Summary

  • A man named Goldy is revealed to have orchestrated most of the tragedy in Matt Murdock's life in order to push Daredevil to become a better hero.
  • Goldy is responsible for Elektra's failure to recruit Matt to the Hand, for Daredevil meeting Typhoid Mary, and for Matt Murdock's secret identity becoming public.
  • Goldy manipulated events to challenge Matt Murdock into becoming Marvel's greatest hero.

Daredevil has had a difficult life filled with tragedy, and Marvel recently revealed that a lot of the misery he's endured wasn't just random coincidence, but actually orchestrated by one specific character. A character known as Goldy truly puts Matt Murdock's faith to the test when he reveals he has long been Matt's very own guardian angel and is responsible for most of Matt's tragedy.

Everything Matt Murdock knows about his life is turned upside down in 2022's Daredevil #2 by Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto. In this story, Robert Goldman, also known as Goldy, reveals himself to be behind the majority of traumatic events that have occurred in Daredevil's life. While Daredevil's twin brother Mike Murdock can claim responsibility for the accident that caused Matt his vision, Goldy is responsible for almost everything else.

Goldy Admits He's Been Behind Most Of Daredevil's Life

Goldy is a man with bizarre powers. Not only is he able to turn completely golden on command, radiating a dazzling light, but he also claims to hear the voice of God. It's this voice that pushes Goldy to be a major force in Matt's life, constantly trying to turn him into a better hero.

Goldy Is The Reason Matt Didn't Join The Hand

When Matt Murdock meets Elektra, long before he becomes Daredevil, she has been tasked with getting him to join the Hand. The Hand is a villainous organization that is responsible for many ills in the world and has caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people throughout history. Elektra fully intends to recruit Matt into the Hand, and with how wildly in love with her Matt is, it's possible he might actually join. During a hostage situation, Matt witnesses the hostage die in front of him due to someone in the crowd screaming out that the hostages are being killed. This event is first seen in 1981's Daredevil #168 by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson.

The horror of seeing someone die in front of him like that, hearing each bullet piercing his skin and organs, cements Matt's desire to be a hero and to save people. It also causes Elektra to veer off her path as a Hand assassin, and she gives up on recruiting Matt. Matt never considers the identity of the person who calls out that the hostages are being killed, or why they do this. He honestly thinks of it as just a tragic mistake. But the reveal that it's been Goldy all along, acting on the voice of God that he hears, shows that Goldy has had a hand in Matt's life from the beginning.

Typhoid Mary Only Entered Kingpin And Daredevil's Lives Due To Goldy

Goldy Put Typhoid Mary Into Contact With Wilson Fisk

Typhoid Mary is the wife of Kingpin and a powerful mutant. She has fought against both Daredevil and Kingpin on separate instances due to her split personality. The innocent Mary tends to prefer Matt Murdock and doesn't want to hurt anyone, while Typhoid is a brutal assassin and one of Kingpin's most powerful enforcers. She has shown up several times in comics, even using her mutant powers to set Matt on fire in front of a love interest at one point. She's an incredibly dangerous individual, and it turns out she's only in Kingpin and Matt's life due to Goldy.

While talking about the things Goldy has done to push Matt to become a better hero, one of the things mentioned is whispering in Typhoid Mary's ear how to contact Kingpin. This is seen way back in 1988's Daredevil #254 by Ann Nocenti and John Romita Jr. Typhoid has been a persistent enemy to Daredevil ever since, and it's entirely because of Goldy. This one event has wide-reaching consequences, since Kingpin will eventually use his marriage to Typhoid in a bid to claim citizenship in Krakoa.

Goldy Was Even Behind Daredevil's Identity Leaking

Daredevil's Secret Identity Leaking Was A Major Event In His Life

Goldy Was Behind Daredevil's Identity Being Leaked

Matt Murdock's secret identity as Daredevil is revealed in the iconic 2001-2006 Daredevil run by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev. A criminal ends up being captured by the FBI, and seeking to make a deal, he tells them who Daredevil is. This has apparently been an open secret in the criminal underworld. Being on hard times, one of the FBI agents then leaks Matt's identity to the press for a quick payout. This completely and instantly destroys Matt's life. He has supervillains attacking him at his home and he is disbarred from being a lawyer. But the series of events that lead to this aren't what they seem.

Goldy argues that everything he's done has been to make Matt a stronger hero, but his identity being leaked is one of the darkest times in Matt Murdock's life.

Goldy reveals that he left an elevator, on just the right floor, at just the right time, for a certain criminal to escape Daredevil. This same criminal is later picked up by the FBI, where he trades Daredevil's identity for witness protection. Goldy argues that everything he's done has been to make Matt a stronger hero, but his identity being leaked is one of the darkest times in Matt Murdock's life. He pushes nearly everyone away from him and his friends are in constant danger during this period, all because Goldy makes sure that one single criminal slipped through his fingers.

Goldy Was Behind A Lot Of Tragedy In Matt's Life, But Not All Of It

Goldy Was Responsible For Pushing Bullseye To Go On A Rampage-1

One of the most brutal massacres that Bullseye ever goes on, seen in Daredevil #31 by Chip Zdarsky and Mike Hawthorne, is also instigated by Goldy. After Bullseye escapes from his confinement at the hands of Wilson Fisk, Goldy appears and convinces Bullseye to try and murder every single person in New York City. This massacre prompts Daredevil to escape from prison and go after Bullseye. He's able to finally bring the mad sharp shooter down with the help of Elektra. This moment strengthens his bond with Elektra and also gets him out of prison, which is all according to Goldy's grand design.

Goldy claims that, every step of the way, the only thing he's done is provide a series of challenges for Matt Murdock to overcome that will strengthen Matt's resolve as a hero.

While it seems like Goldy has been behind every event in Matt's life, Goldy is quick to point out that Matt has always had free will. Goldy has nothing to do with the event that gives Daredevil his powers, and Goldy has nothing to do with Matt regaining his secret identity. Goldy doesn't push Matt to break out of prison to stop Bullseye either, he simply provides a situation where he knows Matt will act on his heroic impulses. Goldy claims that, every step of the way, the only thing he's done is provide a series of challenges for Matt Murdock to overcome that will strengthen Matt's resolve as a hero. While it may seem like Robert Goldman is the grand architect of Matt's life, he's only ever provided chances for Matt to prove that he's Marvel's greatest hero as Daredevil.