Is Sadie Sink’s ‘Spider-Man’ Character Tied to ‘Punisher: One Last Kill’? What Fans Think

Before the Punisher “saves” the world from Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, he’ll be tackling his own demons in the upcoming Marvel Television Special Presentation The Punisher: One Last Kill, premiering May 12.

The one-hour Disney+ special follows a broken Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) as he searches for answers beyond revenge, only to be “forced back into action.”

Written and executive produced by star Jon Bernthal and directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, The Punisher: One Last Kill offers a new chapter in the dark chronicles of Frank Castle. Destroyed by the deaths of his wife and children, Frank is now but a shell of himself, and what remains is dangerous. In this Disney+ special presentation, it’s clear that even by Punisher standards, Frank is holding on by a thread.

Before donning the skull motif, Frank is a hard-as-nails family man who doted on his wife, son, and daughter. During a brutal gang shootout in Central Park tied to a sting operation gone wrong, his family is murdered in front of him. His wife Maria, daughter Lisa, and son Frank Jr. are killed, and Frank is shot in the head but survives. It is later revealed that the attack was not random, but a targeted hit after he uncovered illegal activity involving his former military superiors.

The incident fundamentally changes who he is and creates the Punisher, a ruthless vigilante who wages a one-man war on crime, driven by grief, anger, and a need for justice that never lets up. As fans know, the character is set to appear in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, arriving this summer, and the question remains: How will this Disney+ presentation connect to the tentpole?

That answer might lie with Sadie Sink. At least, according to fans.

As of this writing, Sadie Sink’s character remains shrouded in mystery, with rumors including superhero Firestar, a grown-up Mayday Parker, supervillain Typhoid Mary, a more comic-accurate Mary Jane, Peter Parker’s first love Gwen Stacy, and the top theory as of right now, X-Men favorite Jean Grey.

But amid the plethora of red-headed guesses, one theory making the rounds points to Rachel Cole-Alves.

Rachel’s tragic backstory in a nutshell: Hours after her wedding, a group called “the Exchange” massacres Rachel’s wedding reception and brand new husband. Hellbent on revenge, she spends her rehab plotting revenge against the Exchange, teaming with the Punisher to carry out her mission. Over time, Frank trains her to become a relentless, remorseless killer.

If — and that is a big if — One Last Kill shows the Punisher taking a young, enigmatic character under his wing, setting up their dynamic for future street-level stories, allowing the special presentation to act as a bridge, establishing a close, protective relationship between Sink’s character and Castle before they appear together in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

In the subreddit r/MCUTheories, one Redditor wrote: “It is being speculated that Sadie will portray Rachel Cole-Alves, the redhead sidekick of the Punisher (who is confirmed for the movie). The main argument for this is the costume detail in the set photo: Sadie is seen wearing military or tactical boots and pants. ​Since Rachel Cole-Alves is an ex-marine, this tactical look would be a perfect fit for the character. ​Do you believe this is true? Will Sadie Sink be Rachel Cole-Alves? Why? Or, why not?”

Responses have been mixed. “Hmm, it depends on how much of a role will Rachel play, cause I think Sadie Sink’s character might have a somewhat significant role in the movie or at least an implication,” wrote one Redditor.

“If Sadie Sink is playing Rachel Cole-Alves, then I am pretty damn excited!” wrote another. “Rachel Cole-Alves was so well written by Greg Rucka that I would have been perfectly okay with her briefly heading that Punisher solo series instead of ‘generic former shield agent.’ Considering he trained her and she is one of the few he has okayed to wear his symbol (which is a damn short list) it would be cool to see Rachel!”

“I always pictured Rachel as played by someone older, like Jessica Chastain, and Sadie Sink is one of those actresses who looks 16 despite being 23. But it would be interesting if it was Rachel appearing in BND and not some other redheaded character. Her, Frank, Daredevil, and Spidey had a team-up in the comics, would be fun seeing them interact in live-action,” posted another.

However, the leading theory at this time is that Sink is playing Jean Grey, the powerful telepath and telekinetic at the center of the X-Men mythos, whose arrival could have major implications for Peter Parker’s future in the Spider-Man: Brand New Day. 

What do you think? Do you think that Sink is Jean or Rachel? Or perhaps someone else? Let us know in the comments.

Punisher: One Last Kill, Premiere on May 12, Disney+