How Does The Punisher: One Last Kill Sets The Stage For Frank Castle’s Entry In Spiderman: Brand New Day?

I don’t think we were ready for “The Punisher: One Last Kill” and Marvel did not disappoint us, after all. After “Daredevil: Born Again” Season 2’s blockbuster finale, the one thing that kept us intrigued was a simple question – where the hell is Frank Castle? Where did he go after breaking out of the cages where Fisk kept the vigilantes locked up? Looks like “The Punisher: One Last Kill” has the answer for us, giving us a glimpse at a more humane side of Frank Castle and simultaneously, a grittier, uncompromising, dark version of the Punisher, something that Jon Bernthal promised us at the screening. After watching the special, I think I know how it bridges the gap and marks the entry of Frank on the big screens in July, where he joins forces with Peter Parker’s Spiderman in “Spiderman: Brand New Day.”

Spoilers Ahead

Frank’s Journey From A Suicidal Ghost To A Purposeful Soldier

In the beginning, we see Frank breaking down in his room, as he tries to remember how it feels being happy. He has already killed the Gnuccis and their three sons, who are responsible for the murder of his family. The mental breakdown comes from unending loneliness that slowly devours Frank, but something else is eating him up from the inside. Frank has no purpose – he has no friend to talk to, nowhere to go to and no mission to finish. He is not hiding from the law, but himself while being haunted by the ghosts of the past. Frank envisions his wife, son and daughter, all looking at him for answers – he gets visited by Curtis Hoyle and Karen Paige, but they are just his hallucinations. Even though he goes out, Frank ignores the chaos breaking out around him where thugs are turning the street upside down. They are hurting people, rummaging through stores, vandalizing cars but our favorite gun toting vigilante does not care to look.

When Ma Gnucci arrives with her henchman and openly lets Frank know that she has put a hit on his head, Castle’s attitude still remains the same. Even when he gets drenched by gasoline and set on fire, Frank, still disheveled, takes time to react. It takes a Herculean Effort for Frank to awaken the Punisher and rescue himself from the claustrophobic psychological prison he was locked into. The final act against those thugs acts as some sort of a mental reset as Frank puts those thugs down with extreme prejudice. But, this bloodbath comes to a temporary halt when Frank spots Ma Gnucci, who’s trying to flee the scene. Instead of choosing vengeance for the dead, Frank chooses to protect those who are alive – he lets Gnucci leave and starts cleaning up the streets. Frank breaks off the intense standoff with Gnucci and rushes towards the bodega to save Dre from the goons. He gets Dre and his family out of danger because Frank is no longer haunted by vengeance; instead he is driven by a sense of protection. By saving Dre and his neighbours, the Punisher proves that he is no longer a nihilist looking for taking his own life, but a vigilante with a renewed sense of duty, something that New York City needs.

The Resurrection Of The Skull

Over the years, I have noticed one thing that matters a lot in the MCU, and that is iconography. I will not say that the scenes did not work or the sequences did not hit, because “The Punisher: One Last Kill” proves that we need Frank Castle. However, I have felt something missing throughout the special until the final moments come because that is a full circle for us, the Punisher fans. Before that, Frank appeared like just another madman trying to blend in the streets with nondescript hoodies, as if he is a man without an identity. In the final showdown, Frank dons his suit, the tactical black vest with the white skull drawn on the chest, a sight that has terrified his enemies. It leaves the thug trembling in fear while Frank puts him down for throwing the homeless veteran’s dog under a truck just for fun. The white skull carries a different vibe, something that re-establishes Frank as the ruthless war machine, ready to snap gangsters in half. This provides a Midas Touch to the Special Presentation and perfectly sets the stage for Frank’s entry into “Spiderman: Brand New Day”, where New York City will be riddled by villains like Tombstone and the Hand.

How The Punisher: One Last Kill Blends With The MCU Timeline

Interestingly, showrunner Dario Scardapane has confirmed that the events of “The Punisher: One Last Kill” takes place before and during “Daredevil: Born Again” Season 2, which explains Frank’s absence in Matt’s direct war against Wilson Fisk. But he is not sitting idle, and instead, re-establishing his legacy, by humanizing his character to a grand level. We have already seen Frank protecting Amy against a wave of thugs in Netflix’s “The Punisher” season 2, so we know what he is capable of. In “The Punisher: One Last Kill”, Frank once again proves himself by helping his neighbors stay safe from the chaos. In the MCU, with Daredevil locked up, the New Avengers still recovering from the events of “Thunderbolts”, and Sam Wilson’s Captain America away, New York City will soon be swarming with crime. We already get a glimpse of it in this TV Special, and that’s why, Peter Parker will once again step up as New York City’s friendly neighbourhood Spiderman.  Considering Peter’s new abilities where I am hoping that he is getting organic webbing, he and other crime fighters will have to fight with everything they can. So, how does Frank Castle, who fights with guns only, fits into the whole protector narrative?

Remember that black van, the famous Punisher van in the comics, that Frank drives in the “Spiderman: Brand New Day” trailer? We don’t know much of it, but, considering Matt Murdock’s “Inspector Gadget” comment in “Daredevil: Born Again” Season 1, I guess Frank is relying on his tactical skills in July. This TV Special has once again proved that without his arsenal, Castle is still able to fight against a wave of criminals by using the environment. “Spiderman: Brand New Day” will be complex as we will see a clash of philosophies between Peter and Frank as both of them want to save New York City, but have different definitions of justice. “The Punisher: One Last Kill” has proved that Frank’s heart is still in the right place, but he is a destructive force of nature that does not hold back, and Peter is going to have a hard time understanding that. However, when Spiderman gets to know how the Punisher has saved innocent lives, I think he will understand that Frank is not a menace, but a watchful protector of the neighborhood, just like himself.

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