The Punisher S01E12 Review: Torture Hallucination Sex

The Punisher, Season 1, Episode 12: Home

As the penultimate episode in the Punisher, this one features a pretty cool sequence of Madani, Micro and the Punisher teaming up for the first half, and a pretty brutal torture scene that spans nearly the entirety of the second half of the episode. 

The first half of the episode is pretty well-done, starting off with an interview that Madani does for Micro and the Punisher, with them sticking up to their end of the deal in exchange for Homeland's cooperation. The Punisher very much delivers all the information that damns Rawlins and Russo in that confession... and then tells Madani the bombshell that I completely didn't see coming -- that he was the finger behind the trigger that killed Madani's buddy Ahmad Zubair. I do like that they still allow the Punisher to still be haunted by demons and don't turn him into a 100% hero. He admits that he kills Zubair as a hired gun with no hesitation, and that's definitely a very well-done scene.

Now if only Madani had better writing, so I would care much more about her motivations! Madani is perhaps the weakest part of the series, although the actress, as I reiterate, delivers a fantastic performance that makes her still end up feeling quite at home in this series. But one problem with Madani is the same thing that I had with Lewis in the previous episode -- Frank and Madani just doesn't have that many interactions in the series, so the moment fell a bit flat. 

The confrontation between Team Punisher and Team Russo is definitely well-done as well, with Frank constantly reminding Micro that "they're just trying to unsettle us" and all that. And god, pouring Zach and Sarah with oil was a particularly brutal move, and I am so glad we didn't have pointless civilian deaths just to be dark and edgy. During the firefight, Micro is apparently killed due to friendly fire as he tries to stamp out the fire, and the Punisher ends up being taken by Billy Russo's goons. It's a tense sequence, and a huge 'holy shit' moment. Of course, we are quickly told by Madani that Micro's actually alive, and they faked his death as agreed between the three of them. The reunion between Micro and his family is one of the most touching scenes in a superhero show, and the actors deliver the confused expressions -- the family's anger at David leaving them with no explanation, but also gratefulness for Micro's ballsy move in putting himself in harm's way to protect them. 

But apparently, Frank and David modify the plan without telling Madani. David telling Madani that, no, he doesn't believe in a system that tried to kill him (and throwing the whole "I believed in you once, and it got me killed" is a great scene that Madani has no answer for) and he's doing everything to save his family and modified the plan without telling Madani as a favour to Frank -- not to help the CIA at all. And, well, instead of putting a tracker on Frank, they remove it and allow Frank to be taken to where Russo is hiding out -- Mirco and Punisher's old base, as they try to deal with whatever is going on with the computers.

It is a bit of a stretch, mind you -- why not just blow up the computers? Why are they so intent that Rawlins and Russo believes that the only copy of their nasty deeds are in the computers in their base? Why are they so sure they wouldn't just kill Frank outright? Why are they so sure they will put the 'we need Frank or David alive to deal with the computers' two-and-two together?

And, well, Frank's conversations with Billy Russo is definitely well done. Two former friends, now on opposing sides, with no real hope of reconciliation. Billy's speech about how Frank only has two choices -- a quick death or a torture -- is cool and all, but I really can't believe that he buys that Frank wants a quick death before finishing his punishing. And the show ends up going to an extended beatdown torture sequence (which is honestly pretty tame -- didn't we get a drill torture sequence for Frank in Daredevil?) with Agent Orange pounding on Frank Castle tied to a chair, while Frank... dreams about having sex with his dead wife? It's perhaps trying to be artistic and be a symbolization of Frank being in the precipice of death and having the choice to go 'home' and die with his wife, or to finish his mission, but I don't think it manages this all too well. For one, one of the biggest facets of Frank's character is that he never finishes until everyone else is dead, so it's really hard to be invested in that scene when I know the answer is 'yes, he's gonna get up and murder everyone'. It's a really bizarre scene, and thankfully after that rather strange bit, we're rewarded with a far more intriguing conversation between Billy Russo and Rawlins.

Throughout the past few episodes we've seen how Billy Russo views this life as him successfully coming out of the gutter, finally being the model story of rags-to-riches, and he notes to Frank how that is his goal, and he's not going to give it up. He justifies everything because, as he tells us a couple episodes ago, the only crime in a war is to lose -- and he definitely won't lose, even if it involves things like, well, all the evil shit he's done. And, well, he's perfectly happy with his lot in life as boss of Anvil, as a rich motherfucker, and his conversation with Rawlins about how he gets dragged back into the mud because Rawlins wants Frank dead so much causes a big argument between the two. Rawlins explodes, calling Russo nothing but a gutter rat and a pawn, and Rawlins' huge control freak tendencies is definitely on full display here, noting that people like Frank and Russo are nothing but peons and pawns to be moved on his orders.

And one huge difference is how different Billy and Rawlins are in their executions of being a villain. Billy sees all the violence and villainy as a clinical way to become richer, to become more powerful, and, well, has a line. He doesn't join in the assault to kill Frank Castle and his family, but neither does he stop the mission. He is able to shoot Madani in the head, but decides to shoot her car wheels instead. He kills people like the BDSM colonel, his wounded minion or Sam Stein ruthlessly, but he doesn't approve of torture the way that Rawlins does. It's neat. Of course, it all comes with the reduction of Rawlins into an angry screaming torture-happy monster, but it's still pretty well done. And besides, it fits very much with what we know of Rawlins, as he views Frank whacking him in the head in Kandahar as his one great mistake. 

And, well, his adrenaline-fueled rant to Russo about how he's just a grunt that serves him definitely fits with what we know of him, and this causes Russo to snap, walk up behind Frank Castle, and cut his bindings. It's a great moment, as he walks up to an elevated level, holds a gun, and sees how things play out -- which, of course, is the Punisher deciding that 'home' is the battlefield, he springs up and stabs Rawlins multiple times, slices his throat and uses his thumbs to shatter Rawlins' eyes. (Game of Thrones flashbacks, anyone?) It's definitely a brutal death suitable for a Punisher show, and done pretty well. Mind you, it is pretty fucking stupid for Rawlins to give Frank that one stab of adrenaline for no real good reason other than to make him be conscious as he rips out his eye, but eh.

So yeah, Frank falls down next to the corpse of Agent Orange, and we've got three of our big bads down, and one to go -- Billy Russo. Micro apparently has a change of heart halfway through Frank's torture, shows Madani even more incriminating evidence for Rawlins and Russo, and then gets Madani's forces to storm the place, but I highly doubt that this is how Billy Russo gets taken down.