The following contains major spoilers for Daredevil #6, available now from Marvel Comics.
When Matt Murdock picked up the reins of the ancient, benevolent cult known as the Fist, he knew that it would mean putting his life on the line to fight for the fate of humanity. What he didn’t expect, however, was that he would also be saving lives on a deeper, more personal level than what the prophecies which now guide him would imply. In fact, Daredevil’s latest endeavor is as much about saving individual lives as it is anything else, and that might just be what saves the entire world.
In preparation for his final battle with the Hand, the titular hero of Daredevil #6 (by Chip Zdarsky, Rafael De Latorre, Matthew Wilson, and VC’s Clayton Cowles) has taken it upon himself to open his own organization’s doors to any who are willing to fight by his side. This includes some of the least likely and most recognizable villains on Earth, including Speed Demon, Stilt-Man, and the symbiotic Agony herself. While Doc Sasquatch is there to offer these still reforming figures whatever help he can, that alone isn’t enough to satisfy Agony’s lust for violence. Everything else that Daredevil has to offer her, on the other hand, seems to be exactly what she needs.
Daredevil’s Cult is Saving the Marvel Universe
In spite of her clear disdain and inherent distrust in everything she has been dragged into, not to mention her decidedly violent outburst, Agony finds herself met with anything but the same. Not only does Daredevil manage to stand in her way without suffering a single strike, but he also talks Agony down without ever having to lay a hand on her. This stands in stark contrast to the people who have made Agony their experiment, or worse, their personal weapon over the years, yet it also proves just how much good Daredevil is trying to do.
Stopping the Hand from resurrecting its demonic Beast is the number one priority for the Fist as a whole, but on a personal level, Matt is dedicated to something much smaller than that. Between the revelation that someone else might have been coordinating his life in the service of a divine force and the threat posed by Frank Castle’s army, it is hard to imagine how Matt has stayed focused on helping the individuals in his orbit. Even against the sprawling background of ancient prophecies and near-constant bloodshed, Daredevil has maintained his belief in the power that a single person can hold, and he has done everything he can to convey that to those closest to him.
Matt Murdock Can Change the Fist’s New Members
Thanks to these efforts, fans can already see great change happening within classic, unsung, and obscure villains alike. Everyone who has stepped up to join the Fist came with something else in mind as far as what it was they were looking for, but all of them are finding a new home, new opportunities, and a chance to become new versions of themselves. Even if not all of them take that plunge, presenting the option is more than most of them can say they have ever been offered before, and that alone could be all they need to genuinely open up to the idea.
Matt, Elektra, and almost everyone else involved with Daredevil have walked a fine line between good and evil for large swathes of if not the entirety of their careers. They certainly weren’t all under the same circumstances, but it has left Matt and his allies with a very real sense of empathy. Hopefully, the Fist will be precisely the thing that transforms its new recruits, no matter how uncomfortable that may be.
