Kingpin is returning to the MCU in Daredevil: Born Again–but how did he survive his fateful encounter with Echo in the Hawkeye finale?
Vincent D’Onofrio will once again play his iconic character Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. the Kingpin, in the upcoming Disney+ series, Daredevil: Born Again, seemingly confirming his fate after the mysterious finale of Hawkeye. While D’Onofrio’s Marvel Cinematic Universe return has been public knowledge for some time, neither he nor Marvel Studios has answered how exactly Kingpin survived his apparent death in his last appearance. Despite the mysterious circumstances regarding Kingpin’s return, various events and storylines embedded throughout recent MCU films and series offer several explanations for how the iconic villain will be able to return in future projects.
D’Onofrio originally played Wilson Fisk in all three seasons of the hit Netflix series Daredevil, alongside Charlie Cox, who portrayed the titular vigilante superhero. Despite the enthusiasm surrounding the series, it was only loosely connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe until late 2021, when D’Onofrio and Cox both reprised their roles in the season finale of Hawkeye and in Spider-Man: No Way Home, respectively. D’Onofrio’s character faced a seemingly gruesome fate shortly after his return, however, when Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) appeared to shoot him in the head. However, D’Onofrio’s upcoming MCU appearances raise the question of how exactly Kingpin survived Hawkeye‘s finale.
Echo Didn’t Shoot Kingpin After All
It is possible that Maya Lopez, also known as Echo, didn’t actually shoot Kingpin in the Hawkeye finale. One of the biggest clues that the episode dropped regarding Kingpin’s fate comes in the cinematography of his final scene, which pans away just as Maya fires the gun trained on Fisk’s head. By failing to show the actual moment in which Maya fired the gun, Hawkeye essentially proved to audiences that Wilson Fisk would survive to terrorize New York another day. While the idea that Echo failed to shoot Fisk explains why he is still alive, the more intriguing follow-up question asks why she failed in the first place.
While it is possible that one of the Kingpin’s guards intervened at the last second to stop his execution, it is also conceivable that Echo chose not to kill her quarry of her own volition. Despite ordering her father’s death, Wilson Fisk always treated Maya like family, and it would be difficult for her to pull the trigger on him after such a long history. Maya’s decision not to kill Fisk, perhaps purposely missing his head, could be explored in further depth during the events of the Disney+ series Echo, which will see both characters return, perhaps putting an end to their burgeoning rivalry.
Kingpin’s Body Armor Saved Him
If Echo did indeed shoot Kingpin, it is possible that his body armor kept him from being killed. While this theory would suggest that Echo fired lower than the framing of Hawkeye‘s finale made it seem, it isn’t out of the question to assume that Fisk was able to dodge her fire just enough for his body armor to take the bullet instead. An earlier scene in Hawkeye‘s final episode confirmed that Fisk was indeed wearing body armor when Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) fired an arrow into his chest, to no avail. As such, there is precedent for Fisk surviving what would otherwise be a fatal injury.
This theory would also explain Kingpin’s appearance in recent Daredevil: Born Again set photos, which appear to show his character without any major wounds or injuries caused by Maya Lopez’s attack. While there have been theories suggesting that Born Again could take place before the events of Hawkeye, there has been no official confirmation of the show’s chronology, leaving audiences to assume that the series takes place in the modern-day MCU. Wilson Fisk appears to be in good health during the events of Daredevil: Born Again, lending credence to the theory that his body armor absorbed the gunshot from the Hawkeye finale.
Kingpin Was Saved At The Last Moment
Kingpin may have been saved by one of his allies at the very last second, stopping Maya Lopez’s assassination attempt. One of Kingpin’s greatest attributes as a villain is his incredible resourcefulness, which often manifests itself through his many allies hidden throughout New York City. There are very few corners of the city that aren’t somehow under Fisk’s control, and though many of his forces were scattered by that time, it isn’t difficult to believe that someone was able to reach Fisk before he was shot. In fact, the gunfire heard in the scene may not have been Maya’s at all, but Fisk’s ally, saving him at the last moment.
This theory could potentially open the door for one of Kingpin’s allies from Daredevil to return in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. One of Kingpin’s most notable allies from the Netflix series was Benjamin Poindexter (Wilson Bethel), who was revealed to be the supervillain Bullseye in the finale of Daredevil season 3. While Bullseye wasn’t exactly friendly with Kingpin when he last encountered the mob boss, he would certainly want to keep someone else from killing him first. His interference in an attempt to kill Kingpin himself could have caused enough commotion for Fisk to escape, thereby setting up another encounter between him and Bullseye at a later date.
Kingpin Is Now A Super-Soldier
Wilson Fisk may have survived being shot by Maya Lopez thanks to the same super-soldier serum that created other MCU heroes and villains, including Captain America, Bucky Barnes, and U.S. Agent. Hawkeye saw Kingpin exhibiting the strength of a super-soldier, appearing to be far more physically powerful than in his last appearance in Daredevil. This naturally led to theories that he had injected himself with the coveted super-soldier serum at some point between his arrest at the end of Daredevil Season 3 and his return in Hawkeye. If true, Kingpin’s added strength may have been enough to save his life after being shot by Maya Lopez.
Wilson Fisk could have easily gotten his hands on a sample of the super-soldier serum. While the serum was once among the most coveted formulas in the world, it is no longer as rare as it once was. The events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier revealed that a workable replacement for Dr. Abraham Erskine’s original serum had been developed, allowing for the creation of new super-soldiers. With Sharon Carter revealed to be the Power Broker, her mysterious benefactor could be Wilson Fisk, who may himself be a super-soldier. If so, Fisk will pose a much bigger threat than ever before when he returns in Daredevil: Born Again.
