Because Jigsaw is one of the Punisher’s most formidable enemies in Marvel’s comics, it was only a matter of time before his live-action counterpart in Netflix’s live adaptation of the series ended up becoming more like the deranged villain fans know. But The Punisher’s second season is much more interested in creating a new take on Jigsaw.
During a battle with Billy Russo during The Punisher’s first season, Frank Castle exacted his revenge by dragging the villain’s face against a pane of shattered glass, mutilating him, and laying the groundwork for the deformed visage that, in the comics, are part of the reason he adopts the Jigsaw monicker. Teasers from the new season have shown that whatever damage Frank did to Russo’s face was ultimately minimized by plastic surgery, which has been a source of frustration for those who were hoping for a more comics-accurate depiction of Jigsaw.
But, in the latest clip from the show, we’re given a glimpse at how The Punisher is pivoting to focus on the fractured-ness of Russo’s mind rather than his face in order to give his turn to true supervillainy a bit of a twist that’s simultaneously more grounded and somewhat more comic book-like.
Russo’s therapist Krista Dumont (played by Floriana Lima, recently exited from Supergirl) obviously means well in giving her patient the mask as a means of helping him through his recovery. But, as tends to be the case with these types of stories, the best intentions almost invariably lead to awful developments down the line.
The Punisher returns to Netflix on January 18.