Within the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe, Daredevil: Born Again is a special case. This is partly because it's a continuation of a series developed under the aegis of Netflix, but also and above all because the project doesn't multiply references to other Marvel productions. There's no mention of the Avengers, the "blip" isn't mentioned, and Avengers Tower hasn't yet been immortalized. Everything in these first three episodes suggests that Matt Murdock will have little impact on the upcoming films and that the American platform will primarily focus on returning to the television series format, rather than the eight-hour spin-off that prepares for a new film. A priori, we shouldn't have to watch Born Again to grasp all the stakes of Doomsday, the reverse is true.
But Dario Scadarpane couldn't help but place here and there winks and references to certain emblematic characters of the glossy universe. Last week, we learned that Spider-Man was still active, that he hadn't put away his costume after the events of No Way Home. Now, it's in a plea that Murdock utters a name that should be familiar to fans of the web-slinger... but not in his most famous version. Indeed, while defending Hector Ayala after his altercation with two police officers, the lawyer cites several members of the police force, including a certain Agent Morales.
Second mention for Miles
This name obviously recalls that of Miles Morales, the Spider-Man immortalized by Sony Animation in Into the Spider-verse and Beyond the Spider-verse. His father is also a police officer, so there is no coincidence. This is not the first time his name is mentioned in the MCU, the version played by Tom Holland had crossed paths with a certain Aaron Davis. Comic book readers, spectators and players of the Insomniac Games animated titles know that he is the teenager's uncle. A family connection that the antagonist played by Donald Glover mentioned in a deleted scene from Jon Watts' film (2018).
In Daredevil: Born Again, we learn that Agent Morales has already collaborated with White Tiger and even pleaded in his favor... Matt Murdock uses police reports to emphasize the importance of White Tiger's mission to help law enforcement, and to support his position as an ally for many agents. Miles' first name is unsurprisingly not mentioned.
A "street-level" universe
If Daredevil: Born Again stands out from other Marvel television and film productions, it is not only linked to its position as a Netflix original creation taken over for Disney+. Dario Scadarpane's series also stands in stark contrast to Kevin Feige's ambitions for his iconic and recurring characters. While the MCU boss wants to spark a massive reunion centered around a multiversal war, Brad Winderbaum could take a very different path with the television series. Is Marvel Studios' television director hatching a street-level universe? One would be tempted to believe so.
In comics, "street-level" heroes are those who evolve in human-scale plots. It's not a question of fighting super-powered enemies and armies of creatures, but only crime, in all its most human form. The Defenders-centric series had made this approach their trademark, while the MCU was already building towards Avengers: Endgame and its consequences for the entire universe. There's no guarantee that Miles Morales will be able to make his debut in the MCU, Sony Pictures holds the adaptation rights, but we believe these connections are an opportunity for Marvel to diversify its approach to reconnect with fans who have lost interest in these colossal clashes.
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