New Delhi: In the beginning of Avengers Endgame (2019), Hawkeye aka Clint Barton was shown with his family, when suddenly his wife, Laura Barton, and his three kids were turned into dust, due to Thanos’s snap. Angered at the loss of his family, he went on a killing spree as a masked vigilante under the name, Ronin, murdering people, such as the Yakuza who he believed should have died rather than his family.
This was until he was found by Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow, and he fought with the rest of the Avengers to save the universe.
Although the beloved family man is now retired and regrets his past, his troubles don’t seem to end. This is well evident from the post credits scene of the movie Black Widow (2021), in which Yelena Belova is given an assignment by ‘Val’, who tells Belova to find her next target, Barton, as he is the man responsible for her sister Natasha’s death.
The Hawkeye trailer, which was released by Marvel Studios on Monday, appears to have a number of connections to his time as Ronin, and Val causing trouble for him.
The Empire State Building
The trailer opens at the Empire State Building, New York. It is lit up in Christmas colours, indicating that Hawkeye is a Christmas-themed holiday show. Clint Barton is seen in a Chinese restaurant with his kids, and his daughter, Lila Barton, expresses her happiness at the fact that this was their first Christmas together, in many years. Sure enough, he was back with his kids after five years. However, Laura is not with them.
Andy William’s Christmas Song, The Most Wonderful Time, plays in the background. The trailer gives the vibes of the movie, Die Hard.
The Rogers Musical
The trailer then cuts to a scene where posters of a Broadway Musical titled The Rogers Musical, is shown, which is a tribute to the Avengers.
Ronin in the News
Hawkeye sees a piece of news on the TV, which tells that Ronin could be back. He fears his family may be in danger, and sends his kids to a safe location, promising to return for Christmas. His earpiece could be a hearing aid.
Kate Bishop enters MCU
Barton saves the figure roaming around as Ronin from some goons, and the person is revealed to be Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop. Bishop, who is born into a wealthy family, is mentored by Barton, in the comics, and the mantle of Hawkeye passes on to her.
She admires Hawkeye because he saved her from a mob, and she also joins the Young Avengers, in the comics.
Tracksuit Mafia
The Hawkeye series draws many similarities from Matt Fraction’s 2013-2015 comic run of the same name, including the mob of villains named Tracksuit Mafia, led by Gangster Ivan, and these goons don red. Every sentence they say ends with the word, Bro, and this has been referenced in the trailer through a truck which has ‘Thank you Bro’ written on it. The mentor-mentee duo are shown fighting the Mafia throughout the trailer.
The Grand Central Station
The Grand Central Station shows up in the trailer, and this is an important location in the MCU because this is where the Avengers ‘Assembled’ for the first time.
30, Rockefeller Plaza, a famous location for Christmas celebration in New York, is also seen.
Lucky-The Pizza Dog
A dog named Arrow, which once belonged to the Mafia but was later taken care of by Hawkeye and named Lucky, in the comics, also appears. Lucky loves Pizzas, and hence, is called the Pizza Dog.
Bishop and Swordsman
The purple suit worn by Kate Bishop has similarities to the costume of Swordsman, who had mentored Clint Barton in the comics. The role will be played in the MCU by Tony Dalton.
Maya Lopez aka Echo
The glimpse of a woman bathed in red light is shown, and she could be Echo aka Maya Lopez, who is a hearing-impaired anti-hero. Interestingly, Alaqua Cox, the actor who played Echo in Marvel’s Daredevil, also has hearing impairment. Vincent D’Onofrio will be returning as Kingpin aka Wilson Fisk in Hawkeye, and Echo may be working for him. Also, in the comics, Maya was Ronin before Barton, and the Tracksuit Mafia worked for Kingpin.
Madam Masque
Vera Farmiga will play Eleanor Bishop, Kate’s mother, in Hawkeye. The actor is speculated to appear as Madame Masque, who, in the comics, had blackmailed Hawkeye that she will sell the leaked security footage of Barton killing people as Ronin. Echo, Madame Masque, Kingpin, and Val, who is planning a Thunderbolts or Dark Avengers initiative, could be working together.
The trailer ends with Barton trying to teach Kate Bishop his signature style of shooting arrows.