‘The Punisher’ Will Feature Less Supernatural Elements, More ‘Basic Human Emotions’

Netflix’s next Marvel TV show is going to be a little different. While The Defenders all have super powers, Frank Castle is a little more ordinary. That means that many parts of the other Marvel shows will not crossover into “The Punisher.”

“We are stripping down every supernatural element,” star Jon Bernthal told Entertainment Weekly. “This show is different. It looks different. Frank is a character rooted in the most basic human emotions… He’s a comic-book character, but he doesn’t fly, he doesn’t have X-ray vision. He’s an unbelievably skilled soldier who’s been very, very angry and very, very hurt.”

“Daredevil,” “Luke Cage,” “Jessica Jones” and “Iron Fist” all had their fair share of supernatural stuff and that’s where crossovers came in. “Iron Fist” viewers were much more likely to understand how evil Madame Gao (Wai Ching Ho) the Hand were if they watched “Daredevil.” Ultimately, the Hand and their dragon skeleton was what brought the Defenders together.

It doesn’t sound like anyone will need to know prior knowledge to watch “The Punisher,” though. While the character was introduced in “Daredevil” Season 2, and Deborah Ann Woll will reprise her role as Karen Page, it’s clear that this is not going to involve any undead assassins or ninjas. Instead, Frank’s past will be revisited in depth.

The episode titles for “The Punisher” were revealed earlier this month, and while some are hard to decipher, Frank’s past is clearly going to be involved. “Kandahar” is the title of episode 3, and it’s also the city in Afghanistan where Frank was stationed.

The latest teaser for the Netflix drama, the sixth Marvel show to hit the streaming platform, highlights Frank’s military past. Redacted files are shown, and fans can see words like “Operation Cerberus,” “Whistleblower,” “Codename: Micro” and “Covert Action Kandahar” flash by.

While we don’t know what many of those phrases actually mean, Micro is the one person we have some information on. The word micro first appeared on a CD that Frank was holding towards the end of Season 2. In “The Punisher,” fans will learn that Micro (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is an ally.

According to Movie Pilot, Micro is an ex-NSA analyst who is living off the grid. He reaches out to Frank because he believes they have a common enemy. Of course, Frank isn’t much of a team player, so expect these two to get off to a rocky start. They’re allies in the comics though, so they’ll find a way to make their dynamic work eventually.

The cast of “The Punisher” seems to be filled with people who can’t be clearly defined as friend or foe. Will Frank be considered an aide or a menace to Homeland Security agents Dinah Madani (Amber Rose Revah) and Sam Stein (Michael Nathanson)? Can he trust Curtis Hoyle (Jason R. Moore) or Billy Russo (Ben Barnes), his former friends from his military days?

Unfortunately, no one knows when these questions will be answered. Netflix still hasn’t announced a release date for “The Punisher.”