SPOILER: 'Hawkeye' Finale Brings One Pre-Disney Plus MCU Series Closer To Canon, While Potentially Nudging Another Into The Multiverse
Laura Barton's secret past.
After six epic episodes, Disney Plus's latest MCU TV series, Hawkeye, has come to an end. Initially one of the least anticipated shows in the MCU's packed Phase Four slate, the series quickly gained fans with the introduction of Kate Bishop, and the return of Yelena Belova after her successful debut in Black Widow.
Hawkeye has also been praised for bringing one of Netflix's most popular Marvel shows, which were thrown into a canon grey area following their cancellation, a step closer to officially existing in the MCU again thanks to the introduction of an iconic villain. However, Hawkeye's finale episode, 'So This Is Christmas?', includes a reveal that potentially nudges another popular Marvel series further into the Multiverse.
Let's look at the biggest moments.
Saving Daredevil
Soon after the debut of it's first season in 2013, Daredevil, starred Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer by day, vigilante hero by night, and became a hit for both Netflix and Marvel. The series proved popular with fans and critics alike, and was seen as a major improvement over the 2003 film starring Ben Affleck. Most of the series focused on Daredevil's battles with Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin, played by Vincent D'Onofrio.
Daredevil ran for three seasons, and the show's production team were initially confident of a fourth. However, to the disappointment of fans and the cast, the series, along with fellow Netflix-produced Marvel shows Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist, was cancelled in 2018 after Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios, chose to bring Marvel's TV production back in-house in the lead up to the launch of Disney's own streaming app, Disney Plus. Initially, fans believed the series would simply move to the new app, however the original deal between Disney and Netflix blocked the characters from appearing in any non-Netflix films or shows for two years after the cancellation.
Since Daredevil's untimely end, fans have begged for the series to be officially integrated into the MCU, and they may finally be getting their wish. The arrival of Kingpin was teased as early as episode three of Hawkeye, and officially appeared in the closing moments of episode five. Vincent D'Onofrio reprises the role, officially linking the Daredevil series to the wider MCU for the first time. While Kingpin is apparently shot by Maya Lopez/Echo in the Hawkeye finale, the shot occurs offscreen, leading fans to suspect that the character is not actually dead.
Multiversal Mockingbirds?
Hawkeye opens with Clint Barton attempting to retrieve his Ronin suit after it appears at an underground auction of Avengers memorabilia stolen from the ruins of the compound after it was destroyed in Endgame. However, his wife, Laura, later expresses concern over the fate of a Rolex watch that might also have been taken from the compound.
When discussing the matter with Kate Bishop in a later episode, Clint claims the watch belongs to a 'former colleague' who would be in great danger if their identity were to be exposed. In the series finale, this colleague is revealed to be Laura, after Clint returns the watch to her. A S.H.I.E.L.D symbol, along with the number '19', is embossed on the back of the watch, implying that Laura Barton was once Agent 19, aka Mockingbird. In the comics, Mockingbird is the field partner and one-time Wife of Clint Barton.
While it makes sense for Laura to be the MCU’s Mockingbird, and explains some things about her character, such as how understanding she is regarding Clint’s repeated failures to retire, some fans are disappointed with the reveal, as it seemingly pushes another popular Marvel TV series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, further away from mainstream canon. While in it’s early seasons, the series existed alongside the MCU, depicting the aftermath of films such as Thor: The Dark World, and the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D as depicted in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the show’s later seasons branched off into their own storyline, as the differences in production time meant that it was too difficult to continue keeping pace with the films.
Season two of AoS introduced Adrianne Palicki as S.H.I.E.L.D Agent Bobbi Morse, the character who holds the Mockingbird codename in the comics. Palicki was very popular in the role, and even, at one point, had a spin-off in the works, though this never came to pass. Some fans are upset about the possibility of Laura’s Mockingbird erasing Bobbi. Others have pointed out that this is not necessarily the case. It is possible that in the MCU, Mockingbird is a legacy mantle, and Bobbi took up the codename after Laura’s retirement.
Even if Laura does displace Bobbi as the MCU’s main Mockingbird, the existence of the multiverse softens the blow somewhat. Bobbi is simply the Mockingbird of an alternate timeline, just as Captain Carter is the first super soldier of her timeline instead of Steve Rogers.
Maybe, we will receive more clarity on the matter of the MCU’s official Mockingbird in a future project. Until then, fans can simply decide for themselves which scenario they prefer.
About the Creator
Kristy Anderson
Passionate About all things Entertainment!
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.