ENTERTAINMENT

I’ve perused a surprising number of books about dragons in my time, but Eragon was one of the most impactful because I was just a kid when I first read it. The Inheritance Cycle was one of my first proper introductions into the fantasy genre as a whole and got me excited to read more in a way that I hadn’t really experienced outside of Harry Potter.

So when I found out that the illustrated edition of Eragon not only existed, but was also at it’s lowest-ever price, I couldn’t help but buy it for myself. The art I’ve seen in the preview for it looks incredible and seems to portray the story in a way that feels perfect for the series. The rich painted strokes from artist Sidharth Chaturvedi seem to really bring the images to life, and it seems like the perfect fit for my growing illustrated collection of some of my favorite fantasy books.

Eragon: The Illustrated Edition Deal on Amazon

Warning: this article contains full spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 9! Be sure to check out IGN’s review of the Season 1 finale.

Daredevil: Born Again has just ended its first season on Disney+, and the finale is quite a doozy. We’ve seen Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock brought low several times over the years, but this might be the bleakest ending yet for old Hornhead. Suffice it to say, MCU fans are in for a very interesting Season 2 when the show makes its return in 2026.

As the dust settles from the latest clash between Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin, let’s break down the dramatic ending to Season 1. Who’s still standing, and how does it all set up Season 2? And what about that recently announced Punisher special? Here’s what we learn from Born Again’s season finale.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 Ending Explained

All season long, Born Again has been exploring the question of whether a person can permanently and fundamentally change themselves. Can Matt Murdock just be a lawyer, free of the burden of acting as a vigilante and defying the law he’s sworn to uphold? Can Wilson Fisk truly live on the right side of the law, or is he simply talking a big game when he claims to be looking to make his city a better, safer place?

By the events of the finale, the answer appears to be a resounding “No.” Matt has been called back into action as Daredevil, spurred on by his clash with Muse and his renewed feud with Fisk. Not that this is necessarily presented as a failure on Matt’s part. He’s been forced to accept that there’s no point in adhering to “the system” when there are many whom the system simply doesn’t protect. As much as he’d like to believe otherwise, the city still needs Daredevil.

As for Fisk, at one point, he may have had genuinely good intentions in running for mayor, but we know what they say about those with good intentions. Repeated clashes with disloyal underlings and contemptuous billionaires – as well as his desperate desire to rekindle Vanessa’s (Ayelet Zurer) love for him – have caused Fisk to retreat into his old persona. By this point, Fisk has fully reverted to Kingpin mode and has surrounded himself with an army of cops proudly wearing the Punisher skull and operating completely above the law.

Again, the odds are stacked against Matt like never before in the finale. No sooner does he begin to recover from literally taking a bullet for Fisk than Fisk attempts to remove him from the board permanently, reasoning that a martyred hero can only further his mayoral agenda. Fisk’s first big move is to shut off power to the city and turn his army loose on the looters, justifying the need for martial law.

It’s here that the wounded, desperate Matt finds two badly needed allies in Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle and Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page. Karen has called in a favor with Frank (building on their long shared history in both the original Daredevil series and The Punisher spinoff), forcing Frank to take action even though he claims to be disinterested in the chaos sweeping the city.

After a bloody showdown that leaves Matt’s apartment in shambles, Matt, Frank, and Karen regroup and plot their next move against Fisk. Matt and Karen know that the key to taking down the Fisks is to find the legal motion Foggy (Elden Henson) was preparing to file before his death. They find that motion tucked away in Foggy’s storage locker. Frank stays behind, again feigning disinterest in the fight against Fisk and his army of “fanboys.” But that facade breaks, and Frank eventually confronts the corrupt cops, killing several before being captured.

Daredevil and Karen prepare to storm Fisk’s compound at the Red Hook port, but even Matt can’t deny that the odds are too stacked against them. He won’t be one-shot hallway fighting his way out of this predicament. Instead, the two retreat to lick their wounds and gather what allies they have to fight another day.

And that’s basically where the series leaves things at the end of Season 1. Fisk is triumphant, having extended his grip over the city and imprisoned or killed most of his enemies. Costumed vigilantes are now strictly outlawed in the city. Evil wins, for now. But that doesn’t stop Matt from delivering a rousing speech about the importance of resistance and the enduring strength of New York in Josie’s Bar. The tone has been set for Season 2. Matt has once again embraced his Daredevil persona and is ready to fight for his city by any means necessary.

Does Daredevil: Born Again Have a Post-Credits Scene?

Like so many MCU projects before it, Daredevil: Born Again does indeed have a post-credts scene (or a mid-credits scene, to be specific). That scene revisits Frank Castle, who after enduring a savage beating at the hands of Fisk’s fanatically loyal cops, is now imprisoned in Red Hook alongside the city’s billionaire elite. Frank wastes no time cozying up to the guard, who makes the mistake of shaking hands with The Punisher. One savage bone breaking later, Frank is free and ready to resume his campaign of vengeance.

Does that mean we can expect Bernthal to reprise his role in Season 2? Possibly, but Marvel appears to have other plans in mind for The Punisher as well. We’ll get to him in a bit.

What to Expect From Born Again Season 2

Marvel doesn’t have a strong track record of following up their various Disney + shows with second seasons. On the live-action front, so far only Loki has returned for Season 2. Given that Born Again effectively ends on a cliffhanger, it would be pretty frustrating if the series met with the same fate. Luckily, fans needn’t worry about Born Again becoming trapped in limbo. Season 2 is definitely happening.

Marvel originally announced Born Again as being an 18-episode series. Plans have shifted somewhat since then, but now we can expect an 8-episode second season to follow up on this initial batch of 9 episodes. Dario Scardapane will again serve as showrunner of Season 2, and directors/producers Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson are also returning. Best of all, the new season is already in production, making a 2026 release very possible.

In a roundtable interview with IGN, D’Onofrio revealed that he’s read the scripts for Season 2 and had a very emotional reaction.

“There’s already information about what we’re about to start shooting in the second season that I had to have a little cry about,” D’Onofrio tells IGN. “So it’s quite something. This show can be quite intense as an actor.”

Based on how Episode 9 ends, we have a pretty good idea of the tone and direction of Season 2. Expect an even darker pivot next time around. Fisk has successfully installed himself as the all but untouchable monarch of the city. He’s outlawed costumed vigilantes, which gives his militant police force carte blanche to target anyone rioting or protesting against the government. Daredevil has a few allies – Karen, Clark Johnson’s Cherry, Ruibo Qian’s Detective Kim, etc. – but he’s still just one man staring down the void of facism and systemic rot.