Daredevil #7

On their walk around the building, Mysterio questions DD about his knowledge of movies and specifically Quentin Beck. DD doesn't know, of course. Mysterio goes on to explain how his illusions are better than all of Hollywood's talents combined. He explains how he used untested latexes and chemicals to make the best illusions possible for the people. But what did he get for his efforts? He was always defeated and got labeled as a 'second stringer' villain.

Mysterio cuts his story short and lets DD know why he chose to come after him. Mysterio is dying of a brain tumour and lung cancer, both caused by the chemicals he used in his illusions. He was given a year to live and was released from his prison hospital, because they thought he wouldn't be a menance to society. On his release, the chaplain told him to put his faith in God...

So, he went back to his warehouse and thought about God... and among all his work, he felt like a god, and he didn't want to go quietly and let the disease take over. So he started making a plan to have a battle to the death with his most hated foe, Spider-Man. But Spider-Man wasn't the Spider-Man he knew... it was someone else (Ben Reilly, the clone), so he couldn't battle the 'fake' Spider-Man. And then he thought of Daredevil...

He thought back to the time they fought (DD#358), and he started investigating the man behind DD's mask...

Mysterio met with the Kingpin, and for a million dollars, Kingpin told Mysterio everything he needed to know about DD...

With this knowledge, Mysterio constructed his plan. The religious aspect of the plan stemmed from Matt's upbringing. Gwyneth was abducted, drugged and artificially inseminated, and led to believe her pregnancy was divine. Some local thugs murdered her parents for Mysterio. Using hallucinogenic imagery, Gwyneth was led to Matt. It's revealed that she has been killed. Lydia McKenzie was just an actress with a drug habit. She lied about her divorce and after Foggy was slipped some drugs, Lydia met her death after she crashed through the window. It's also revealed that Mysterio took over the life of Jonathan Curtain, an actor in Hollywood. He killed him and had easy access to his wealth. What Mysterio wasn't responsible for is the baby deaths in the hospitals. Mysterio also has a laugh when he goes over how easy it was to manipulate Karen Page. Maybe she had HIV, maybe she didn't.

Mysterio comes upon his men, including Mr. Gabriel, and instead of helping them all, he guns them down. DD makes a motion to stop Mysterio, but the gun is drawn on him, and he is reminded that the baby still needs to be saved. As Mysterio goes on about killing his henchmen to keep DD's identity secret, DD zeroes in on a humming noise. He lauches his billy club at Mysterio's arm and shuts down the suit's circuitry. He smashes Mysterio's fishbowl head. Mysterio's Darth Vader-like face is revealed. DD threatens to kill Mysterio. And of course, that's what Mysterio wants DD to do.

DD throws Mysterio down to the ground. He tells Mysterio that he won't kill him. DD launches into a tirade about how pathetic Mysterio's methods were. Mysterio slumps to the ground, realizing his work didn't drive DD insane as he hoped. DD asks Mysterio where the baby is. Mysterio presses a button on his arm, and a door opens. DD grabs the baby and sees she is alright. Mysterio confronts DD and raises the gun to his own head and blows himself away. DD walks out the door with the baby in his arms...