Summary

• Elektra struggles with Daredevil's no-kill rule after a clash with Bellona, feeling responsible for her apparent death.
• The dilemma highlights the importance of heroes saving villains, not just avoiding killing them.
• Elektra's growth throughout the series leads her to truly embody the hero Daredevil was meant to be.

Warning: Spoilers for Daredevil: Gang War #4!In her new life as a superhero, Elektra's time as Daredevil has forced her to truly understand the weight of taking a life. Back when she was an assassin, killing someone was almost second nature to Elektra Natchios. Upon adopting Matt Murdock's moniker of Daredevil, however, Elektra has begrudgingly agreed to abide by his moral code to never kill.

Her solemn vow to her lover soon becomes a burden when Elektra thinks she's killed someone in Daredevil: Gang War #4. All series long, Elektra has been interlocked in a fierce battle with Wolverine's forgotten daughter, Bellona. After launching a Gang War that quickly raged throughout all of New York City, Madame Masque hired Bellona to sow chaos while she eliminated her rivals. The war has ended with Tombstone on top of the city's underworld, but Bellona returns in this issue to settle a score with Elektra.

Daredevil: Gang War #4 comes from the creative team of Eric Schultz, Sergio Davila, Sean Parsons, Ceci De La Cruz, and VC's Clayton Cowles.

When it appears that Bellona may have fallen to her death amid their skirmish, Elektra is a wreck. She reacts as if she actually killed Bellona intentionally herself, spotlighting an unforeseen consequence of the no-kill rule.

Elektra Believes She's Failed to Follow Daredevil's No-Kill Rule

There's no blood on Elektra's hands, but in her mind, there might as well be because she couldn't prevent Bellona's death.

It's obvious for a hero to feel as if they failed and broke their no-kill rule if they kill someone, but this is different. Bellona's apparent death isn't Elektra's fault in the slightest. She even tries to save Bellona, but a stubborn, competitive Bellona cuts the rope Elektra attempts to save her with. The Woman Without Fear is uncharacteristically shaken by this ordeal, blaming herself for not doing more and doubting her abilities as a hero. She even suggests in an inner monologue that heroes like her need to do better in matters like this.

Daredevil's dilemma emphasizes that a no-kill rule doesn't just mean that no one should die by a hero's hand, but that everyone needs to live, including the villains. In the eyes of many heroes, those who fail to save a villain are just as bad as someone who kills the villain themselves. There's no blood on Elektra's hands, but in her mind, there might as well be because she couldn't prevent Bellona's death. During their fight, Elektra monologues that Bellona is a danger to everyone and must be stopped, but clearly, this isn't what she intended.

Daredevil Officially Becomes the Hero She's Destined to Be

It feels as if the entire miniseries had been building toward this moment. From the start of the series, readers watched Elektra begrudgingly abide by Matt's code and bemoan about keeping her word to him. In due time, she eventually starts following it genuinely, actively trying to prevent lives from being lost, even the lives of people she's fighting. Now, the empathy, comion, and regret she feels about failing to save Bellona showcase the hero she's become. Gone is the assassin of old, as Elektra has finally earned the right to call herself Daredevil.

Daredevil: Gang War #4 is available now from Marvel Comics.