MCU's Kingpin Strength Questions Might Have Already Been Answered

Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. Kingpin, first appeared in the MCU proper during Marvel Studios' Hawkeye, but seemed to demonstrate more power than his previous stint on Netflix, which could be explained thanks to the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Vincent D'Onofrio portrayed Fisk on Marvel Television's Daredevil from 2015 until its cancelation in 2018, but made the move to Marvel Studios along with his co-star, Charlie Cox, debuting in Hawkeye as the man behind the curtain of the Tracksuit Mafia. While many were thrilled to see D'Onofrio back as the domineering villain, differences were noticed between the Netflix version of Kingpin and the version now in the MCU.

Daredevil's Wilson Fisk could certainly hold his own in a fight against the Devil of Hell's Kitchen, but he harbored no super-human abilities, being instead just a looming and powerful figure in the criminal underworld. However, Hawkeye demonstrated a Kingpin who seemed to be able to withstand some incredible attacks from Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), suggesting that this new version of the character could have been enhanced with something that would gift him more physical strength. The answer to this question could secretly lie in the storyline of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which reintroduced viewers to Sharon Carter, now operating as the Powerbroker.

Kingpin Might Have Used The Powerbroker’s Super Soldier Serum

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier saw Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) come back together in the wake of the events of Avengers: Endgame. Their mission brought them face-to-face with Karli Morgenthau and the Flag-Smashers, a group who had enhanced themselves using a refined version of the super soldier serum, giving them the super-human abilities of Captain America while keeping their physical form unchanged. It was revealed that they had acquired the serum from Carter, forced into the underworld of Madripoor after Captain America: Civil War, so it's possible that Kingpin could have done the same.

Kingpin often sits at the top of the criminal hierarchy in New York, so it's likely that he has connections to other hubs of criminal activity across the world, and since Madripoor is home to one very powerful American friend-turned-criminal, it's likely that Fisk would have a direct line to the MCU Powerbroker. This would make his acquisition of the super soldier serum remarkably easy, especially if it's revealed that he didn't disappear after Thanos snapped his fingers, as superhero interference would have been at a minimum during the Blip. A Kingpin enhanced by the super soldier serum could spell very bad news for the future of the MCU.

What Would A Super Soldier Kingpin Mean For The Future Of The MCU?

Wilson Fisk is set to have a much more substantial role in the street-level stories of the MCU than his Netflix counterpart, with appearances confirmed in both the upcoming Echo series, and the monumental 18-episode Daredevil: Born Again. If Kingpin has been enhanced with the super soldier serum, his arc will certainly carry much more weight than his previous incarnation, and would make the villain more terrifying. Even so, Kingpin's MCU power enhancement could help to connect Phase 4 projects, as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier would have directly led to Hawkeye, and these stories could set up a bigger and more villainous role for Kingpin in the MCU's future.

Next: Phase 4 Sets Up Kingpin's Best MCU Hero Fight (Not Spider-Man Or Daredevil)