The following article contains major spoilers for Punisher #11, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
The origins of The Punisher are well known -- Frank Castle goes to war against all criminals after his family is murdered -- but Frank's path might have now come full circle in Punisher #11, written by Jason Aaron, drawn by Jesús Saiz and Paul Azaceta, colored by Matt Hollingsworth and lettered by VC's Cory Petit. That is, The Punisher himself is now seemingly killed -- by his once-dead wife Maria.
The turn comes as Frank continues to succumb to possession by The Beast, the demonic entity who serves as The Fist of The Hand. Maria, discovering the countless murders Frank has committed in the names of their still-dead children, confronts Frank in The Hand's fortress. Enraged by his actions and the invoking their children's memories, Maria shoots him -- twice, with the second shot possibly killing him.
Why Does Maria Castle Shoot The Punisher?
The Hand, of course, is the centuries-old cult of assassins who have recruited Frank as their High Slayer, suiting his purposes of taking out dangerous criminals, while also furthering their own deadly ends. Frank only agreed to join the organization once the Hand's Archpriestess revealed the group had successfully resurrected The Punisher's wife.
Frank later learned from the Archpriestess, however, that some of the clan's members had slain their own families in an attempt to become more powerful. Frank then killed the Archpriestess and attempted to leave the fortress with Maria, only to discover his resuscitated wife required ongoing treatment to continue to survive. The couple had no choice but to return, but Frank was no longer aligned with the Hand's goals. Maria, meanwhile -- with no memory of her murder or resurrection -- continued to wonder about the absence of their children, who were unable to be resurrected, and became increasingly suspicious of Frank's activities for the Hand.
Despite Frank's defection, though, the Beast isn't ready to relinquish control of him. The Punisher's not only fighting the demon's influence, but also the Avengers, who have arrived to try and contain Frank and take him in. The combined efforts of Captain America, Moon Knight, Doctor Strange, Black Widow and Wolverine aren't enough to defeat the demonically-enhanced Punisher, however, and Frank dispatches them before returning to the fortress and being shot by Maria. Whether the final bullet actually proved fatal remains unknown.
Punisher #11 is on sale now from Marvel.
Source: Marvel