Invincible, Daredevil: Born Again, and Maul: Shadow Lord. For any Star Wars or superhero enthusiast, these three shows are a must-watch this spring. Both Invincible and Daredevil: Born Again will be released in March, and Maul: Shadow Lord will be premiering in April. So what’s going to happen in these upcoming shows? Before you continue reading, make sure that you are all caught up on the previous seasons of these shows, unless you’re looking for spoilers.
Invincible
Closely following the plot in the comics, season four will pick up immediately after the Invincible Variant War and Mark’s fight with Conquest. In the recently released trailer, it’s shown that this season will touch on the growing relationship between Mark and Eve. Debbie and Nolan’s story of rekindling their romance following his return to Earth, where he previously killed the Guardians of the Globe and almost killed Mark in an attempt to conquer Earth for the Viltrum Empire, will also be a key part of the show. Sequids, Dinosauras, Thragg, and even a rematch with Conquest will be some of Mark’s notable fights in the season. The upcoming season will also showcase a new villain who plays a very minor role in the comics, Damian Darkblood. The demon detective was last seen in the season three finale, where it appeared he was planning his comeback from hell, where Cecil had banished him. New allies will be found in Space Racer and Tech Jacket, and they will be much needed if Mark is going to successfully win the Viltrumite War. Prime Video will premiere season four on March 18th, and a season five is already in the works.
Daredevil: Born Again
Born Again acts as the sequel to the three-season Netflix show Daredevil. In order for Born Again to make sense, viewers need to start by watching Daredevil. In canon, the setting for Born Again takes place around six to eight years after season three of Daredevil. Born Again season one showed the return of Bullseye, Punisher, and Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, the death of Foggy Nelson and White Tiger, Matt’s new relationship with Heather, a short arc with the villain Muse, and several intense lawyer scenes. The season ends in a cliff-hanger of sorts. Mayor Fisk has declared martial law, his Anti-Vigilante Task Force is hunting Daredevil, Bullseye is on the loose again, and Matt and his allies are planning a resistance. In the recently released season two teaser trailer, fans get a glimpse at what they’ll see on March 24th, when Disney+ will premiere the first episodes. Matt dons a new, all-black costume, he and Karen appear to rekindle their relationship (goodbye Heather, I guess), and his former teammate on the Defenders, Jessica Jones, returns. Personally, this is the show I’m most looking forward to. The darker, street-level setting creates a very realistic environment, the fight scenes are near-flawless, and the dialogue is very powerful. There’s also been a confirmed season three, so this won’t be the last we see of Matt Murdock.
Maul: Shadow Lord
Obviously, Darth Maul doesn’t qualify as a superhero. At best, he could be considered an anti-hero, but even then that might be a stretch. However, I suppose if he can be seen fighting the Empire, then for the sake of adding to the article we can include the show. Premiering April 6th, the show will follow Maul as he navigates the post-Order 66 galaxy under the clutches of the newly formed Empire. In the trailer, Maul can be seen fighting Inquisitors, stormtroopers, and members of various crime organizations. There also appears to be an important side character, another surviving Jedi of Order 66. Personally, I believe this trope has been overused. Obi-Wan and Yoda have now been joined by Ahsoka, Cal Kestis, Kanan Jarrus, Grogu, Cere Junda, multiple Inquisitors, and others in the comic books as survivors of a surgical purge. Does Star Wars really need to add another Jedi to this list? And then there’s also the fact that this film will fall in between the two trilogies, a time period that has been packed with countless other shows, movies, and video games. Rebels, Solo, Kenobi, Fallen Order, Andor, Bad Batch, and Rogue One. There’s already so much lore backed into this time period, that it begs the question, is another show really necessary? It will help explain how Maul survived Order 66 and grew to take over crime syndicates, as seen in the ending of the movie Solo. Personally, I believe the show is just another overused trope in an overpacked time period of the saga, a fan service. The show will likely be interesting, but because it isn’t crucial to the saga, it’s not as high on my watch list.
Overall, there’s going to be plenty of must-see TV this spring. Personally, I’m planning on watching Born Again first, Invincible second, and Shadow Lord third. Or maybe, I’ll have some days where I watch one episode of one show, and another day where I watch episodes from another. Either way, make sure you have your Prime Video and Disney+ subscriptions updated, and happy watching.
