'Marvel's The Punisher' - "Danger Close" Episode 11 Recap

"Danger Close" finds Frank Castle a most-wanted man. Pinned for the assassination attempt on Senator Ori by Lewis Wilson, the news has plastered Frank's face everywhere as a terrorist. Billy Russo even gives a news interview denouncing his former friend and painting Frank's target even bigger.

Later, Billy visits Madani to give an official interview on Frank Castle and Cerberus. She's trying to draw answers out of him, but all he does is try to make her look bad. Madani switches up her tactics, trying to scare Billy with the threat that Frank will surely be coming to kill him now. She may have even tipped Castle off to Billy's whereabouts. Of course, she didn't. This is just a scene of two former lovers, now pissed off and beat up playing a game of who will flinch first.

In the wake of the very public Frank Castle shitstorm, Rawlins' position with the C.I.A. is on shaky ground. When he meets with C.I.A.'s Deputy Director Marion James, he presents to her the plan of killing Frank and pinning it on Billy Russo. James agrees to the plan, but demands Rawlins' resignation upon completion.

With Frank Castle's face plastered all over the news, it doesn't take long for the Lieberman family to realize the Pete Castiglione they've come to know is not who he says he is. When a panicked Zach alerts the authorities with info on Frank, it's a couple of Anvil goons who show up to collect the Liebermans. Daughter Leo manages to escape, but Sarah and Zach are kidnapped.


Amidst all of the publicity and the devastating betrayal by Billy Russo, Frank Castle is beginning to lose his cool. He lashes out at David for contacting Madani behind his back and wants to sever their partnership completely. That all changes when the two discover Sarah and Zach's kidnapping. To make matters worse, Anvil would be able to use Sarah to find their secret hideout. Frank quickly pulls himself back together and devises a plan. David would go find and protect Leo. Frank would handle the rest. A really great scene follows where Frank has to convince David to go rescue his own daughter. David has been out of his family's lives for so long he's scared that he doesn't fit anymore. Frank is able to reassure him that everything will be ok and send the man off to do his part.

The reunion of David and Leo has been eleven episodes in the making for audiences, but over a year for David. Ebon Moss-Bachrach has been giving a standout performance all season and that continues to be the case here. Isn't it karma that after The Punisher upstaged Daredevil on his own show, Micro comes in to upstage him on his?

As David is off with Leo, Frank Castle takes the time to prepare for the incoming Anvil assault. He readies his weapons, he dons all black, he spray paints his bullet-proof vest. It took eleven episodes, but Frank Castle is The Punisher once again. As the army of Anvil soldiers attack the hideout, Frank Castle becomes his own, one-man-army. He violently and precisely takes out every single enemy soldier in a stunningly crafted action sequence. In the end, he finds one Anvil soldier clinging on to life. Frank demands to know where Billy Russo was, but the soldier doesn't give up any answers. Frank shoots him. Now, if he wanted to save Sarah and Zach, he would have to switch up his methods. It was time to turn to the only other person that could help save the Liebermans: Dinah Madani.