Daredevil Season 2: 10 Reasons This Is The Definitive Punisher
2. His Real Purpose
Badass though he may be, the series succeeds where the movies have failed because they’re interested in showing the depths of the character behind all the violence.
When we are first introduced to the Punisher on the show, he seems like a loose cannon taking out everything in sight. We later find out that his rampage is a more focused and personal act of revenge. This is similar territory for the character as the death of his family has always the catalyst for his vigilantism.
But this Punisher doesn’t just want revenge, he needs it.
In episode 11 of Season 2, Punisher attempts to exact a false confession from a man regarding his family’s murder. When Daredevil stops him and tells him he can’t start a war for the wrong reasons, Punisher replies, “Maybe a war is what I need”.
It’s a telling moment that reveals Frank’s actions are more selfish than we may have thought. He’s lost everything, and while this warpath doesn’t solve anything, it gives him purpose. He’s not out for justice, he’s not even really out to find the real killers. He’s just looking for a reason to keep going and if he dies along the way, so be it.
This take on the character just makes him even more tragic than he already is. And it begs the question, will he stop once he’s had his revenge?