Ep 3. Kandahar

After a gripping first couple of episodes, Marvel's The Punisher's third episode takes us on a journey through Frank Castle's past. "Kandahar" introduces us to Frank's time in the military as a Marine, and how his experiences there have shaped him into the person he is today.

The episode begins with a flashback to 2011, with Frank and his platoon stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Here, we see Frank struggle with the moral implications of some of the orders given to him by his commanding officer, and the effects of losing members of his comrades. We see a young man struggling with what it means to be a soldier, constantly questioning whether he's doing the right thing, and we see that struggle shape Frank's ideology about the world and his place in it.

Flash-forward to the present day, and we see Frank continuing to grapple with the horrors of his past as he tries to come to terms with everything that has happened to him in the years since he returned from Afghanistan. While Frank is physically present in New York City, much of his mind is still back in Kandahar, reliving memories and trying to make sense of his experiences.

As Frank deals with his PTSD, he's also drawn into a new mystery when he discovers that one of his former comrades, a man named Ahmad Zubair, has been implicated in a terrorist plot. Frank refuses to believe that the man he knew and fought alongside could be involved in such an act, and he quickly sets out to investigate the situation and clear his friend's name.

Throughout "Kandahar", we see Frank struggling with a wide range of emotions - from anger to fear to sadness - as he confronts the demons of his past and tries to do what he believes is right with the limited resources he has at his disposal. While his methods may be unorthodox, there's no doubt that Frank is fighting for what he believes in, and this episode helps to establish just how deeply rooted those beliefs are in his military background.

Overall, "Kandahar" is a powerful episode that provides important context for Frank's character and motivations. While the show has been building towards Frank's ultimate showdown with the villains at the center of the plot, this episode helps to establish just how deeply personal this fight really is for him. Whether you've been following The Punisher from the beginning or are just starting to get invested in the story, "Kandahar" is an essential chapter in this exciting and thought-provoking series.