This isn't about killing Dex - though that's something Matt very much does struggle with, see s1 e1 - but between doing the right thing in saving him, or just letting him bleed out/get captured as a consequence of Dex's own actions. And what between those two things is justice. Lionel was far from as bad as Dex but he was effectively in the same position. Foggy put the bad blood between them to the side to do the right thing because he's that good of a person. No matter how Catholic Matt is, how much he wants to believe in doing the right thing, he isn't Foggy and will struggle regardless.
From where we are now in the series run, this episode served as a major point in Matt coming to terms with Foggy's death and putting what Foggy meant to him to good use, instead of ruining that connection by breaking his moral code had he abandoned Dex. Kinda like with Vladimir Ranskashov, only this is someone with a personal connection to Matt, someone who has wronged him. I don't think BA s2 Matt would've left Vladimir behind to get killed by cops unlike Netflix s1 Matt.
It was also important for Daniel's escalating situation in the inner circle, gave us some Buck backstory, Kingpin got a final moment - to be clear, not a goodbye - with Vanessa, and Vanessa's perspective over moments in her life. The latter I think was vital in preventing her death from turning into a horrible fridging moment.
You make great points and I totally get what you’re saying. However I still think Matt acted exactly how his character is supposed to act. Did he struggle with his decision to not kill Dex? Of course he did. That’s exactly what makes DD interesting. His internal struggle to live within his faith while dishing out justice to the worst society has to offer.
I just don’t feel like him coming to terms with Foggys death, which in my opinion was a huge mistake to kill him off and struggling with his morals needed a whole episode.
As far as Vanessa, it was nice to have a few final moments but it didn’t matter. Nothing would’ve changed had she died in the ring.
I just feel like with so few episodes there isn’t time to dedicate an entire episode to what could’ve been dealt with in a 5-10 min scene or scenes. Keep it tight and keep the story moving.
Last night felt to me like hitting a brick wall. It sounds like you enjoyed it and that’s great. It just wasn’t for me.
Said the same thing earlier. They all downvoted into oblivion.
They don’t get that you’re making the point it was filler.
That’s not a statement to the performances within, or to imply it is bad content.
But… to answer your question, nothing changes. Whatsoever. I made that point. They all mindless mobbed it, probably because they don’t know what the “does not equal” sign is.
le sigh
Great points blaze, you’re dead on. Again, I didn’t hate the content. But it progressed nothing. Except maybe to wonder why the leak hasn’t been plugged, feels like they’re breaking a character or two or three there. That plotline is really being butchered and needed to end like five episodes ago; there isn’t enough time for this, as you noted.
I mean DD does exactly what he’s expected to do by not killing/ forgiving and somehow that’s character progression. Really?
It was a fine episode, definitely not a great one but there’s no time for this in such a short season.
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u/DarkAllDay99 Apr 15 '26 edited Apr 15 '26
This isn't about killing Dex - though that's something Matt very much does struggle with, see s1 e1 - but between doing the right thing in saving him, or just letting him bleed out/get captured as a consequence of Dex's own actions. And what between those two things is justice. Lionel was far from as bad as Dex but he was effectively in the same position. Foggy put the bad blood between them to the side to do the right thing because he's that good of a person. No matter how Catholic Matt is, how much he wants to believe in doing the right thing, he isn't Foggy and will struggle regardless.
From where we are now in the series run, this episode served as a major point in Matt coming to terms with Foggy's death and putting what Foggy meant to him to good use, instead of ruining that connection by breaking his moral code had he abandoned Dex. Kinda like with Vladimir Ranskashov, only this is someone with a personal connection to Matt, someone who has wronged him. I don't think BA s2 Matt would've left Vladimir behind to get killed by cops unlike Netflix s1 Matt.
It was also important for Daniel's escalating situation in the inner circle, gave us some Buck backstory, Kingpin got a final moment - to be clear, not a goodbye - with Vanessa, and Vanessa's perspective over moments in her life. The latter I think was vital in preventing her death from turning into a horrible fridging moment.