- Primary Subject: The connection between Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 and the Thunderbolts* film through the character Mr. Charles
- Key Update: The Season 2 premiere, "The Northern Star," revealed a surprising reference to Thunderbolts*.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: March 25, 2026
- Quick Answer: Matthew Lillard’s character, Mr. Charles, is a CIA operative answering to Val, linking Kingpin’s vigilante crackdown directly to the political schemes of the Thunderbolts* character.
The second season premiere episode of Daredevil: Born Again revealed a connection to one of the main characters in Thunderbolts* that surprised a lot of fans.
The MCU series recently returned with a sophomore season that addresses the aftermath of the first season, which saw Kingpin establishing an Anti-Vigilante Task Force, while Matt Murdock goes into hiding and forms a resistance movement against the New York City mayor's actions. Fans are also curious to see whether it will establish more connections with the rest of the MCU.
What is Daredevil: Born Again Season 2's Connection to Thunderbolts*?
The second season premiere of Daredevil: Born Again, titled "The Northern Star," showed one of the character's connections to Thunderbolts* and the larger machinations in the MCU.
They revealed that the new character, Mr. Charles, played by Matthew Lillard, is a CIA operative who works for Contessa Valentina "Val" Allegra de Fontaine.
Mr. Charles was introduced as a fixer who helps Kingpin handle the Northern Star fiasco. After New York City General Attorney Steverud told Kingpin that there would be an "oversight" over his implementation of the Vigilante Task Force, Mr. Charles showed up to "fix" the issue on behalf of Val.
After a call with Val, Steverud had a "change of heart" and said that there will be no "oversight" anymore for Kingpin's actions, with full support from their office. This revealed that Val is still working behind-the-scenes, even if she doesn't show up on screen, and her actions had ramifications on the events of the series.
In an interview with MovieWeb, showrunner Dario Scardapane revealed that Mr. Charles was always intended to be written as a character who is part of Val's world, and he is hoping that it would lead to the Thunderbolts* character's eventual guest appearance in the series.
"So, building Mr. Charles as somebody who lives in the Val world, we wanted to make that connection. So, that's why that's on the other end of the phone call," he said.
"For me, personally, away from everything MCU, I would love her to be part of our world. There's a story in the back of my head I would love to tell you, but I don't know, those choices aren't mine."
What to Expect in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2
The second season of Daredevil: Born Again sees Mayor Wilson Fisk crush New York City underfoot as he hunts down public enemy number one, the Hell's Kitchen vigilante known as Daredevil. But beneath the horned mask, Matt Murdock will try to fight back from the shadows to tear down the Kingpin's corrupt empire and redeem his home.
Aside from the main cast returning, fans can expect the long-awaited comeback of Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones, making her the second Defenders main cast member to return in the MCU.
The premiere episode of the season recently premiered on Disney+. It is expected to consist of eight episodes, with the season finale set to air on May 5.
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