Marvel Studios’ “Hawkeye” is the next show from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to arrive on Disney Plus. Starring Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, and Alaqua Cox, the show introduces a new character and the MCU’s latest archer, Kate Bishop.
Disney and Marvel haven’t been cutting corners with the Marvel shows on Disney+, and “Hawkeye” reinforces that fact with six episodes of action. The show is filled with references to past events in the MCU and is a rare closer look at Clint Barton, who is usually sidelined in favor of other major characters.
It was interesting to see past events like the invasion of New York be referenced in the show, but my favorite part was examining Barton’s past. The trauma and fears of the character are brought to life by Jeremy Renner. Seeing an older Hawkeye haunted by the events of “Avengers: Endgame” was a welcome sight, as Clint is usually ignored by most people, something the show poked fun at.
Hailee Steinfeld’s portrayal of Kate Bishop contrasts nicely with Renner’s portrayal of a tired Clint Barton. Throughout the show, she idolizes Barton, even to the point of being annoying at times. The show emphasizes the point that she is still learning and believes she is invincible, with several ill-contrived plans and impulsive decisions being made. She does develop as a character throughout the show, with the ending showing how she has changed rather drastically.
Echo is a new character in the MCU, a deaf character who is the antagonist in “Hawkeye.” We get to know about her background as a member of the Tracksuit Mafia, a gang that is a recurring group in the show. From her life growing up, to her close bond with her father, we learn about Kate Bishop as a person. Her motivations are clear, as she is targeting Barton and Kate Bishop because of their connections to Ronin, who killed her father. She has been confirmed to have her own shows in the works, which will definitely be interesting considering the show’s ending.
“Hawkeye” isn’t a show where Marvel goes out of its comfort zone and creates a very unique story. It follows the standard Marvel formula with a safe story and action-packed episodes. Some of the more exciting storylines aren’t explored, with one of my favorite ones being the Ronin suit. There is so much more they could have done with the suit and character, but they decide to burn it at the end. While I understand that this is a way of showing that Barton is moving on from some of the past trauma, I feel that this wasn’t as significant as his meeting with Yelena.
Another storyline that I would have liked to see was how Yelena felt about Barton, as we only see her interact with Barton for a short period of time. . As their relationship after the events of “Endgame” had been hinted at in “Black Widow,” it didn’t feel like it had a large enough impact.
Considering how this was an origin story for a new character, it was a good introduction to Kate Bishop. “Hawkeye” is an enjoyable show, but don’t expect it to break any templates for past stories.
