Episode 4 of Daredevil Born Again marks the Punisher's grand return to the small screen. While the actor remains the same, the character himself is diametrically different from the one we saw in the Netflix series. For comic book fans, this is a great thing.
If you've started watching Daredevil Born Again on Disney+, you've probably noticed that the series has repeatedly teased the return of one of the Marvel Universe's most famous antiheroes: the Punisher. During the first three episodes, the show has dropped hints here and there regarding the presence of Frank Castle in this new version of the MCU.
The most assiduous viewers, for example, noticed that NYPD officer Powell had a skull-shaped tattoo on his wrist. Numerous graffiti depicting the hero also adorn the city's walls. However, we had to wait until the end of episode 3 for a first concrete and "deadly" appearance of the Punisher.
Episode 4, released this Wednesday, March 19, 2025, finally marks the proper return to the screen of Jon Bernthal as the Punisher. It's an opportunity to discover what has happened to him since his last appearance in season 2 of the eponymous series released on Netflix in 2019.
Also read:Is this character really dead in Daredevil Born Again? This clue sows confusion
A Punisher very different from the one in the Netflix series
While the actor has remained the same, much to our delight, the character is, however, very different from the one we knew. According to many fans of the comics, this version is much more faithful than the one offered by Netflix.
In previous seasons released on the streaming platform, Frank Castle presented himself more as a veteran broken by the loss of his family and his brothers in arms. His violent outbursts were only a way for him to discover who was behind the murder of his wife and daughter. In addition, and throughout much of the two seasons, the character repeatedly tries to lay down his arms and resume a normal life, notably by leaving New York.
Finally, the Punisher of the comics
However, in Daredevil Born Again, it's a completely different Frank Castle who presents himself to Matt Murdock. Here, the man has fully embraced his role as a vigilante. The conversation between the two men confirms that Castle has completely given in to his most violent impulses and is now at peace with his mission: to deliver implacable, inescapable, and definitive justice. He wages a relentless and bloody war against crime, and nothing and no one can stop him. He is the judge, the jury, and the executioner.
Casually, the writing of the Punisher in Daredevil Born Again fits perfectly with the continuity of the Netflix series. Ultimately, the first two seasons can be seen as an Origin Story, chronicling Frank's journey from a broken veteran seeking revenge to the Punisher. Frank's rare moments of humanity in the Netflix series can also be seen as the last vestiges of the man himself, before he completely abandons himself to become the enforcer of justice.
A real tour de force from the writers, who, in addition to returning to the core of the character, have managed to perfectly exploit his development undertaken in the Netflix series.
Source: Comicbook
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