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in: The Punisher Episodes

Front Toward Enemy

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"People I went after, I stood in front of 'em. I looked them in the eye before I put 'em down. Not you. You're a coward."
―Punisher to Lewis Wilson

Front Toward Enemy is the ninth episode of the first season of the television series The Punisher.

Synopsis[]

Following a deadly explosion, Karen lands in a bomber's crosshairs -- and Frank isn't happy about it. Meanwhile, Curtis makes a grisly discovery.

Plot[]

The Punisher Oct 23 Still 3

Dinah Madani is still crippled after the death of Sam Stein and stays bedridden at home. Farah tries to comfort her but Madani blames herself for Stein's death and she cannot even tell anyone what he died for. Frank Castle and Micro watch over her from the nearby rooftop with the intention to approach her but they see that she is not capable to help them at the moment. Micro suggests setting up a meet via e-mail but Castle says that they only have one shot, so they must be prepared. However, as they continue watching over Madani, the streets below is rocked by a sudden explosion.

EllisonPageDiscussLetter

The bombs planted by Lewis Wilson at several municipal buildings across New York City result in casualties among civilians and municipal workers. Wilson writes a manifesto and mails it to Karen Page, thinking of her as an ally, due to her former association with Castle. Wilson states that he angered by the government trying to take the guns away from common people and calls his actions a fight for liberty, while threatening New York Bulletin if they don't print his manifesto. Page is not approving his action a single bit but wants a manifesto printed to let the bomber know her actual stance, but Mitchell Ellison says that they must wait and contact the FBI.

DMadaniToldFHernandezAboutRecovery

Watching the news about the bombings, Castle expresses his disgust with the bomber and his terrorist tactics. Micro reminds him of his plan to go after Madani but Castle argues that considering the current situation, approaching Madnai would be a wrong decision. Meanwhile, Rafael Hernandez visits Madani at her house, despite Farah's protests, and tells her that in light of Madnai's recent actions, the Homeland Security was not prepared for the bombings. Hernandez wants to know the truth about Madani's actions and if it had any relevance to Kandahar and Ahmad Zubair but Madani does not tell him anything, only saying that the truth was the reason why all of that happened.

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New York Bulletin prints the bomber's manifesto with Page's reply, in which she openly denounces the bomber, calling him a coward and a terrorist. Castle is concerned that she might become the target, while listening to Ricky Langtry Show, where Page and Senator Stan Ori, as the latter advocates for stricter gun regulation. He cites the Punisher's rampage throughout the city, but Page argues that sometimes, a weapon is nessesary for self-defense. Wilson calls on a show and listening to Page denouncing his actions, he says that both she and Ori are on the wrong side of the war, ending the call with "sic semper tyrannis".

CHoyleGettingFoundByLWilson

Castle recognizes the last phrase that he heard Wilson saying at Curtis Hoyle's support group and tells Micro to track him down. Micro is unsure why Wilson is relevant to their own mission but Castle replies that he cannot let Page be targeted by Wilson, as Castle considers her a family, so Micro agrees to help. Meanwile, Hoyle recognizes the phrase as well and since Wilson was not present at his home, he goes to O'Connor's house, where he finds his corpse and supplies for bombs. Hoyle then confronts Wilson and tries to reason with him but Wilson refuses to listen and attacks him, saying that he cannot let Hoyle leave. Hoyle fights back but Wilson eventually gets the upper hand and beats Hoyle unconscious with his prosthetic leg.

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Micro gives Castle an information about Wilson and suggests calling the autorities or Hoyle but he refuses, as he wants to deal with Wilson on his own. Castle contacts Page while the FBI investigates at New York Bulletin Building, saying that she should not have go against Wilson so openly. Page says that she was angered by him thinking that she might approve the bombings, but Castle insists that she must stay away from the bomber. Page asks Castle if he knows who the bomber asks and suggests doing the right thing by telling the FBI about him, but Castle intends to deal with it himself. Page says that Castle's extreme way of dealing with the bomber, makes him no different from him, but Castle denies that they are any similar.

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Billy Russo visits Madani and tries to give her some comfort, saying that he experienced the guilt over comrade's death and she should not beat herself over it. Russo suggests her going back to work but Madani says that she used Castle's name as bait and it resulted in the deaths of federal agents, which she will be held responsible for. Later, Russo gets approached by Ori who organizes a fundraiser event to benefit the victims of the bombings and hires Anvil to provide security. Ori tells Russo that as a representative of an anti-gun movement, it would not look good if Anvil just shoot the person who might attack him but Russo asks him if his principles are worth dying for.

Front Toward Enemy

As Castle finds Wilson Residence empty, he receives a call from Micro, who says that he is right for wanting to protect people he cares for. Micro gives Castle the location of Wilson's phone and informs him that Wilson got a call from Hoyle who is now also at the same address. Castle finds Hoyle beaten and tied to a chair with the explosive rigged to blow up, before receiving a call from Wilson who watches from nearby. Wilson tells him that he had to take matters into his own hands, like Castle did when he took it upon himself to kill criminals throughout the city, while Hoyle just happened to be on the wrong side. Castle berates Wilson for his cowardly tactics of hiding behind the bombs, telling him to let Hoyle go and turn himself in, but Wilson only ends the call.

DMadaniAdmittingBeingDoneReflecting

Madani decides to go to Stein's funeral, telling Farah that she owes it to him, as she was the own who brought Stein into her investigation and it got him killed. Madani says that she will openly tell all truth behind Stein's death and the people they were looking for and even though her career would be over, someone will have to take her words seriously. Farah wants her daughter to think it through as there will be no coming back, asking if she is buring all bridges because she is scared to return.

Frank and Curtis having a talk

Castle looks for a way to defuse the bombs, before Wilson calls and tells him that he called the police and he does not want Castle to die, thinking that they should be allies. Castle agrees with him and asks what wire should he cut to save Hoyle, but Wilson cannot trust Castle just yet. Castle then tells him a story of how Hoyle lost his leg: during their their service, they were approached by a pregnant woman who was a suicide bomber, while Hoyle was treating a young boy's wounds. Being reminded of his wife, Castle failed to kill the bomber and the explosion killed the boy and blew Hoyle's leg off, and now he blames himself for that.

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As the police approaches, Castle looks Wilson in the eye and tells him that he is not leaving, despite Hoyle saying that he does not owe him anything. Wilson claims that he wanted to fight for his country but people like Page and Ori have become a threat to real patriots like he is, but Castle does not take any of that, saying that Wilson gets to decide if he murders both him and Hoyle or not. Wilson tells him which wire to cut and runs away, so Castle successfully defuses the bombs and saves Hoyle. He then tries to escape from the police officers and during the chase, he is forced to attack the officers and steal their car to get away.

MicroWatchesTheTV-AtTheBar

Madani drinks at the bar and gets approached by Micro, who lets Madani know that he was the one who sent her the Zubair footage and says that since then a lot of people died. He wants to know if Madani was involved with the enemy and she gets insulted by this thought, telling Micro if he wants to shoot her, he can do that. Micro tells her everything about Operation Cerberus, a heroin trade from Kandahar, and the reason why Zubair was executed. Micro names William Rawlins as the man in charge and adds that he has evidence that can proove his involvement but Madani will need Castle to corroborate, as he was in the room when Zubair was killed.

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However, the news report that Castle's face was caught by a dash camera, while he was running away from the house rigged to explode. The public now knows that the Punisher is alive, as Ellison turns on the news and has Page watch it, which shocks her, while Madani and Micro have the same reaction. Castle returns to the hideout and finds Micro not being there but looks at the news that now everyone knows that he is back.

Cast[]

Main Cast:

Guest Stars:

Appearances[]

Locations[]

Events[]

Items[]

Vehicles[]

Sentient Species[]

Creatures[]

Organizations[]

Mentioned[]

Music[]

Song title Artist Location(s)
Happy Birthday to You
  • Video of ATF office workers singing as they present a coworker with a birthday cake, just before a bomb explodes in the building.
  • Frank Castle watches the video on the news.
Escape the Base Tyler Bates

Trivia[]

  • The episode title is referring to a M18 Claymore mine with words "Front Towards Enemy" stamped on the front of every Claymore mine. One of these mines were also used by Frank Castle in the 2004 film The Punisher.

References[]

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Front Toward Enemy.

External Links[]

Season One 3 AM ‱ Two Dead Men ‱ Kandahar ‱ Resupply ‱ Gunner ‱ The Judas Goat ‱ Crosshairs ‱ Cold Steel ‱ Front Toward Enemy ‱ Virtue of the Vicious ‱ Danger Close ‱ Home ‱ Memento Mori
Season Two Roadhouse Blues ‱ Fight or Flight ‱ Trouble the Water ‱ Scar Tissue ‱ One-Eyed Jacks ‱ Nakazat ‱ One Bad Day ‱ My Brother's Keeper ‱ Flustercluck ‱ The Dark Hearts of Men ‱ The Abyss ‱ Collision Course ‱ The Whirlwind
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