Welcome back, Frank…
Jon Bernthal‘s tortured Frank Castle returns to D+ on May 12th in the Marvel Television Special Presentation, The Punisher: One Last Kill. Bernthal, who co-wrote the feature, called the Special Presentation “the most psychologically complex, darkest version of the Punisher that you’re going to see.”
Set both after the events of Netflix’s The Punisher Season 2 and during the events of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, One Last Kill will tee up Frank for his upcoming big screen debut in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
While the Special Presentation is designed to be standalone, it will certainly reference some of the events from both seasons of The Punisher and Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again. With that in mind, we present The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before The Punisher: One Last Kill.
The Complete and Definitive MCU Punisher Prep
If you have time to watch it all before you decide to stream One Last Kill, here’s everything to make sure you maximize your enjoyment. Though The Punisher did not appear in Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again, it is most certainly relevant since One Last Kill is set during it and explains what Castle was doing during the season.
Daredevil, Season 2 (2016)
🍅 81%
13 episodes
Runtime: 12 hours, 15 minutes
The Punisher, Season 1 (2017)
🍅 68%
13 episodes
Runtime: 11 hours, 35 minutes
The Punisher, Season 2 (2019)
🍅 61%
13 episodes
Runtime: 11 hours, 50 minutes
Daredevil Born Again, Season 1 (2025)
🍅 87%
9 episodes
Runtime: 7 hours, 6 minutes
Daredevil Born Again, Season 2 (2026)
🍅 86%
8 episodes
Runtime: 6 hours, 29 minutes
Total Runtime: 49 hours and 15 minutes
If you start now, you can take it all in before the streaming debut of One Last Kill.
Essential Prep
Daredevil, Season 2 (2016)
🍅 81%
Episodes 1-4, 9 and 11
To understand the Punisher, you have to witness the tragedy that birthed him. While his debut in Daredevil Season 2 is packed with visceral action, its true importance lies in the ideological war between Matt Murdock and Frank Castle. In Episodes 1-4, we see Frank at his most raw, culminating in the “Penny and Dime” monologue that redefined the character for a generation. These episodes aren’t just backstory; they establish the “no-half-measures” code that puts him at odds with the current street-level heroes in Born Again. Furthermore, Episode 9 is the first piece of the puzzle for his relationship with Wilson Fisk, showing a mutual respect between two monsters that still haunts the MCU today.
The Punisher, Season 1 (2017)
🍅 68%
Episode 1
The 2017 premiere of Frank’s solo series, titled “3 AM,” is a masterclass in the War at Home. It shows Frank Castle attempting the impossible: quitting. By burning his gear and taking a sledgehammer to literal walls, Frank tries to bury the soldier. This episode is the essential spiritual predecessor to One Last Kill, which begins with Frank once again trying to find a life beyond the violence. It also sets up his showdown with Ma Gnucci–played by Judith Light–in the special presentation.
While you could skip straight to Born Again, Jon Bernthal and showrunner Dario Scardapane have been vocal in interviews (and the Born Again Official Podcast) that the Netflix shows are not only 100% canon but crucial to understanding the man and his mission.
The Punisher, Season 2 (2019)
🍅 61%
Episode 13
The Season 2 finale of the Netflix era serves as the definitive transition into the Frank we see in the 2026 specials. It is here that Frank stops running from his nature and accepts that he is a “man in the box.” By ending the season with Frank dual-wielding rifles against a street gang, the show signaled his transformation from a man seeking revenge to a vigilante seeking a purpose. This version of Frank—the one who accepts his role as a necessary evil—is the exact version that Mayor Fisk now uses as a boogeyman to justify his anti-vigilante task forces.
Pay close attention to the return of Jason R. Moore as Curtis Hoyle. While Frank is the hammer, Curtis has always been the anvil Frank relies on to stay grounded. Frank is going to need every ounce of that Netflix-era humanity to survive, Ma Gnucci, a villain who is just as relentless as he is.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 (2025)
🍅 87%
Episodes 4 & 9
Episode 4
In this episode, Frank Castle’s return is triggered by the ultimate insult: the co-opting of his symbol. For years, the Punisher Skull had been adopted by a faction of corrupt NYPD officers—the very men Fisk uses to enforce his order. When Frank finally steps out of the shadows to confront these officers, it isn’t just about vigilantism; it’s about identity theft. He makes it clear that the skull isn’t a badge of authority or a trend—it’s a mark of a man who has lost everything and has nothing left to fear. This episode is crucial for One Last Kill because it establishes Frank’s current mission: cleaning up the mess his own reputation created. He isn’t just hunting criminals anymore; he’s hunting those who wear his face while breaking the law.
Episode 4 also serves as the first major reunion between Red and the Punisher in years, but the tone has shifted significantly since their rooftop debates. While they are still fundamentally at odds regarding the sanctity of life, there is a weary, veteran respect between them. Frank sees a Matt Murdock who is increasingly desperate and isolated after the loss of Foggy Nelson. In this episode, Frank acts as a dark mirror, forcing Matt to realize that the city Fisk is building has no room for “really good lawyers.” It sets the stage for Frank’s role in the One Last Kill special as the man who does what Matt Murdock can no longer afford to do: finish the job permanently.
Episode 9
Frank’s return in the first season of Born Again was a shock to the system. In Episode 9, we see a Frank Castle who has been forced to watch his symbol be co-opted by corrupt NYPD officers—a plot point that Bernthal has noted was a major inspiration for the One Last Kill special. This episode is crucial because it updates Frank’s status quo: he is no longer just a lone wolf; he is a witness to the systemic rot of Fisk’s New York. His confrontation with Matt about the death of Foggy Nelson provides the emotional fuel for his current state of mind, bridging the gap between his personal grief and his new civic rage. And, of course, One Last Kill will follow Castle after his escape from Fisk’s dungeon prison and explain his absence from Born Again Season 2.
Bare Necessities
If you are truly pressed for time, here’s a boiled-down “Must-Watch” list:
- Daredevil Season 2, Episode 4 (“Penny and Dime”) — The emotional soul of the character.
- The Punisher Season 1, Ep 1 (“3 AM”) — Frank’s return to his mission and his attack on the Gnucci crime family.
- Daredevil: Born Again, Season 1, Episode 9 — To see his new MCU status quo and his escape from Fisk’s dungeon that once again sets him loose on the criminals of New York City.
About The Punisher: One Last Kill
The Punisher: One Last Kill stars Jon Bernthal, Judith Light, Jason R. Moore, Roe Rancell, Mila Jaymes, Nick Koumalatsos, and Colton Hill.
As Frank Castle searches for meaning beyond revenge, an unexpected force pulls him back into the fight.
The Special Presentation was written by Jon Bernthal & Reinaldo Marcus Green. Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Sana Amanat, Jon Bernthal, and Reinaldo Marcus Green executive-produced.
The Punisher: One Last Kill debuts May 12th on Disney +.
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