Matt Murdock, also known as Daredevil, does not have the typical hero’s journey because it is out of order. Though each aspect of the cycle is met, the mixed up order that it is presented to the reader shows the darker aspect of this show. It is not the typical happy hero story where the viewer happily gets a resolution. By removing the expectation of a feel-good show, people are forced to look at the deeper, sometimes uglier meaning.
First, religion plays an important role in the show Daredevil. Matt Murdock is a Catholic, but he is not quite devout because he does not follow the Ten Commandments. He is driven by the need to protect others because he has a gift, yet he knows the violence and his vigilante tendencies are not ordained by God. By showing viewers Matt’s internal struggle, the creator’s are trying to convey the concept that one does not need to adhere completely to either religion or their personal morals. Rather, religion helps someone figure out a balance, in hopes of choosing the right path.
Secondly, Hell’s Kitchen is a corrupt place. Trash and homeless people line the street, the sky is full of smog, and crime rules. Most often, Matt’s vigilante escapades occur at night, to add to the sinister feel of Hell’s Kitchen. Just the very name evokes the imagery of demons eating its citizens alive. Though Hell’s Kitchen is sometimes an exaggeration, the point is to catch the viewer’s attention and make them think. Matt Murdock runs out and brings down several armed men to save a group of trafficked girls in a brilliant display of violence and skill. Is this the fact that this much crime occurs really too far from reality? We as humans are polluting the earth, poaching the pangolins, and turning a blind eye to the people who need our help most. In fact, Matt’s own abilities stem from a chemical spill. Perhaps if people had been more careful, such a tragedy could have been avoided.
Finally, Matt is the first blind superhero. Granted, he isn’t technically blind -he has radar sense and superhuman hearing that gives him abilities to “see” and hear better than most normal humans anyway- but for the most part, he is blind. Representation is always important, no matter how little it shows. When I was a child, I used to love Disney movies, but I felt so confused that when I dressed up for Halloween, my black hair and dark eyes made me look like just a little girl in a pink dress, rather than Sleeping Beauty. My mom noticed I was sad and didn’t know how to explain to me that I would never look like Aurora. So she showed me Mulan. I instantly fell in love. If I wore a kimono, I looked just like her! We have the same almond-shaped eyes and dark hair. It didn’t matter that Mulan was Chinese and not Japanese. I just felt happy having an idol that looked like me. Representation is vital, and a hero that is handicapped is most definitely important since handicapped people are typically the depressed helpless characters in shows. It is refreshing to see a crime-fighting superhero who isn’t limited by his disability, and in fact, let it become his power.