It has been six years since audiences final noticed Jon Bernthal‘s Frank Fort / The Punisher within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Punisher is definitely one in all Marvel’s most well-known and typically controversial, as he typically kills his enemies, which typical superheroes don’t. Though the Netflix period of Marvel, now categorized as The Defenders Saga, resulted in 2019 moderately unceremoniously, followers have been ready for the characters launched in that nook of the franchise to return. Except for Daredevil, The Punisher was the second most-in-demand fan-favorite character to make his return to the MCU.
Daredevil: Born Once more marks the character’s grand return, fittingly with the episode airing 9 years to the date that Daredevil Season 2 debuted on Netflix and audiences bought their first glimpse at Bernthal’s The Punisher. It has been a few years, and followers most likely have questions concerning the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s model of The Punisher and the way he suits into the bigger story. Because of the nature of The Punisher’s story within the MCU, there’s loads of background and historical past earlier than he took on the mantle of the long-lasting vigilante. With over 36 episodes of tv between Daredevil Season 2 and each seasons of The Punisher, right here is all the pieces to know concerning the MCU’s Punisher story within the MCU up to now.
The Punisher’s ‘Daredevil’ Story
In June 2015, it was confirmed that Jon Bernthal was solid as Frank Fort / The Punisher in Daredevil Season 2. Earlier than Daredevil Season 2 aired, Netflix introduced a Punisher spin-off collection. By the point Daredevil Season 2 premiered in March 2016, it was clear why that they had given the go-ahead for the collection. Bernthal was a standout in an in any other case rocky season, with Episode 3, “New York’s Most interesting,” being a number of the most interesting Daredevil and Punisher writing, drawing closely from Garth Ennis and Steven Dillion’s “The Alternative” storyline.
Daredevil Season 2 sees the standard Punisher story play out, as he’s a person waging a one-man warfare on crime following the loss of life of his spouse and kids. After being arrested and placed on trial, Karen Web page uncovers a conspiracy that Fort’s spouse and youngsters weren’t killed in a random act of gang violence. In truth, it was arrange by high-ranking members of the US armed providers, together with his former commanding officer, Main Ray Schoonover, who was posing as a legal drug seller often called the Blacksmith.
Fort faked his loss of life and escaped jail, hunted down and killed Schoonover to avenge his household. After aiding Daredevil in preventing The Hand, Frank Fort discovered a DVD signed by “Micro,” with footage of the execution of Ahmad Zubair, an officer of the Afghan Nationwide Police who uncovered that the unsanctioned CIA operation often called Cerberus was liable for the heroin smuggling. Fort burned his home down, armed with the weapons from Schoonover’s arsenal and a cranium brand painted on his vest taken from an x-ray of his the evening his household was murdered.

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‘The Punisher’ on Netflix
The Punisher Season 1 debuted on November 17, 2017. After having seemingly hunted down everybody who he believed to be liable for killing his household, Frank Fort burns his Punisher vest, believing his warfare on crime is over. Nevertheless, he later discovers the massive conspiracy at play behind his household’s murders, and the season reveals Fort’s time within the unsanctioned navy unit Cerberus beneath the orders of corrupt CIA agent William Rollins.
Fort additionally meets Micro, a former NSA analyst who was framed for whistleblowing on Cerberus in the course of the Warfare on Terror. Micro goes into hiding to guard his household, and he and Fort reluctantly staff as much as get solutions. The collection additionally introduces Billy Russo aka Jigsaw, The Punisher’s biggest foe. Right here, he’s established as Frank Fort’s former squad mate and finest pal who betrayed Fort following their return residence from engaged on Undertaking Cerberus. Fort clears Micro’s identify, and The Punisher leaves in a van to proceed his warfare on crime.
The Punisher Season 2 was one of many final Marvel Netflix collection, debuting on January 18, 2019. The season is a extra down-to-earth story and performs like a one-off run in a Punisher comedian e-book, with him defending a younger woman named Amy Bendix. In the meantime, following the occasions of Season 1, the place Frank Fort left his former pal Billy Russo to die after scaring him, he broke his psychology and went beneath the alias Jigsaw. Jigsaw seeks revenge on the Punisher, finally ending with The Punisher killing him. The final scene reveals The Punisher capturing down a gaggle of criminals, establishing that within the background of all these tales, The Punisher shall be finishing up his one-man warfare on crime.
Current Day Punisher
This brings us to Daredevil: Born Once more, which takes place within the 12 months 2027, about 9 years because the occasions of The Punisher Season 2’s finale. It’s unknown if The Punisher was one of many individuals snapped away by Thanos. It seems that, in that point, the standing of The Punisher had grown, with the character’s cranium brand now being a logo that some corrupt law enforcement officials had co-opted, mirroring the real-life controversy round utilizing The Punisher’s cranium. The Punisher is seemingly conscious of those copycat killers, however it’s unclear if he has achieved something about them.
The Kingpin’s speech in Episode 2 appears to indicate that The Punisher’s main working zone is New York Metropolis. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see how The Punisher’s story performs out, notably with a Marvel Particular Presentation based mostly across the character already within the works and set to debut in 2026.

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Key Dates To Know About The Punisher
For these within the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. That is the place The Punisher’s historical past suits in with the broader MCU.
- November 15, 1979 — Frank Fort is born. This implies he’s 9 years youthful than Tony Stark / Iron Man (born 1970) and 14 years youthful than Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel (born 1965).
- 1997 — Frank Fort enrolls within the Marine Corps on the age of 18. That is two years after the occasions of Captain Marvel.
- 2002 — Frank Fort meets Maria Falconio, and the 2 start a relationship. He proposes to her three months later after discovering out she is pregnant.
- 2003 — Frank Fort’s daughter Lisa is born. Frank Fort is shipped out to Iraq, however not earlier than his spouse turns into pregnant once more.
- 2004 — Frank Fort’s son Frank Fort Jr. is born, a beginning Fort is unable to attend.
- 2006 — Frank Fort turns into pals with Billy Russo, his future foe Jigsaw. That is one 12 months after Bruce Banner remodeled into the Hulk.
- 2007 to 2012 — Frank Fort is preventing within the Warfare on Terror in the course of the occasions of Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, The Unbelievable Hulk, and The Avengers.
- 2013 — Frank Fort was awarded the Navy Cross for his service within the Marine Corps. This seems to be after The Avengers in 2012 however earlier than the occasions of Thor: The Darkish World and Iron Man 3, each of which occurred in 2013.
- 2013 to 2015 — Within the backdrop of the occasions of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Frank Fort was a part of Operation Cerberus alongside Billy Russo and beneath the management of CIA agent William Rawlins and Main Ray Schoonover, with the squads’ aim to seize, interrogate, and killing high-value targets. Nevertheless, unbeknownst to the troopers, the missions had been unsanctioned by the US Congress or the CIA and had been funded illegally by promoting heroin, smuggling it by means of the corpses of useless troopers. The squad was disbanded following a high-profile failed mission the place many troopers died, with many solely surviving as a result of actions of Frank Fort.
- April 3, 2015 — About one month earlier than the occasions of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Frank Fort lastly returns residence to New York Metropolis to be reunited together with his spouse and youngsters. Frank Fort’s daughter asks her father to learn her a bedtime story, Penny & A Dime, however he’s too drained and says he’ll learn it to her tomorrow.
- April 4, 2015 — Frank Fort’s household is killed following a firefight between the Mexican Cartel, Canine of Hell, and Kitchen Irish. The deal and firefight had been arrange by William Rawlins and Ray Schoonover, who needed to have Fort killed as a result of he believed he leaked the torture and loss of life of Ahmad Zubair, a member of the Afghan Nationwide Police who was investigating the motion of heroin visitors and murders in Kandahar, and found unlawful actions being carried out by the armed providers members. Fort was shot down and managed to outlive, even getting back from flatlining with no medical support. The Punisher is born.
- Late 2015 — Daredevil: Season 2. After the occasions of Ant-Man.
- November 2016 — The occasions of The Punisher Season 1 happen shortly after the occasions in Spider-Man: Homecoming and certain congruent with Stephen Unusual going to Kamar-Taj firstly of Physician Unusual.
- January 2018 — The Punisher Season 2 takes place about 4 months earlier than the occasions of Avengers: Infinity Warfare.
- Early 2027 — Matt Murdock reunites with Frank Fort/The Punisher in Daredevil: Born Once more.
The Punisher
- Launch Date
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November 17, 2017
- Community
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Disney Channel
- Showrunner
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John Romita Sr.
- Writers
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Gerry Conway