How Nobu Could Return To 'Daredevil' For Season 2

We all assumed he died a fiery death after his epic fight with Matt Murdock last season, but could Nobu return for Daredevil Season 2? His death may have looked pretty definite (seriously, the dude was literally on fire), but recent events are starting to bring his mortality back into question. In fact, there are a few reasons to question whether Nobu really died, or if he'll find a way to return and exact revenge.

The first of these reasons is footage from Daredevil Season 2. If you watch the second trailer carefully, you'll catch a glimpse of a man wielding Nobu's distinctive signature weapon, the kyoketsu-shoge (a double-edged curved blade on a chain). Then, the man with the kyoketsu-shoge dramatically pulls off a mask, but the trailer cuts away before we can see his face. It's nothing definite — in fact, it's quite the tease — but it rather strongly supports the idea that Nobu could be back.

Then, there's also the fact that Season 2 will officially introduce The Hand, an organization that many fans strongly suspected Nobu was part of, though his involvement was never confirmed. Actor Peter Shinkoda's tweets on the matter certainly seem to support the concept as well. He tweeted his support for The Hand by quoting the very line from the Daredevil trailer that's delivered by voiceover when the masked man with the kyoketsu-shoge makes his appearance. Pretty telling, huh?

He also seemed to hint that The Hand may have rescued Nobu after his run in with Daredevil:

Did The Hand come to save Nobu, after Fisk left him for dead? It's certainly tough to imagine Nobu returning after his fiery inferno of a death scene — after all, what could possibly be left to rescue after getting burned to a crisp? That said, it's worth pointing out that The Hand has historically mixed their martial arts with occult magic, so it's possible that Nobu did actually die, only to undergo a resurrection.

The magic side of things might not end up making its way into this grittily realistic adaptation of Daredevil, though. When asked about The Hand's proclivity for magic, co-showrunner Doug Petrie told TV Guide, "All we can tell you is that we never even think of it as a superhero show ... What I can guarantee is that we keep it as gritty, grounded and character-motivated as possible." Still, I'd be on the lookout for Nobu when Daredevil Season 2 premieres on March 18, especially when that kyoketsu-shoge makes an appearance.

Image: Barry Wetcher/Netflix