The first full trailer for Marvel's The Punisher has finally arrived, showing fans just what to expect from the series as it spins out of the character introduced in Daredevil's second season, with Jon Bernthal reprising his role as the brutal ex-Marine turned armed vigilante.

While the official trailer offers the best look yet at the upcoming Netflix series, we're all still pretty much in the cold as far as what the story will focus on, exactly. It's safe to guess Frank Castle will be delivering his signature style of "justice" upon those he's sees as criminals, but there's obviously a lot more to the story than that.

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What the trailer does do is introduce us to the cast of characters destined to be caught in the crossfire as Frank Castle metes out high-caliber justice. Below, CBR breaks down the key players seen in the trailer, and digs a bit deeper into what we've been able to ascertain regarding the narrative of the series.

The Punisher

Bernthal suits up as The Punisher, not only in an attempt to avenge his family, but to get to the bottom of a conspiracy that's unraveling around him. After escaping jail in Daredevil with the help of Wilson Fisk, Castle finds himself on everybody's "wanted" list, including the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. Of course, he's going to shoot his way out of harm's way, making a friend in Micro along the way.

The series is set to highlight the consequences of Castle's said methods, showing that there's a hefty amount of responsibility that goes along with flat-out murdering people. The show needs to find a way of getting fans to care about Castle throughout his adventures, even when he's brutally killing people with any and every weapon he can get his hands on.

The Unwilling Partnership

David "Micro" Lieberman, played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach, is seen in the trailer persuading Castle to work alongside him. Micro won't be picking up a weapon, though -- he'll be fighting with a keyboard, hacking his way into classified information to assist Frank's cause in the hope that it'll allow him to see his family again. Micro's situation is different from Castle's, but they're both missing their families and find themselves facing a shared threat.

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Common interests seemingly outshine the divisive qualities between Castle and Micro, and that's evident in their partnership. Frank is a quiet and dark character that just wants to get the job done, while Micro comes off as witty and cocky. They're basically yin and yang, and perhaps that's why they'll work together so wonderfully.

The Familiar Face

The chilling trailer gave us a glimpse of Deborah Ann Woll's second reprisal as Karen Page, after developing her tragic backstory in Daredevil and playing a role in The Defenders. Page developed a close relationship with Castle during the second season of Daredevil, proving herself one of the few people who doesn't fear the anti-hero.

Page allows Castle to show fans a side of him that we wouldn't have otherwise seen after the tragic death of his beloved wife. Despite not agreeing with his methods of doling out justice, Karen will support and believe in him when nobody else will, perhaps spurring him on to finally unveil the full truth about his family's murder.

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Stairwell Brawl

No Marvel and Netflix series is complete without a hallway or stairwell fight scene, so it's somehow reassuring to see that The Punisher will continue that tradition. In the trailer, we see Castle brawling on a set of stairs with policemen, before fleeing the scene in style.

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These close-quarter fight scenes have become a staple in Marvel's series, whether it's showing off the sheer grit and determination of Daredevil as he fights his way through hordes of thugs, or demonstrating what The Defenders are capable of when they come together for the first time. Expect Frank Castle's battle to accomplish a similar task for his character.

The Old Friend

Billy Russo, Castle's best friend from his time in the Special Forces, is played by Ben Barnes. Though he doesn't say or do much in the trailer, we suspect he'll play a big part in the 13-episode series. He's under the knowledge that Frank is dead, and has set up a private military corporation, Anvil, since returning from overseas.

We don't doubt for a second that his corporation plays a big part in the brewing conspiracy that Castle finds himself in. In Marvel's comics universe, Russo is known as Jigsaw, a villain who's essentially the archenemy of The Punisher. The comic version's scarred face appears similar to that of a jigsaw puzzle thanks to Castle's brutal ways, and while Russo's face in the trailer is umblemished, it's entirely possible he'll experience a violent makeover at some point in in the series.

The Man Who Wants Frank Dead

William Rawlins, played by Paul Schulze, is a man high-up in the CIA whose previous work intersected with Castle's time in Afghanistan. He prides himself on making hard choices that the average person couldn't, and it appears one of those is the decision that Castle shouldn't be walking the streets.

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The trailer hears Castle reveal that Rawlins wants him dead, but why? Maybe Castle, with thanks to his new hacker friend Micro, has gained information on something classified that he shouldn't know about. Whatever the case, it's probably a safe bet that Rawlins is behind the legion of coppers and gunmen who are chasing the titular character down.

Yes, There Are Flashbacks

The trailer kicks off with a combination of flashbacks and dream sequences, showing Frank with his family shortly after he returned from duty. The flashbacks serve as a way of showing the contrast of Frank's mentality prior, and after, the critical turning point in his life. The flashbacks should also show how close Castle and Russo were, which'll raise the stakes if the latter does become the supervillain we all know and love from the comics.

The Music

The heavy metal tune heard in the background of the trailer is One, by none other than Metallica The songs, based on the novel Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo, is directly inspired by a passage from the novel: "How could a man lose as much of himself as I have and still live?"

This passage sums Frank Castle up, perfectly. He's no longer serving his country as a Marine, where he felt truly useful, and he no longer has his family. Thus in his eyes, there's truly nothing for him to live for. That's why he's as ruthless as he is when he's cleaning the streets of bad guys.

It's a Solo Mission

Yes, Castle will begrudgingly join forces with Micro as he attempts to uncover the truth surrounding his family, but there are no other heroes involved. At least, that's what the trailer indicates. Fans expected Daredevil to return the favor by showing in the Punisher's series, but judging by the footage released today, it seems like Frank will be alone on the battlefield.


The Punisher stars Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle, Ben Barnes as Billy Russo, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Micro, Amber Rose Revah as Dinah Madani, Deborah Ann Woll as Karen Page, Daniel Webber as Lewis Walcott, Shohreh Aghdashloo as Farah Madani, and Paul Schulze as Rawlins, with Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in an undisclosed role. The series is slated to debut on Netflix this year.