Born Again Season 1, Episode 9: "Straight to Hell" (SPOILERS)

[Punisher_MAX]

Yeah. Bernthal IS the Punisher. No one else comes close. I usually like the guys at Mr Sunday Movies but they did a Caravan of Garbage episode on Punisher War Zone and said it was the best depiction of Frank ever. I’m sorry but GTFO with that bull****. I would agree that Ray Stevenson was good in the role (he’s great in everything) but that movie was horrible. It was like watching the torture porn version of Batman & Robin. It’s offensive to practically every one of the senses.

I like War Zone for how cartoony it is, but yeah, it is so bad. Stevenson was a good Frank but the movie was played as a joke, which it was. I get that Garth Ennis added some morbid humor in his Knights run, but it was just executed terribly.

The Punisher at worst should be like John Wick in tone...but they definitely nailed it with him in Born Again.

 

[Deck Rickard]

I like War Zone for how cartoony it is, but yeah, it is so bad. Stevenson was a good Frank but the movie was played as a joke, which it was. I get that Garth Ennis added some morbid humor in his Knights run, but it was just executed terribly.

The Punisher at worst should be like John Wick in tone...but they definitely nailed it with him in Born Again.

Yeah. What I love about Bernthal’s Punisher is the depth he brings to the role. The rage, the sadness of a broken man who hates what he does but feels he has to do it because no one else will. It’s tempting to portray Frank as an almost soulless killing machine (and I like that approach too) but Bernthal brings so much pain in his performance it sets him apart from the various action heroes of the 70s that Frank was based on.

 

[BlackFox]

Also helps Bernthal looks like a scary *** dude naturally without having to act tough to get that across.

 

[squeekness]

Speaking of Luke, i almost got excited when that officer in the car with Gallo was called “Luke,” and i was like “wait…is that LUKE Luke?!”

Me too!!! And then I was like

 

[squeekness]

Frank Castle was absolutely amazing in this episode.

Might have been the best depiction of the character we've ever had. Can't wait for his presentation next year.

Same. I agree that any Punisher appearance going forward should only be played by Berenthal.

 

[Dr. Evil]

They also did not erase the previous relationship Castle has with Karen. Hopefully she returns for the special presentation......Madani too.

 

[Still Wynning]

I liked the nod to the greater MCU, but I don't think Ms. Marvel really fits in w/ the Marvel Knights tone & aesthetic.

Daredevil still works in other people‘s worlds, but other characters wouldn’t fit in his.

For example, if Jason Voorhees happened to show up in Paddington for a bit, it wouldn’t feel out of place because Paddington plays around with tones a lot for certain scenes in their films. However, if Paddington showed up in a Friday the 13th film, it would feel wrong because he’s a very wholesome character in that universe is…not very welcoming, to say the least.

The Punisher at worst should be like John Wick in tone...but they definitely nailed it with him in Born Again.

The whole scene, especially that shot of Frank shooting through the wall, was basically a riff on the home invasion scene in the first John Wick film, just a bit more violent and bloody.

 

[Dr. Evil]

Daredevil exploring the greater MCU needs to happen outside of his series and outside of New York City. There are plenty of characters within the greater MCU that can easily fit into the world of the Defenders and Ms. Marvel is not one of them. Sam Wilson, Clint Barton, any of the Thunderbolts except Bob, Jimmy Woo, Darcy Lewis, Maya Lopez, Isaiah Bradley and Kate Barton all can fit into the world of the Defenders. I am not sure She Hulk works in the world of the Defenders.

However, Matt fitting into Ms. Marvel's world would work and it would be fun. The other Defenders if they return, could easily fit into the greater MCU as well.

 

[Still Wynning]

However, Matt fitting into Ms. Marvel's world would work and it would be fun. The other Defenders if they return, could easily fit into the greater MCU as well.

Especially if they are planning on the Champions having him as a mentor, which they’ve kind of been hinting towards and teasing a bit this season.

Plus, it would be kind of neat for them to bring up the obvious common element of Matt, Kamala and Billy practicing religion being a very important facet of their lives and how that drives and motivates them in going out and superheroing. Missed opportunity if they don’t at least touch on it a bit.

 

[Dr. Evil]

Especially if they are planning on the Champions having him as a mentor, which they’ve kind of been hinting towards and teasing a bit this season.

Plus, it would be kind of neat for them to bring up the obvious common element of Matt, Kamala and Billy practicing religion being a very important facet of their lives and how that drives and motivates them in going out and superheroing. Missed opportunity if they don’t at least touch on it a bit.

If I had to guess Kamala knows who the Defenders are, but she's not fangirling out as she would if she were to have met Thor or Hulk or Rhodey or Clint Barton. Not sure at this point I want to see Kamala interact with Jessica, Luke, Danny, Misty or Colleen.

Despite their past ties, I can't see She Hulk popping up in any of these characters shows if they are brought back. Tatiana Maslany would have to play Jen a lot more serious for She Hulk appearances to work within the Defenders Universe. I didn't mind how Matt was portrayed in She Hulk, because that's how I pictured Matt Murdock in a less serious MCU show. If the MCU wants a Hulk in the Defenders part of the MCU, they can continue the story bit in a future episode of this series where at the end of She Hulk, Emil Blonsky escapes his cell with the help of Wong and Murdock can defend Blonsky (and they can say offscreen that Wong made some sort of deal to get out of that situation).

 

[CyclopsSummers]

When DD appeared in SheHulk, it was still unclear about Netflix shows' setting in MCU.

At beginning they were officially part of MCU Movies. Then, in phase 4, there was a doubt and seems K.Feige wanted to ignore them. Finally next to WGA strike, they decided to include them
Whatever Im glad to see DD met SheHulk Banner and Sakaar

Sure DD will need Punisher LukeCage Ironfist others heroes to take down Fisk and his conspiracies in S2

 

[Deck Rickard]

Me too!!! And then I was like

It’s was actually his clone, Luuke Cage.

Obscure reference for the win!

 

[Lily Adler]

When DD appeared in SheHulk, it was still unclear about Netflix shows' setting in MCU.

At beginning they were officially part of MCU Movies. Then, in phase 4, there was a doubt and seems K.Feige wanted to ignore them. Finally next to WGA strike, they decided to include them
Whatever Im glad to see DD met SheHulk Banner and Sakaar

Sure DD will need Punisher LukeCage Ironfist others heroes to take down Fisk and his conspiracies in S2

She Hulk never happened.

 

[Spider-Fan83]

"he may have an army, but I once ****** a She/Hulk..err.. I mean we have a She/Hulk...."

 

[Dr. Evil]

Weren't there people at one point who like right around the time of Captain America: The Winter Soldier who wanted Frank Grillo as Frank Castle instead of Crossbones?

 

[Deck Rickard]

Weren't there people at one point who like right around the time of Captain America: The Winter Soldier who wanted Frank Grillo as Frank Castle instead of Crossbones?

Yeah, it was after he made that Purge movie where he basically played the Punisher lol. Grillo would have been a great Frank Castle I’m sure, but I love Bernthal in the role.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

I'm sure this is just a coincidence, but just before Matt says we need an army, you hear Spider-Man's MCU theme.

 

[Mike Murdock]

I let myself start to believe those "Foggy is alive" theories AND FOR WHAT?!

I'm still holding out hope, even if just a little.

My thoughts (better late than never):
I was really enjoying this episode until I realized there was only ten minutes left. I'm glad they didn't try to rush an ending, but it felt like a setup episode finishing a season. Impossible to truly judge it until we see the second season.

That being said, the last two episodes did a great job of bringing things full circle. The extra first episode makes the show feel cohesive with this one bringing the character arc to completion. Daredevil is truly born again.