The death of Foggy Nelson in the first episode of Daredevil: Born Again left fans devastated. Many viewers held onto hope that the beloved character might somehow return. Now, Charlie Cox, who plays Matt Murdock, has revealed that the show’s creative team actually discussed a different path that would have kept Foggy alive.
Cox shared this information during Entertainment Weekly’s Debunked video series, where he and co-star Vincent D’Onofrio responded to fan theories about the show. The news comes as the series prepares for its second season, which is set to premiere on Disney+ on March 24, 2026.
The Alternate Plan That Almost Saved Foggy
According to Cox, the writers and producers considered a scenario where Foggy Nelson, played by Elden Henson, would have survived the shooting by Bullseye. The alternate plan involved a big reveal at the end of season one.
“I remember there was a moment where they discussed the possibility of that being the case,” Cox told D’Onofrio in the interview. The scenario would have shown Foggy in a cage at the end of season one, confirming he was still alive.
But the team ultimately decided against this direction. Cox explained the reason clearly: “Sadly, that was not the case because we didn’t believe that it was realistic. And the thing about our show is we try to keep it as realistic as possible.”
Why Foggy’s Death Became Final
The death scene in the Daredevil: Born Again premiere showed Bullseye shooting Foggy outside Josie’s Bar, with Matt Murdock hearing his friend’s heartbeat stop. This moment became a turning point for the entire series.
Marvel Television head Brad Winderbaum spoke about the difficult decision to kill off Foggy. “The death of Foggy was something that we really agonized over,” Winderbaum said in a previous interview. He compared it to the death of Gambit in X-Men ’97, noting that both characters represent something essential to the core story, and their loss creates a major impact on the universe.
The showrunner Dario Scardapane also addressed the creative choice. Before he joined the project, Foggy’s death was planned to happen off-screen. Scardapane changed that approach. “It was in the material that I inherited, but unfortunately, it was off-screen. And I felt really strongly that if we were to do something that earth-shattering and something that was going to cause such a ripple effect in Matt’s life, we had to see it and we had to feel it.”
How The Original Plan Was Different
Before the creative overhaul in late 2023, Daredevil: Born Again had a very different direction. Early reports indicated that both Foggy Nelson and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) were originally going to be killed off before the events of the show even began.
When Marvel Studios brought in new leadership, they decided to bring both characters back as living figures in the story. However, Foggy’s fate was already set. While they changed how his death happened—bringing it on-screen instead of off-screen—they stuck with the decision to end his story.
Foggy’s Return For Season 2
Despite the character’s death, Elden Henson will appear in season two of Daredevil: Born Again. Winderbaum confirmed this news, though he kept details about the character’s return quiet.
“I actually haven’t seen the quote, but I can tell you he is in Season 2,” Winderbaum told Entertainment Weekly.
This confirmation has sparked new theories among fans. Some believe Foggy may appear in flashback scenes that show his history with Matt. Others point to the comics, where Foggy survived a stabbing and entered witness protection, leading to a fake death.
In the Daredevil comics, Foggy was stabbed while visiting Matt in prison. Later issues revealed the death was staged and Foggy had been placed in witness protection with a new identity. Some viewers noticed a possible clue in the show itself—the law firm’s address number 468 matches a comic issue where Foggy’s survival was revealed.
Charlie Cox Puts Theories To Rest
At a recent convention, Cox addressed the popular theory that Foggy might still be alive. His response was direct.
“Daredevil heard his heart stop. He’s dead. I’m sorry. I’m very sad. I am. I love that theory, but it’s wrong.”
Still, fans remain divided. Many remember how actors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have denied things in the past only to have those things turn out true. Andrew Garfield famously denied his return as Spider-Man before Spider-Man: No Way Home came out. Some viewers think Cox might be doing the same thing to protect a surprise.
Elden Henson’s Reaction To His Character’s Death
For Elden Henson, saying goodbye to Foggy was not an easy experience. He had played the character since the original Daredevil series started in 2015.
At a roundtable discussion with his co-stars, Henson was asked about the death scene. His response was simple: “Not my idea. Pretty sad. I really liked playing Foggy.”
He also talked about the bittersweet nature of returning to the role. “There was a reunion before we destroyed it,” Henson said, referring to the scene where Matt, Foggy, and Karen share a happy moment at the bar before the shooting. Sana Amanat, an executive producer, noted that the loss of Foggy serves as the “emotional heart” of the story moving forward.
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What This Means For The Series
The decision to kill Foggy changed the entire direction of Daredevil: Born Again. Matt Murdock gave up his identity as Daredevil for a full year after the event. He stopped working with Karen Page, who left New York City because she could not stay after what happened.
Vincent D’Onofrio, who plays Wilson Fisk, had his own reaction to the story choice. During the Debunked interview with Cox, D’Onofrio joked about the situation. “I would just like to say, and this is not a lie, that I am happy I wasn’t the one that killed Foggy,” he said.
Season two of Daredevil: Born Again will continue exploring the consequences of Foggy’s death. Krysten Ritter returns as Jessica Jones, and the show will dig deeper into Mayor Wilson Fisk’s control over New York City.
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