Marvel’s Hawkeye Redemption of the unsung Avenger

Hawkeye. Photo: Collected

Enter the Archer

It has been nine years since earth's mightiest heroes - The Avengers - first assembled and the world was introduced to SHIELD's sharpshooting agent Clint Barton, AKA Hawkeye. 

From the very beginning, in spite of being a human in a league of Gods, sorcerers and superpowered characters, Hawkeye always held his own. 

However as time went on, this character was toned down further and further - to a level where he became a mere side character in every major development. 

In 'Infinity War', he was left out purely because he was not considered that big of an asset.

During 'Endgame', Clint Barton was introduced as Ronin and was brought back to the Avengers' quest to save the world. Given the storyline, this could have been a redeeming moment for Hawkeye. Unfortunately, that too was snatched from him as Black Widow sacrificed herself for the greater good. 

Hawkeye was again left in the shadow of the greats. At the time it seemed as if all hope for Hawkeye's character development had gone down the drain. 

In the minds of the audience, Hawkeye became a forgettable character.

Marvel's Hawkeye

Marvel Studios released several miniseries in 2021. All of them followed multiple Avengers like Scarlet Witch, Vision, The Falcon, Winter soldier and Loki. 

The core purpose of these miniseries' is the progression and expansion of the future of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). 

When Hawkeye was set to be released late in November last year, it mostly went unnoticed by the larger audiences. It did not command the same expectations as the others. Even before its release, the series faced heavy criticism and scrutiny. 

However, despite all the odds, Hawkeye delivers a near perfect story to rescue the hero from being a relic of the past.

The story takes place after the events of Endgame. Mankind has once again been saved by the Avengers. The price however, was too much for some people to bear, including Clint Barton. 

As the show tells the viewers how he is trying to adjust to a peaceful life with his family, a new adventure awaits. 

An aspiring new character named 'Kate Bishop' is introduced. A star archer from a privileged background, she, along with Hawkeye, fights an array of villains. 

As they both delve deeper, new faces come to light and ghosts of the past come to haunt. 

A month since its release, it now has a score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, alongside other big names such as 'Loki' and 'What If..?'.

Hawkeye has surpassed all odds it faced from the beginning. By bringing back some prominent characters such as Yelena and Kingpin, the show enriched its storytelling. 

The core story was nothing short of awe inspiring, heartwarming and endearing. With a deep message that sets it apart from others, the show is nothing short of a redeeming tale for this sharpshooter.

The show also introduces major easter eggs from all across MCU. Anyone with a keen eye and knowledge on comics is sure to catch them all. 

Although there are minor details which are the show's weak links, the audience will not be disappointed watching this festive and light hearted take on the superhero genre.