When people think of The Punisher’s most notorious villains, major ones like Jigsaw, Bullseye, and the mob come to mind. That's mostly down to the fact that they’re the ones seen in various Marvel movies and shows over the years. It also helps that they either have a distinct look or are well-known in mainstream Marvel Comics. But, if we’re being honest, none of them have come close to taking out Frank Castle.
Yes, they may have almost killed or even managed to defeat him on occasion, but there is a laundry list of people who can claim that; when you have a good character in the world of the Marvel Universe, escaping death often comes with the territory. But there’s one villain who stands above them all. Someone who’s made The Punisher act irrationally and, dare we say, even scared him. That person is Barracuda.
Who or what is a Barracuda
First, if you’re unfamiliar, no, Barracuda isn’t a supervillain with shark powers or a fetish, and he doesn’t have a connection to the ocean. In fact, when he was in the military, ‘Cuda was recruited and served in the U.S. Army rather than the Navy or Marines (more on that later). He's just a huge, Black guy with a tolerance for pain that would impress even Deadpool.
Barracuda excels at using guns, and savagery is his love language. Plus, despite how he talks, he's a calculated, genius strategist - so much so that he lured a variety of mobsters and Frank Castle into a trap.
You’re probably thinking, “Well, if he’s so terrifying and tough and even hurt Frank Castle like others haven’t, why isn’t he in the movies or show? Why haven’t I heard of him?” The simple answer is that he’s too disgusting a character to be used in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And even if they did clean him up, it would take away from who he is.
TRIGGER WARNING! The things you're about to read involve various kinds of assault that may cause various negative emotions.
The man called Barracuda
Barracuda isn’t your typical villain. He isn’t looking for world domination, or even looking to rule a crew, or even own a part of a city or street. Barracuda simply exists in spite of the world. He should have been dead 100 times over from the time he was born. For example, his father was an abusive, drunk son-of-a-gun who would tell ‘Cuda to put his hand on a lit stove as a lesson about how the world works. After that "lesson," he leaves his kids, saying that no scrawny kid would hold him back.
Barracuda says that the moment with his father is what started him down his path of violence. The short (and very censored) quote is that 'Cuda never found him and had to take it out on the world. That’s why there wasn’t a thing in the world that satisfied him or satiated his need to inflict pain on others. The only things that motivated him were winning and pleasure. And, when you’re as vile as he is, sometimes the latter is taken forcibly from men and women alike.
There isn’t a person alive that ‘Cuda cares about. He’d kill anyone despite their sex, gender, or race. He’s even killed children, babies, and pregnant women and sold drugs for the U.S. while in Latin America. And when he met the Punisher and lost, Barracuda learned that Frank had a baby daughter and was prepared to kill her in front of him. Yes, he’s that deplorable.
So, when you’re looking at Bullseye or Wilson Fisk and thinking that they’re the worst, just remember that there was a monster named Barracuda roaming the Earth in the pages of Marvel Comics. However, like all of Frank’s enemies, ‘Cuda found himself at the wrong end of The Punisher’s gun. Or, to quote one of Castle’s old friends: "He (Punisher) is the most dangerous man to ever walk this earth.”
Barracuda appears in the Punisher Max series: Barracuda, Punisher Presents: Barracuda Max, and Punisher Max: Long Cold Dark.
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