Marvel Comics’ first Hispanic hero, Hector Ayala, never really got a turn to take the lead. First appearing in the Shang-Chi book, Deadly Hands of Kung Fu, in 1975 and then taking on a semi-regular supporting role in the late 70s/early 80s title, Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Ayala, also known as the White Tiger, had some wild adventures across the Marvel Universe. However, it wasn’t until Brian Michael Bendis‘ early 2000s run on Daredevil that Ayala really took center stage in a popular title. The defendant in Bendis‘ “The Trial of the Century”, Ayala’s vigilante efforts as the White Tiger lead to him being falsely accused of killing a police officer which, interestingly enough, means that the courtroom–and not the streets of New York where he risked his life for his community–became the setting for Ayala’s time in the spotlight. Before he could beat the bunk charges, Ayala was killed by the cops and, ultimately, his legacy and the legacy of the White Tiger grew into something greater than he ever imagined when he first picked up the Jade Tiger amulets that granted him superhuman powers.
Episode 2 of Daredevil: Born Again introduces Ayala and his White Tiger alter ego to the MCU, slightly altering the scenario that leads to his arrest and trial but–somewhat incredibly–embracing the mystical nature of his powers in a corner of the world that’s not always taken full advantage of the opportunities such capabilities provide. Highlighted by the late Kamar de los Reyes‘ understated performance as beaten up and washed Ayala, “Optics” is an excellent offering that allows the audience an extended view of the other side of Matt Murdock’s life. Though fans haven’t seen Episode 3 yet, paired with Episode 2, the MCU’s version of The Trial of the Century is must-see DD, allowing Murdock to flex his wits in what is truly a tense courtroom drama. The traits that serve Murdock so well as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen are indeed the very same that make him a really good lawyer and as Ayala’s trial unfolds, Murdock proves that as in combat, he can take a punch in the courtroom and dig deep to find a way to stay in the fight.
Though there’s little bloodshed and much of the episode takes place during the day (gasp!), “Optics” proves just as important to the Frank Miller-heavy noir world of Daredevil as any other episode. Any great NYC crime drama will, of course, include dirty piggies and Episode 2 introduces the audience to the dirtiest and though it may not be readily apparent just yet, be sure that your time spent watching this episode will pay off as the series moves forward. A reborn Matt Murdock didn’t need to take Ayala’s case, especially once he became aware that Ayala wasn’t sharing everything with him, but the serendipitous intersection of his commitment to justice and Ayala’s commitment to doing the right thing was too hard to pass up. Up against the NYPD, Ayala is the ultimate underdog as an accused cop killer…but even when outmatched, Murdocks can take a beating and stay in the fight until the devil in ’em comes out.
And following a palpably tense scene in which the dirty NYC cops look to take Murdock’s key witness off the board, the devil that Matt believed he has so securely tucked away does get out. The episode’s violent closing minutes may seem to exist solely to soothe the blood lust of the edge lord crew; however, paired with Wilson Fisk’s lunch meeting with NYC Police Commissioner Gallo, the scenes remind the fans that neither of these men can ever truly be anyone other than who they are. They want–perhaps even truly desire–to become the men they try so hard to be but when push comes to shove, these men, shaped so completely by their environments for so long, will always fall back on the skills of their true identities.
As the follow-up to the new crew’s violent pilot episode, “Optics” stands in stark contrast and while it may feel slow, it begins scaffolding every major storyline of Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again. Possibly my favorite episode of the season (if not, it’s Episode 3), “Optics” serves as a prime example of how much can be accomplished in a streaming episode and how this Daredevil revival’s efforts to trim the fat have made it an upgrade over the original Netflix series.
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