#tp 1x02

Wait, wait, Wait. You did a trigger point injection before presenting the case?

So, in 1x2, Frank willingly tells Karen this guy that's after him, Micro, scares him - him, the big bad Punisher.

I don't know about you guys, but to me this seems like a really important moment not just for Karen and Frank, but also for us as audience - having Frank voice his fear with that look in his eyes...

We already knew Frank's not just a killing machine, he's not a deranged lunatic going around gunning random people down. But this, this moment offered us a further glimpse into Frank's psyche that we were introduced in DD s2 and that was explored throughout The Punisher.

Frank's not afraid of anything or anyone and he is perfectly able to take them all down with one pull of his trigger. Yet, this mysterious guy that appeared out of nowhere that seems to know him, knows his every move, his life, his past... he scares him to no end.

Wanna know my guess?

It's because he can't see him. Micro is a ghost. He's invisible and you can't fight what you can't see.

That makes Frank even more paranoid because he can't guess what this ghost's next move is going to be. He is in the dark, knows nothing about Micro, yet Micro seems to have a greater knowledge of him than what you could find in newspapers. Meaning, Frank can't plan his defence strategy, can't tell what will work against this guy, he doesn't know if Micro has some ill intents, if he wants to use/hurt him etc.

Frank's been off everyone's radar for about six months, right? He's been living a quiet, uneventful life as Pete who has no murderous outbursts (until he's put in a situation where being Pete is no longer an option), no friends (save for Curtis), doesn't form any unnecessary relationship with people around him. He's tormented by his guilt and the memories of his family play on loop in his mind all day long, but it is something he's becoming acquainted with. Sure, it hurts like hell - physically, emotionally, psychologically - but there are no real, flesh and blood threats he needs to neutralise.

Until Micro.

His quiet life is over now that this guy discovered him so Frank has few to no options but to become Frank the marine again, this part of him he buried after he got rid of all those who had a hand in his family's death, and employ his skills one more time.

He is so desparate to put a face to a name and anything that could help him see and know this possible enemy. So desparate, he decides to go look for Karen, the one person who always sought to help him no matter what (note, I'm not stating this from a POV of Kastle shipper. I'm stating this as a fact we've all witnessed in DD s2). He's been avoiding her probably to protect her, to disassociate them both from everything that had happened during DD s2. Now though, he has to look for her because if anyone's resourceful, it's Karen and Frank knows that.

In this scene, he is honest with her and tells her he's scared and I think up to this point even he wasn't aware just how much. It's one thing to fear something and generate all possible and impossible scenarios in your mind; it's completely different once you admit that fear out loud. It becomes real, genuine, something that can be tackled with right approach.

And that's why Karen is so important. As a person whom Frank trusts completely, he is able to be honest with her without her having to outright ask him anything about it. He's able to voice this fear to her, and also have her be that person who will give him the ammo necessary to fight back.

And that's exactly what happens.

Up until now, he was a cornered being with nothing to defend himself with.

Once Frank knows exactly who Micro is and what his skills are, he wastes no time in planning out his attack strategy. He isn't cornered anymore so there is no need to look for any kind of defence.

He goes to Micro's house, engages in this fake accident with Sarah, gains access to Micro's family and gathers the necessary intel, which consequently lures Micro out of his hideout.

Frank, with this new intel, starts pushing his buttons for a change.

Next, he shaves his beard, cuts his hair, moves out, changes his gait - basically, takes away any advantage Micro had and predictabilty he relied on so far.

Frank is the one with the upper hand, and to make this even more amazing: Micro is the scared one now!

All of this helps Frank turn Micro's game and his own paranoia and fear against him thus enabling Frank to successfully infiltrate Micro's lair and trap him.

They both tried playing mind games with each other, but Frank ended up beating Micro.

This is some next level shit, y'all.