Daredevil: Born Again – Who’s the Villain?

A Brush with Blood: Marvel’s Dark Portrait of Muse

Meet Muse, a fan-favorite villain lurking in the darkest corners of Marvel’s universe. This psychopathic artist emerged from the twisted minds of writer Charles Soule and artist Ron Garney, making his dramatic debut in "Daredevil Vol. 5 #11" back in 2016. Unlike typical painters, Muse crafts his ghastly masterpieces with chaos and crime. Within two years, he met his demise in the comics, a deceptively final curtain call. Yet, in the realm of superheroes and villains, death is just a minor plot twist. With his impending arrival in the MCU’s "Daredevil: Born Again," Muse resurfaces in Marvel’s pages by 2025. Here’s why this villain is the stuff nightmares—and blockbuster films—are made of.

The Blood-Drenched Debut

Muse introduced himself with a grotesque mural in New York City, painted with the blood of over a hundred victims. His creepy mask, combined with super speed and a sensory vortex, rendered him nearly untouchable. In Muse’s warped mind, lives meant nothing until they became part of his so-called art. In another morbid display, he posed deceased Inhumans in everyday postures, blurring the lines between horror and reality.

In a chilling courtroom takeover, the infamous Daredevil and Blindspot confronted Muse. During the clash, Muse brutally blinded Blindspot, removing his eyes with sinister glee. When Daredevil unveiled the villain’s true face, it hauntingly mirrored the disturbing mask he’d worn. With a psyche akin to the likes of Joker, Muse held no regard for human life. Though authorities locked him away, Muse’s prison stint was a mere pause in his violent saga.

Under Kingpin’s Sinister Scheme

While imprisoned, Muse became a pawn in the game of Wilson Fisk, the notorious Kingpin. As Fisk took his seat as New York City’s Mayor, he rode the wave of anti-vigilante sentiment. Capitalizing on this political climate, Muse made a daring escape from the Inhuman-guarded prison.

Amidst a city where heroes turned into outlaws, Muse defaced landmarks with tributes to these very vigilantes. In a confrontation with police during a tribute to the Punisher, Muse slaughtered officers and wove their bodies into his sinister artwork. Mayor Fisk seized this brutal act to amplify his harsh anti-vigilante rhetoric. Blindspot faced Muse once again, and this time, the villain chose self-immolation over capture, going up in flames. Few remain permanently dead in the comic world, however, leaving the door for Muse disturbingly ajar.

Mystery Unresolved: Muse’s Enigmatic Origins

Muse’s past, much like his identity, remains shrouded in mystery. Dubbed "Vincent Van Gore" by the media, his true name and origins are unknown. Is he a mutant who savaged his own kind, or an Inhuman with a vendetta? With his penchant for targeting Inhumans, questions linger about his motives and powers.

A Cinematic Canvas: Muse in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’

In the MCU, Muse cuts a foreboding figure akin to his comic book version, as seen in the "Daredevil: Born Again" trailer. Teased with Wilson Fisk as the newly minted Mayor of New York, familiar notes from the comics get replayed. The Punisher’s appearance raises the stakes—could Muse’s atrocities frame Frank Castle? While the series likely sidesteps Inhuman lore, parallels to the comics abound. When "Daredevil: Born Again" premieres on Disney+ on March 4, fans can finally witness Muse’s sinister schemes unfold on screen.

Marvel has painted Muse as its latest antagonist for the silver screen, a complex villain whose art knows no bounds or morals. As the MCU promises a chilling portrayal, the art of Muse remains as haunting as it is captivating.