Few Marvel heroes are as well known for their proclivity for violence as Frank Castle, aka the Punisher. In fact, Frank’s tendency to cross each and every line that other heroes don’t, has left his status as such up for debate from the very beginning. Of course, that doesn’t mean that Frank is only capable of harm. While that in and of itself isn’t exactly surprising, that he proved it for the sake of Christmas most certainly is.
Carl Potts, Rik Levins, and Al Milgrom’s “In the Spirit of the Season” from 1992’s Marvel Holiday Special found the Punisher in desperate need of fast repairs to his iconic van. Thankfully, Frank’s then-confidant Microchip was always good for whatever upgrades or maintenance was necessary. Although he hardly appreciated the circumstances, especially on such short notice. As the Punisher was testing his patience, Microchip decided to return the favor by making a bet he never even imagined he could lose.
The Punisher to Gave Up Violence Because of a Christmas Bet
Microchip promised that if Frank could go two days without killing, maiming, or actively harming anyone, the van would be done in time for his next mission. At face value, this seemed like an impossible ask for someone whose entire career was built on an overtly lethal methodology. To his surprise, what followed was 48 hours of Frank using little more than some well-placed body armor to disarm multiple opponents. By the time the two days were over, his most pressing concerns had been dealt with in an entirely non-lethal fashion, and someone owed the Punisher a fresh van for his troubles.
Microchip may have had some doubts regarding Frank’s tactics, but there was no question that the Punisher had made good on his end of the bargain. Even if Frank goaded his opponents into harming themselves one way or another, the only time he laid his hands on any of them was as a scare tactic. Of course, things probably would have gone a lot faster for Frank if he had relied upon his usual instincts.
The Punisher is Dangerous Even Without Violence
No matter how extreme the non-lethal methods Frank employed might have been, none of them shed any blood or broke any bones. Apart from a few impending arrests, no one was left much worse off than where they started because of them. This points to not just how aware the Punisher is of the kind of threat he himself poses, but that he understands precisely how much of that threat is wrapped up in the various aspects of his anti-hero persona.
Luckily, this isn’t the only time that Frank has relied more on sheer intimidation than abject violence, as he has continuously grown more focused during his explosive endeavors. Being dragged into superpowered battlefields on behalf of The Hand hasn’t given Frank much of an opportunity to put his guns down recently, but the fact that he can hasn’t been forgotten. Hopefully, he’ll get a chance to do just that sometime soon, if not for his own sake, then for that of whoever just so happens to be headed his way next.
