Netflix binges: The Punisher season 2 recap

The Punisher season 2, episode 10: “The Dark Hearts of Men”

While this episode of The Punisher had plenty of violence, it was also very emotional. The episode started out with a flashback to Billy and Frank’s days as Marines. One of the initiation activities they had to participate in was to run down a line of fellow Marines and get the crap beat out of them.

Both Frank and Billy did this with varying levels of success, but at the end, they were part of a group, part of a brotherhood, something Billy is trying to recreate with his crew. The scene then cuts to Curtis and Frank staking out Billy’s lair. They are going to attack him at night and are trying to figure out the crew’s movements.

Frank and Billy

While there are other characters featured in this episode, it’s really all about Frank and Billy and their relationship. Once Frank has his plan laid out, Curtis and he waits until nightfall and then Frank attacks. But it doesn’t go how he planned at all.

Almost as soon as Frank makes it into the lair, he starts getting attacked. And while the first couple of guys he runs into he knocks out easily, his luck doesn’t stick. Soon, Frank walks into the main room and the lights go out. The lights then begin to flash and music roars. This is meant to disorient Frank and it works perfectly. He doesn’t know where to look or who to shoot. He starts shooting indiscriminately but is soon knocked down. That’s when Billy enters.

He crouches over Frank, mocking him, but soon leaves and tells his guys to “break” Frank. As soon as Billy leaves, Frank gets up and starts knocking people out and shooting them. He is back on a rampage and seems like he is as strong as ever.  He thinks Billy goes into the office on the second floor and completely shoots it up but when he goes in, what he finds does exactly what Billy wanted: it breaks him

Inside the office, three women are laying dead after being shot multiple times. Frank is clearly distraught, thinking he murdered innocent women, something he never does. But whether he actually killed these women is unclear. The whole scene ends with the cops showing up for Frank.

Madani and Doctor Dumont

Twenty four hours before the Billy and Frank showdown goes down, Madani goes over to Dr. Dumont’s place for a talk. This started in the last episode but continued in this one. They talk about Frank and Billy and why Madani thinks Billy is much worse than Frank. Dumont thinks Billy can be saved but, to no one’s surprise, Madani is skeptical about that. She has too much bad history with Billy to believe he can become something good.

What’s the difference between Billy and Frank in Madani’s eyes?

If Frank did any of the things Billy did, he “would feel like he was burning in hell.” But even when Madani tells Dumont what happened to his family, she still has little sympathy for him. She doesn’t think his past means he gets to decide who lives and who dies (and yet she is with Billy?!).

They finally get to talking about what Billy and Frank’s personal hell would be. Billy’s would be having no power because he uses power to hide that he feels unlovable and worthless. Frank still wants to believe he’s good despite all that he’s done. Making him believe he actually is bad would be his hell.

With the conversation finished, Madani leaves and that’s when the secret comes out. Billy was there the whole time listening to what was being said and uses it to help him break Frank. That’s how he knows Frank believing he killed those innocent women would affect him so much.

John Pilgrim Off the Wagon

The last time we saw John Pilgrim he was about to get the crap beat out of him by his old friends and that is exactly what happens, but he doesn’t just let take it He fights just as well as the people coming for him and he ultimately wins.

He literally punches his old friend to death and shoots everyone else. Back at his hotel room, he tries to patch himself up and does a little self-medicating with some alcohol and drugs. The pious man from the first nine episodes is no longer there.

The only clue that he might go back on his religious path is that he has a vision of when he proposed to his wife. She seems to be his reason for doing most of the things he does.

What’s Next

With Frank arrested, there is no telling what he’ll do next. He feels guilty about what he thinks he did to those women, so it will be interesting to see where his mindset is at. Billy is sure to be ecstatic and probably planning a huge job for his crew.

When Madani and Amy find out that Frank is arrested, they will most likely freak out in equal measure. Amy needs him to help her with John Pilgrim and the Schultz’s and Madani needs him to help her with Billy. Both of them will probably be trying to get Frank out of prison as soon as possible. And at this point, he could use a good pep talk from Curtis as well.

What did you think of episode 10 of The Punisher season 2? Do you think Frank will find out what Billy was trying to do with the dead women? Any ideas of what Dr. Dumont is trying to achieve by being with Billy?