Ever since the Multiverse was introduced in Loki, it opened countless doors for characters from other universes to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Some of the most noteworthy additions have included Spider-Men from past films joining Tom Holland in Spider-Man: No Way Home, but another addition that's much more permanent was the reintegration of Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock in the MCU. With Wilson Fisk also returning, things have gone into overdrive regarding the MCU's street-level heroes.
The most recent news has confirmed that Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle will also return to the MCU in the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again series alongside Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin and Charlie Cox's Daredevil. For now, there's no idea what capacity Castle could be used in the series, but he will likely cross paths with the MCU's worst. While this is undoubtedly a happy surprise for fans, Bernthal's return to the MCU could also give his greatest rival, Ben Barnes' Jigsaw, a chance to be redeemed.
Ben Barnes' Jigsaw Had A Rocky First Outing
When Ben Barnes' Billy Russo was introduced in Season 1 of The Punisher, his storyline was altered to connect him more to Frank Castle. Still obsessed with his appearance, Billy was no longer a part of the mob and was instead a fellow soldier with Frank. However, when they went their separate ways Billy became a mercenary and later contributed to the death of Castle's family. As revenge, Frank scarred Billy's face and nearly killed him. His return in The Punisher Season 2 left his mind as fractured as his face. As Jigsaw, he sought revenge on Frank and ultimately was killed by his close friend.
Before he was Jigsaw, Billy was manipulative and gave off a similar instability to his comic counterpart. However, the moment he was scarred, he came off as more of a victim turned villain, as he had no memory of his time as Billy. When compared to the comics, Jigsaw was a ruthless crime lord who had no qualms with killing and even enjoyed it extensively. While the series didn't fully explore his mafia hitman roots, it could be the perfect foundation to bring Barnes and his character into the MCU.
How Could the MCU Redeem Barnes' Jigsaw?
Like the MCU's Daredevil, it's unlikely that this iteration of Castle will be the same one from his series, at least in terms of past experiences. The same could also be said for Barnes' Jigsaw. However, this could be a chance to have the actor push the character in new directions. For example, by having him tie more to his roots as a mafia hitman, it could explain his run-in with The Punisher that left him scarred. Then, years later he could build up power as Jigsaw, the unstable but successful crime lord, and be a perfect menace to challenge Wilson Fisk's rise to power. In doing so, this would also set him up as a proper rival to Frank which represented Frank's killer mentality but used solely for crime rather than its eradication.
By focusing more on Jigsaw's comic roots, the audiences could see Barnes give the character the justice he deserved in the past series while offering something new. In the end, it may be an unlikely addition to the MCU's street-level arena but a necessary one to push a character like Frank Castle more. Furthermore, with Jigsaw aware of the crime in New York City and controlling most of it, he could also be the perfect villain to face off against even more heroes as they begin to appear that aren't just Punisher and Daredevil. In the end, Ben Barnes' Jigsaw may not have been perfect but the character and the actor more than deserve a chance to be explored further.