Born Again Season 2 Episode 3

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Daredevil: Born Again episodes 2-3Although The Punisher is still very much part of Daredevil: Born Again season 2, he’s not expected to make an on-screen appearance. Now, the latest episodes directly address Frank Castle’s whereabouts and notable absence.

In Daredevil: Born Again season 2’s premiere, The Punisher’s logo is still being used by Mayor Fisk’s Anti-Vigilante Task Force, now in a more official capacity. Additionally, Daredevil: Born Again season 2 episodes 2-3 have just revealed another key element of Punisher’s role from the first season, finally motivating a conversation about where Frank’s been.

Daredevil And Karen’s New Hideout Belonged To Frank Castle’s Punisher

After the AVTF’s coordinated attack on Josie’s Bar in Daredevil: Born Again season 2, episode 2, Matt Murdock and Karen Page are forced to relocate as it has now become increasingly dangerous to move out in the open.

While Mayor Fisk has targeted Daredevil as a major criminal and wanted by the AVTF, he’s simultaneously painted the missing Matt Murdock as a hero for saving his life in the first season, a genius way of pitting the public against the Man Without Fear without exposing Daredevil’s secret identity (and inadvertently aiding Murdock’s cause).

As a result, Karen and Matt are shown moving into The Punisher’s safe house, which first debuted in Daredevil Born Again season 1, the same location where Frank and Matt had their argument about Bullseye and Foggy’s death (easily one of the first season’s best scenes).

While the safe house returns in Daredevil: Born Again season 2, Frank Castle is nowhere to be found. Likewise, there’s an implication that he hasn’t returned to the hideout since escaping the AVTF in Daredevil: Born Again season 1’s post-credits scene. This is based on a key conversation between Karen and Matt about where The Punisher might be.

How Daredevil: Born Again Addresses The Punisher’s Absence In Season 2

Apparently, both Karen Page and Matt Murdock would also like to know where Frank Castle is, as it seems The Punisher has not made contact with either of them since the events of Daredevil: Born Again’s season 1 finale.

There’s even some conversation in Daredevil: Born Again season 2, episode 3, with Karen asking if Matt thinks Frank is dead. However, Karen and Matt ultimately both agree that if Castle were dead, Fisk would be celebrating and shouting it from the rooftops.

Instead, Frank is likely just “being him, same as always“, continuing to operate as a lone wolf and one-man-army against New York’s criminals rather than continuing to directly support Daredevil’s resistance against Mayor Fisk. While Karen mentions that Frank has helped them before, Matt is adamant that murder is not how they’re going to win this against Fisk.

It’s not as if Frank Castle has ever been a major team player in the MCU. Even when he has allied with Daredevil in the past, it’s always been temporary and fairly uneasy. After all, Frank’s ideology and willingness to permanently put his enemies in the ground will always clash with Daredevil’s moral code and desire to serve justice through the legal system.

That being said, it will still be nice to learn more about what Frank has been up to in the upcoming Punisher: One Last Kill special coming to Disney+ the week after Daredevil: Born Again season 2’s finale.

Additionally, Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will also appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, making his big-screen MCU debut, where he’ll be clashing and likely having a reluctant team-up with Tom Holland’s Webslinger.

As a result, Marvel Studios is clearly saving The Punisher for even bigger appearances in 2026, though one can hope that they’ll include a more fleshed-out explanation as to what Frank Castle has been up to during the events of Daredevil: Born Again season 2.

New episodes of Daredevil: Born Again season 2 release Tuesdays on Disney+.