The following contains spoilers for Daredevil #4, now on sale from Marvel Comics.
Daredevil is one of Marvel’s most infamous flirts, sharing plenty of romantic interludes with numerous characters over the years. Throughout his history though, he’s always been connected to the master assassin Elektra — and now, the two are officially linked for good.
Daredevil and Elektra are formally married in Daredevil #4 (by Chip Zdarsky, Rafael De Latorre, Matthew Wilson, and VC’s Clayton Cowles), with the pair officially becoming King and Queen of the Fist by completing a marriage ceremony that involves fighting zombie ninjas.
Daredevil is currently on a major trajectory towards a monumentally impactful future. Alongside Elektra and Stick, Daredevil intends to take charge of the Fist — a counter to the Hand that could destroy the evil undead ninja cult once and for all. To that end, Daredevil and Elektra have to live up to an old prophecy surrounding the fate of the Hand, which declares that the King and Queen of the Fist will be crucial in breaking the cult to pieces. To achieve that status though, Daredevil and Elektra have to survive a ceremony, affirming their commitment to the Fist and to one another (on top of preparing them for major threats like the Punisher, who is currently the Beast’s champion within the Hand).
With their former mentor nearby, the pair reach an ancient cave in the mountains containing the souls of all the Hand’s dead soldiers. Working together, the two survive the onslaught of soldiers, left exhausted by the battle. Stick asks for them to share a vow by leading the Fist, and after both say “I do,” their former mentor officially declares Daredevil and Elektra husband and wife. It’s a big development for both characters, who’ve spent a great deal of time romantically entangled — but this seems to officially make the pair Marvel’s latest married superhero couple. They’re far from the only ones — but this latest power couple could have a serious impact on the future of the Marvel Universe.
The Marvel Universe has been exploring long-term superhero romances for decades. Some have stood the test of time, like Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman, while others have blossomed under stressful circumstances, like the romance between Luke Cage and Jessica Jones. Others have crumbled to the pressure of their responsibilities — such as the marriage between Black Panther and Storm — while others were complicated by the heroes themselves, perhaps most infamously the original Ant-Man’s relationship with the Wasp. None of those marriages necessarily involved fighting a horde of undead warriors, but that seems par for the course for Daredevil and Elektra, especially given their history fighting (and even being a part of) the Hand.
Daredevil himself spends the issue agonizing over his decision, noting his lingering feelings for Kirsten McDuffie but his love for Elektra. Daredevil’s history with tragic romances means there’s always going to be a hint of danger to him tying the knot with Elektra — and given her own history, they could both invite lots of problems. It’s also been hinted that the prophecy about Daredevil and Elektra involves one of them dying — setting the stage for Marvel’s latest marriage to end just as it begins. On the other hand, Elektra and Daredevil have felt fated to be together at times, always finding another again regardless of the challenges or tasks placed before them. This could be a major development for both characters, and could even set the stage for the pair to have a child (as they have in other realities across the Marvel multiverse).
This content was originally published here.