Daredevil Born Again Episode 4 Review Jon Bernthal’s Punisher Return Hits Hard

Review of Daredevil: Born Again Episode 4: Jon Bernthal's Punisher Return Was More Emotional Than I Had Anticipated

Wilson Fisk’s Kingpin Continues to Dominate the Narrative

When all is said and done, Daredevil: Born Again may be my favorite series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. White Tiger's trial was the main topic of Daredevil: Born Again episode three last week. I was completely devastated when someone using the Punisher's logo killed Hector Ayala in cold blood, but I was also thrilled with Matt Murdock's defense strategy. Even though the episode attempted to suggest that Frank Castle might have been responsible for White Tiger's demise, it was obvious that there was a much more plausible explanation.

Fortunately, it didn't turn into a protracted mystery in the series, and episode 4 addressed the problem directly by bringing back Jon Bernthal's Punisher. Although my favorite part of episode 4 is Frank Castle's new MCU appearance—the first under Marvel Studios' creative direction—this week's episode also has some other really intriguing aspects. Wilson D'Onofrio plays Wilson Fisk, who co-leads the cast of Daredevil: Born Again. I thought episode 4 did a great job of exploring the Adam mystery and showing us how Fisk's Kingpin side is still very much alive.

The Adam Mystery and Daniel’s Peril

Wilson Fisk is still planning after the Major Adam mystery involving New York City's mayor has been finally solved.

Wilson Fisk's side of the story saw some significant developments. In addition to the mayor aspect, I adore how Marvel is treating the character by elevating Fisk to the same level of significance in the series as Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock. Despite being the primary antagonist of Netflix's Daredevil, Fisk did not make as many appearances or have as large of a cast as he does in the Disney+ series. Daniel, played by Michael Gandolfini, is one of my favorite characters from Fisk's side of the show. In Daredevil: Born Again, episode 4, I thought Daniel would die.

The reason is that at a club, Daniel rambled on to BB about Fisk's recycling ideas. Although they are friends, it is obvious that BB was coercing him into learning about Fisk's covert schemes. As the episode went on, the leak would get worse, and Daniel would confront Fisk about it, admitting that he had unintentionally caused it. This sets up a dramatic scene that demonstrates the nuanced nature of D'Onofrio's portrayal of the Kingpin in Marvel. Fisk is both impressed by Daniel's initiative and furious about his behavior. However, if this occurs again, he will murder Daniel.

Daniel is a compelling character to follow because of Gandolfini's passionate performance and the sincerity with which he inhabits the part. But Fisk has no qualms about threatening people he likes. The treatment is unquestionably worse for those he despises. The fact that Vanessa cheated on Fisk with Adam is confirmed in Daredevil: Born Again. His artistic side drew her in. I was shocked when the MCU series disclosed that Fisk kept Adam alive by enclosing him in a cage because I firmly believed he had killed Adam. The reason behind Fisk's bloody fists in earlier episodes has been revealed.

The Punisher Returns To Deliver Some Harsh Truths To Daredevil

Frank Castle’s Emotional Impact on Matt Murdock

When we last saw Frank Castle, he was just as magnificent.

White Tiger's murder leaves Matt Murdock to carry on the threads while Wilson Fisk attends to his own storylines. They would take him to Bernthal's Punisher, the character I've been most eager to see since the show's announcement. In season two of Daredevil on Netflix, the actor made his debut as the anti-hero. Indeed, the Punisher is primarily recognized for his action-packed shows and Frank Castle's willingness to leave a bloody trail of devastation in his wake when pursuing a target. But Bernthal demonstrated that the Punisher is capable of much more.

All of the Punisher's action sequences in Daredevil on Netflix were fantastic. But his quieter moments were the most impactful. I became aware of Frank's complexity as a character when he confided in Matt about his family and the two talked about their moral principles in the show's rooftop and cemetery scenes. Powerhouse Bernthal hasn't missed a beat in the role, as evidenced by his return as the anti-hero. The emotional reaction Punisher elicits from Matt in episode 4 was what I found most compelling about his role, not the dirty cops angle.

In last week's episode, Heather Glenn had already attempted to persuade Matt to talk about Foggy's passing, but the Punisher gets right to the point and makes Matt face his emotions. To get Matt to feel what he needs to in order to get over Foggy's passing, Frank knows just what buttons to press. Following their physical altercation, there is an emotional exchange in which Matt laments his friend and Frank laments his son. The characters' relationship is still amazing, and I can't wait to see where it takes us.