The Punisher: 10 Ways It Saves Netflix's Marvel Universe

8. The (Eventual) Villain Is Brilliant

Although Paul Schulze's William Rawlins never really reached top gear by the time The Punisher reached its finale, its other villain, Billy Russo, most certainly did.

Played with appropriate nastiness by the infallible Ben Barnes, the decision to make Russo a former comrade of Castle's and not, as it was in the comics, the son of a mob boss, was a smart move on the showrunners' behalf. It adds a whole other edge to their relationship, and by the time Russo's deception is revealed, you feel just as let down as Frank does.

Barnes totally nails the part as the handsome yet totally despicable villain, and with the character having evolved into Jigsaw in the finale, thanks to Frank's handy fairground facial reconstruction, it's clear that he's destined for bigger things.

Jigsaw is commonly seen as Frank's big bad - the Kingpin to his Daredevil, if you will. It's an aspect of the character's history that Barnes will be all too aware of, and with the chance to take things even further next time around, it's an opportunity he's bound to relish. Roll on season 2.