As Daredevil: Born Again prepares to close its chapter next year, the stakes have never been higher. Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) is fighting for survival behind bars, the Defenders are reassembling, and the long-running war with Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio) hangs in the balance. But amid all the chaos, one crucial element risks being overshadowed: the relationship between Matt and Karen Page. And according to Deborah Ann Woll, who plays Karen, that connection is the soul of the entire saga.
In a recent conversation at Fantastic Fest with Collider's Perri Nemiroff, Woll opened up about her approach to portraying Karen's bond with Matt. Rather than simply acting out love, she aims to build a genuine, lived-in connection with her co-star. "If it's falling in love, don't act love — create someone to fall in love with," she explained. "I can look at Charlie Cox's face and be like, 'There are things I genuinely love about this face,' and that, combined with the relationship I've created to Matt Murdock, means that falling in love is something that happens to you, rather than having to force it or show it or pretend it."
That philosophy has made Matt and Karen one of the most compelling couples in the Marvel universe. Their romance has been a slow burn since the original Daredevil series, where Karen was introduced as Matt's first client — a woman wrongly accused of murder. From there, she became his confidante, his colleague at Nelson & Murdock, and eventually the person who knows him better than anyone. Their chemistry has always felt authentic, which is why fans have rooted for them through every obstacle.
The importance of their relationship was underscored when showrunner Dario Scardapane rewrote the Born Again pilot to bring Karen and Foggy back into the fold after a major creative overhaul. Season 2 finally saw Matt and Karen become a couple, a payoff that felt earned after years of tension and unspoken feelings. Now, as the series heads into its final stretch, the question isn't just whether they'll survive — it's whether their love can endure the trials ahead. Will Karen fight to free Matt from prison? How will Elektra's return complicate things? These are the threads that need to be pulled.
Woll's dedication to Karen has made her a fan favorite, and her performance has elevated the character beyond the page. She's not just a love interest; she's a fully realized person with her own agency and pain. That's why it would be a disservice to sideline her in the final season. The show has already taken bold risks, like having Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) kill Foggy instead of Karen — a twist that subverted comic book expectations and deepened the emotional stakes. In the comics, Bullseye murders Karen in the Guardian Devil storyline, but Born Again wisely avoided that fate, choosing instead to explore the aftermath of Foggy's death and how it strains Matt and Karen's relationship.
As the series races toward its conclusion, it has a chance to give these characters the ending they deserve. Matt and Karen have been through hell together, and their bond has been the emotional bedrock of the show. To ignore that now would be to betray the very thing that made Daredevil special. Deborah Ann Woll has poured her heart into Karen, and she deserves a final season that honors that work.
Seasons 1 and 2 of Daredevil: Born Again are currently streaming on Disney+. For more on the show's future, check out our thoughts on supporting casts and epic finales that got it right.
