The following contains major spoilers for Punisher #11, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
In Marvel's latest Punisher run, Frank Castle has slowly been losing the remnants of his humanity. He's embracing murder on a massive scale now as the leader of the Hand. Even when Punisher tried to break free from that dark hold, his lust for blood always pulled him back in as the High Slayer -- something innate to his very character.
Of course, it helps that the Hand also wields the power to ensure his wife, Maria, loses her life should Frank disobey them. So Frank keeps embracing the power within and seemingly enjoys it, as revealed when he fought Daredevil's army recently. And, in Punisher #11 (by Jason Aaron, Jesús Saiz, Paul Azaceta, Matt Hollingsworth and VC's Cory Petit), any hope Frank had at redemption may well have been killed off thanks to someone close betraying him in a heartbreaking way.
The Punisher's Wife Maria Betrays Him
While Punisher stabs up Wolverine and battles the Avengers who are seeking to bring him to justice for his crimes, Maria accesses the archives at the lair. She can sense Frank's distance, reminding her of the disconnect in their marriage when he came back from the military years ago. It pushed her to want a divorce just before they got gunned down in the park, which explains why he didn't want her to regain all of her memories when she was resurrected.
Maria, sadly, loses her temper, seeing the deadly Punisher crusading in the name of her and the children. He's always attributed the war on crime to them and vengeance, but she remembers, it was never about them. Frank is addicted to killing, so his claim about seeking revenge is a lie whether he knows it or not. Murder is in his very nature, which ties back to how Ares deemed Frank a God of War. As such, Maria shoots Frank when he returns, letting him know that she believes him to be a monster.
The Beast May Now Completely Take Over the Punisher
The extent of Frank's injuries isn't shown, and the bullets could be supernatural. While Punisher might be killed by the person he loves most, if he survives, it's hard to see him coping very well. After all, he kept lying and hiding his ugly side, not wanting Maria to know how much blood he shed. The problem is, as Frank warned Earth's Mightiest Heroes, he's been resisting the Beast's power within him. It's akin to Bruce Banner restraining the Hulk. If Maria wants to leave Frank and die again, he could lose all hope and his last chance at salvation. She could mentally destroy him by letting him know that their love is officially dead.
Once Punisher knows there's no hope or light at the end of the tunnel, it's easy to envision him becoming the scariest supernatural soldier ever and the most twisted iteration of Frank. This is something that the Priestess, admittedly, has been working towards in a sinister long con with the Beast. It once more hints they've been manipulating Frank's past in a big way, building to this very moment when he finally gives in. This could provide the Hand with their true weapon, making Frank more toxic than ever and bringing out the villain in him.