Who Foggy Nelson is
Franklin "Foggy" Nelson met Matt in law school, and the two opened a tiny practice in Hell's Kitchen with more principles than paying clients. Foggy is the friendly face of Nelson and Murdock: the one who chats up neighbors, cracks jokes in the office and believes the law can still protect ordinary people.
He is also the conscience of the group. Matt goes out at night to fight crime with his fists; Foggy wants to win in court. He is not naive about Hell's Kitchen, though; he simply thinks the system is worth fighting for, even when it lets people down. Their friendship is tested again and again by that difference, and the shows treat it as the real love story of Daredevil.
Foggy Nelson's series in order
- Marvel's Daredevil (recommended)
- Marvel's Jessica Jones (optional): a guest appearance
- Marvel's Luke Cage (optional): a guest appearance
- Marvel's The Defenders (recommended)
- Daredevil: Born Again (recommended)
He is a main character in Daredevil and has a smaller supporting role in The Defenders, where the law firm is no longer the center of his life and the team-up plot keeps him mostly on the sidelines. Born Again picks up the story under the Disney+ banner, bringing Foggy back with the original cast.
Turning points, kept spoiler-light
The first season of Daredevil builds toward one big moment for Foggy: finding out what Matt has been hiding. How he takes it, and whether the friendship survives, shapes the rest of the Netflix-era story. Later seasons push the two apart as Matt's double life and Foggy's career ambitions pull in opposite directions.
In Born Again, Foggy's part is best experienced fresh. The opening episode matters a great deal for him, and anyone invested in the character should start there rather than jump ahead.
His circle
Matt Murdock is the center of his world. Karen Page completes the trio at the firm, and the three of them form the heart of the show, sharing drinks, arguments and late-night case work. Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin, is the kind of untouchable criminal Foggy wants to bring down legally. Claire Temple also passes through his life as the nurse who keeps patching up Matt.
About the actor: Elden Henson
Elden Henson gives Foggy a gentle, funny warmth, but he is at his best when Foggy is hurt or angry, because the actor makes those moments feel earned. He keeps the character from being just comic relief. Many viewers know him from childhood as Fulton Reed, the slapshot enforcer in The Mighty Ducks films. He also appeared in The Butterfly Effect and played Pollux in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay films.
Best order to watch
Start Marvel's Daredevil at the beginning and watch every season, since Foggy's arc is a slow build. Then watch The Defenders, which takes place between Daredevil seasons, and finish with Daredevil: Born Again. If you want to know how to watch Daredevil and the Punisher in order, the Punisher enters during the second Daredevil season, so you meet him alongside Foggy and Karen. See more street-level heroes in our Marvel characters index.