become a symbol of Fisk’s enduring relationship with his wife, Vanessa, and his commitment to making their marriage work. All things considered, the blank wall is one of the most elaborate and compelling statements on TV, and bothDaredevilandDaredevil: Born Againmake it definitively spectacular.
