Why Did Kingpin Declare Martial Law in Daredevil: Born Again Finale?

Curious how Wilson Fisk ended up declaring martial law in Daredevil: Born Again? After securing his role as Mayor of New York, the Kingpin seizes a city in crisis and tightens his grip with extreme measures. With vigilantes outlawed, rogue officers unleashed, and public fear at an all-time high, Fisk transforms law enforcement into a weapon.

Here’s how Fisk’s rise to power led to martial law—and whether that could happen in real life.

Mayor Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin’s Martial Law in Daredevil: Born Again, explained

In the Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 finale, Wilson Fisk—played by Vincent D’Onofrio—uses his new position as Mayor of New York to impose martial law through a “Safer Streets Initiative.”

Episode 9, titled “Straight to Hell,” shows Fisk outlawing vigilantes and deploying rogue law enforcement. He takes full control after rogue cops fail to kill Daredevil. Fisk kills Police Commissioner Gallo in a public show of power. He then unleashes loyalist forces, using martial law to silence opposition and expand his criminal empire.

Martial law, by definition, replaces civilian authority with military or paramilitary control, typically during emergencies. According to D’Onofrio, Fisk’s goal is to “complete as many crimes as he can and get rid of the vigilantes” while holding the city in martial law.

This arc sets the stage for a potential Shadowland storyline in Season 2, as chaos spreads and Matt Murdock seeks allies to resist Kingpin’s rule. Despite the lack of legal basis, the declaration is effective due to the destabilized state of the city.

Could a Mayor declare Martial Law in real life?

Legally, mayors in the United States cannot declare martial law.

That authority lies with a state’s governor or the President. Mayors can declare local emergencies, issue curfews, and take civil safety actions. However, placing a city under military control exceeds their jurisdiction and would face constitutional challenges.

In 1871, the Mayor of Chicago voluntarily placed the city under General Philip Sheridan’s control after the Great Fire. This decision was not legally mandated and remains a rare exception. In modern practice, a mayor unilaterally declaring martial law is both unprecedented and legally invalid. The portrayal in Daredevil: Born Again is fictional and dramatized.