The Punisher: One Last Kill left unfinished business between Frank Castle and Ma Gnucci, and it may be one of the most exciting new feuds in the MCU. Castle faced a historic new villain in One Last Kill: Judith Light's Ma Gnucci, the first-ever major female foe for the character. Previously, The Punisher faced almost exclusively male villains in his two-season Netflix series, including Jigsaw, Agent Orange, Blacksmith, John Pilgrim, and the Schultzs.
Almost all of Frank Castle's Netflix foes had one thing in common: in classic Punisher fashion, they were all killed before the series concluded. The only true exception was the religious assassin John Pilgrim, whose life Frank spared, recognizing him as no longer a threat after he devoted his life to being a father.
Warning - This article contains spoilers for The Punisher: One Last Kill.
The same can't be said for Ma Gnucci, who shows no signs of redemption by the end of One Last Kill, and yet Frank still opted to let her flee, instead focusing on saving a family in immediate peril. That decision places Ma Gnucci in a very rare circle of Punisher villains who survive their encounter with him, which is particularly unique given the immediate jeopardy she put him and many innocents in.
There's no doubt that Frank Castle will still have a score to settle with Ma Gnucci, as he is fully back in action before the credits roll on One Last Kill. Ma Gnucci's unique position as a survivor of the Punisher's wrath makes her unresolved conflict with him arguably the most compelling to explore in the MCU's future, especially as she still has her own score to settle with him, too.
It remains unclear whether The Punisher: One Last Kill was intended as a one-off continuation of Jon Bernthal's MCU solo adventures or a potential tester for a larger revival in the years to come. Regardless, Bernthal himself seems to be all-in on taking the Punisher to the big screen in a new solo movie.
Marvel Studios Still Has 7 Other Major Conflicts to Resolve
Doctor Strange vs. Mordo
Doctor Strange may have dealt with Kaecilius and Dormammu in his 2016 solo outing, but Baron Mordo still has unfinished business with him that went almost completely ignored in the 2022 Multiversal sequel. As Mordo takes the stance that Earth has too many sorcerers, a battle of philosophies over the future of the magical world may be in order for Doctor Strange 3 whenever it happens.
The Eternals vs. Arishem
While Eternals sadly didn't get the reactions or box office Marvel Studios may have hoped for, it left behind an intriguing Celestial mystery that could be addressed in the MCU's next saga. Arishem the Judge is preparing to judge humanity using the Eternals' memories, while other members of the team prepare a rescue with Harry Styles' Starfox, leaving Earth's entire future hanging in the balance.
Moon Knight vs. Khonshu
Oscar Isaac's MCU future as Moon Knight currently appears bleak, which is a real shame given how compelling the conflict it left unresolved between Marc Spector and Khonshu was. Despite thinking he had freed him from the Egyptian moon god, Spector is yet to discover the extent of the conflict that exists within his own head, as he has an entire third alter, Jake Lockley, still working for Khonshu.
Thor vs. Hercules
Chris Hemsworth's Thor may not have a god-slaying maniac on his tail anymore after Thor: Love and Thunder, but the Greek pantheon still has a score to settle with him after his brutal attack on Russell Crowe's Zeus. The God of Lightning's son, Hercules, played by Brett Goldstein, has been dispatched to destroy Thor, bringing an iconic rivalry from Marvel Comics to live-action for the first time.
The Multiverse vs. Kang
Marvel Studios was teeing up a face-off between the Council of Kangs and the entire Multiverse that appears doomed to go unresolved due to Jonathan Majors' firing and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty's cancellation. While one Disney+ series renewal could fix the Kang conundrum, some have also suggested that Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom could eliminate the Kangs to establish his power.
Ironheart vs. Mephisto
While Anthony Ramos' Parker Robbins parted ways with Sacha Baron Cohen's Mephisto after Ironheart, Dominique Thorne's Riri Williams has landed her own deal with Marvel's legendary deal. Having literally sold her soul to the devil in exchange for resurrecting her best friend, there is undoubtedly a compelling face-off still to come as Ironheart's actions result in deadly consequences.
The New Avengers vs. Valentina
When Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Valentina introduced the New Avengers (formerly Thunderbolts) to the world, Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova told her twisted benefactor that they "own" her now. But there's no doubt that Valentina will be seeking ways to wiggle her way out of that arrangement, perhaps explaining why she is working in the background of Daredevil: Born Again.
