Elektra was a political science major at Columbia University where she met Matt Murdock and they fell in love. A risk-taker and someone who lived on the edge, there was something about her that really appealed to Matt. Friends and lovers for a short while, Elektra left Matt and New York after her father was accidently killed in a hostage situation. She joined the Chaste for a short time and received training under Stick, but was finally told to leave by him.

Elektra decided to bring down the Hand from within to prove her worth to the Chaste, but was seduced in the ways of the Hand (during part of her initiation she killed a former martial arts instructor whom she was very fond of). Elektra left the Hand and became a free-lance assassin eventually working for the Kingpin. A rival for the position, Bullseye killed her, later finding out that she was a love interest of Daredevil's and that she died in Daredevil's arms. The Hand attempted to resurrect her, but Stone (of the Chaste), Daredevil, and the Black Widow stopped them. Daredevil then attempted to resurrect her and failed (but cleansed away the dark portion of her inner self). Stone took her away and completed the resurrection at the Chaste hideaway (unbeknownst to Daredevil).

The Punisher bears more than a passing resemblance to the Mack Bolan character in the Don Pendleton Executioner series. Like Bolan, Castle's family is killed by the mob, and Castle vows to take down the mob any and every way he can. With his previous military training, he begins a one man war on organized crime. This usually results in lots of guns, explosions, etc.

This very "hard" approach to cleaning up crime often puts the Punisher at odds with the other super heroes in the Marvel Universe, whom he considers foolish for trying to use a justice and prison system that just doesn't work. Daredevil probably typifies this rivalry of philosophy more than any of the other Marvel heroes with his ideal philosophy of justice. In addition to being at odds with the other super-heroes, his approach has put him at odds with the law. Like Bolan also, the Punisher occasionally infiltrates the groups he is about to destroy.