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"Semper Fidelis"
Series Daredevil
Season 2, Episode 6
Daredevil 2x07 001
Air date March 18th, 2016
Writers Luke Kalteux
Director Ken Girotti
Producers John C. Kelley; Lauren Schmidt Hissrich; Michael Stricks; Mark Verheiden; Cindy Holland; Alison Engel; Allie Goss; Kris Henigman; Alan Fine; Joe Quesada; Stan Lee; Dan Buckley; Jim Chory; Jeph Loeb; Drew Goddard; Marco Ramirez; Douglas Petrie; Karim Zreik; Emma Fleischer; Tom Lieber; Keira Morrisette
Starring Charlie Cox; Deborah Ann Woll; Elden Henson; Jon Bernthal; Elodie Yung; Stephen Rider
Episode guide
Previous
"Regrets Only"
Next
"Guilty as Sin"

"Semper Fidelis" is the seventh episode from season two of the superhero fantasy and crime drama series Daredevil, and the twentieth episode of the series overall. It was directed by Ken Girotti with a script written by Luke Kalteux. All episodes from season two were made available on instant streaming video on Netflix on March 18th, 2016. In this episode, the Trial of the Century begins as everyone gears up for "The People vs. Frank Castle". Unfortunately, Matt Murdock fails to make an appearance during opening statements. This is because femme fatale Elektra Natchios ropes him into helping her out in her personal crusade against the Yakuza.

Cast[]

Starring[]

Actor Role
Charlie Cox Daredevil, Matt Murdock
Deborah Ann Woll Karen Page
Elden Henson Foggy Nelson
Jon Bernthal The Punisher, Frank Castle
Elodie Yung ELektra
Stephen Rider Blake Tower

Guest Starring[]

Actor Role
Michelle Hurd Samantha Reyes
Deirdre Madigan Judge Cynthia Batzer
Eric Michael Gillett Doctor Gregory Tepper
Joe Forbrich Philip Cabroni

Co-Starring[]

Actor Role
Michael Kincade Bailiff
Michael Pantozzi Clean young man
Christian Keiber Corrections officer
Craig Bockhorn Middle-aged man
Elizabeth Flax Older woman
Lana Yoo Prostitute One
Hye Jin Jang Prostitute Two
Ana Maria Jomoica Single mom
Josh Weinstein Stock broker
Kaliswa Brewster Young African-American woman

Notes & Trivia[]

  • This episode is rated TV-MA. It contains strong language and scenes of graphic violence. Viewer discretion is advised.
  • Beginning with this episode, actor Stephen Rider is added to the main cast line-up.
  • This is the second episode of Daredevil directed by Ken Girotti. It is his first episode from season two of the series. He previously directed the season one episode, "In the Blood".
  • "The Trial of Frank Castle" begins with this episode. It had its lead-up during Frank's hospital based arraignment in "Regrets Only".

Allusions[]

  • The title of this episode is taken from the Latin phrase "Semper Fidelis", which means "always loyal". It is often shortened to just "Semper Fi", which is a commonly spoken motto amongst members of the United States Marine Corps, of which Frank Castle was once a member. Frank intoned the phrase "Semper Fi" to a fellow war veteran during his rooftop confrontation with Daredevil in "New York's Finest".
  • During trial testimony, reference is made to the Irish Social Club. This was the scene of the Punisher's first on-screen massacre in the season two premiere episode, "Bang". Here he gunned down numerous members of the Kitchen Irish organized crime cartel.
  • One of the potential jurors compares Frank Castle to Bernie Goetz. Bernie Goetz was a self-styled vigilante who was responsible for shooting four muggers in a New York City subway in 1984. The ensuing trial garnered nationwide media attention. Bernie Goetz received a Not Guilty verdict for the shootings, but was found guilty of carrying an unlicensed firearm.

Story notes[]

  • Karen Page visits Frank Castle in prison. She tries to convince him to go with a PTSD defense, but he rebukes, telling her that it would be insulting to those who actually suffer from it.
  • Daredevil and Elektra interrogate an NYU professor on the Yakuza payroll concerning the encrypted Roxxon ledger. From there, they discover a number of key locations for secret drop-offs, one of which is property formerly purchased by Wilson Fisk. After fighting Yakuza men, they find an old warehouse and inside is a massive crater.
  • The trial of Frank Castle begins. Matt misses out on opening statements, leaving Foggy Nelson in the lurch. Foggy makes opening statements, and Matt comes into the courtroom at the end.
  • Elektra terrorizes New York medical examiner Gregory Tepper, compelling him to confess to doctoring the autopsy reports on Frank Castle's family when he gives testimony at the trial. Judge Cynthia Batzer rules the confession inadmissible, which actually serves to damage Nelson & Murdock's case.
  • Matt Murdock and Foggy Nelson argues in the men's room at the courthouse. Matt confesses that Elektra is his secret rich client, and that she is the one who threatened Gregory Tepper.

Quotes[]

  • Karen Page: Just for a minute, try... try to be Frank Castle. To be solely fueled by... by a single cluster of seconds. One moment in your entire life... and every time you close your eyes, you relive that moment. And every time you open them, you find only the briefest peace before you realize that that nightmare is real. That nothing has changed. Your family isn't coming back, and so you watch them die all over again right in front of you. We're not talking about something that happened to Frank Castle, we're talking about something that is happening to him.

....

  • Karen Page: Hi, Frank.
  • Frank Castle: Ma'am.
  • Karen Page: Umm, we've been, uh, looking over similar cases... legal precedents and we... we think it would help to bring forth someone from your past... maybe from your military unit, someone who could, uh, speak to the nature of your service.
  • Frank Castle: What's that got to do with anything?
  • Karen Page: Umm... it's a character witness. Uh, we put someone on the stand who... who knows you well. Uh, can... can speak to what you've been through.
  • Frank Castle: PTSD, huh?
  • Karen Page: We think it would greatly help with your defense.
  • Frank Castle: Don't do that. It's an insult.
  • Karen Page: Lots of veterans experience it.
  • Frank Castle: I'm not talking about me, I'm talking about them. It's an insult to them, people who are actually going through it. I know what you want to do, you want to sit here and label me just another case of some crazy-ass combat vet who lost his mind, huh? Maybe that'll appeal to some shitbag jury in some shitbag court. It wasn't on a battlefield. That's not when my life went to shit.

....

  • Bailiff: All rise, court is now in session, the Honorable Judge Cynthia Batzer presiding. Indictment number 1986-4447, "The People v. Frank Castle".

Crew[]

See also[]

The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Agent Carter

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Jessica Jones

The Inhumans

External Links[]

Series links

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