- "It's like a candy store in here. Go ahead, go ahead. I had to teach you how to hold a gun, do you remember? Eighteen, and you'd never held a piece before. Come on! They call you the Punisher. Prove it!"
- ―Ray Schoonover to Frank Castle[src]
Colonel Ray Schoonover was a member of the United States Marine Corps, and secretly a powerful drug lord called the Blacksmith. Schoonover's actions indirectly caused the deaths of Frank Castle's family; when Castle eventually learned of this he executed Schoonover before stealing his guns.
Biography
Early Life
Service in the Middle East
Schoonover with Frank Castle and Gosnell.
During the War on Terror, Schoonover served in the United States Armed Forces and was the Commanding Officer of Frank Castle, whom he deeply respected for his determination and loyalty in the battlefield. During an operation which went wrong, he lost one of his hands, after which Castle took command. Single-handedly he managed to clear their helicopter's landing zone of enemy fighters. Sometime later, one of Schoonover's most loyal Marines, Gosnell, was nearly killed by an explosion, damaging much of his face. Eventually Schoonover and most of his servicemen returned to the United States of America.[2]
Life as the Blacksmith
Massacre at Central Park
Schoonover became a drug lord called the Blacksmith, plotting to take over the entire drug trade within New York City, developing a rivalry with Madame Gao's own heroin trade. Using his position, Schoonover arranged for drug to smuggled into the country covertly. The D.A.'s office arranged a sting operation to uncover the Blacksmith's identity at a meeting in Central Park between the Kitchen Irish, Mexican Cartel and the Dogs of Hell. Schoonover did not show up to the meeting, resulting in the gangs getting rattled and opening fire on each other. An undercover cop and Frank Castle's family were incidentally killed in the crossfire.[3]
Defending Frank Castle
Schoonover defends Frank Castle.
- "If you had to sum up Frank Castle how would you do it?"
"I'd say Frank Castle is a man who would gladly give his life to keep others safe." - ―Foggy Nelson and Ray Schoonover[src]
Schoonover was called as a character witness to Frank Castle's trial after Castle had been accused of murdering dozens of criminals across New York City in search of the men responsible for his family's deaths during the Massacre at Central Park. As he was questioned by one of Castle's own lawyers, Foggy Nelson, Schoonover described how Castle saved their unit's lives during a top secret mission, and how he viewed Castle as a hero who deserved the medal of honor.
Schoonover speaks with Samantha Reyes
With Nelson and Murdock having now finished their questioning in defense of Castle, the lawyer for the prosecution, Samantha Reyes, stepped forward and tried to question Schoonover's story, noting that while he had told a nice story of how Castle had been a hero, he could not prove it really happened. However Schoonover revealed that Castle had saved his life as well and he was the colonel in his earlier story who had lost his arm and as a result been demoted. Unable to better this defense, Reyes informed Judge Cynthia Batzer that she had no more questions to ask to Colonel Schoonover.[2]
Covering his Tracks
Following Frank Castle's subsequent conviction and escape from Ryker's Island, Schoonover took the opportunity to cover his tracks and frame his former subordinate. He planted Castle's x-ray outline in Samantha Reyes' daughter's schoolbag, making her believe that Castle was targeting her and her family. When Reyes and Blake Tower had a meeting with Matt Murdock, Foggy Nelson and Karen Page, Schoonover took a sniper position and gunned down Reyes, but Murdock pulled his friends down, saving their lives, though Nelson was injured. This attack gave the impression that Castle was seeking revenge against those who put him in prison. Schoonover then moved onto his new target, Gregory Tepper, killing him in the same way he did Reyes. His third target was Page, but she was saved by Castle, convincing her that Castle was not behind the murders.[3]
Discovery and Death
Schoonover is interviewed by Karen Page
- "Alright, they call you the Punisher. Prove it; prove you don't need me anymore."
"One shot, one kill. You taught me that."
"You stupid son o-" - ―Ray Schoonover and Frank Castle[src]
Karen Page later visited Schoonover in his home and he welcomed her in with a smile and offered her a coffee. Page explained that she was there because she now wished to do a profile on the real Frank Castle and she believed that Schoonover was the only person who had any good things to say about Castle. Schoonover told her that he was grateful to her for writing the article to prove Castle was not just a murderer.
Schoonover threatens Karen Page
Page began the interview by asking Schoonover if he liked Castle as a man and Schoonover told her stories of their time together in the United States Armed Forces. Schoonover was told by Page about an explosion at the docks which Castle was involved with and it was believed that he had been killed. However as they were speaking, Page soon realized Schoonover's identity as the Blacksmith when she noticed a picture of Gosnell, who's burnt corpse she had seen at Pier 81 while she was looking for Castle. Realizing he had now been made, Schoonover drew his gun and took Page hostage.
Schoonover orders Karen Page to drive
Schoonover led Page outside by gunpoint and ordered her to get into her car and drive away from his house, as they started the car some music began playing loudly which Schoonover ordered her to turn off while keeping the gun aimed at her head. Page tried to reassure Schoonover that nobody would believe her story as she was not a real reporter at the New York Bulletin but Schoonover did not listen, instead he told her she should have let the story go down with the boat and Castle's body before ordering her to pull over on the side of the road so he could execute her and then bury her body.
Schoonover is kidnapped by Frank Castle
Suddenly Castle drove out of the shadows and drove into the side of the car, badly injuring Schoonover whose face became covered with blood. Castle ripped Schoonover from the car and began dragging him through the woods without saying a word to his former friend. As they walked Schoonover began mocking Castle over his family's deaths, insisting they would be alive if he'd joined his organisation and sold his heroin. Page eventually caught up with the pair and tried desperately to convince Castle to let Schoonover go, but instead Castle dragged Schoonover into a nearby cabin.
Schoonover is executed by the Punisher.
Once they were alone in the cabin Schoonover watched as Castle began looking at all the various weapons he could use to torture and slowly kill his former commander. Schoonover reminded him that he had taught him everything he knew, even how to hold a firearm. Eventually Schoonover told him to prove that he was the Punisher once and for all. Castle said that Schoonover taught him about one shot, one kill and before Schoonover could reply, he fired a single shot into Schoonover's skull, killing him instantly. With Schoonover dead, Castle found his armoury and stole the guns.[4]
Personality
- "You should be at the bottom of the Hudson. Losing a hundred million in heroin would have been worth it to take you down. But here we are. Could have been part of it like Gosnell; you could have been rich, and maybe you could have taken your family to the Bahamas instead of Central Park."
- ―Ray Schoonover to Frank Castle[src]
| This section requires expansion |
To be added
Equipment
| This section requires expansion |
- Ray Schoonover's Arsenal: To be added
- Handgun: To be added
Relationships
Family
- Wife
- Children
Allies
- Gosnell † - Subordinate
- Chaney † - Subordinate
- Speed † - Subordinate
- Kitchen Irish
- Dogs of Hell
- Mexican Cartel
- Dutton †
Enemies
- Frank Castle/Punisher - Former Subordinate, Target and Killer
- Madame Gao
- Samantha Reyes † - Victim
- Gregory Tepper † - Victim
- Blake Tower
- Karen Page - Target
- Foggy Nelson
- Matt Murdock
Appearances
In chronological order:
- Daredevil
- Season Two
- Semper Fidelis (mentioned)
- Guilty as Sin
- Seven Minutes in Heaven (mentioned as The Blacksmith)
- The Man in the Box (mentioned as The Blacksmith)
- .380 (mentioned as The Blacksmith)
- The Dark at the End of the Tunnel
- Season Two
Trivia
- In the comics, Ray Schoonover was the commanding officer of Frank Castle in the Vietnam War, who secretly directed an human traffic of cocaine. He tried to kill all the former members of his squad, only to be found by Castle and forced to commit suicide.
References
- ↑ The Attack on the Hand cannot be much longer than a month before Christmas, December 25th, as Murdock still has cuts and bruises from the battle then, so at the earliest it is mid-November, and Schoonover's death is the night before that, so at the earliest it is November. However, Just to Get a Rep has to be after the Attack on Metro-General Hospital, which is 2 nights before this event. DWYCK shows the date to be December 1st, and Just to Get a Rep is a while before that, so at the latest as well this is November.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Daredevil: 2.08: Guilty as Sin
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Daredevil: 2.10: The Man in the Box
- ↑ Daredevil: 2.12: The Dark at the End of the Tunnel
