It happened so fast. If you blinked, or if you were busy grabbing a handful of popcorn, you might have missed the most significant legal consultation in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
When Peter Parker sat at his kitchen table, flanked by Aunt May and Happy Hogan, the tension was thick enough to cut with a web-shooter. He was a teenager whose life had just been detonated by Mysterio. He needed a lawyer. Not just any lawyer, but a "really good lawyer."
Then came the cane.
The appearance of Daredevil in Spider-Man No Way Home—specifically Charlie Cox returning as Matt Murdock—wasn't just fanservice. It was a bridge. For years, fans had been shouting into the void, wondering if the gritty, blood-soaked world of the Netflix Daredevil series was actually "canon" to the bright, billion-dollar Avengers films.
That one brick-catching scene answered the question.
The brick heard 'round the world
Let’s be real for a second. The actual screen time Matt Murdock gets in No Way Home is roughly seventy seconds. That’s it. In a movie that clocks in at nearly two and a half hours and features three different versions of Peter Parker, seventy seconds is a heartbeat.
But it’s the impact of those seconds.
Peter is sitting there, overwhelmed. Suddenly, a brick comes crashing through the window. It’s aimed right at his head. Before Peter—who has literal spider-sense, mind you—can even react, the blind man sitting next to him catches it with his back turned.
"How did you do that?" Peter asks, stunned.
Murdock’s reply is iconic: "I'm a really good lawyer."
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That moment did two things simultaneously. First, it confirmed that Matt Murdock possesses his superhuman reflexes and radar sense in the MCU proper. Second, it signaled to the audience that the "street-level" heroes were finally being invited to the big kids' table. You've got to appreciate the restraint shown by director Jon Watts here. He didn't put Matt in the red suit. He didn't have him flip off a rooftop. He just let him be the wise, slightly mysterious counselor that Peter desperately needed.
Why the timing of the Daredevil cameo mattered
There was a lot of legal red tape behind the scenes. When Netflix canceled Daredevil in 2018, a specific clause in the contract prevented Disney from using the character in any other project for two years.
Fans were counting down the days.
The rumors started swirling almost the moment that moratorium ended. When the first trailers for No Way Home dropped, people were analyzing the forearms of a man in a white shirt, trying to figure out if it was Charlie Cox. It was peak internet obsession.
Honestly, the inclusion of Daredevil in Spider-Man No Way Home was a masterclass in managing expectations. If they had waited until the final battle at the Statue of Liberty to reveal him, it would have felt cluttered. By putting him in the first act, Marvel treated him like a natural part of Peter's world.
Think about the logic of it. Who else would take Peter’s case? Matt Murdock is famous in the comics for representing the downtrodden and the misunderstood. Peter Parker, accused of murder and domestic terrorism, fits that bill perfectly.
The Netflix connection and the "Soft Reboot" debate
Is this the exact same Matt Murdock we watched for three seasons on Netflix?
Kevin Feige and the team at Marvel Studios have been somewhat coy about this, but the consensus among fans and the subsequent appearance of Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio) in Hawkeye suggests it is. However, there’s a slight "soft reboot" energy to it.
The Murdock we see in No Way Home feels a bit more confident, perhaps a bit more integrated into the wider superhero community. He isn't covered in bandages or brooding in a dark hallway. He's professional. He's sharp. He's handling a high-profile federal case like it's a Tuesday.
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- The suit: He’s wearing his signature gray suit and red-tinted glasses.
- The cane: It’s the same folding design we grew to love.
- The attitude: He still has that dry, Irish-Catholic wit.
The nuance here is important. By bringing back the original actor but placing him in a new context, Marvel validated the years fans spent watching the Netflix show without requiring new viewers to have watched all 39 episodes of the original series to understand who he is.
What Matt Murdock actually did for Peter Parker
Beyond catching bricks, Murdock provided the one thing Peter couldn't get from Tony Stark or Doctor Strange: legal protection and a sense of calm.
Happy Hogan was under investigation. Aunt May was worried about their housing situation. Peter was being harassed by drones and the Daily Bugle. Murdock stepped in and essentially told the Department of Damage Control to back off. He pointed out that while Peter might be in the clear legally for the Mysterio incident, the "court of public opinion" was a different beast entirely.
This is a side of the superhero world we rarely see. Usually, it's all about who can punch the hardest. In No Way Home, we see the logistical nightmare of being a "public" superhero. Matt Murdock represents the intersection of the law and the mask.
The ripple effect on the MCU
The appearance of Daredevil in Spider-Man No Way Home set the stage for everything that followed.
- She-Hulk: Attorney at Law: We got to see Matt Murdock in a much larger role, finally donning a yellow-and-red suit and engaging in a "lawyer-off" with Jennifer Walters.
- Echo: Matt made a brief but brutal appearance, reminding everyone that he is still a terrifying fighter.
- Daredevil: Born Again: The upcoming Disney+ series is the direct result of the massive reception to his cameo in No Way Home.
If the audience hadn't cheered so loudly in theaters when Matt appeared on screen, we might not be getting a new 18-episode series. It was a litmus test. And the fans passed with flying colors.
Correcting the misconceptions
Some people walked away from the movie thinking Matt Murdock was just a "blink and you'll miss it" Easter egg. That's a mistake.
His presence confirms that the "Save Daredevil" campaign worked. It also suggests that other characters from the "Defenders" era—like Jessica Jones or Luke Cage—could potentially show up at any moment. It expanded the boundaries of the MCU without needing a multiverse portal to do it. Matt was always there, in Hell's Kitchen, just a few subway stops away from Peter's apartment in Queens.
Also, let’s clear up the "brick" thing. Some people thought it was a lucky catch. It wasn't. Matt Murdock's radar sense allows him to perceive the world in 360 degrees. He knew the brick was coming before the person even threw it. His "really good lawyer" line is the ultimate "if you know, you know" wink to the audience.
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The Spider-Man and Daredevil partnership
In the comic books, Spider-Man and Daredevil are often referred to as the "Protectors of New York." They have one of the most grounded, respectful friendships in the Marvel Universe.
They both struggle with the weight of their secrets. They both operate on a budget. They both love their city with a ferocity that borders on self-destruction. Seeing them share a table—even if it was just to talk about legal strategy—was a milestone.
It makes you wonder what happens next. Now that the world has forgotten Peter Parker is Spider-Man (thanks to Doctor Strange's final spell), does Matt Murdock still remember Peter? Probably not. But he might remember Spider-Man. Or, more likely, he'll encounter Spider-Man on a rooftop somewhere and recognize the heartbeat of the kid who once sat across from him in a cramped apartment.
How to revisit the Daredevil story today
If you’re one of the few who hasn’t seen the original Netflix series, or if you just want to prep for the future, here is the roadmap. You don't need a degree in Marvel history, but a little context helps.
- Watch Daredevil Season 1-3: It’s still some of the best superhero television ever made. The fight choreography is unparalleled.
- Re-watch the No Way Home scene: Pay attention to the sound design when the brick flies through the window. There's a subtle high-frequency ringing that mimics Matt's heightened senses.
- Check out She-Hulk Episode 8: This shows the lighter, more "superheroic" side of Matt that we might see more of in the future.
- Track the news on Born Again: The production has gone through some major creative overhauls to ensure it stays true to the gritty tone of the original show while fitting into the new MCU.
The path forward for the Man Without Fear
Matt Murdock’s role in the MCU is only going to grow. He’s no longer confined to a corner of the universe that the movies ignore. He’s a key player.
Whether he’s defending superheroes in court or taking down organized crime in the streets, Charlie Cox has reclaimed the character in a way that feels definitive. The cameo in No Way Home was the starting gun.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, start paying attention to the "street-level" rumors. There's talk of Kingpin running for Mayor of New York. There's talk of a Spider-Man/Daredevil team-up movie. While nothing is set in stone, the foundation laid in that one tiny scene is enough to build a whole new era of storytelling.
Keep an eye on the casting calls for New York-based Marvel projects. Look for references to "Nelson, Murdock, and Page" in the background of other shows. The MCU is getting smaller, more intimate, and a lot more dangerous. That's exactly where Matt Murdock thrives.
The next time you see a brick flying through a window in a Marvel movie, don't worry about the glass. Worry about who's catching it. Because chances are, they're a really good lawyer.