The Punisher episode 9 review: Front Toward Enemy

Reviewing episode 9 of The Punisher, titled “Front Toward Enemy.”

Following the aftermath of the false tactical plan, Agent Madani is still struggling with her conscious as she seems to have imprisoned herself in her bedroom. When her mother brings her tea, we see the full extent of Madani’s depression. Madani is not ready to return to work or attend Sam’s funeral. 

Watching her from a scope on a rooftop across the way, Castle and Lieberman have agreed to go to Madani with the information they’ve got on Russo and Rawlins. As Lieberman steps away to relieve himself, an explosion goes off in a nearby building. You can tell they’ve been there for a while because of the collection of urine they have in juice bottles.

After the intro, we see a cellphone video of some office employees celebrating a coworker’s birthday when the bomb goes off. The news reporter’s voiceover explaining that the video was taken at the Alcohol, Tabaco, and Firearms office. The camera pans out of the television screen playing the news where we see Lewis focused on a letter he’s writing, repeating to himself “if you do not, I will know you are one of them.” The letter, addressed to Karen, makes its way to her desk.

Allison and Karen have freaked out that the bomber wrote to the newspaper. Feeling strongly about how Lewis is sending the wrong message, Karen wishes to publish his letter with a response showing Lewis and the world just how much she disagrees. Allison doesn’t want to do anything before the authorities are advised. 

Back in the hideout, Castle and Lieberman are watching news updates on the bombing from this morning as Castle voices his disgust with bombs. When her boss makes a house visit, it’s obvious that Madani has moved from grief to anger.

In the next scene, we are shown a copy of the Bulletin and Karen’s front page story. She calls Lewis out by calling him a coward and a terrorist. Lieberman tells Castle that his “girlfriend” will be on a radio show. We cut to the radio studio where Karen and Senator Ori discuss the right to bear arms. The conversation goes off topic when the Senator brings up Castle and his tendency to be above the law.

Riding the Castle topic train on the radio show, Karen passionately defends Castle to the Senator and the radio host showing Castle and other listeners how much she cares for him. My guess is that this made Lewis jealous as the producer informs the radio host that he’s on the telephone line. After a commercial break, Lewis is live on the air and wastes no time to question Karen. Karen stands her ground and lets him have it.

Lewis threatens them with war and mumbles a mantra in Latin that Castle (who has been listening to the radio show) recognizes from Curtis’ group. Castle gets worked up as he remembers how Curtis told him about Lewis as he yells to Lieberman to search “Lewis and he drives a cab”.

The next exchange between Castle and Lieberman leaves us a little confused as to the relationship status of Punisher. When Castle reveals to Lieberman how he plans on dealing with Lewis, Lieberman (and the rest of the world) questions his relationship with Karen. Karen is obviously important to Castle, but he never clearly defines their “relationship”. 

Curtis, on his way to O’Connor’s place, leaves a voicemail on Lewis’s phone. After opening the mail slot on the door and getting a whiff of decaying flesh, Curtis breaks the door open to investigate the house. Lewis enters the house after Curtis with a hand behind his back. Curtis tries to talk some sense into Lewis, but it proves useless as the two break out into a fight. Curtis lets his soft side get the better of him as Lewis unrelentingly beats his to a pulp with his own prosthetic leg.

Meanwhile, the FBI has shown up to the Bulletin and an agent is questioning Karen about Lewis’ letter when her phone rings. It’s Castle on the phone shaming Karen for putting herself in danger. Castle is sitting in the van parked outside of Lewis’ home waiting to handle things the “Punisher” way. Upset at his plan, Karen accuses Castle of being like Lewis: “two guys who don’t like how the world works so they whatever they like”.

Lieberman calls Castle telling him “you need to do whatever it takes for the people you love” as Madani’s profile is on the computer screen. He also informs Castle on a traced call from Curtis’s cell coming from O’Connor’s place. Castle steps on the ignition and heads over to O’Connor’s.

In a hotel room, Senator Ori is making plans for a fundraiser benefiting the bombing victims when Russo appears. Since the bombing, the Senator is feeling unsafe and looks towards Russo and Anvil for added protection.

Over in Queens, Castle finds a beaten up Curtis tied to a kitchen chair with a bomb hanging around his neck. As Castle tries to assess the situation, Lewis calls and is in awe that Punisher is alive. The more Lewis compares himself to Castle, the more heated Castle becomes until he finally explodes in insults over the phone to Lewis. Of course, Lewis hangs up on Castle and Curtis remarks “are you trying to get us killed?”.

Some time has passed. Curtis starts to rationalize his impending death, and Castle is educating us on open versus closed circuit bombs. Lewis calls again, this time from right outside the back door of the house. He lets Castle know that those distant sirens are the police coming to the house, but it doesn’t phase Castle who won’t leave his brother behind. Castle tells Lewis the story of how Curtis lost his leg and how his negligence ruined Curtis’ life.

The tension is building as the police are nearing the house and Castle yells at Lewis over the phone to save the lives of the two (Castle and Curtis) marines. After knocking his head about this decision, Lewis finally tells Castle to cut the white wire on the bomb. They’re safe but not out of the woods. The police have blocked the front entrance to the house, so Castle tries to inconspicuously walk out the side door but is caught doing so.

After a heart-pounding chase, Castle grabs a cement rock and throws it at an officer’s head, slides across the hood of the police car, knocks the driver unconscious with the door, and drives away in the police car. Meanwhile, Madani sits at a bar before heading to Sam’s funeral when Lieberman pulls up onto the seat next to her. While he informs her of knowing who was behind the mission in Kandahar, every news channel is reporting footage of the police dash cam where Castle’s face is caught on camera.

Final Thoughts:

Finally, after 8 episodes, we find out how Lewis plays into The Punisher storyline. A character like Lewis is basically an anchor helping us weigh the differences between what Castle’s character could possibly become if left unchecked. Both have had traumatic experiences, but the show is teaching us that we are a product of our decisions, not our circumstances. Curtis and his leg help to also support this theory.

The episode title Front Toward Enemy takes a literal meaning when Castle says it to Lewis over the phone describing his cowardice in using bombs. However, our military and non-military characters (Madani and Lieberman) have depicted it metaphorically. Circumstance can sometimes be the enemy and the best advice is to face it head-on. Madani, who is stricken with grief over Sam’s death, finally decides to attend his funeral. Lieberman, who has been in hiding for over a year away from his family, gets the courage to make contact with the one person he thinks can get him back home.

I find Karen and Castle’s relationship frustrating as the “sort of” love interest in The Punisher. If you’ve seen Daredevil season 2, you know that Karen and Castle have history in The Punisher. I hope in later episodes these two get together as now I feel punished with the show circling around a possible love story. Also, Karen obviously has a thing for guys who are martyrs (Murdock and Castle) and that’s emotional punishment. 

Highlights:

• Lewis and Castle cross paths when he targets Karen for disagreeing with his political views.
• Lieberman makes a bold move by meeting with Madani without Castle.
• Castle knows how to disable Lewis’ bombs.
• Castle exposes himself and now all of New York knows the Punisher is alive.

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Stay tuned for more episode review of The Punisher.