Daredevil - S2E9 - Seven Minutes in Heaven

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Previously on Daredevil, “Guilty as Sin”

“I’m the Kingpin in this b*tch.”

“Seven Minutes in Heaven” condenses two starkly different plots into a single episode. Plot #1 continues where we left off from the previous episode with Frank Castle’s time in prison and his subsequent interaction with Wilson Fisk. Plot #2, on the other hand, follows Matt’s quest to rid Hell’s Kitchen of its ninja infestation.

I would argue that Frank’s half of the episode is the better of the two and not just because Wilson Fisk is in it. His brief time in jail hits all the dramatic beats that make this show so wonderful. There’s an undeniable chemistry between Jon Bernthal and Vincent D’Onofrio that makes them both so captivating in their shared scenes. Yes, D’Onofrio has always lent an air of tortured nobility to his portrayal of Fisk. But it’s very entertaining to have the character interact with someone as blunt as Frank Castle, who doesn’t take too kindly to Fisk’s penchant to monologue like a Shakespearean villain.

Prison has indeed changed Fisk and we see the initial stages of that change in a 10-minute cold open that summarizes what he’s been doing since the end of season one up to this point. He’s definitely shed all the delusions of heroism he once had and fully embraced his role as the villain and all the pretensions that come with the job.

Nevertheless, both men form an uneasy alliance that proves mutually beneficial for them. In a stroke of narrative convenience (because apparently everyone in New York goes to the same prison), Dutton the prison’s current big boss happens to be involved with the gang war shootout that killed Frank’s family. Fisk, through his keen machinations, grants Frank both access and the ability to exact vengeance upon Dutton. In one of the most violent scenes in the series thus far, Frank slaughters several inmates and places Dutton in a coma thus paving the way for Fisk to take control of the prison. But Fisk doesn’t stop there. He even stages an incident that allows Frank to escape in the belief that the murderous vigilante will take out all the competing criminal elements of the city and leave New York ripe for conquest once he gets out of prison.

Ninja Storm

Far and away from all the drama and bloodshed in prison, Matt has to deal with the growing threat of The Hand. I really wanted to enjoy this half of the episode, perhaps out of personal bias, but the way they handled this storyline felt severely lacking.

The efforts to continue to paint The Hand as a terrifying and mysterious organization continues to underwhelm when their efforts raise more questions than it answers. Even Nobu’s shocking return from the dead doesn’t carry enough weight to raise the stakes for our heroes. Matt pretty much spends most of his screen time being insufferable. The revelation that Elektra has been murdering people since she was a little girl almost comes as no big surprise, and using that as an excuse to end his relationship with her was simply irritating. Shouldn’t Matt have figured it out by now that Elektra absolutely LOVES killing people? He continues to be the worst after a visit from Foggy essentially marks the end of their friendship and the firm. And it’s a poor excuse on his part to justify his behavior by claiming that he’s doing it for the safety of his friends. Here’s some wax to polish your cross with, Saint Murdock.

Side Notes and Memorable Quotes

• “There can only be one Kingpin.”- Wilson Fisk drops the mic
• Looks like there’s more to the murder of Frank’s family than what we’ve learned thus far.
• Who is this mysterious Blacksmith? Definitely not someone I’ve heard from in the comics.
• “You said you wanted to be good…”- Matt (Oh, Matt. You can’t make a housewife out of a murderous psychopath.)
• What is up with that sarcophagus and all the blood that they’re siphoning from these people?

Quote(s) of the Week

This amazing final exchange between Wilson Fisk and Frank Castle:

“Next time I see you, only one of us walks away.”

“Yes, of course. I’m counting on it.”