It has been six years since audiences last sawJon Bernthal’s Frank Castle /The Punisherin the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Punisher is easily one of Marvel’s most famous and sometimes controversial, as he often kills his enemies, which typical superheroes do not. Even though the Netflix era of Marvel, now classified as The Defenders Saga, ended in 2019 rather unceremoniously, fans have been waiting for the characters introduced in that corner of the franchise to return. Aside from Daredevil, The Punisher was the second most-in-demand fan-favorite character to make his return to the MCU.
Daredevil: Born Againmarksthe character’s grand return, fittingly with the episode airing nine years to the date thatDaredevilSeason 2 debuted on Netflix and audiences got their first glimpse at Bernthal’s The Punisher. It has been many years, and fans probably have questions about the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s version of The Punisher and how he fits into the larger story. Due to the nature of The Punisher’s story in the MCU, there is plenty of background and history before he took on the mantle of the iconic vigilante. With over 36 episodes of television betweenDaredevilSeason 2 and both seasons ofThe Punisher, here is everything to know about the MCU’s Punisher story in the MCU so far.
The Punisher’s ‘Daredevil’ Story
In June 2015, it was confirmed that Jon Bernthal was cast as Frank Castle / The Punisher inDaredevilSeason 2. BeforeDaredevilSeason 2 aired,Netflix announced aPunisherspin-off series. By the time Daredevil Season 2 premiered in March 2016, it was clear why they had given the go-ahead for the series. Bernthal was a standout in an otherwise rocky season, with Episode 3, “New York’s Finest,” being some of the finest Daredevil and Punisher writing, drawing heavily from Garth Ennis and Steven Dillion’s “The Choice” storyline.
DaredevilSeason 2 sees the traditional Punisher story play out, as he is a man waging a one-man war on crime following the death of his wife and children. After being arrested and put on trial, Karen Page uncovers a conspiracy that Castle’s wife and kids were not killed in a random act of gang violence. In fact, it was set up by high-ranking members of the United States armed services, including his former commanding officer, Major Ray Schoonover, who was posing as a criminal drug dealer known as the Blacksmith.
Castle faked his death and escaped prison, hunted down and killed Schoonover to avenge his family. After assisting Daredevil in fighting The Hand, Frank Castle found a DVD signed by “Micro,” with footage of the execution of Ahmad Zubair, an officer of the Afghan National Police who uncovered that the unsanctioned CIA operation known as Cerberus was responsible for the heroin smuggling. Castle burned his house down, armed with the guns from Schoonover’s arsenal and a skull logo painted on his vest taken from an x-ray of his the night his family was murdered.
Where Does ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Take Place in the MCU Timeline?
‘Daredevil: Born Again’s opening episodes jump through the MCU timeline, with references to ‘She-Hulk,’ ‘Echo,’ and the newest ‘Captain America.’
‘The Punisher’ on Netflix
The PunisherSeason 1 debuted on August 22, 2025. After having seemingly hunted down everyone who he believed to be responsible for killing his family, Frank Castle burns his Punisher vest, believing his war on crime is over.However, he later discovers the large conspiracy at play behind his family’s murders, and the season reveals Castle’s time in the unsanctioned military unit Cerberus under the orders of corrupt CIA agent William Rollins.
Castle also meets Micro, a former NSA analyst who was framed for whistleblowing on Cerberus during the War on Terror. Micro goes into hiding to protect his family, and he and Castle reluctantly team up to get answers. The series also introduces Billy Russo aka Jigsaw, The Punisher’s greatest foe. Here, he is established as Frank Castle’s former squad mate and best friend who betrayed Castle following their return home from working on Project Cerberus. Castle clears Micro’s name, and The Punisher leaves in a van to continue his war on crime.
The PunisherSeason 2 was one of thelast Marvel Netflix series, debuting on August 18, 2025. The season is a more down-to-earth story and plays like a one-off run in a Punisher comic book, with him protecting a young girl named Amy Bendix. Meanwhile, following the events of Season 1, where Frank Castle left his former friend Billy Russo to die after scaring him, he broke his psychology and went under the alias Jigsaw. Jigsaw seeks revenge on the Punisher, ultimately ending with The Punisher killing him.The last scene shows The Punisher shooting down a group of criminals, establishing that in the background of all these stories, The Punisher will be carrying out his one-man war on crime.
Present Day Punisher
This brings us toDaredevil: Born Again, which takes place in the year 2027, about nine years since the events ofThe PunisherSeason 2’s finale. It is unknown if The Punisher was one of the people snapped away by Thanos. It appears that,in that time, the status of The Punisher had grown, with the character’s skull logo now being a symbol that some corrupt police officers had co-opted, mirroring the real-lifecontroversy around using The Punisher’s skull. The Punisher is seemingly aware of these copycat killers, but it is unclear if he has done anything about them.
The Kingpin’s speech in Episode 2 seems to imply that The Punisher’s primary operating zone is New York City. It will be interesting to see how The Punisher’s story plays out, particularly with aMarvel Special Presentation based around the characteralready in the works and set to debut in 2026.
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Wilson Fisk is Matt Murdock’s biggest enemy, but there are more parallels between the two than they’d want to admit.
Key Dates To Know About The Punisher
For those interested in the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. This is where The Punisher’s history fits in with the wider MCU.
The Punisher
