The Punisher’s Absence in Daredevil: Born Again Explained in One Last Kill

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This intense and brutal short film feels right at home with Jon Bernthal’s portrayal of The Punisher. As a standalone special on Disney+, it shows a tired Frank Castle facing new foes who want to get back at him for the same reason he hunts down criminals: to exact revenge.

This new special fills in the gap in Frank Castle’s story. After appearing in the first season of Daredevil: Born Again, he wasn’t seen in the second season. Now, The Punisher: One Last Kill reveals what Frank Castle was doing between his appearances in Born Again Season 1 and the Spider-Man: Brand New Day storyline.

We Finally Know What the Punisher Was Doing During Daredevil: Born Again Season 2

The animated special, The Punisher: One Last Kill, doesn’t connect to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe. It doesn’t reference Daredevil’s fight with Wilson Fisk, so it’s hard to say when it happens in relation to the Disney+ show. But it does clearly show why Frank Castle didn’t participate in the uprising against the corrupt mayor.

Throughout his limited role in Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again, viewers see Frank Castle seemingly give up being the Punisher. While he briefly wears the costume again to assist Matt Murdock, he quickly returns to a life of retirement before the events of One Last Kill. This special presentation shows that, after a decade, Frank has finally exhausted his list of people to blame for his family’s deaths, bringing his decade-long quest for revenge to an end and leaving him feeling lost and without purpose.

Frank Castle, no longer fueled by a desire for revenge, is struggling with the fact that his family remains gone, no matter how many enemies he defeats. He’s plagued by memories of them and haunted by the people he’s hurt, like his former friend Curtis Hoyle and Karen Page. This leads him to consider ending his own life, but he realizes he can’t escape himself – the Punisher can’t kill his own inner demons.

The surprisingly sad reason Frank Castle (the Punisher) misses the final showdown with Kingpin in Daredevil: Born Again isn’t a heroic one. He wasn’t occupied with another task or battling Fisk’s men elsewhere. Instead, he was deeply depressed in his apartment, feeling like his life had lost all purpose. This state of mind is similar to what Matt Murdock saw before, but much, much worse.

Fortunately, Frank Castle, the Punisher, doesn’t stay consumed by his past for long. When Ma Gnucchi, the last member of the Gnucci crime family he destroyed, comes after him, it reignites his drive to fight – this time to protect others from getting hurt. He’s moved beyond seeking revenge and is embracing his true purpose. Like heroes such as Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Spider-Man, the Punisher is now focused on defending the innocent, though his approach is far more violent than theirs.

The events of the Punisher’s recent story arc prepared him for future adventures in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, even though he wasn’t mentally ready to fully assist Daredevil in taking down Wilson Fisk. While fans might have hoped for another team-up between Daredevil and the Punisher this year, the story One Last Kill establishes a path for Frank Castle with numerous future collaborations with Marvel heroes, including Spider-Man.

What’s Next for the Punisher After One Last Kill?

Fans can expect to see The Punisher back on the big screen in just two months, with the film premiering on July 31st. The first trailer shows Frank Castle fully suited up as The Punisher, continuing his mission to punish criminals. The movie, titled Brand New Day, picks up after the events of The Punisher: One Last Kill, showing a revitalized Frank Castle officially resuming his violent crusade.

The Punisher’s appearance in the latest Spider-Man movie is a milestone for the character. It’s the first time Jon Bernthal has played Frank Castle on the big screen, and the first time the Punisher has appeared in a PG-13 Marvel Cinematic Universe film. Some fans might worry about how the character will be portrayed given the rating, but both Bernthal and Marvel Studios promise a faithful and compelling debut.

Despite his dark methods, the Punisher’s recent appearances suggest he’ll have a significant and violent role in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His introduction in Spider-Man: Brand New Day will expose him to a wider audience, including those who don’t watch the Disney+ series. This opens up possibilities for him to appear in more gritty MCU projects and even team up with other heroes in future Avengers films, even though he isn’t one of the most powerful characters in the universe.

Marvel Studios is doubling down on its street-level heroes. The second season of Daredevil: Born Again will bring back popular characters like Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, and Finn Jones is slated to reprise his role as Danny Rand/Iron Fist in Season 3. Following the positive reception to Born Again, there’s talk that other shows from The Defenders Saga could also be revived on Disney+, possibly including more stories featuring The Punisher.

In The Punisher: One Last Kill, the story intentionally leaves Ma Gnucci’s fate uncertain. She’s the one who orders a hit on Frank Castle after her family is killed, bringing the Punisher back into action. Despite having the opportunity to kill her at the end, Castle chooses to save a family from a robbery instead. This means Gnucci remains free, setting her up as a potential villain in future Punisher stories.

Fans are hoping to see The Punisher return, either through a continuation of his Netflix series after the events of One Last Kill, or as a series of standalone stories within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, similar to recent special releases. However Marvel chooses to bring him back, there’s clear demand to see more of Frank Castle, and plenty of potential storylines left to explore in the future.

Despite not appearing in Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again, the Punisher is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Like Daredevil, Frank Castle has been reimagined and is now prepared to face any challenge. Fans can expect to see the Punisher regularly in future Marvel stories, becoming a key part of the universe.

The Punisher: One Last Kill and Daredevil: Born Again are available to stream on Disney+.

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2026-05-13 18:38