The upcoming Daredevil: Born Again series will see the return of Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin. Alongside them, Jon Bernthal will reprise his role as Frank Castle/The Punisher. Bernthal initially appeared as Castle in Daredevil Season 2 before leading his own spin-off series, The Punisher, which ran for two seasons on Netflix.
With his long-awaited return, Marvel fans are eager to see The Punisher back in action. Before his reintroduction, it’s worth revisiting how The Punisher Season 1 concluded and set the stage for his future battles.
Castle’s War on Corruption Unleashes Betrayal, Brutal Battles, and Unrelenting Vengeance
Season 1 of The Punisher picks up after Castle’s last appearance in Daredevil. While living off the grid, Castle partners with former NSA analyst David Lieberman, a.k.a. Micro, to expose an illegal government operation called “Operation Cerberus.”
Led by corrupt CIA official William Rawlins (Agent Orange), this covert operation involved unauthorized assassinations and a heroin-smuggling ring that used the bodies of American soldiers. Castle discovers that Rawlins ordered the hit that killed his family, making the mission deeply personal. To Castle’s shock, his old friend Billy Russo was complicit in the conspiracy and aware of Rawlins’ assassination plan.
Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle (Photo: The Punisher/Marvel)As Castle and Micro close in on Rawlins’ illegal activities, they are ambushed, and Castle is captured. He is taken to Micro’s hideout, where Rawlins and Russo plan to torture and kill him. However, Russo soon realizes he can no longer trust Rawlins, who has a personal vendetta against Castle for scarring his eye in Afghanistan.
In a brutal showdown, Castle breaks free and exacts his revenge, stabbing Rawlins repeatedly before killing him by gouging his eyes out. After this gruesome act, Castle is left gravely injured, and Russo prepares to finish him off. However, he is saved at the last moment by Homeland Security agent Dinah Madani, who had been investigating Rawlins and Russo’s crimes.
Scarred by Betrayal, Lost in War: Frank Castle’s Unfinished Battle Continues
With Rawlins dead, Castle turns his attention to Billy Russo, now a fugitive from the government. The two former friends agree to a final battle at the Central Park Carousel—the site of Castle’s family massacre. In a vicious fight, Castle overpowers Russo, dragging his face across shattered glass and permanently disfiguring him. Despite Russo’s pleas for death, Castle refuses to kill him, forcing him to live with his scarred reflection as a reminder of his betrayal. Russo eventually falls into a coma, setting up his transformation into the villain Jigsaw in Season 2.
After recovering from his injuries, Castle is granted a full pardon by the government, with his records erased thanks to Agent Madani’s influence. Meanwhile, Micro is reunited with his family after spending much of the season in hiding. In an emotional farewell, Castle chooses not to enter Micro’s home, symbolizing his inability to return to a normal life. While Micro gets a fresh start, Castle remains a man defined by loss and vengeance, signaling that his war is far from over.
The season concludes with Castle attending a veterans’ support group, where he reveals his deepest fear: living without war. For the first time in years, he has no battle to fight, leaving him feeling lost and vulnerable. This poignant moment highlights the emotional weight of his journey and suggests that, despite the temporary pause, The Punisher’s fight is far from over. With The Punisher Season 1 streaming on Disney+ and Daredevil: Born Again set to debut on March 5, fans can look forward to Frank Castle’s return and his next chapter in the Marvel Universe.
