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- "Becoming your true self can be scary. It's like you always say, 'We can't hide from ourselves. It's only when we embrace who we are, we can truly be free.'"
- ―Bastian Cooper to Heather Glenn[src]
Bastian Cooper was a graffiti artist who became a serial killer operating under the moniker Muse in New York City and using the blood of his victims for his art. 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[]
- "Involuntary commitment when he was fifteen. Expelled from Phillips Exeter. Involuntary commitment when he was seventeen and... another one when he was twenty."
- ―Wilson Fisk[src]
Bastian Cooper was born in a wealthy family of New York City socialites, and although he loved his parents, he always felt unnoticed by them. Cooper attended Phillips Exeter Academy, but having troubles with his mental health, Cooper eventually got expelled and had his first involuntary commitment to a mental institution at the age of fifteen. Even though Cooper aspired to be an artist, his father wanted an athlete in their family, so he hired Lee Suk Ji to live at their estate and teach Cooper taekwondo.
In three months of his training, Cooper showed potential as a student and a fighter, however, he despised being forced into those lessons and did not want to pursue it any further. When Cooper was sixteen, he could not take it anymore and murdered Lee at their estate, although no investigation took place and Cooper was not charged. Cooper later had another involuntary commitment when he was seventeen and one more when he was twenty.[1]
Becoming Muse[]
Deadly Artist[]
- "Does that mean you've been displaying your art?"
"You could say that." - ―Heather Glenn and Bastian Cooper[src]
As an adult, Cooper became a graffiti artist and gained infamy by painting various intricate murals across New York City, while staying anonymous. Still struggling with his mental health, Cooper read Live Without Fear: A Guide to Confronting Trauma by Heather Glenn and became obsessed with it. Inspired by Glenn's thesis that people can achieve freedom only by embracing their true self, Cooper created a persona of Muse that he used to sign his murals, and came to believe that it was his true self.[1] Muse made himself a canvas suit and made a lair deep in the subway lines, where he could work on his artworks without being disturbed.[4]
Muse paints a mural of Wilson Fisk
Muse soon started to kidnap people off the streets and drag them to his lair, where he would drain the blood out of their bodies and kill them. Muse then would mix their blood with paint and epoxy, which made his murals practically impervious and very hard to wash off.[5] He developed an admiration towards vigilantes and celebrated them in some of his murals depicting Punisher's signature skull insignia.[6] When Wilson Fisk got elected as the Mayor of New York, Muse strongly opposed his anti-vigilante platform and made a series of murals depicting Fisk in an unflattering way.[7]
Seeking Help[]
Cooper comes to Heather Glenn for help
- "Dr. Glenn, I need... I need help. Are you... Are you taking any new clients?"
"I can always move things around. Here's my email. I'm sure we can work something out." - ―Bastian Cooper and Heather Glenn[src]
Cooper attended a meet-and-greet event at Inkwell Gathering Space, where Heather Glenn presented Live Without Fear: A Guide to Confronting Trauma. He listened to Glenn discussing her plans for the next book about curated personas and how people channel their inner selves through social filters or masks. When the presentation ended, Cooper approached Glenn to get his copy signed and said that he loved Glenn's work, which she appreciated. Cooper then confessed that he needed help and asked if Glenn was taking new clients, so she agreed to work something out and gave Cooper her email, which he was very grateful for.[6]
Capturing More Victims[]
Muse kidnaps one of his victims
- "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." - ―Wilson Fisk and Phil Gallo[src]
Muse continued his killing spree, kidnapping and murdering more and more people for his artwork, with his body count reaching at least sixty victims.[5] When White Tiger was killed on the streets by an unidentified gunman soon after being acquitted in a murder case, Muse painted several murals as a tribute to him. Not too long after, Muse kidnapped a man off the streets and carried him through subway lines to his lair, while he was unconscious. He laid the man down on the table and while he was waking up, Muse used his equipment to drain his blood, ignoring his screams of pain.[4] Once he got what he wanted, Muse killed the man and gouged out his eyes, before dumping his body at Red Hook Pier and painting another Wilson Fisk mural.
His murders soon drawn the attention of the New York City Hall and the New York City Police Department, although Fisk made a call to keep the details about Muse being a killer out of the public. When Muse was working on his mural, he was approached by two women who recognized him and asked if they could take a picture of him with his work. Muse slowly turned away and glared, and as the women realized that Muse was dangerous, he attacked and killed both of them. He then used their blood to paint a Statue of Liberty mural to denounce Fisk's mayorship, while leaving the victims' bodies right beside it.[5]
Encountering Daredevil[]
Muse drains Angela Del Toro's blood
- "A girl named Angela Del Toro was dropped off at Presbyterian late last night. Says she actually escaped from Muse."
- ―Daniel Blake to Wilson Fisk[src]
On his way back to his lair, Muse spotted Angela Del Toro snooping around the lines, so he knocked her out, intending to make her his next victim. Laying her down on the table, Muse started with an injection into her arm and prepared the equipment to drain her blood. But as the process started, Muse heard a suspicious noise outside and went to check on it, although all he saw was a departing train. However, he looked more carefully and realized that it was Daredevil, charging at him with a haymaker that pushed him back into the lair. Muse scrambled to get up and managed to evade some of his blows, but he could not stop Daredevil from hitting him relentlessly.
Muse fights Daredevil
As Daredevil briefly focused on an unconscious Del Toro, Muse reached for the knife to attack Daredevil and although he was a formidable opponent, Daredevil was still able to keep Muse at bay. As Daredevil's cowl protected him from a direct knife attack, they traded blows and Daredevil took him down with a headbutt attack and a Billy Club strike. Muse soon recovered and got back up, while Daredevil went to check on Del Toro, so Muse attempted to rush him from behind. Although Daredevil evaded the first two attacks, Muse was able to land one blow right into his face and knock him back, before preparing to finish Del Toro off.
Muse gets choked out by Daredevil
Daredevil was able to stop Muse by knocking the knife out of his hand with his Billy Club and Muse landed a few more blows at him, but Daredevil simply withstood them before letting out a scream. Muse was then charged by Daredevil, who completely ignored his attacks and brought him down on the ground. Realizing that Daredevil was a threat he could not deal with at the time, Muse tried to rush for the ladder and escaped, but Daredevil stopped him with a Billy Club throw and a roundhouse kick from behind. Daredevil then wrapped a cable around Muse's throat and proceeded to hang him, but soon had to let go as Del Toro's condition worsened. While he was too focused on resuscitating Del Toro, Muse took his chance and retreated from the lair.[5]
Attacking Heather Glenn[]
Cooper talks to Heather Glenn
- "It was you. I read your books. I've watched you. You know. You understand who I am."
"Please don't hurt me."
"Honestly, I can't guarantee that." - ―Muse and Heather Glenn[src]
Now that both Daredevil and the New York City Police Department were on his trail, Cooper realized that he was running out of time and decided to focus on his last and ultimate artwork. He arrived at Heather Glenn's office for a therapy session they scheduled, with Glenn being unaware that Cooper came to kill her and make an art out of blood. Cooper told her about the dream he had, depicting him at his eighth birthday and his parents organizing a big party for him, however, when Cooper joined nobody noticed him there. Glenn talked about the pressure his parents put on him, to which Cooper responded that he loved his parents, but recalled how they forced him to compete in taekwondo against his wishes.
Cooper claimed that he always hated it, but his parents wanted him to be an athlete, so they would not let him quit no matter what. He mentioned how even though he despised being mentored by Lee Suk Ji, his lessons did not go wasted and Cooper learned a lot from him. Cooper then said that all he ever wanted was to be an artist and thanks to Glenn, he could finally become the person he aspired to be. Glenn doubted that she did that much, but Cooper insisted that she unlocked something in him that he was missing to him, that allowed his creativity to flourish. She tried to change the topic, but Cooper was upset that Glenn did not listen to him, saying that the people of New York City finally started to see him for who he really was.
Cooper tells his secret to Heather Glenn
Glenn questioned if Cooper started to displaying his work, to which he ominously replied that she was correct in some way. Cooper then had a nosebleed, which Glenn pointed out, so he used the blood to draw the outline of his Muse mask on a sheet of paper. He went on about how scary it was to embrace one's inner self, but cited the thesis of Glenn's own book that it without that, a person cannot achieve freedom. Glenn cautiously asked about the drawing, to which Cooper only smiled and said that Glenn already knew that he was Muse. As she started to tearing up in terror, Cooper comforted her and said that now there were no secret between them, and that Muse was his true self.
Muse reveals himself to Heather Glenn
She tried to plead with him not to harm her, to which Cooper said that he knew that all Glenn could think about was getting away from him. As he anticipated, Glenn rushed towards the door, but Cooper caught her from behind and knocked her out by slamming her head against the wall. While Glenn was unconscious, Cooper tied her up in her chair and put on his Muse's Suit, preparing his gun and waiting for Glenn to wake up. Once she regained her consciousness, she addressed Muse by his name, but he angrily told her that it was not who he was and wrote the word Muse on Glenn's arm with a marker to punctuate. Muse held Glenn's face in his hands and said that he had been reading her books and that she was the only person who truly understood him, although he could not guarantee her safety.
Muse prepares the canvas for his artwork
Muse ignored Glenn's question about his motives and secured her arm with a tourniquet and making an incision to let the blood out, while Glenn was begging for him to stop. Glenn desperately tried to call out to his conscience and asked if he did not care about all the other people he killed, but Muse did not respond or show any remorse. Before he could do anything else, Muse heard the police pulling up outside, which meant that he did not have much time. Muse then laid down the canvas on the floor and started preparing for his last artwork, which made Glenn realize what he was planning to do, to his horror. Glenn then screamed at Muse, calling him a coward who could not even look at her without his mask.
Muse gets stopped by Daredevil
Her outburst angered Muse and provoked him into grabbing Glenn, so she headbutted at him and attempted to reach for his gun, but Muse dragged Glenn back before she could get it. Muse threw Glenn down on the canvas and straddled her and started to strangle, but then Daredevil burst through the window and interrupted him. Muse immediately reached for his gun and tried to shoot him, but Daredevil's Billy Club throw into his head made Muse miss. Daredevil then charged with him and the two engaged in a fight, while Glenn managed to get out of their way and the Anti-Vigilante Task Force started to arrive at the scene. Muse tried to use his brief moment of distraction to shoot Daredevil, but he disarmed Muse and evaded his subsequent attacks.
Muse gets killed by Heather Glenn
As the two continued to tussle, Muse's attention diverted back to Glenn, so he grabbed the knife and attempted to finish her off. However, Daredevil launched his Billy Club and impaled Muse through his shoulder, dragging him back through his own canvas. Muse struggled to get up and Daredevil mercilessly pummeled down on him, splattering Muse's blood over the canvas. Muse managed to distract Daredevil by slashing his leg and pushed him back with precise hits, which allowed Muse to get back on his feet. Daredevil then slammed Muse into the bookshelf and punched him some more, right before Glenn managed to reach for the gun and unloaded the magazine into Muse's chest. Being shot to death, Muse collapsed and bled out on his canvas, right before Glenn herself passed out from shock and blood loss.[1]
Legacy[]
Wilson Fisk's Agenda[]
- "Masked men can no longer keep our city hostage. I promised to keep our streets safe and... I delivered."
- ―Wilson Fisk[src]
To be added
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]
| This section requires expansion |
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: Having been trained in taekwondo in his teens, Muse became a very skilled martial artist. Muse was briefly able to hold his own against Daredevil, battling him in a prolonged fight dodging some blows while landing a few 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 most of 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 donned a white shirt made out of canvas, decorated with strips of blood on the mask combined with gloves and tactical pants.
- Surgical Drains: As part of his ritualistic murders, Muse used surgical drain equipment in his lair to draw blood for his paintings.
- Knives: As he fought Daredevil in his lair, Muse used multiple knives.
- 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[]
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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 (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".
Behind the Scenes[]
- Travis Staton-Marrero and Zac Succarotte were stunt doubles for Hunter Doohan in the role of Muse.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 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 Daredevil: Born Again: 1.04: Sic Semper Systema
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Daredevil: Born Again: 1.06: Excessive Force
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Daredevil: Born Again: 1.02: Optics
- ↑ Daredevil: Born Again: 1.01: Heaven's Half Hour
- ↑ Chris Gallardo on X - March 11, 2025
External Links[]
- Muse on Marvel Database
- Muse on Wikipedia
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