#pagedexter

First off, we have the characters themselves. I've always loved Karen Page. I watched Daredevil back when it released on Netflix so many times that I actually don't know know how many times. I am not one to rewatch things either and very few things make it onto that list.

I actually created a Favorite Ship Dynamic Post years ago and updated it just last year. Shockingly, they fit a lot of the dynamics I search for in a ship, but I didn't have the wait moment until recently.

Karen Page

Karen Page is such a fascinating character for me, she's this character that on the surface is considered this morally steady and "good" character with a deeper capacity for justice. That deeper capacity for justice specifically for Karen is she's always done whatever she needed to, including murder.

For me, that's why Karedevil doesn't work in my opinion. I think they're great friends and I love Matt, but at the end of the day, their at odds with how they handle justice when the system fail. We have seen a lot of that in both Born Again as well as the OG series.

I actually just saw a clip back from the OG series in season 2 before Karen and Matt "date" where she is talking about Frank. I'll come back and link it here if I can find the Tweet.

Basically, it shows us that right now in Born Again, Karen is the one apologizing and forcing herself back into this "acceptable" version of Karen that Matt can be with. The "good" version of herself that doesn't resort to being "efficient" or seeing other options. There's another clip here that I think speaks to her sense of survival and not putting up with bullshit.

We also actually see that with how she's handled and interacted with Dex. Even when he was trying to kill her in the church as she surrendered to the police and not the FBI in S3 of the OG series. She had the audacity to smirk at him and I found that hilarious.

Dex (Bullseye)

Now Dex is a different character. This is where the "aha" moment usually happens for me and understanding the characters motives. See, I think this is why I didn't see the ship before in the past. Because there has to be a moment when dissecting characters where I need to understand their psychological make up. Where I can see they want to do better or understand that they have hesitation in their actions.

Usually stemming from their upbringing or something that misguided them. We had the background knowledge to understand that back in the OG series. Learning about Dex's childhood, Dr. Mercer, the origins of his need for a "North Star" and how that affected his world before he was taken advantage of by Fisk. Fisk saw this opportunity to use Dex as a tool rather than a person.

Now, what really clicked for me was the newest season of Born Again.

It ties into a few things. Dex saving Matt in the first episode. Dex opposing Fisk, Vanessa, and the Anti-Vigilante Task Force (AVTF) agents. The second he starts trying to help Matt (albeit in a misguided still murdering people way lmao) it opens this deeper understanding that he wants to make up for what he did by murdering Foggy.

I am such a sucker for these characters that are so multifaceted that you have to look past the surface level actions to see the intent. Sure, people could argue that Dex's whole goal in the new season was revenge. But I disagree. He didn't have to go to Matt or try to explain he needed the chance to do one good deed that try to help fix things.

Since Matt's the main character of the show and not Karen, it makes sense they have Dex wanting to do something that could help bring down Fisk (again since the asshole doesn't die. lmao.)

Which brings me to, why I saw the "aha" moment between Karen and Dex even before the gun scene.

Ship Dynamic

There has to be the "wait" moment for me. It doesn't happen often, especially to the point that I feel the need to write a fic. For them, it was finally seeing the connection that drew me in.

Karen's capacity to live in a morally grey area and Dex's desire to make things right did that for me. They're both at this point where they're in uncharted areas for their characters. Which to me, I see this as a moral line. She's stepping away from Matt and closer to crossing that line. While Dex is on the other side of that line stepping closer to it too.

With Karen wanting to be more "effective" she's looking at it from a Frank perspective that maybe murdering terrible people is the only way. Which yeah, I think stems from her feelings for Frank (which is canon! Woo!)

I also think that this shows us that her and Matt have fundamental viewpoints on what to do when justice and the law fail are at odds. Of course they had her the one apologizing here. Made me kind of annoyed that Matt gave a generic "sorry" vs her actually claiming she didn't mean it. Sorry, Matt and Karen do not work for me so I'm glad they are focusing on this in the show. lol.

Also, don't get me wrong, I love Kastel (Frank and Karen), but right now Frank is missing. For Karen and us as the people watching.

Which brings us to the moment she wanted to kill Dex. The chemistry and tension in that scene alone was enough for me. lol. Then pairing it with them being more comfortable in the morally grey area on how to take care of a problem.

I do think that Dex lacks empathy and wants to understand it which explains his need for a "North Star". I think that he sees Karen and understands her more than he understands Matt. That murder is a solution and not a byproduct of perpetuating the corrupt system that built it.

At the end, I wanted to explore these two characters that are in a similar place that could both expose themselves to each other like a mirror but also tie into the scales ideology of the show.

Ships that expose each other and make them feel seen, even the dark parts, are the best. And while on some level I think Kastel does that too. I don't think Frank would want Karen following him into the grey. He'd want to do it for her.

Dex, however, is more equal. I don't think he'd look down on her darkness or her actions. And I like the idea that Dex would meet her there and not try to "protect" her from it. Karen's a very independent character and I love that about her. lol.

All of that to say, if someone read this, thank you!! Lmao. I went on such a deep dive for their characters and the justification behind them.

I'm always open to anons!