Warning! This article contains minor spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again season 1.
Daredevil: Born Again has not featured Karen Page since episode 1, leading many to wonder why she has been completely missing from the show. When first announced, Daredevil: Born Again‘s cast was confirmed to feature Deborah Ann Woll as the character, yet the heartbreaking events of the show’s premiere removed her from proceedings. As of Daredevil: Born Again episode 1’s ending, Karen had relocated to San Francisco in the wake of Foggy Nelson’s death, meaning she has not appeared in any episode of the show since then.
Karen Page’s absence from Daredevil: Born Again has certainly been felt. Although many are enjoying the show, it is no secret that audiences long for more elements that tie Daredevil: Born Again to Netflix’s Daredevil. The absence of Foggy makes sense given his death, but the decision to remove Karen from the story has been met with division, and raises the question of exactly why she has not appeared in the show since Daredevil: Born Again episode 1.
Karen’s Return For Daredevil: Born Again Has Been… Brief
Karen’s Role Thus Far Has Been Limited
As already alluded to, Daredevil: Born Again has featured shockingly little of Karen Page thus far. Karen’s first appearance came in the opening sequence of Daredevil: Born Again episode 1, during which she left the Nelson, Murdock, & Page building alongside Foggy and Matt. The trio went to their local hangout of Josie’s Bar, where Karen was shown talking to Matt as the two joked about their previous romantic relationship, Foggy’s attempts to woo Kirsten McDuffie, and Matt’s glasses being dated.
After Bullseye attacks Foggy, Karen is shown tragically trying and failing to save his life. Daredevil: Born Again episode 1’s one-year time skip then shows Karen reappearing to witness Bullseye’s sentence, briefly talking to Matt once more before returning to her new life in San Francisco. Since then, Karen has not appeared again in Daredevil: Born Again. While she is expected to return in Daredevil: Born Again season 2’s story, Karen’s absence from season 1 has been noticeable, to say the least.
How Karen’s Absence From Daredevil: Born Again Has Been Explained
The Grief Of Foggy’s Death Tore Karen & Matt Apart
Image via Disney+
Despite the disappointment over Karen’s absence from Daredevil: Born Again, the show at least gives strong narrative reasoning for her being missing. As is explored in Matt and Karen’s second scene together in Daredevil: Born Again episode 1, Karen lost a friend just as Matt did when Foggy died. It is revealed that Matt withdrew into his grief and did not speak to Karen for a long time after Foggy was killed, fracturing the two – as teased by Daredevil: Born Again‘s showrunner – and forcing her to move away from New York, which likely reminded her too much of Foggy anyway.
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Daredevil: Born Again Showrunner Explains Karen Page’s Absence From Season 1 So Far – “Families Tend To Fracture When A Loved One Passes”
Daredevil: Born Again showrunner Dario Scardapane explains why Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page had to part ways with Matt Murdock so soon.
Dario Scardapane, the filmmaker brought in to usher Daredevil: Born Again‘s storyline after the creative overhaul, commented on Karen’s storyline in the show shortly after it premiered. When asked about Karen, Scardapane insisted that she was the “heart and soul” of the live-action Daredevil mythos, yet stated that “families tend to fracture when a loved one passes.” This explains why Karen has not appeared since Daredevil: Born Again episode 1, but Scardapane did hint at a reunion in the future.
This seems to set up Karen’s return in Daredevil: Born Again season 2, with Scardapane hinting that Matt and Karen will find a way to mend their bond…
The filmmaker stated that Karen and Matt’s relationship is scattered, but “in that fracture, they can re-bond in ways that are surprising and new.” This seems to set up Karen’s return in Daredevil: Born Again season 2, with Scardapane hinting that Matt and Karen will find a way to mend their bond, despite their tumultuous past. When that will happen, however, remains to be seen, with Karen thus far being absent from the show’s story since its premiere.
Karen’s Absence Is A Major Part Of Matt Murdock’s Born Again Arc
Matt Needs To Work Through His Issues By Himself
With all of these elements regarding Karen’s role in Daredevil: Born Again in mind, it is worth saying that they work for Matt Murdock’s arc. Although the show does not follow the comic book story of the same name, it is still about Matt being born again as the titular vigilante. Foggy’s death – and, indeed, Karen’s absence – forced Matt away from the hero lifestyle, with Daredevil being retired after the tragic events of the premiere. Since then, Matt has been warring with himself and the system about whether Daredevil is still needed.
This explains why the show is titled Daredevil: Born Again. As evidenced by the episodes that have aired so far, Matt needs to work through these issues alone, albeit with the help of some characters like Frank Castle. If Karen were still involved in Matt’s life, he would likely face more internal conflict than is necessary, meaning it makes sense for her to be missing. Once Matt comes to terms with the fact that his hero side is needed in Daredevil: Born Again, Karen could return after his conflict is healed, and the two could re-bond, just as Scardapane hinted at.
Daredevil: Born Again
9/10
- Release Date
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March 4, 2025
- Showrunner
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Chris Ord
- Directors
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Michael Cuesta, Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Jeffrey Nachmanoff
- Writers
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Chris Ord
