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- "Bastian, please."
"Don't fucking call me that! I am Muse! Muse. M-U-S-E." - ―Heather Glenn and Muse[src]
Bastian Cooper was a graffiti artist who, after a troubled childhood, became a martial artist and serial killer operating under the moniker Muse in New York City and using the blood of his victims for his art. In 2027, upon capturing Angela Del Toro as his next victim, Muse was confronted and defeated by Daredevil, although Muse managed to escape the lair. Fascinated and inspired by Heather Glenn’s work, he attended Glenn’s session where he revealed his identity as Muse before attacking her. Shortly before the arrival of the Anti-Vigilante Task Force, Muse fought Daredevil again before being shot and killed by Glenn.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Troubled Childhood[]
- "When we started looking into Bastian's past... we made some troubling discoveries."
"Involuntary commitment when he was fifteen. Expelled from Phillips Exeter. Involuntary commitment when he was seventeen and... another one when he was twenty." - ―Angie Kim and Wilson Fisk[src]
During Bastian Cooper's childhood, he longed to be an artist, but his parents forced him to compete in Taekwondo under the tutelage of Lee Suk Ji. This caused him to develop a deep resentment for the sport and his parents. Not able to take it anymore, Cooper killed Lee and got off scot-free because there was no investigation.
However, Cooper was admitted to a psychiatric hospital at fifteen and was also expelled from his high school, Phillips Exeter Academy. Despite being released, he was soon returned to the hospital when he was seventeen and once again when he was twenty.[1]
Work in NYC[]
Graffiti Artist[]
Muse paints a mural of Wilson Fisk
Taking on the nickname Muse, Cooper gained infamy by painting various intricate murals across New York City. He would kidnap random people off the streets, dragging them to his lair and killing them, draining their blood. Mixing his victims' blood into the paint, Muse made sure that his murals would be very hard to wash away.[4] When Wilson Fisk was elected as the Mayor, Muse strongly opposed his anti-vigilante stance, painting unflattering murals of Fisk,[5] while celebrating vigilantes like Punisher.[6] He also made a few murals as a tribute to White Tiger, who was murdered right after his acquittal in court.[7]
Seeking Help[]
Cooper comes to Heather Glenn for help
- "Are you taking any new clients?"
"I... I can always move things around. Here's my email. I'm sure we can work something out."
"Thank you. Truly." - ―Bastian Cooper and Heather Glenn[src]
Cooper attended a book signing for Heather Glenn's book, Live Without Fear: A Guide to Confronting Trauma, at the Inkwell Gathering Space. When Glenn's talk, he approached her to get his book signed, telling Glenn that he was a fan of her work. Appearing panicked, he then told Glenn that he was in need of her help, asking if she was taking any new clients. Glenn, caught off guard, told him that she could "move things around", giving him her email. Cooper smiled and thanked her as he left.[6]
Capturing More Victims[]
- "He mixes blood into the paint, and then applies the epoxy on top. It makes the murals essentially impervious."
"How many murals in total?"
"Twelve confirmed, with 18 known IDs, but we've gathered at least five unique DNA profiles for each mural. And at five DNA profiles per mural, we estimate at least 60 victims." - ―Commissioner Gallo and Wilson Fisk[src]
Encountering Daredevil[]
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Attacking Heather Glenn[]
- "This city... is finally starting to see me for who I really am."
"Does that mean you've been displaying your art?"
"You could say that." - ―Bastian Cooper and Heather Glenn[src]
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Personality[]
- "All I ever wanted to be was an artist. To be the person I am now and... That's all thanks to you."
"That is kind of you to say, but... I'm just the conduit..."
"No, you're the key. I mean, don't you see that? I mean, you've unlocked something in me, Dr. Glenn. Something I didn't know was missing. I mean, you've allowed my creativity to flourish, to soar to heights I never even imagined." - ―Bastian Cooper and Heather Glenn[src]
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To be added
Abilities[]
- "I mean, my parents, they always wanted an athlete in the family."
"So, you competed in taekwondo... to prove yourself to them?"
"No, I competed in taekwondo because they made me... and it was awful, but they wouldn't let me quit." - ―Bastian Cooper and Heather Glenn[src]
- Expert Martial Artist: Muse was able to hold his own against Daredevil, battling him in a prolonged fight dodging his blows while landing punches and kicks onto the latter long before being defeated. His combat skills are based in Taekwondo, using fluid kicks and punches, overpowering his victims with minimal difficulty. However he was more feral than seasoned fighters like Daredevil, relying more on his immense pain tolerance to power through more skilled fighters. He also had a tendency to utilize knives and improvised weapons.
- Knife Mastery: Muse was a skilled knife fighter, employing them in combat against Daredevil in both their fights and using them to torture and dismember his victims.
- Expert Acrobat: Muse was incredibly agile in performing acrobatic actions, which allowed him to dodge numerous Daredevil's attacks during their fights.
Equipment[]
- "I, um, found a piece of clothing in Muse's lair and we assumed it was fabric, but our analysis showed that it was actually canvas."
"Canvas?"
"This particular canvas is very rare, very expensive. There's only two stores in the entire city that sell it." - ―Angie Kim and Wilson Fisk[src]
- Canvas Suit: Muse wore a white colored shirt designed by himself, outfitted with red stripes of blood on the mask and tactical pants.
- Surgical Drains: During his assassinations, Muse kidnapped his victims to be brought back to his lair in the subway to use surgical drain treatment in drawing blood for paintings.
- Knives: In his fight against Daredevil he owned many knives as melee weapons in his lair.
- Gun: During his final meeting with Heather Glenn Muse carried a gun.
Facilities[]
- Muse's Lair: Muse used a hideout in the subway tunnels to kill his victims and make his art.
Relationships[]
Family[]
Enemies[]
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Appearances[]
In chronological order:
Daredevil: Born Again | Episode 1.01: Heaven's Half Hour- Daredevil: Born Again | Episode 1.02: Optics
- Daredevil: Born Again | Episode 1.03: The Hollow of His Hand (mentioned)
- Daredevil: Born Again | Episode 1.04: Sic Semper Systema
- Daredevil: Born Again | Episode 1.06: Excessive Force
- Daredevil: Born Again | Episode 1.07: Art for Art's Sake
- Daredevil: Born Again | Episode 1.08: Isle of Joy (mentioned)
- Daredevil: Born Again | Episode 1.09: Straight to Hell (mentioned; newspaper)
- Daredevil: Born Again | Season Two[8] (unreleased)
Trivia[]
- In the comics, Muse was a serial killer who created works of art out of the bodies and blood of his victims and was an enemy of Daredevil. He also had the ability to become undetectable to those around him, even Daredevil, through a combination of both his ability to seemingly absorb sensory information surrounding him and his enhanced speed.
- Heather Glenn's notepad lists Cooper's surname as "Sledge".
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Daredevil: Born Again: 1.07: Art for Art's Sake
- ↑ Daredevil: Born Again: 1.03: The Hollow of His Hand
- ↑ Daredevil: Born Again S1 set in 2027 | Episode 1 is 2025-2026
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Daredevil: Born Again: 1.06: Excessive Force
- ↑ Daredevil: Born Again: 1.01: Heaven's Half Hour
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Daredevil: Born Again: 1.02: Optics
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Daredevil: Born Again: 1.04: Sic Semper Systema
- ↑ Chris Gallardo on X - March 11, 2025
External Links[]
- Muse on Marvel Database
- Muse on Wikipedia
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