Daredevil: Born Again arrived on Disney+, ushering in a new chapter for the Man Without Fear on Disney+. While Daredevil is the star attraction, the series continues the tradition of the Defenders Saga by bringing in another street-level hero into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whereas Daredevil Season 2 introduced The Punisher and Elektra, Daredevil: Born Again’s two-episode premiere introduces The White Tiger.
Created in the 1970s, White Tiger has a long and complex history within Marvel Comics, as five people have taken on the mantle. Daredevil: Born Again introduces audiences to Hector Ayala, played by the late Kamar de los Reyes. While it is still early in the series’ run, with the character only seen in action in a piece of news footage and the suit being alluded to, the introduction to White Tiger implies some significant story developments that could play out in the MCU. This two-episode premiere could be the origin of the next great hero dynasty in the franchise.
Here is White Tiger’s comic book history explained, along with his role in Daredevil: Born Again and what it means for the future of the MCU.

Daredevil: Born Again

Release Date

March 4, 2025

Franchise(s)

Daredevil, Marvel Cinematic Universe

The White Tiger’s Comic Origin

Created by Bill Mantlo and George Pérez, White Tiger debuted in Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19 in December 1975. Deadly Hands of Kung Fu was a monochromatic style comic, so the initial design for White Tiger looked more like a white-suited Spider-Man. The idea was to depict the gritty slums of New York City.
Mantalo and Pérez decided to make White Tiger, whose real name is Hector Ayala, Puerto Rican like Pérez himself. Pérez drew heavily from his own life, modeling Ayala’s face off his brother David, giving him a mother like his own, and naming the character after some of his neighborhood friends. White Tiger was Marvel’s first Hispanic superhero and, more importantly, the first Latin American main character in the history of American comics.
Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, when Hector Ayala was attending college at Empire State University in New York City, he found the tiger amulets that the Sons of the Tiger (the original stars of the Deadly Hands of Kung Fu) had worn. Ayala combined the three amulets and discovered it increased his strength, speed, agility, and endurance, giving him martial arts training. The amulets are pieces of a shattered Jade tiger statue in K’un Lun, the mystical city that Iron Fist protects.

Related

X-Men Could Replace The Avengers as Marvel’s Main Franchise

With the premiere of X-Men ’97, it might be time for the X-Men to reclaim their spot as Marvel’s top team from The Avengers.

White Tiger’s Role in Daredevil: Born Again

White Tiger is first mentioned at the beginning of Daredevil: Born Again Episode 1 as one of the many vigilantes operating in New York, briefly seen on television in security camera footage fighting off a series of criminals in a convenience store. The character isn’t mentioned again until the following episode, when Matt Murdock takes on the case of Hector Ayala, a man who is wrongfully accused of killing a cop who tripped and fell in the subway. Hector was stopping what appeared to be a mugging, with the police only identifying themselves after one of their own was killed.
Matt Murdock later discovers that Hector Ayala is The White Tiger. Hector and later Matt reference the amulet, giving him powers, but nothing about it is expanded upon. It does appear that Marvel is adapting the “Trial of the Century” arc from the comics, with Matt Murdock defending Hector Ayala in court for a crime he didn’t commit. If the television series plays out like the comic, it means a tragic fate awaits Hector.
The appearance of White Tiger in the MCU is certainly bittersweet. Kamar de los Reyes, the actor who plays Hector Ayala / White Tiger in Daredevil: Born Again, sadly passed away from cancer on Dec. 24, 2023, at the age of 56. This was shortly after production on the series continued following the delays from both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Episode 2 even begins with a dedication to the actor. This suggests that Hector Ayala’s time in the MCU might be brief unless he is recast.
The White Tiger’s Future in the MCU

The fate of Hector Ayala in Daredevil: Born Again remains to be seen, particularly following Kamar de los Reyes’s passing. Yet the character’s introduction might lay the groundwork for one of the least popular Defenders, Iron Fist, to re-enter the picture. Due to the White Tiger’s amulet coming from K’un Lun, if Matt Murdock were to discover this, he would probably seek out his old ally Danny Rand / Iron Fist for answers about this item, which could factor into the trial. This might be how Marvel brings back some of the Defenders Saga elements into Daredevil: Born Again, and there could be an Iron Fist cameo later this season.
Regardless of what happens to Hector Ayala in Daredevil: Born Again, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has two built-in White Tiger characters with direct links to the original one that they could continue. Marvel could have Angela del Toro enter the franchise and become the new White Tiger, having the character pop up in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 and other MCU titles for years. With White Tiger being one of the biggest martial arts heroes in the Marvel Universe, she would make for a great new addition to Shang-Chi 2 whenever Marvel decides to move forward with that. White Tiger also seems like a character perfectly suited for a Marvel Special Presentation special like Werewolf by Night and the upcoming Punisher one.

Related

Where Does ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Take Place in the MCU Timeline?

‘Daredevil: Born Again’s opening episodes jump through the MCU timeline, with references to ‘She-Hulk,’ ‘Echo,’ and the newest ‘Captain America.’

Then, after a few years, Angela del Toro could retire as White Tiger, and the mantle could be passed down to Ava Ayala. Marvel Studios has already experimented with legacy heroes like Sam Wilson taking over the role of Captain America from Steve Rogers, and it makes sense from a long-term business perspective, since the films don’t have the benefit of being able to use the same characters forever. Angela del Toro’s White Tiger could be positioned as the lead of her own film, maybe 10 years from now and one of the new future eras of the MCU.
With the deep well of lore in the comics and plenty of room to grow within the MCU’s established history, The White Tiger as a franchise could be one of Marvel’s new breakout hits. White Tiger can fit as a martial arts hero, acting in gritty street-level stories, going on global magical adventures, and even being a member of The Avengers. Just like how a brief little tease at the end of Captain America: The Winter Soldier set up The Scarlet Witch or how Sam Wilson went from The Falcon to now being the new Captain America, what is seemingly just a simple sub-plot in Daredevil’s story could expand into so much more and honor one of comics more overlooked heroes.