Assassination of Dutton

Assassination of Dutton
Previous	Chronologically: Attack on Pop's Barber Shop Narratively: Ambush at Matt Murdock's Apartment
Next	Rescue in the Farm
War	Frank Castle's War
Date	November 2015
Location	Rikers Island, New York City, New York
Result	Wilson Fisk takes over Rikers Island. Frank Castle escapes from prison.
Planned by	Wilson Fisk
Executed by	Frank Castle
Target	Dutton
Casualties	Dutton Nine inmates

"The physician says that your condition is... is grave. That your lungs are filling with liquid. In a few hours, you're likely to suffocate in your own blood. But you won't suffer alone. I'll be here. Because you were right. In prison, there's only room for one kingpin."

―Wilson Fisk to Dutton^[src]

The Assassination of Dutton was Wilson Fisk's final step in his plan to take control of Rikers Island by having Dutton, the inmate running the prison, killed by using a newly convicted Frank Castle.

Background

"There's only room for one of us in this prison, and it ain't gonna be you. Not ever. Because I'm the kingpin of this bitch."

―Dutton to Wilson Fisk^[src]

Dutton taunts Wilson Fisk

Being arrested by the FBI, Wilson Fisk was sent to Rikers Island to serve his sentence, as his escape attempt was thwarted by Daredevil. While in prison, Fisk hired Donovan and Partners to handle his appeal in court, although Benjamin Donovan informed Fisk that his case was extremely difficult and advised him to keep a low profile to secure a potential early release. However, Fisk's attempt to stay low was hindered by Dutton who was running Rikers from inside and had no intention of leaving Fisk be. With Donovan's help, Fisk was able to secure the help of Stewart Finney and the Valdez brothers, who helped him with collecting information on Dutton.

Although Finney claimed that Dutton's cell was out of their reach, Fisk expressed interest in Frank Castle who was currently being indicted for mass murders of criminals. Fisk noticed a possible connection between the gangs Castle targeted and Dutton, which being the drug deal in Central Park which ended with a shootout that killed Castle's family. Fisk tasked Donovan with using the last of his funds to bribe Roy Olsky and arrange for Castle to be put in Rikers, knowing that his skills would be instrumental in taking Dutton down. On Fisk's order, Olsky secretly spoke with Castle before the trial and informed him that if he pleades guilty, he would have a chance to find out the truth about his family's deaths.

Wilson Fisk tells Frank Castle about Dutton

When his trial resumed and Nelson and Murdock worked on getting him a lighter sentence, Castle suddenly pleaded guilty and his outburst in court resulted in Castle being sent to Rikers Island. Fisk approached Castle in prison and informed him about Dutton who was involved in a drug deal at Central Park and could have vital information about those who killed his family. Castle was initially hostile towards Fisk and did not want to entertain his offers but Fisk was able to convince him that finding out the truth was more important that whether or not Fisk would profit of Dutton's death. Fisk provided Castle with a shiv and informed him that due to his resources being limited, Castle would only have a seven minute window to get into Dutton's cell, interrogate and then kill him.

Assassination

Frank Castle confronts Dutton

"Now, you make any noise, anything at all, I'm gonna open you up like a bag. I'll watch you bleed out all over this floor. Now, you nod if you understand me. Okay. Shh. Stanton massacre. The carousel hit. I hear you were there."

―Frank Castle to Dutton^[src]

Putting the plan into motion, Roy Olsky reminded Frank Castle that he only had seven minutes and opened Dutton's cell block, letting him in. Castle quietly reached Dutton's cell and quickly slit his subordinate's throat with a shiv from behind, before grabbing Dutton himself and interrogating him. He questioned Dutton about the Massacre at Central Park, to which Dutton admitted that he was brokering between the Kitchen Irish, the Dogs of Hell and the Mexican Cartel during the ongoing drug deal. When Castle asked what happened there, Dutton told him that the authorities organized a sting operation at the park and sent an undercover officer to infiltrate the gangs, all in order to get to the Blacksmith.

Frank Castle stabs Dutton in the gut

Dutton explained that Blacksmith was a mysterious drug lord who was importing pure heroin from the Middle East in mass, being able to elude the authorities. Blacksmith notably did not appear at the deal, which made the gangs assume that they were being set up and resulted in a massive shootout, which was the extent of what Dutton really knew. He then asked Castle about his crusade against New York City's criminals and said that there would be no end to Castle's war, to which he agreed and stabbed Dutton in the gut. Once Dutton was out, Castle made it out of the cell but Olsky suddenly ignored his demands to open the door, trapping Castle inside with Dutton's fellow inmates.

Frank Castle fights off the inmates

Fisk, who had no intention of letting Castle live and intended to have him killed once he was done, expressed his gratitude to Castle before leaving him. As the inmates discovered Dutton's body and charged at Castle to kill him, Castle fiercely fought back against them. Despite being outnumbered, Castle was more than capable to hold himself in a fight and brutally killed numerous inmates that were trying to take his life. However, the prison guards then stormed the cell block and confronted Castle, taking him out with a gas grenade and dragging him out to the solitary confinement. Although Fisk had all intentions to kill Castle and doubled the money Dutton was paying the guards for that, he decided to change his plan at the last moment.

Aftermath

Wilson Fisk watching over the dying Dutton

"I've given you a chance to walk free. To put that gift of yours to work, to find... What does Dutton call him? The Blacksmith. If I were in your shoes... I would use this opportunity to find your justice, to kill your way to justice! And not for me. Of course not. Not for yourself. For your family. For them."

―Wilson Fisk to Frank Castle^[src]

Wilson Fisk visited Frank Castle at the hole, admitting that he tried to have him killed but noted that he was honest and Dutton did indeed have the information Castle was desperate for. Castle tried to attack Fisk but due to him being restrained and already exhausted from previous altercation, Fisk was able to beat him into submission. Fisk then remarked that now that he was in charge of Rikers Island, he would arrange Castle's jailbreak as he planned to use the Punisher's rampage to destabilize the criminal underworld and make it easier for him to take over when he gets out. Castle then threatened to kill Fisk the next time they meet and let the guards help with his escape, while Fisk remained by a dying Dutton's side to watch him slowly succumb to blood loss.

Matt Murdock confronts Wilson Fisk

When the news of Castle's escape reached Nelson and Murdock, Matt Murdock realized that Fisk must have been involved in his incarceration and escape and requested a meeting with him at Rikers. With Benjamin Donovan overseeing the conversation, Murdock inquired about Castle and his escape but Fisk denied any and all involvement with him, claiming he had no motive and Murdock would not be able to prove otherwise. Murdock then threatened Fisk that he would lose every legal tool at his disposal to ensure he would never see Vanessa Marianna again, by establishing her being an accessory in Fisk's crimes. Fisk responded by attacking Murdock and warning him that once he gets out of prison, Castle would be the least of his concerns.

Frank Castle meets with Karen Page

Escaping from Rikers Island, Castle made it his mission to track down and kill Blacksmith who was responsible for his family's deaths and now started killing people involved in the case, pinning the blame on Castle. He reconnected with Karen Page and rescued her from Blacksmith's attempt on her life, staying with her while waiting for Blacksmith's men to come for them. When Chaney and Speed attacked them at a diner, Castle dispatched them both and forced them to confess that Blacksmith had a ship at Pier 81. Castle got aboard the ship and attempted to kill the man he assumed to be Blacksmith, but Daredevil interfered and revealed that he was not the one. Gosnell and Blacksmith's men then tried to kill them both, which resulted in the ship exploding and Castle being presumed dead, while he actually survived and realized that Ray Schoonover was the Blacksmith.