Matt did his job. Hector was still killed. He can't let it go. He investigates. He promises Hector's niece that his killer will one day be found. He's willing to take on that burden. However, he's also committed to his path as a lawyer. A traumatic event led him to stop going out as Daredevil. It's likely only a traumatic event can inspire him to take up that mantle once more. That's the obvious direction the narrative pursues. Matt approaches Frank Castle essentially for permission to give into his dark side. He doesn't like it. He even denies it himself. Frank sees the situation for exactly what it is. He doesn't try to hide who he is. He is completely open with his motivations. He's still plagued by the death of his family. He can never let it go. He questions if Matt is truly honoring Foggy's memory. Matt has always believed in the system. That's why he devoted his life to being a lawyer. He fights for those who need justice. He became a vigilante to fill in the gaps. He had to step up to right wrongs in his community. He's willing to throw people off buildings. He also wants these criminals to be held accountable by the criminal justice system. He believes it can work. Bullseye is currently serving a life sentence. That's meant to provide some peace. It hasn't so far. Matt could talk to Heather about Foggy. That's not enough to ease his mind and allow him to feel comfortable in his current existence.
Matt has to investigate what happened to Hector. That's the way to honor what he stood for. He has questions the actions of the police. He fears it was retaliation for the not guilty verdict. Matt prevailed. He still couldn't keep his client safe. Hector made his choices. He couldn't give up being the White Tiger. That was his way of serving his community. Matt understood the impulse. He accepted that he didn't need a mask to be a hero. Now, he believes he's heroic for the deals he makes in the courtroom. He saved Hector for a bit. That wasn't enough. He also negotiates a seemingly impossible plea deal for Leroy Bradford on petty theft charges. It's a somewhat ridiculous case in comparison to the stakes throughout the narrative so far. It delivers a message clearly. Matt wants praise for dong the impossible. It's not a victory for Leroy though. His life has been ruined because of the criminal justice system. Every time he enters prison, he loses more of his freedom. That only makes him more desperate when he's released. The system doesn't care about him. Powerful people just want to profit off of his mistakes. The world takes advantage of him. He wants his lawyer to push back forcefully on his behalf. And yet, all of this is only articulated after Matt comes back with the deal. He knows the failings of the system. He still operates within it. He's also forced to acknowledge a different perspective.
Matt has access to Frank to ask him questions about Hector's death. The killer wore more than one symbol of the Punisher. It was on his shirt. It was also on the bullet casing. Matt found that crucial piece of evidence. He knew where to look because he listened to the environment. He saw how the scenario actually played out. He wasn't willing to accept the story as fact. He needed clarity. He has this connection to Frank to exploit. Frank has become a hero amongst the cops. He doesn't think much of the adulation. He doesn't seek to inspire. That's precisely what he has done. He has built something much bigger than himself. He doesn't want to reckon with that. It does nothing to ease his pain. He refuses to address it. He lives in that denial. Matt and Frank are similar in that way. Matt can deny how everything he feels is related to Foggy's death. That's still the reality. Matt accepts that he and Frank will never come close to matching Foggy's decency. He was an honest man who did something great. His life was cut short. The justice Matt got wasn't enough. He feels that with every fiber of his being. He doesn't want to acknowledge that. In doing so, his violent tendencies come out. Frank provokes him. That's a more honest way of living. It forces Matt to reckon with how far he is willing to go. He gains some comfort at home with Heather. However, it's just as exhilarating as he practices with his weapons. That affirms who he strives to be in this world.
Elsewhere, Fisk appreciates Daniel's constant display of loyalty. He recognizes it as rare. It's not something he stumbles upon easily. Daniel made a mistake. Now, the press is running with a negative story about the mayor. Fisk has a transformational vision for the city. He has big plans that he wants to deliver on immediately. He doesn't understand the way things work. He requires Sheila to get things moving. That requires time. She sees all of this as commonplace. She works for a politician. She will do this job and then move on to the next. It doesn't have the potential to alter her life in a significant way. Everything Fisk does can be viewed as a threat. He insists he is a changed man. He aspires to be better for Vanessa. He's trying. He just doesn't know how to forgive. That wasn't something ever taught to him. He's willing to do it for her. Yet he refuses to listen to what she wants. She didn't want him to hurt Adam. He has imprisoned him. She wants to protect their business interests despite their foray into politics. He's happy to see the mob families turn against each other. He hopes to use that chaos to amplify his message. He sees the pain he felt upon discovering the affair. He's slow in realizing the pain she experienced when he left. That all is being communicated through therapy. Vanessa isn't afraid Fisk will physically hurt her. It's possible that she should. Their relationship has changed. He's capable of anything. That unpredictability is dangerous. Fisk is in a powerful position. He's reckless at times but he also manipulates that into his favor. He tries to be genuine with Vanessa. He can't hide from the monstrosity within him that needs to exact vengeance on the person who hurt him. He can't blame Vanessa. So, he hurts Adam instead.
