- "It wasn't his fault, his father, he was... Wilson just wanted him to stop. It wasn't his fault what he did."
"Mrs. Vistain, what did your son do?" - ―Marlene Vistain and Karen Page[src]
Marlene Vistain, previously Marlene Fisk, is the mother of Wilson Fisk. She protected her son when he brutally murdered her husband and his father in cold blood. In return for her love, Fisk took care of her for her many years of life and ensured she was well looked after in expensive nursing homes.
Biography
Enduring Wife and a Loving Mother
Marlene Fisk lived in Hell's Kitchen, New York, with her husband Bill and their son Wilson. She was a loving mother often very protective of her son. She was concerned of his husband mistreating their son but was not in a position to convey her thoughts.
Marlene comforts her son after he kills his father
Bill ran for councilor and lost, leaving him in debt to Don Rigoletto and the Italian Mafia. When Marlene lamented what was a bad decision to borrow money from Rigoletto, Bill became physically violent with her. Wilson finally snapped after hearing the beating of his mother, and took a hammer to his father's skull. Marlene covered for her son, by cutting the body of her husband into pieces and disposing it slowly in small bags to the river. Because the district knew Bill Fisk was in debt to Rigoletto, nobody seemed to notice he had suddenly disappeared, and presumed he walked out on his wife and child. Marlene then send her son to live with relatives on a farm.[1]
Supposed Death
Many years later, after her son came back to New York City a background story was made for him. According to the story Marlene Fisk had died a year after Wilson Fisk lost his father. [2]
Second and Third Marriages
Since her first marriage ended in a disaster, Marlene married two more times. The first of two was to Martin. This marriage happened two years after her supposed death.[3] The second and her last marriage was to Arthur Vistain. After her final marriage to Arthur, she used Marlene Vistain as her name.[4]
Living at Saint Benezet
Unbeknowst to the public, Marlene Vistaine, who had lost her third husband, was living in a high class hospice called Saint Bénézet Retirement Care for which Wilson Fisk was paying.[4]
Visited by Karen Page
In 2015, Marlene was paid a surprise visit by Karen Page and Ben Urich. They first inquired about her living conditions before changing the subject to her married life. Marlene then began describing each husband. When she got to her first husband, Bill, she revealed how her son, Wilson Fisk, murdered his own father in cold blood.[4]
After Page and Urich had left, Marlene tried to call Wilson about her new visitors, but her son was preoccupied with Vanessa Marianna' poisoning. She managed to get in touch with James Wesley and told him of what happened.[3]
Forced to Leave
When the body of James Wesley was later found by Fisk's subordinates, Wilson Fisk found that the last call on Wesley's phone was to his mother. Believing her to be in danger, Fisk had his mother moved from Saint Bénézet Retirement Care to Italy. While being transported, Fisk asked her about what she had spoken to Wesley about the night before but she struggled to recall.[5]
Relationships
Family
- Bill Fisk † - First Husband, Abuser
- Martin - Second Husband
- Arthur Vistain † - Third Husband
- Wilson Fisk - Son
Allies
Appearances
In chronological order:
- Daredevil
- Season One
- Shadows in the Glass
- Speak of the Devil (mentioned)
- Nelson v. Murdock
- The Path of the Righteous (mentioned)
- The Ones We Leave Behind
- Season One
