Meet Cole North, Daredevil Skeptic Turned Ally

Detective Cole North stepped into the Marvel Universe as a by-the-book police officer who believed in a system based on law and order. He added several shades of grey to this black-and-white worldview as his investigation into Daredevil led him to encounter the Man Without Fear, Wilson Fisk, and Spider-Man. Then, not long after he put Daredevil in handcuffs, the officer evolved into one of the vigilante's closest and most unlikely allies. 

Let’s take a closer look at Cole North and how he became one of Hell's Kitchen's bravest defenders. From his early days pursuing Daredevil to his time in the hero's army of mystical ninja warriors, this is how Detective North was born again in Matt Murdock's world, as told in stories available now on Marvel Unlimited.

WHO IS COLE NORTH?

Cole North debuted just after he joined the New York Police Department in DAREDEVIL (2019) #1 by Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto. Raised in Chicago, North eventually joined the Chicago Police Department. Although he successfully brought in several criminals and corrupt police officers, North accidentally shot a teenager when he mistook his phone for a gun. After investigations into the incident, North accepted a transfer to the NYPD. 

When he asked to be partnered with a non-corrupt officer, North was paired with Detective Fred Higgins, who he saw as a competent investigator. Detective North left a striking impression on his new precinct as a skilled boxer and accomplished bodybuilder who briefly stood as the department's most physically fit officer.    

On his first case, North investigated Pistol Pat Albano, a low-level criminal who Daredevil had beaten. Although the other officers there tried to ignore the vigilante's involvement, North reprimanded them and said he saw Daredevil as someone gleefully committing violent acts. After Daredevil accidentally killed the criminal Leo Carraro while breaking up a robbery, North found one of the hero's billy clubs at the crime scene and vowed to bring him to justice.

COLE NORTH VS. THE MARVEL UNIVERSE

As his investigations continued, North came face-to-face with several major players from Marvel's New York. While looking into Daredevil, North experienced a tense encounter with Mayor Wilson Fisk, who he still viewed as the criminal Kingpin. 

Then, when North found Daredevil at the crime scene, he shot the hero in the shoulder. As Murdock tried to escape, North defeated the injured vigilante in hand-to-hand combat as a crowd of police watched. Although the Punisher helped Daredevil escape, North impressed Fisk and alienated himself from the numerous police officers who considered Daredevil an ally. 

Since his anti-vigilante stance had won him the unwanted favor of criminals like Fisk and the Owl, North came under attack by his fellow officers on multiple occasions. When one of these incidents left Higgins mortally wounded, several officers went after North at his office in DAREDEVIL (2019) #10 by Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Fornes. However, a nearby Matt Murdock suited up as Daredevil, intervened, saved the detective, and took the blame for the incident. 

After that harrowing encounter, North had some thought-provoking conversations with Spider-Man and Daredevil. Despite his dedication to upholding the law, these talks made North realize his desire to save lives conflicted with his obligation to enforce the rules of a flawed and easily corrupted system.

COLE NORTH AND HELL'S KITCHEN

When Wilson Fisk took the mayor's office, he inadvertently kicked off a gang war in Hell's Kitchen as several crime bosses scrambled to take over his old territory. Although the Owl, Hammerhead, and the Libris crime family began openly fighting each other, the police were forbidden from entering the area. 

Once he learned all of that from Daredevil, Cole North decided to fight for Hell's Kitchen in DAREDEVIL (2019) #14 by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, and Francesco Mobili. With his softening views on vigilantes, North also transferred to the internal affairs department and announced his intention to take down the Owl. Inspiring several other cops to join him, North entered Hell's Kitchen and worked with Daredevil to track down Belle Libris, who the Owl had kidnapped. 

As North's search took him to Harlem, the Stromwyns—an influential crime family—launched a massive attack on Hell's Kitchen with lethal mercenaries like Bullseye, Stilt-Man, Crossbones, and Rhino. Many of the neighborhood's residents fought back in homemade Daredevil masks, including North, who jumped into the fray and took on a superhuman killer called Bullet. 

After a brutal all-out battle that saw Daredevil fight beside Mayor Fisk, the detective ended the battle by killing the Owl before he could shoot the mayor. When the fighting wrapped up, Daredevil turned himself in for the death of Leo Carraro and allowed North to handcuff him on live television.

COLE NORTH AND DAREDEVIL IN PRISON

Thanks to Matt Murdock's previous appearances to testify as Daredevil in court, he was allowed to enter the legal system without revealing his secret identity. As North brought Daredevil into the justice system, Elektra began operating as Daredevil and protected Hell's Kitchen in his place. Satisfied that she would defend Hell's Kitchen, Daredevil voluntarily pled guilty to manslaughter and went to prison. 

After Daredevil was attacked by his fellow inmates, Detective North brought him an offer from the F.B.I. in DAREDEVIL (2019) #30 by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, and Mike Hawthorne. The F.B.I. wanted Daredevil to look into several deaths in prisons owned by David Deavers in exchange for a reduced sentence. Although Daredevil refused the offer to reduce his sentence, he accepted the assignment.  

Daredevil soon learned the prison used inmates to test an experimental drug called Re-Cid. This drug increased aggression and encouraged violent behavior as part of a plot to keep inmates in the prison system. When he was exposed to Re-Cid, Daredevil took over the prison and summoned North. 

As Daredevil explained his findings, he attacked North, who brought the hero back to his senses by telling him that Bullseye was going on a killing spree. For his work in taking down Bullseye and uncovering Re-Cid, Daredevil accepted an early release a few weeks later, partially because North told him that staying in prison would be selfish.

THE RED FIST SAGA

Free once more, Daredevil began rebuilding the Fist, an ancient order of mystical warriors who fought the Hand. While Elektra recruited mercenaries and superhuman villains, Murdock approached North about joining the Fist in DAREDEVIL (2022) #3 by Chip Zdarsky and Rafael De Latorre. 

With his faith in the legal system shattered, North joined the Fist and traveled to their isolated base with Foggy Nelson. After sparring with a warrior named Smasher, North developed some superhuman abilities alongside the rest of the Fist's members.

When the Punisher and the Hand attacked the Fist, North jumped into battle with the indestructible shield of U.S. Agent, who Daredevil had recently defeated. Although he could barely believe he was fighting a horde of ninja zombies, North held his own against the Hand and took down a possessed Bullet with help from the Agony symbiote. 

Although the former detective saved Bullet's son, Daredevil was not satisfied with any of the Fist's accomplishments. Shortly after North told the hero he had lost faith in him, the Fist split up, with Spider-Man and the Avengers capturing several of the group's members.

COLE NORTH AND FOGGY NELSON

Following the collapse of the Fist, Cole North continued to play a role on the edges of Daredevil's life. For instance, as he made final preparations to leave the police for good, North briefly let Matt Murdock crash on his couch. 

Following Daredevil’s disappearance, the ex-detective joined Murdock's old legal partner to start Nelson & North Legal Services in DAREDEVIL (2022) #14 by Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto. Although they thought their friend was dead, both North and Foggy Nelson said they felt Murdock's presence nearby. 

Murdock eventually resurfaced as an amnesiac priest a few blocks away from their office and visited North and Nelson during his investigation into the Kingpin. Although they were initially overjoyed to see their friend alive, Nelson and North both got frustrated with Murdock for not coming to see them sooner. As Foggy stomped away, North updated Daredevil on the details of Wilson Fisk's recent schemes. 

Since then, North has helped Daredevil and Elektra face threats like the demonic Seven Deadly Sins and Morgan Whittier, who was possessed by the spirit of the serial killer artist Muse. Although North may have stepped into Daredevil's world to make him face the law, he has evolved into a valuable ally in Murdock's never-ending crusade against injustice.

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