The Punisher or Bullseye? The 10 Strongest Villains of ‘Daredevil,’ Ranked

When it comes to helping keep Hell’s Kitchen safe, there’s no better man for the job than Daredevil. The original Netflix series, Daredevil, followed Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), a lawyer who had been blinded in an accident as a child and worked as a masked vigilante by night. Although it was canceled in 2018 after three seasons, it was rebooted for Disney+ in 2025 as Daredevil: Born Again, set a few years after the events of the original series and one year after Matt retires as Daredevil. A second season is expected to air in 2026. The character, as well as others from the series, has also appeared in other projects throughout the MCU.

Like all superheroes and masked vigilantes, Daredevil has faced off against plenty of villains in his quest to defend Hell’s Kitchen, some stronger than others. And while not all the infamous villains from the original comic have appeared, there have been plenty of Easter eggs acknowledging them, as well as some who never reached their full villainous potential. Plus, there’s always the potential for more to show up.

10

Leland Owlsley

Played by Bob Gunton

Leland Owlsley (Bob Gunton) was an accountant and associate of Wilson Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) who was in charge of his money. When he became concerned that Fisk was getting too distracted by his new girlfriend, Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer), he tried to kill her—which only incurred Fisk’s wrath. When Fisk learned of Leland’s plans, he threw him down an elevator shaft. Leland also appears in the comics as an infamous crime lord in his own right and the villain the Owl.

It’s no surprise that Kingpin’s henchmen would be just as brutal as he is, and what Leland lacked in physicality he made up for in intelligence. The Owlsley of the show was different from that of the comics, however—while fans may have suspected they’d eventually see him or even his son as the careful and cunning Owl, the very first original villain Daredevil ever faced, he instead met a brutal end.

Daredevil

Release Date

2015 – 2018-00-00

Showrunner

Steven S. DeKnight

9

Buck Cashman

Played by Arty Froushan

Buck Cashman (Arty Froushan) worked as a fixer for the Fisk couple, functioning similarly to the character of James Wesley (Toby Leonard Moore) in the original series. He worked alongside another Fisk associate, Daniel Blake, to blackmail New York City council into supporting Fisk’s Safer Streets initiative. In the comics, Cashman is a black ops agent who uses the codename Bullet, but whether the Cashman of the series takes up the moniker remains to be seen.

There’s a certain amount of power that comes with working as a fixer for the Fisks, even if Cashman doesn’t hold much of it on his own—although it does take a certain amount of power, as well as boldness, to blackmail the whole city council. Cashman’s counterpart in the comics also has great strength in the more literal sense, as he has some impressive superpowers. There’s no telling what he might do next.

8

James Wesley

Played by Toby Leonard Moore

James Wesley (Toby Leonard Moore) worked as Fisk’s right-hand man who oversaw his criminal empire’s daily operations in Daredevil. After Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) began digging into Fisk’s past and visited his mother, Wesley sought to stop her. He took Karen hostage and threatened to kill her loved ones, then her—without Fisk’s knowledge—Karen fought back and shot Wesley with his own gun, and his death has continued to impact the series, particularly through Fisk and his behavior.

Like any good henchman, Wesley was a loyal man willing to do just about anything for his boss, and his proximity to Fisk afforded him some power himself. Unfortunately, though, that also made him cocky, which proved to be his downfall—it finally caught up with him when he underestimated Karen, with deadly consequences. The interaction demonstrated what Wesley could accomplish on his own, even if it didn’t end well for him.

7

Vanessa Fisk

Played by Ayelet Zurer

After Vanessa (Ayelet Zurer) and Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) had a romantic relationship in the original series, Daredevil: Born Again further explored their marriage and Vanessa’s expanded role in his empire. Most notably, she was responsible for the death of Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), as she was the one who ordered the hit on him—she made a deal with Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) and had him released from prison—because he uncovered the Red Hook Port. Matt confronted her about this at Fisk’s inaugural ball.

Vanessa has never been the typical villain’s wife—where most people would be shocked to learn of their partner’s role in violent organized crime, Vanessa embraced it and has become a force to be reckoned with all her own. She seemed willing to do just about anything throughout Daredevil: Born Again, and that seems unlikely to change moving forward. The true scope of her power and cruelty is demonstrated in her manipulation of Bullseye.

6

Elektra

Played by Elodie Yung

Elektra (Elodie Yung) was an assassin who trained under Stick (Scott Glenn) to be part of the Chaste, but the group eventually thought her to be too dangerous. She eventually fell in love with Matt and the two had a relationship. She has not been seen since, although there’s a possibility she’ll return for Born Again. She was also an assassin in the comics, where she was first seen attempting to collect a bounty on Daredevil.

While not strictly a villain, Elektra has certainly made things difficult for Matt at times—she represented his darker side and encouraged him to embrace it. Her role and relationship with Matt have fluctuated throughout the comic, reflected in their interactions in the series. The two had great chemistry with each other. Elektra’s extensive training truly made her a force to be reckoned with, no matter who she was up against.

5

Muse

Played by Hunter Doohan

Bastian Cooper (Hunter Doohan) was better known by his alias, Muse, in Daredevil: Born Again. He was a graffiti artist and brutal killer who made “art” out of his victims’ blood and caught the attention of Daredevil, who eventually lured him out of hiding and presumably killed him. Fisk, for his part, used Muse to justify his anti-vigilante stance. In the comics, Muse is an Inhuman, with skills and traits which make it difficult for Matt to sense him.

Of all the villains to appear throughout both Daredevil and Born Again, Muse’s appearance was certainly the most notable—and most unnerving. Almost as unnerving as the ways he used his victims’ blood. He proved to be a problem for both Kingpin and Daredevil, as his murals made with human blood were critical of Fisk’s anti-vigilante policies. Although his time in the series was brief, Muse still left an impression.

4

Nobu and The Hand

Played by Peter Shinkoda

The Hand was a secret society operating within Daredevil which used Fisk to bring a young boy known as Black Sky into the city, with origins in 1500s Japan. The Hand plays a larger role in the Daredevil comics than in either series, and the comics also delve deeper into the organization’s history and influence, with Elektra as its most famous member. Daredevil himself was also a member at one point.

Like other similar organizations, the Hand was responsible for or had ties to some of the other most notable villains Daredevil has encountered. And it goes without saying that such an organization—especially one which Fisk to do its bidding—had tremendous reach. The Hand was one of the most iconic villains of the comics, but it didn’t fit well into the show’s grittier, more grounded approach to the story.

3

The Punisher

Played by Jon Bernthal

Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), also known as The Punisher, first appeared in Daredevil as a former Marine who served in both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He turned vigilante after his entire family was killed in a shooting, and he sought justice for their killers. When he was ultimately captured by Fisk’s Anti-Vigilante Task Force, he was given the opportunity to serve as its leader, which he refused. After spending some time in prison, he attempted to break out.

Although The Punisher’s skull logo is a popular one among the military and law enforcement—both in the series and in the real world—the character himself is not someone who should be venerated. His actions may be rooted in grief and a desire for justice, but he’s a ruthless killer who operates under his own rules. The Punisher’s motivation and methods may be very different from Daredevil’s, but they understand they have a lot in common.

The Punisher

Release Date

2017 – 2018

Network

Disney Channel

2

Bullseye

Played by Wilson Bethel

Ben Poindexter (Wilson Bethel), also known as Bullseye, was one of the most notable villains in the Daredevil comics, so named because of his precise accuracy and ability to pinpoint and kill any target. He was a cause for trouble throughout the series. Most recently, he was responsible for killing Foggy in the first episode of Daredevil: Born Again, which helped to set in motion the events for the season moving forward.

From his first moments in Daredevil, Bullseye proved to be a formidable enemy, with deadly skills similar to those he had in the comics—and plenty of Easter eggs hinting at his comic persona, as well. His role in Foggy’s death certainly makes things more personal for Daredevil, and it’s no surprise that he would seek vengeance for Foggy’s death. Similar to Kingpin, Bullseye’s adult life was informed by having been neglected as a child.

1

Kingpin

Played by Vincent D’Onofrio

Wilson Fisk, also known as Kingpin, is the main villain throughout both Daredevil shows, with the titular masked vigilante working to expose and put an end to Kingpin’s criminal underworld. Fisk was on a troubled path from his childhood—he killed his abusive father. In Daredevil: Born Again, Kingpin became mayor of New York and used the position to outlaw the work of masked vigilantes. Kingpin is also a crucial villain in the Daredevil comics, and he also appears in Hawkeye and Echo.

No matter how you define “strongest,” Kingpin embodies it—he’s a large, imposing figure with great physical strength, but his influence over Hell’s Kitchen is even more formidable. Fisk is the most feared figure in the city for good reason, as he’s directly responsible for much of its crime and corruption. His successful campaign for mayor demonstrates just how much political influence he has, and the fact that he won only means he’s become even more powerful.

NEXT: The 15 Best ‘Daredevil’ Characters, Ranked