While fans do not know the exact date Marvel’s The Punisher will air on Netflix — my guess is October 13, 2017 — all are excited to watch Jon Bernthal return as the title character. The show will officially kick off ‘Phase Two’ of the Marvel Netflix Universe. We know the show will follow Frank Castle a.k.a. The Punisher as he exacts revenge — punishment— on those responsible for the death of his wife and children. We also know that the show will delve into Frank Castle’s past, him enlisting in the United States Marine Corps, his military service in the Middle East, and his time with the elite Marine Corps Force Recon unit under the command of Colonel Ray Schoonover. The flashbacks to Frank’s past may help launch the Netflix shows into the greater MCU and provide a more cohesive thread between the Netflix shows and the theatrical films.

If you have not watched Season 2 of Daredevil or The Defenders on Netflix then stop here: there will be some SPOILERS ahead for things that happened during those series.

Now for those who have watched Daredevil and The Defenders, you know that Frank Castle was released by Wilson Fisk from prison to massacre all the other criminal empires in New York City. Fisk did this so that when he is eventually released, he will become the new ‘Kingpin of Crime’. Frank did not make any appearances in The Defenders and was last seen at the end of Season 2, Episode 12 of Daredevil in search of a mysterious ally from Frank’s past called “Micro” after retrieving a CD with his name on it.

David Lieberman a.k.a. Micro is the first link to the greater MCU. Aside from being mentioned in Daredevil, the character is also mentioned in Season 2, Episode 7 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Maybe members of S.H.I.E.L.D./HYDRA took part in framing Castle along with the CIA, FBI, and DHS. Hopefully, we get a couple mentions of Sharon Carter and Everett K. Ross – as they are both CIA operatives.

Shifting back to Frank Castle’s past, we know that he took part in many combat operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Another major player in the MCU was present for a time during War in Afghanistan. By now we all know how Tony Stark escaped his captivity with the Ten Rings and was found by a search and rescue unit led by Colonel James Rhodes. There’s a good chance that Frank Castle’s unit was there for the Jericho missile presentation or a part of the search and rescue mission. With his military background, I wouldn’t doubt it.

We still do not know if The Punisher is set before, after, or during the events of The Defenders. Frank’s absence during The Defenders allows for all settings to be possible. We do know that the show will include returning characters Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), Turk Barrett (Rob Morgan), and Detective Brett Mahoney (Royce Johnson). Hopefully, they all make it out of this first season alive as it would be a shame to lose them as soon as ‘Phase Two’ starts. Lastly, it would be nice if there is mention of the other Netflix heroes or some new ones we have yet to see. Other Marvel shows taking place in ‘Phase Two’ include Daredevil Season 3, Jessica Jones Season 2, Luke Cage Season 2 and Iron Fist Season 2.

The Punisher premieres globally █████ 2017, only on Netflix.

Are you excited for Marvel’s The Punisher on Netflix? Leave your comments below!