Is The Hand from ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ the Same Villains That Haunted ‘Daredevil’?
Marvel fans walked into ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ expecting web slinging and instead got a full blown ‘Daredevil‘ reunion. The ninja assassins known as The Hand showed up on the big screen, and longtime viewers immediately started asking whether this is the same group that tormented Matt Murdock across two seasons of streaming television.
The short answer is yes, and the way Marvel handled it says a lot about where the franchise is headed next.
The Hand’s Shared History with Daredevil
The Hand has always been connected with Daredevil above all other heroes in the Marvel Universe, and Elektra’s own battles with them never changed that fact since she remains first and foremost a Daredevil supporting character. That pedigree is exactly why fans reacted so strongly when the group turned up in Peter Parker’s corner of the map.
In the comics, The Hand functions as a ninja clan and pseudo religious cabal that worships a demon known as the Beast. Factions like the Fist and the Chaste have fought to contain that evil over the years, but Daredevil remains arguably their most persistent enemy.
Spidey is also briefly taking on The Hand, a cohort of ninjas that had a whole season on Netflix’s ‘Daredevil’ series as the villain, and that shared lineage is precisely why the group’s reappearance felt less like a random cameo and more like unfinished business.
How The Hand Turns Up in ‘Brand New Day’
The Hand played a genuinely major role in the new film rather than a blink and miss it reference. They clashed with Spider-Man once he realized his enemy Metzger had been lying to him the entire time, and Spider-Man did something even Daredevil struggled with in the past, he beat them convincingly.
This version was not backed by the demon that usually fuels their power in the comics, and Spider-Man had also leveled up through his own DNA mutating during the story. Even accounting for that context, taking down one of Daredevil’s deadliest villain groups solo was a significant flex for Peter.
The Hand’s presence sits alongside other unmistakable nods to Matt Murdock’s world throughout the film. The Punisher, long tied to Daredevil’s Netflix and Disney Plus era, appears in a direct capacity, and Sheila Rivera briefly returns as well, a character last seen in ‘Daredevil Born Again’ Season 2.
Why Daredevil Himself Is Missing from the Story
Despite pulling so heavily from Matt Murdock’s rogues gallery, ‘Spider-Man Brand New Day’ does not include Daredevil in any form, and there is not even a passing mention of him. Charlie Cox had repeatedly denied being part of the film, and this time the denials turned out to be accurate.
Spider-Man deals with The Hand entirely on his own in this outing, without any assistance from Matt’s side of New York.
That choice is notable given how deeply entangled the rest of the film is with ‘Daredevil’ lore, right down to the political fallout from the vigilante ban depicted in ‘Daredevil Born Again’ Season 2, which the new mayor’s appearance in Brand New Day quietly acknowledges without ever explaining it outright.
Interestingly, a scene featuring Rosario Dawson’s Claire Temple was actually filmed for the movie before it was ultimately cut. That detail suggests Marvel considered building an even bigger bridge between the two properties before scaling things back for this particular release.
What This Means for ‘Daredevil: Born Again ‘Season 3
With ‘Daredevil Born Again’ already renewed for a third season, insiders have suggested that casting calls are underway for Asian warriors, which many fans are reading as a sign The Hand will return in Matt Murdock’s own show as well. That would make sense given the group just resurfaced on the big screen with a more comic accurate look, and it would be strange for Marvel to reintroduce them so prominently without eventually sending them after their signature enemy.
Set photos have also pointed to Iron Fist, Elektra Natchios, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones all converging on the upcoming season, which lines up neatly with a larger Hand centered storyline and the possibility of the Defenders reassembling. Claire Temple’s long teased comeback is reportedly part of that plan too, which may explain why her scene was held back from Brand New Day in the first place.
For now, Peter Parker gets to claim a win over one of Daredevil’s most dangerous enemies while Matt himself remains on the sidelines, at least until Season 3 gives him the chance to settle the score. Do you think Daredevil needs to face down a fully powered version of The Hand in his own show to really call this rivalry finished?
