Showrunners of Marvel's "The Punisher" in Netflix have revealed that Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) was never intended to be part of the show in the first place.
Steve Lightfoot, one of the showrunners of the upcoming Netflix series has stated that "I asked to have her, because she and Frank (Jon Bernthal) are so great," in an interview. It seems that Lightfoot wanted to create more out of the potential chemistry between Karen and Frank Castle a.k.a. The Punisher back in the second season of Marvel's "Daredevil" where he was a key character.
Apparently, the general consensus for "The Punisher" arc in "Daredevil" season 2 was that it was made satisfying because of Karen's interactions with Frank. It seems that Karen has also brought out a more human and relatable side of Frank despite his reputation as a ruthless one-man killing machine. Karen was also responsible for the clever exposition of Frank's past in the show, which made the character likable while telling his background story at the same time.
Lightfoot even said that "Frank is a closed-off military guy, and this is a woman he treats like an equal more than anyone else," pertaining to how The Punisher sees Karen as a different person in a sea of people who misunderstand and fear him. Karen, likewise, saw the whatever good was left in Frank and approached him as a person rather than a monster, perhaps due to both having dark pasts.
Originally though, Karen was not supposed to be in the upcoming standalone series for The Punisher. There were actually no plans to include her at all until Lightfoot suggested her presence due to the aforementioned chemistry between the two. Lightfoot was successful in his attempts to make Karen a regular in "The Punisher," and the show will be able to flesh out the two's stories or even their romance.
More about Karen and Frank will be unveiled when "The Punisher" hits Netflix on Nov. 17.
