Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again episodes 1 & 2.
Despite reintroducing several key characters,Daredevil: Born Againis conspicuously missing one vital hero: the Punisher. TheMarvel Cinematic Universehas been expanding its television landscape, and one of the most anticipated additions isDaredevil: Born Again. This series not only marks the return of Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock, the blind lawyer by day and vigilante by night, but also Vincent D’Onofio’s Kingpin. The series serves as a successor to Netflix’sDaredevilseries, and as such, many of the original cast have returned. However, the Punisher is notably absent.
Frank Castle, aka the Punisher, made his MCU debut in the second season ofDaredevil, portrayed by Jon Bernthal. A former Marine turned vigilante after the brutal murder of his family, Castle embarked on a relentless quest for justice. His debut inDaredevilset the stage for his standalone series,The Punisher, which further explored his crusade against organized crime and his internal battles. The canonical status of these Netflix shows has fluctuated in the past, but they have since been added to theofficial MCU timelineand are considered official MCU canon.
Kingpin References The Punisher Alongside Other Masked Vigilantes in Born Again
Kingpin Specifically References The Punisher, Spider-Man, And White Tiger
InDaredevil: Born Again, Wilson Fisk emerges from incarceration with renewed ambitions, notably running for mayor of New York City. Central to his campaign is a vehement stance against masked vigilantes, whom he blames for escalating violence and lawlessness in the city. Fisk’s rhetoric isstrategically crafted to sway public sentiment, positioning himself as the harbinger of order amidst chaos.
Why Wilson Fisk Isn’t Kingpin In Daredevil: Born Again (& What’s His Real Plan?)
Daredevil: Born Again brought Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk into the MCU, but both men appear different from their previous appearances as rivals.
InDaredevil: Born Againepisode 2, Fisk notably lumps The Punisher in with other masked vigilantes like Daredevil and Spider-Man. He argues that these individuals operate outside the law,undermining the authority of established institutions and endangering civilians. By highlighting their extrajudicial actions, Fisk aims to portray himself as the legitimate force capable of restoring safety and legality to New York City.
But The Punisher Isn’t A Masked Vigilante, His Identity Is Well-Known in NYC
Punisher’s Identity Was Revealed In Daredevil Season 2
Fisk’s categorization of The Punisher as a masked vigilante raises eyebrows, especially considering Frank Castle’s history. Unlike Daredevil or Spider-Man, who conceal their identities behind masks, Frank Castle’s transformation into The Punisher was a public affair. His arrest and subsequent trial were widely covered by the media inDaredevilseason 2,cementing the knowledge that Frank Castle and The Punisher are one and the same.
Moreover, Castle’s modus operandi starkly contrasts with traditional masked heroes. He operates without a disguise, his skull-emblazoned attire serving more as a symbol than a concealment. This transparency in identity makes Fisk’s attempt to group him with masked vigilantes puzzling. It raises questions aboutwhether Fisk is deliberately distorting factsfor his agenda or if there’s a deeper narrative shift at play.
Did Daredevil: Born Again Just Retcon The Punisher’s Identity Being Known?
Is Punisher’s Identity Still Known?
The inconsistency in Fisk’s portrayal of The Punisher leads to speculation about a possible retcon inDaredevil: Born Again. One primary possibility is that the series is attempting to rewrite or obscure the public knowledge of Frank Castle’s identity to better serve its narrative. This could be a strategic move toalign the character with the broader theme of vigilantism that Fisk is campaigning against. By painting all vigilantes with the same brush, regardless of their public personas, the narrative might be emphasizing the dangers of extralegal justice as a whole.
Retcons are common narrative tools in comic books, used to alter previously established facts within a fictional universe, often to serve new story directions.
Alternatively, Fisk’s rhetoric could be a calculated political maneuver, banking on the public’s short memory or apathy towards the specifics of each vigilante’s identity. By generalizing the threat, he simplifies his message,making it more palatable to voterswho are more concerned with results than details. He could also simply be using the term“masked”vigilante to mean someone who operates outside the law, as indeed Punisher is in the minority of those who choose not to wear a mask.
You’ve Already Met Kingpin’s Son In The MCU According To One Wild Daredevil: Born Again Theory
A wild theory suggests that Born Again might have introduced Wilson Fisk’s secret son to the MCU, and connects back to the original Daredevil series.
On the other hand, by including the Punisher in these discourses, Fisk could be attempting to paint all vigilantes as brutal killers. Frank Castle enacts a bloody and violent form of justice that contrasts with the more virtuous heroes like Spider-Man. If anything,he’s precisely the kind of vigilante that politicians and lawmakers should be concerned about. By specifying him as an example, Kingpin is able to portray other heroes in the same light and thus tar them with the same brush. Rather than ask why Punisher is included, perhaps the question is why everyone else is?
Nevertheless, it is an interesting development, and one whichsuggests that Punisher is still active in New York City. It’s therefore only a matter of time for him to reemerge as one of the city’s most brutal and iconic heroes. Of course, this presumes that he remained fighting crime in the interim years beforeDaredevil: Born Again.
Where Is The Punisher During Daredevil: Born Again?
Punisher Is Presumably Still Active In Daredevil: Born Again
AsDaredevil: Born Againunfolds, Frank Castle’s physical presence remains conspicuously absent, yet his influence is suggested in the narrative. At the conclusion ofThe Punisherseason 2, Castle had fully embraced his role as a vigilante,continuing his one-man war against crime. The final scene saw Castle don his new skull-emblazoned vest and massacre a warehouse full of Ney York City criminals armed with two rifles.
Now Daredevil: Born Again Has Officially Brought Back Several Characters From The Original Netflix Show, I Need These 10 Key Defenders Characters To Return In The MCU
It’s been great to see so many stars from the original Daredevil series return in Daredevil: Born Again, but we want even more to reappear in the MCU.
Though unconfirmed by Marvel at time of writing, it’s likely thatDaredevil: Born Againis set around late 2026 and early 2027– discounting the cold open set 12 months earlier.The Punisherseason 2 (2019) is set in 2018, suggesting therehave been between eight and nine yearswherein the Punisher is presumably operating. Unlike Daredevil and Kingpin, who have appeared in the MCU since the Netflix era, Bernthal’s Punisher is yet to reappear, despite being confirmed in theDaredevil: Born Againcast.
Wilson Fisk’s references to The Punisher suggest that Castle remains active in New York’s underworld, his actions significant enough to warrant mention alongside active vigilantes like White Tiger. This implies that, despite his absence from the screen,The Punisher’s crusade against crime persists, maintaining his status as a controversial figure in the city’s ongoing debate over vigilantism. Regardless, despite not appearing thus far, Punisher’s presence is already felt inDaredevil: Born Again.
