Now that Daredevil has been added to the Disney+ slate, fans have been clamoring for a new season of the beloved series. And, given Matt Murdock's recent appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home, fans are hungrier and more hopeful than ever.
But one question remains if the show is eventually greenlit for a Season 4. Which villain would be the starring antagonist of a fourth season? While waiting for news, fans on Reddit have been hotly debating the issue, and they have some great suggestions for future Daredevil antagonists.
The Owl
One of Daredevil's classic foes, the Owl is a gang leader who took a serum that granted him the ability to fly and grow claws. Taking the moniker of "The Owl", he began tormenting Hell's Kitchen, which drew Daredevil's attention. The Owl could make a fascinating villain in the series.
As AdKnown8177 described on Reddit, "I love the interpretation you sometimes get of him where he’s an aristocratic character with an animalistic side. The contrast between him dressing and acting all refined while eating live rats is gold." Considering that Daredevil himself is often split between the savagery of the Devil of Hell's Kitchen and the astute lawyerly Matt Murdock persona, it could be interesting to explore Murdock's contradictory personas through the Owl.
Gladiator
Like many street-level villains, Gladiator isn't the most powerful baddie Marvel offers. All-in-all, he is just a man in a metal suit that harasses civilians in Hell's Kitchen often. But, in a twist that many don't know about the Daredevil series, his non-villain persona, Melvin Potter, appeared in the series as a costume designer, there is good reason to reintroduce Potter as a rival.
"If Betsy [his parole officer] was snapped it could have triggered something in Melvin to wake the Gladiator persona and he's one of the only characters that I think you could easily build/reintroduce as a major player in a new Daredevil live-action story without people needing to have seen everything before," says Uncanny_Doom. It's an interesting idea. Potter is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of Daredevil's suit and could strike in just the right places to prove to be a real challenge for Murdock. Besides, it would be hard for Daredevil to fight a man wearing armor with his fists and some batons.
Vanessa Fisk
With many fans tired of seeing the MCU shows trotting out Kingpin for every outing, many have instead turned their attention to an unlikely figure to represent the interests of Fisk's ever-growing empire: his wife. As Olde-Blind-Dog proposed, the show could instead present "Vanessa Fisk masquerading as the Kingpin to help clear her husband’s name and keep his empire running."
It's an interesting idea and could present quite a few political challenges for Daredevil. Instead of the imposing Fisk helming his organization, Daredevil could instead lose all of his (admittedly low) credibility if the empire continues without Fisk in control at all. It would also be a fun accumulation for Vanessa's arc: From damsel in distress to a new version of the Kingpin of Hell's Kitchen.
Stilt-Man
Exactly as his name describes, Stilt-Man is a scientist who built a suit that lets him walk on gigantic metallic legs. While largely treated (somewhat rightfully) by the fanbase as the butt of a joke, some Redditors would love to see Stilt-Man in live-action.
"He doesn't have to be a joke if he's not written as a joke," says Substantial_Ocelot50. "Dude is basically a small-time crook in a high-powered mech suit that can bring down police helicopters with no problem. Great storytelling possibilities there and of course great visuals too." After Marvel's success in bringing another strange concept, the Vulture, to life, it isn't all that impossible that the same could happen for Stilt-Man. It would also be a significant challenge for Daredevil to bring him down without causing considerable collateral damage.
Ikari
Ikari is one of Daredevil's most underutilized and threatening rogues. "Ikari is (in theory) the perfect villain for Matt. He’s got all Matt’s skills and powers, but he can also see," says Reddit user CanadianWaffleHouse. "Plus instead of escrima, he uses Kama which is the perfect weapon for someone who’s supposed to be the evil reflection of Daredevil."
For a character like Daredevil, who often skirts by through trust in his abilities, having a villain who can match his skills could be just the test for Season 4. While Murdock tries to get his life together, a new and improved Devil of Hell's Kitchen could challenge the city's perception of him and make a Daredevil team-up in the MCU a possibility.
Tombstone
The name isn't the only intimidating thing about Tombstone. As a gigantic figure with superhuman strength, a voice that can go no higher than a whisper, and an engaging backstory that plays on the same themes of alienation that Daredevil experienced, Tombstone could make a strong antagonist.
"Tombstone would be a really cool crime boss, kind of like Kingpin, but smaller and a lot more hands on," says Redditor LeafChief09. They're right; If Kingpin is no longer in the picture in Hell's Kitchen after Echo, this may be a quality replacement. Tombstone could have a very similar terrifying presence.
Muse
An artist who paints with the bodies of his victims, Muse would make an excellent on-screen villain. As Redditor Reid8444 says, "Muse is definitely a character I think would have shined in the Netflix MCU, so I hope if they do bring him back they do him justice."
While his art could produce horrifying live-action scenes, his superhuman ability to keep Daredevil from noticing his presence could also make him a genuine threat, and his love of vigilantes like the Punisher could help turn Hell's Kitchen even further against their masked devil.
Mr. Fear
There's no real way to describe Mr. Fear, besides the way Redditor BasedFunnyValentine does, "He’s basically Daredevil’s Scarecrow but the personal connection with him being one of Matt’s law buddies from school makes him more compelling."
With the awareness that Matt Murdock is Daredevil, Mr. Fear could use his legal talents and his fear gas to make Daredevil's life a living hell, much in the same way as Fisk from Season 3, but with considerably more psychological impact. Fans desiring Mr. Fear's introduction to the series are looking to replicate those effects from one of the best seasons in the Daredevil series' history while adding more to the legal aspect of the Daredevil mythos.
Bullseye
The star of one of the most iconic comic book panels in Daredevil history, Bullseye was introduced in Season 3 but didn't get to fully show off his talents as a leading villain. "They have perfectly set up Dex as Bullseye," says Redditor Becker1515, "I absolutely NEED the payoff of that."
That Reddit user isn't alone. With his extraordinary talents as a sort of villainous Hawkeye, Bullseye makes a great antagonist for a character without many of the obviously superhuman talents that Daredevil's counterparts on the Defenders have. Given that the series did establish Bullseye incredibly well, it would be a disappointment not to see the series return to the character and take him to his logical conclusion as a villain.
Coyote
A smuggler given superhuman abilities by an organization with ties to Kingpin, Coyote has teleportation abilities that let him wreak havoc on Daredevil.
"I’m gonna say I'd love a Daredevil movie leaning into the excessively comic book side of things: I want Coyote. Badly," says MisterNefarious. "I think that character was such a great way to challenge Matt but also highlight things that make him special." These abilities make him a great on-screen villain. Just imagine a hallway fight scene with Coyote teleporting around Daredevil and dodging every blow. It could make for an incredibly fun battle and a fierce challenge for a feet-on-the-ground fighter like Murdock.