Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again Episode 4.Matt Murdock/Daredevil and Frank Castle/The Punisherhave had one of the most conflicted relationships between comic book vigilantesfor decades. Matt is usually outraged by Frank’s unilateral use of lethal force against criminals, which violates the American criminal justice system that Matt believes in despite his own illegal actions, and often attempts to detain Frank to stop the killing. However, he also has sympathy for what Frank has suffered through, especially the murders of his wife and children that led him to become The Punisher and has himself has been tempted to use more extreme tactics in his darker moments. Frank is often shown resenting and mocking Matt’s refusal to kill his opponents and has repeatedly tried to goad him into doing so. However, certain stories have also shown him acting protective of Matt, with him even once purposely getting himself arrested so he could monitor Matt, who was also incarcerated at the time and becoming increasingly violent in his clashes with other prisoners, and prevent him from breaking his moral code if necessary.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe versions of the characters have effectively replicated, and even added further nuance to, the dynamic, thanks to strong writing and exceptional performances fromCharlie CoxandJon Bernthal, ever since the latter debuted as Frank in the second season of theDaredevilNetflix series. The latest episode ofDaredevil: Born Againreintroduces Frank with the duo’s first shared scene in almost a decade, andBernthal and Cox quickly reestablish and deepen their tumultuous rapport in what is easily the new show’s best scene so far.
Frank Calls Matt Out in ‘Daredevil: Born Again’
Matt visits Frank at his secret dwelling after learning that a client of his law firm, fellow superheroHector Ayala/White Tiger (Kamar de los Reyes), was shot to death, with the bullet casing engraved with the skull logo that Frank popularized as The Punisher. Although aware that Frank likely wouldn’t kill Hector, Matt does point out how the former’s vigilante actions do make him at least partially responsible for the activities ofsubsequent criminals (many of whom are corrupt police officers) who have misinterpreted and appropriated his symbol, including whoever the assassin is. Frank also has plenty of his own criticisms to make of Matt. However, chastising him for his refusal to acknowledge how muchthe death of his best friend, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson), continues to pain him.Frank asserts that the loss will continue to haunt Matt unless he kills Foggy’s murderer, Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter/Bullseye (Wilson Bethel), even though Matt already dropped him off a roof after Foggy’s murder, with Dex subsequently being arrested and sentenced to life in prison.
The scene is shocking in its intense emotional vulnerability, even by the high standards fans have for stories involving the characters, given their past appearances.Bernthal and Cox play out a heartbreaking scene during the episode. Frank describes how he constantly hears the voice of his son telling him to continue being The Punisher, and Matt asserts that Foggy “was the kindest, purest soul I’ve ever met. And guys like you and me, we could work a lifetime and never measure up to his decency." A big part of the reason Bernthal’s isthe most acclaimed live-action interpretation of Frankby far is that he frequently shows that the character does experience emotions other than rage and grief while still maintaining his abrasive exterior.
Even though he forcefully yells many of his lines, Bernthal’s facial expressions, and especially his eyes, emphasize that Frank is truly saddened by Matt’s loss and trying to help him. This is arguably one of the most chilling aspects of the scene, asit makes Frank an even more tragic characterby highlighting how he genuinely believes that violent, murderous vengeance can help one heal.Bernthal recently statedthat he wants his role inBorn Againand other future Marvel projects to continue increasing Frank’s moral ambiguity and emphasizing his damaged psychology. This scene is a promising sign that he and the writers are going to succeed in doing so.
Charlie Cox and Jon Bernthal Do Some of Their Best Acting Together
As is often the case, Cox’s performance is especially impressive given that much of both his eyes are obscured, as the blind Matt usually wears tinted glasses when in his civilian guise. Matt, or at least a big part of him, clearly wants to return to being Daredevil, particularly after Hector’s death emphasized how flawed the criminal justice system is. And deep down, there was a part of him that agreed with Frank that Bullseye deserved to die. But, he’s also partially determined to continue his retirement from crime-fighting, both because he clearly already intended to kill Dex when dropping him and is ashamed of this, and due to the mixed feelings Foggy always had about his alter ego.The quick pacing and shifts in posture Cox uses viscerally convey how the conflicting impulses are tearing the character apart, as does his similarly rapid shift in demeanor when Matt first becomes so enraged at Frank’s comments that he hits him and says, “Goddamn you,” before instantly moving to a penitent apology.
WhileBorn Againhas certainly been a strong series itself so far, this is the first scene to match or even exceed some of the highlights from the original show. This emphasizes that, as fantastic as Cox and Bernthal are individually in their roles, some of the best aspects of their performances become especially pronounced when positioned opposite one another, with the writing for the characters being similarly enhanced. Although it’s been a long time since they shared the screen,they’re still one of the best live-actioncomic book duos, clearly equaling other greats like both versions of Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto and Avengers leaders Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) and Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) Just give them their Emmys now.
