Hawkeye
Our trek through Phase 4 continues with the next Disney+ series. It's a six episode series that centers on Clint Barton and Kate Bishop. Phase 4 is continuing on focusing on some of the original Avengers that maybe didn't get a lot of play. This series is loosely based on the "Hawkeye" comic that was written and drawn by Matt Fraction and David Aja. If you really enjoyed this series, than I would definitely pick up this run. When "Hawkeye" debuted, they released a cost effective trade paperback that you can order from Amazon here.
"Never Meet Your Heroes"
Jack Duquesne: "What an unexpected surprise."
Kate Bishop: "All surprises are unexpected."
Clint Barton and his children are in NYC for the holidays to see the debut of "Rogers: The Musical." But all Clint wants to do is head home and have a family only, Christmas extravaganza. His plans are interrupted when he sees someone on TV rescuing a one eyed dog in his old Ronin costume. The person wearing the Ronin costume is Kate Bishop. Kate is the daughter of the wealthy Eleanor Bishop and she's home after destroying a priceless clocktower on her college campus. At a Christmas party, Kate ends up following her mother's new fiancé, Jack Duquesne, to a black market auction where the Ronin costume is one of the things up for sale. When it's crashed by the Tracksuit Mafia, who are looking for a watch, Kate puts on the Ronin outfit and takes on the Tracksuits. She's eventually saved by Clint, who just so happens to be her favorite Avenger.
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| This will end well. |
If you've been consistently reading my MCU re-watches (or if you know me in real life), you know that I hate Hawkeye. He's my least favorite Avenger. I don't really like Jeremy Renner as an actor. I'm still upset that Hawkeye lived and Black Widow did. We shouldn't spend too much time dealing on it. You might notice that this Clint Barton is a little different than the Clint Barton that we've seen in the MCU previously. He's a little more laid back. A little more jokey. And that is because they have definitely tried to give model him more after his comics counterpart. He even has a hearing aid. It's fine, but it's too late.
The real news here is the introduction of Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop. Kate was introduced in the first run of "Young Avengers." We begin the episode with a flashback to 2012 and the Battle for New York. The Bishops are arguing and Kate is listening in and then the Chitauri attack. Watching from a hole in the wall of her building, young Kate sees Hawkeye dive off a building, firing arrows all the way and then swinging through the window of that same building. It leaves a lasting impression on young Kate, who after her father's death, does everything she can to mimic her hero and protect her family.
This leads to a really cool opening sequence. It's basically a training montage of Kate as she grows up that also serves as the opening credits for this first episode. It is done in the art style of David Aja and it is really beautiful and cool and a great way to show how much Kate knows without kind of bogging down the episode with it.
Steinfeld is fantastic as Kate. She is immediately super likable but flawed. I mean, her archery skills are damn impressive, but they also cause the destruction of a priceless landmark on her college campus. When she heads home and faces Eleanor, it is clear that this isn't the first time that Kate has done something like this. Eleanor and Kate clearly have a contentious mother/daughter relationship, but there is love there, even if communication doesn't seem to be their strong suit. Eleanor hasn't mentioned that she's dating Jack Duquesne and that they are engaged. Kate finds it out from Jack's smarmy relative Armand, who is the first of seven.
Kate is a natural rebel. You tell her to do something and her immediate instinct. She thinks she knows best. She's impetuous. She's also smart and capable. Her instincts may get her into trouble but they are good. And isn't that one of the things that a hero needs? And Kate's rebellious nature gives us Kate looking stunning a tuxedo even if she is mistaken for a server many times during the party.
It's her instincts that cause her to follow Jack after she witnesses Eleanor having a heated argument with Armand Sr. She discovers the black market auction and the Ronin suit just as the Tracksuit Mafia make their grand entrance. I love seeing the Tracksuits in the MCU. They are great in the comics and they translate really well to the show. They are perfect from their dopey attitude to the constant use of the word bro. They are great and I really hope we see them more, maybe in "Echo" and "Daredevil: Born Again."
This auction leads to the main action set piece of the episode. It's great and the choreography is dope. They do really well making how someone like Kate would fight realistic. She uses her acrobatics and environment to her advantage but she can still land a hard punch and kick when needed.
There's a lot of set up in this episode and because of that it can feel like it is dragging a bit. We get the Bartons at "Rogers: The Musical," which is funny. Clint being uncomfortable with the hero worship he receives, which is an interesting take but I don't feel gets the attention it needs here or throughout the rest of the season. The debut of Lucky the Pizza Dog. The murder of Armand, Sr. And finally, the meeting of the archers in the episode's closing moments.
Grade: B+
"Hide and Seek"
Kate Bishop: "Now that I've answered all your questions, I have so many for you! Starting with, can you sign this?"
Clint Barton: "I'm not done yet."
Kate Bishop "But when you are, could you sign my bow? You're kinda my favorite Avenger."
Clint Barton: "You okay, by the way?"
After saving Kate from the Tracksuits, the unlikely duo head back to her apartment to retrieve the Ronin suit. They are quickly ambushed by the Tracksuits who burn the apartment to the ground, causing them leave the suit behind. When Clint heads back to retrieve it, it's gone, which leads Clint to an NYC LARP'ing group. With the Ronin suit in hand, Clint heads to the Tracksuits to clear things up once and for all so he can go home. But after a antagonistic dinner and fencing session with Jack, Kate is convinced he's involved and she trails Clint, getting caught by the Tracksuits in the process.
I have never LARP'ed in my life, but there is something about LARP'ing that I find super charming and fun. I love when it is portrayed, in a respectful way, on TV. One of the best episodes of TV that features LARP'ing is the "Supernatural" episode, "LARP and the Real Girl," but "Hide and Seek" is a close second.
After returning to Kate's burnt out apartment and finding the Ronin suit missing, Clint sees it being worn by a firefighter, in what looks to be a TikTok. This leads Clint to the NYC LARP'ers. In some ways, it's very expected. Clint initially has no time for any of this and doesn't want to participate. But when it's made clear that's the only way he'll be let on the field he relents and "armors" up. Watching Clint make his way through the group of LARP'ers, taking them down with ease, but being filmed as if it is one of the most important battles he's ever faced, is hilarious. Eventually, he finds Grills, who is wearing the Ronin costume and they have a battle where Clint loses on purpose, complete with fake sword fighting nosies from some rando LARP'er.
This is maybe the most I've liked Clint. He starts off kind of as a douche with these guys, but at the end of it, he admits that he liked it. Then, they have to fuck it all up by having Clint say that he's "plum out of patience." Plum? Really? You expect me to buy this folksy bullshit? Well, I can't and I won't.
This episode is the first that we really get Clint and Kate together. There are parts of it that I really love. I love Kate geeking out over finally meeting her hero, because who amongst us wouldn't act that way? I really enjoyed Kate lecturing Clint about branding, because she's not really wrong. Clint's only gimmick is his bow and arrow and no one really knows anything about his personality. We learn that Clint has a hearing aid because of all of his Avengers work which makes sense. But it feels kind of like a throwaway. A too little too late move to brand him.
One thing I don't love is the tired trope of the weary old hero being a douche to the eager young hero that looks up to them. They aren't really subverting it or re-inventing the wheel here, so it just sort of is boring to me. Particularly when it's a older man and a younger woman. One thing I loved about the "Hawkeye" comic series is that they made Kate the more responsible one which changed that dynamic. Here it's just same old, same old. We do get a nice moment of Clint teaching Kate the correct way to dress a wound, but he immediately goes back to being a giant douchebag.
While Kate is on her own, she continues to investigate Jack with zero chill. She's antagonistic to him at every move and challenges him to a fencing duel, where he continuously lets her win until she tries to blindside him, which doesn't work. Kate is smart, but she's not here and that kind of annoys me. I get that she's worried about her mom, but you'd think she'd try to be a little smoother about this.
This is another slow burn episode that is primarily set up. Aside from the LARP'ing and the small moments at the beginning with the Tracksuits it's light on action. The cliffhanger with Kate and Clint being captured by the Tracksuits and their leader getting ready to introduce herself promises that things are really going to start amping up.
Grade: B+
Next up, Maya Lopez makes her debut and another player enters the scene.
What do you guys think? Do you love "Hawkeye?" Is he your favorite Avenger? Let me know in the comments.
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