The Punisher&x27;s Absence in Daredevil: Born Again Was Smarter Than You Think Carolyn JenkinsSat, May 9, 2026 at 10:49 PM UTC 0 Image via Jessica Miglio / ©Netflix / Courtesy: Everett Collection As the new phase of the MCU develops, there has been one glaring complication. The more largescale villains hit New York, the harder it is to believe that all the vigilantes wouldn’t band together. Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again shows New York under martial law, thanks to Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio), and yet there is no SpiderMan (Tom Holland) in sight.
The Punisher's Absence in Daredevil: Born Again Was Smarter Than You Think
Carolyn JenkinsSat, May 9, 2026 at 10:49 PM UTC
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Image via Jessica Miglio / ©Netflix / Courtesy: Everett Collection
As the new phase of the MCU develops, there has been one glaring complication. The more large-scale villains hit New York, the harder it is to believe that all the vigilantes wouldn’t band together. Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again shows New York under martial law, thanks to Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio), and yet there is no Spider-Man (Tom Holland) in sight. The web-slinging hero was also absent from Thunderbolts*, but the most glaring issue in the Season 2 finale was the absence of a frequent Daredevil (Charlie Cox) collaborator.
Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) teams up with Matt as the Punisher in Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, and yet in the sophomore season, he is nowhere to be found. It is easy to judge this decision, especially with the mayhem that was taking place on the streets of New York. After the climactic end of Kingpin’s rule, however, it has become clear that the Punisher’s absence wasn't a plothole, but a blessing.
The Punisher Would Have Been Destructive in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’
Jon Bernthal as The Punisher in Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again has had some controversy, but ultimately, Season 2 of the series ended where it was meant to. Though the show killed off many fan-favorite characters, the finale led to a satisfying and logical conclusion. Matt Murdock finally reveals himself to the public as Daredevil in a desperate attempt to take Kingpin down with the law.
The outcome results in a knock-down, drag-out fight as protesters of New York aide Matt. Frank could have easily been added to this fight, but it would have diminished the point of the season. In the final moments of the conflict, Matt convinces Fisk to stand down in a show of justice. Daredevil's whole schtick has always been about justice in its purest form, right down to how he chooses to portray himself in costume.
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Kingpin relinquishing his control voluntarily was impactful because it was such a non-violent conclusion. If Frank had been thrown into the mix, it would have been a far bloodier encounter that would not have yielded the desired results. Matt is so strongly opposed to killing needlessly, even when it comes to monsters like Fisk. With the Punisher involved, Fisk would have likely caught a bullet, disregarding what Daredevil has always been about. Instead, fans will get to see Frank return in a far more compelling fashion.
The Punisher Deserves More Than a Cameo
Jon Bernthal as the Punisher in his skull costume in Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Episode 9.
Shoehorning Frank Castle into this season of Daredevil: Born Again would have been disappointing for fans of the character. The season has already shown glorified cameos like Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) joining the fray. While it is likely fans will see her in her own right in the future, it was almost worse to see the character depowered and diminished in such a way. The same thing would have happened to Frank if he had been put into a season that didn’t need him.
The Punisher’s absence makes Marvel more coherent and character-driven than it has been in the past. Fans will get their fair share of Frank Castle sooner rather than later, thanks to his standalone film, One Last Kill. This way, viewers can see the Punisher in all his glory in a story that makes sense for him. Punisher stories should be violent and traumatic in a way that wouldn’t necessarily fit with Daredevil.
The Punisher will return and be better than ever in his upcoming appearances, where he is allowed to break free. Even more encouraging, Jon Bernthal helped write the film, which indicates that the movie will contain the purest form of Frank Castle, as he was meant to be seen. Fans won’t have to wait too much longer either, as The Punisher: One Last Kill airs on May 12 on Disney+.
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: May 10, 2026 at 07:10AM on Source: OPERA MAG
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