Spoilers for Daredevil (2022) #7!The Punisher’s arsenal typically contains every possible type of firearm, but throughout the years his tools have expanded beyond guns and to katanas and mysticism. Now, Frank Castle has just received his most powerful weapon yet. As a result of his never-ending crusade to rid the world of all manner of criminals, he’s been recruited as the new leader of the Hand, an ancient order of ninjas who seek to spread their evil influence across the world. Respecting Frank as the ultimate killer, they just gave the Punisher a weapon that may make him unstoppable.
In Daredevil (2022) #7 by Chip Zdarsky and Rafael De Latorre, the Hand kidnaps Bullet, a reformed villain now ally to Daredevil. In an effort to lure the Fist, Matt and Elektra’s anti-Hand organization, into battle, the Punisher threatens Bullet and his son Lance. Daredevil, unwilling to allow Bullet’s child to remain as a prisoner, leads his army of warriors to Yushuhara where the Punisher is wiping out a Japanese town of criminals. Alongside Frank are an army of Hand Ninjas and a colossal dragon. Frank was already one of Marvel’s deadliest killers even before he joined the Hand, and now he’s been given superpowers and control over a dragon who is about to level a small town.
Frank’s Pet Dragon Is His Deadliest Weapon Yet
The Punisher has received quite a few upgrades to his crime-fighting arsenal over the years. He once donned War Machine’s armor and took on an entire nation’s army. Other weapons of his have included a zoo’s animal exhibits, Green Goblin’s glider, and Spider-Man’s web shooters. Most recently his role as the High Slayer of the Hand has granted him some of his most significant upgrades to date. His connection to the Beast, the evil demon worshiped by the Hand, has gifted him the supernatural abilities of super strength, healing and flight. Along with new powers, he’s also forged god-killing bullets in preparation for a fight with Ares, the god of war. Of course, the most unconventional of his new array of weapons is his dragon.
Punisher’s Mission Is Getting More Extreme
While Frank is considered to be Marvel’s greatest killer, he has always been careful to only kill those who he believes are deserving of his wrath. His mission to protect the innocent is often juxtaposed with his extreme use of violence and this pet dragon, along with his new role, exemplifies this conflict. Frank has gone beyond his simple mission of killing criminals by secretly replacing world leaders, such as the U.S. president, with his Hand agents. He may now be seeking control over governments in order to better work towards eradicating the criminal element, and this dragon is another step towards that goal. A weapon as destructive as a flying, fire-breathing kaiju can no longer separate the ‘innocent’ from the ‘guilty,’ and yet Frank seems to have no hesitation unleashing it.
The origin of this dragon has yet to be revealed, but its inclusion may be derived from several sources throughout Marvel media. The dragon known as the “Madragon” once rose from beneath the island Madripoor and served the Hand in a battle against the Avengers. The Punisher’s dragon could very well be the same creature as the Madragon that was defeated in the pages of Avengers World, since its death was never confirmed. The Punisher’s dragon could also be inspired by The Defenders streaming series that included a version of the Hand which sought to harvest dragon bones which granted immortality. Whatever the dragon’s origin may be, it’s clear that the Punisher plans to use the creature to devastating effect in his coming war against Daredevil.
Daredevil (2022) #7 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!
