Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 hides one of its cleverest Easter eggs in plain sight. A bystander’s throwaway dig at Anti-Vigilante Task Force officers in Episode 2 quietly places Superman and his most debated costume detail inside the MCU.
Daredevil: Born Again Easter egg refers to Superman, Batman and many heroes
Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 Episode 2 features a direct reference to the classic superhero costume trope of exterior briefs.
A bystander mocks Anti-Vigilante Task Force officers over their tactical vests, saying: “You gonna start wearing your underwear on the outside, too?” The joke nods primarily to Superman’s iconic red trunks, but the trope spans heroes including Batman, Wolverine, and Daredevil himself.
The scene takes place at the hospital where Matt Murdock’s PI friend was admitted. This occurs just before Bullseye kills two AVTF officers in the elevator. The remark draws a parallel between the officers’ tactical gear and the classic superhero look, with Superman’s exterior trunks remaining the most recognizable example dating back to Action Comics #1 in 1938.
This is not the first time the MCU has referenced DC Comics characters. In Eternals, a child calls Ikaris “Superman” after seeing him shoot laser beams from his eyes on television. Director Chloé Zhao confirmed she wrote the line, and Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige approved it, saying only: “Oh, that’s cool” (via Variety).
Eternals also includes a Batman reference, with Gilgamesh calling Kingo’s valet “Alfred.” Zhao explained that Gilgamesh watches Batman and associates the role with Bruce Wayne’s butler. “For Gilgamesh, he watches ‘Batman.’ So when he sees someone’s valet, he goes, ‘Ah, I know!'” Zhao said.
Zhao has been clear that DC characters exist only as fictional icons within the MCU. “Everything that’s referenced in this film, whether it’s in words or visually, is a tribute,” she said. The Daredevil: Born Again reference continues this pattern, using one of superhero fiction’s most enduring costume details as cultural shorthand.
