Daredevil: Born Again Fixes Marvel Fan’s Problem With Netflix Punisher

Since Disney+ launched Daredevil: Born Again, the series has been teasing the return of one of Marvel’s most iconic antiheroes. The first three episodes have scattered breadcrumbs pointing to the Punisher’s presence in this new MCU landscape: Officer Powell (Hamish Allan-Headley) sports a skull tattoo on his wrist, Punisher graffiti decorates city walls, and most dramatically, the closing moments of Episode 3 showed Hector Ayala (Kamar De Los Reyes) gunned down by a mysterious figure wearing body armor emblazoned with the Punisher’s skull. Despite these references, Frank Castle himself remained conspicuously absent – until now. Episode 4 finally reveals what the fan-favorite vigilante has been doing since we last saw him, and it’s a portrayal that should satisfy Marvel fans who had reservations about how the character was handled in Netflix’s The Punisher series.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 4

Matt Murdock’s (Charlie Cox) search for answers leads him to track down Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) in Episode 4, finding the vigilante in a drastically different state than when audiences last saw him. The Frank Castle we meet has fully embraced his identity as the Punisher, abandoning any pretense of returning to polite society. Gone is the man who occasionally questioned his mission or entertained thoughts of redemption, trying to rebuild his life away from New York City. In his place stands the war machine comic readers have known for decades: a man singularly devoted to his crusade against criminals, operating with brutal efficiency and unwavering conviction. Matt and Frank’s Born Again conversation reveals that Castle has completely surrendered to his darker impulses, seeing himself as permanently separated from the world of “normal” people like Matt still tries to inhabit. 

While Netflix’s The Punisher often portrayed Frank as a traumatized veteran struggling with his violent tendencies, Born Again presents him as someone who has made peace with his mission. This subtle but crucial distinction transforms the MCU character into something closer to his comic book counterpart.

How Daredevil: Born Again‘s Punisher Completes What Netflix Started

Netflix’s approach to Frank Castle was divisive among hardcore Punisher fans. The streaming service’s interpretation, while compelling in its own right, focused heavily on Frank’s trauma, PTSD, and his desire to leave the violence behind. Throughout much of the two-season run, Jon Bernthal’s character was shown trying to uncover conspiracies and solve the mystery of his family’s murder rather than engaging in the relentless war on crime that defines the character in the source material. It wasn’t until the final moments of The Punisher Season 2 that viewers glimpsed the true Punisher, with Frank embracing his vigilante identity without reservation or regret. This interpretation of the Punisher mythos left many comic book fans unsatisfied, feeling they never got to see the uncompromising antihero in full form.

Daredevil: Born Again addresses these criticisms by presenting a Frank Castle who has completed his metamorphosis. No longer questioning his path or wrestling with moral ambiguity, this Punisher has acclimated to his role as judge, jury, and executioner. The hideout where Matt finds him is a literal and metaphorical representation of how deeply he’s descended into his mission, a hidden hole filled with weapons and criminals’ files from where the Punisher plans his next jobs. Furthermore, Frank’s unkempt appearance and isolated existence underscore that this is a man who has cut all ties to the things that make us human, and is wholly focused on his never-ending mission to execute those he deems worth his twisted focus.

Frank Castle’s fate in Daredevil: Born Again makes the Netflix series retroactively more satisfying, positioning it as an origin story that chronicles Frank’s journey from a traumatized veteran seeking justice to the fully-formed Punisher. The character’s struggles with identity and purpose now serve as necessary stepping stones rather than deviations from the source material. Due to that, Frank’s occasional moments of humanity in the Netflix series gain new significance when viewed as the final vestiges of the man, before he fully surrendered to becoming the vengeful killer.

[RELATED: The MCU’s Worst Criminals Are Back in Daredevil: Born Again]

The Born Again take on Frank Castle is particularly effective because it bridges the gap between Netflix’s more grounded approach and the comic book character’s uncompromising nature. Jon Bernthal’s performance retains the emotional intensity and raw physicality that made his Netflix portrayal so compelling, but now the star channels those qualities into a character who has moved beyond introspection.

For fans anticipating Marvel Studios’ upcoming Punisher special, Born Again‘s portrayal offers an exciting preview. This Frank Castle has already completed his transformation. Now, he is nothing more than the Punisher, in all his morally complex, bloody, twisted, unflinching glory. This approach respects both the character’s comic book legacy and the development undertaken in the Netflix series, offering a synthesis that should satisfy longtime fans while maintaining continuity with what came before.

Frank Castle only has a short scene in Daredevil: Born Again. Hopefully, the Punisher will return before the season ends, setting the stage for his upcoming special.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again premiere on Disney+ every Tuesday.

What did you think of Frank Castle’s return in Daredevil: Born Again? Do you prefer this version of the character to the one shown in the Netflix era? Let us know in the comments!