If there is one tried and true formula to the Marvel Cinematic Universe Method, it’s that “In the end, stuff needs to explode.” Not to be the outlier, our Hawkguys finale had explosions galore, and enough chaos, weird tonal shifts, inconsistent characterizations, and oddly anemic fight scenes as to cause not just an explosion, but a bit of an implosion of the entire min-series. As a Hawkeye fan, there is a lot to love, and more than a little to be bummed about as the show has just put a wrap on Marvel’s output for 2021. Let’s talk about it.
Just a heads up, I’ve loaded my quiver with spoiler arrows!
1. And What Have You Done?
My goodness. Well, that was something, right? We’ll talk about the series as a whole towards the end, but I think I should start with a specific problem the finale created for itself and work my way outwards.
Let’s start with Kingpin. Never let it be said I won’t admit error. I was wrong again, and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk/Kingpin played heavily in this episode, once again sidelining Vera Farmiga as the villain (though she still took the fall for her misdeeds), only to get his ass handed to him on more than one occasion. Fan-favorite Fisk is a carryover from the dark and violent Netflix “Daredevil” show, and what people loved about D’Onofrio’s interpretation was not just the depth the showrunners gave Kingpin, but the actor’s ability to switch between a nuanced reading of a villain and something more arch. Fisk was almost Shakespearian in that show’s hands. Maybe it is the shorter window to play with him in “Hawkeye,” or maybe just the direction they want to take the MCU Fisk, but the nuance is gone, and what’s left is a very broad, uncharismatic bully.
Oh sure, D’Onofrio does some great work at times, his eye twitches and changes in pitch, his throaty threats that sound not unlike a bullfrog with marbles in his mouth – but this is but a shade of the Netflix version. From the sloppier wardrobe (yes, I understand it’s an homage to the comics, but not one that anyone had any particular feelings towards, I imagine), to the messier way of handling business (sending an entire army of goons to a party at the Rockefeller Center on Christmas Eve is…uh….not smart), this is a strange handling of the character that is obvious even to casual fans. I’m sure in time if Disney/Marvel Studios is interested in rehabilitating this version of Fisk they can do so – – Marvel has many compelling villains. I’m not the type to say “this isn’t my Kingpin,” I’m open to various interpretations, but if you’re going to water him down like this, just change the actor and remove expectations we may carry over from previous iterations.
I’m dancing around the end of the episode when we see Echo confront Kingpin, knowing it was he who ultimately allowed her father to be killed. Gun in hand, we don’t get to see Maya exact her revenge, but we do hear a shot, which is filmmaking parlance for “something happened, but probably not what you expect.” Another homage to the comics, we likely haven’t seen the last of Fisk, but Fisk has maybe seen the last of Echo. (heh heh)
2. Another Year Over
So what does this series do for MCU Phase Four?
Though I think primarily any show should be able to stand alone, as the MCU grows, Feige and company seem relatively concerned as to how all the pieces fit together, for better or worse. Marvel Studios has had a very busy 2021, and with Echo spinning out of this series, and Kingpin and Daredevil making their “official” MCU debut last week, ground-level characters (that is, characters that likely don’t give a sh#t about the Multiverse) are now carving out a section for their own.
Alaqua Cox’s Maya Lopez got the screen time her character finally deserved this final episode. But rather than becoming a pivotal turning point for the vengeance-seeking mob enforcer, it felt like the “That’s enough slices!” TikTok, a character beat that we all wanted to see, but really felt like it was over-stuffing the episode. Could this have been developed/revisited during her own upcoming series? Yes, of course. We also get an ending for Kazi, who betrayed his friend, despite Echo pleading that it didn’t have to end that way. Kazi, knowing his was a life of crime, and knowing Kingpin would never let him live if he didn’t kill Maya, died with an arrow jammed in his side, and Echo free to confront Kingpin alone.
Continued belowI’m honestly excited for an Echo series – she’s not a character I think would have much cache in the movies, but a well-developed television show would do wonders to help introduce her to the MCU properly. I appreciate the room they’ve given to show characters who sign and who care about Maya enough to learn ASL. Let’s find a way to bring back Zahn McClarnon for the series, though, okay?
3. A New One Just Begun
Speaking of turning points, we also get one for Yelena Belova in the finale. Though not officially our capital B, capital W “Black Widow” just yet, she comes to terms with the loss of her sister, and Clint’s role in her death. The manipulation of Yelena into thinking Clint was responsible for Natasha dying stretches alllllll the way back to this summer’s “Black Widow” film, and the reappearance of Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ turn as Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine revealed to be pulling the strings. I’m unsure if de Fontaine is connected to Eleanor Bishop, but there is much still left unresolved on that front, and plenty of opportunity to explore further, as Pugh has already won audiences over in her short time in the MCU. An actor with an incredibly wide range, Florence Pugh is destined for superstardom, and we’ll likely be seeing her in many more Marvel projects for years to come.
That being said, her presence in this episode was an absolute mess. Between her too quippy and too silly fight with Kate, and her ice skating rink duel with Clint , her presence kept jerking the wheel on tone. I’m all for the Marvel Method of Quippy Banter, but none of it was particularly smart. And though we’re meant to understand that Yelena actually likes Kate, it undermines the entire black widow ethos for her to just play games, rather than kicking Kate’s ass and moving forward with her mission. When she finally does engage Clint, it’s in the middle of the big showdown with the Tracksuit Mafia, and takes focus away from the “main” storyline, which, at this point, is the TSM attack on the holiday party and Kingpin’s fight with Kate. Sure, it was nice to see Clint interact with Yelena, and to reveal to her he truly called her sister a friend, but this should have been handled an episode sooner.
4. Happy Xmas
The pacing of the series as a whole was odd. At times, I felt like this could have just been a fun, two hour Christmas movie, and I still feel that way. As a series, it loses the charm of something to be revisited each holiday season, with too much diversion, too much trackwork being laid for future MCU IP. I can’t help but adore seeing the Rockefeller Center tree lit up, and having Clint end up in said tree – – one of my favorite scenes in the series. The iconography of Christmas is rich here in this last episode, and would have, again, made for a fun climax to a movie. But for a series, it was too little, too late. Yelena feels overused, and Kingpin feels underused. Echo’s turn seems wholly tangential to the entire series by the end, and Eleanor’s double life is almost completely irrelevant to Kate’s origin. The battle at the end is a chaotic mess, with the TSM doing god-knows-what exactly. I don’t necessarily need for these guys to have rock solid motives, but a full-on assault of the Rockefeller Center on Christmas Eve, which would have an abundant police presence, just seems really damned silly.
5. War is Over
Alright, let’s end on a high note. I still find Hailee Steinfeld’s performance as Kate Bishop absolutely winning. There’s just something about Steinfeld’s confidence and in-your-face determination in almost all of her roles that perfectly embodies Kate. It’s what makes Kate a hero, in fact. I honest to goodness got chills when she finally told Clint the story of seeing him during the battle of New York. It’s the through-line to both characters, and what makes each more than just a person with tools from the Paleolithic Era, fightin’ crime. Without super-soldier serum, or an abundance of technology, or a divine hammer, they still have the guts to go out and make the world a better place. The interaction between the two Hawkeyes is what this series does best, and I could have done with more of it, and less of all the other stuff. I hope there are actual movies in Hawkeye’s future. I think Kate Bishop is ready. Whether or not that’s in a Young Avengers movie or something solo, Steinfeld has the charisma to make the character work, and now a fleshed out backstory so that this Hawkeye doesn’t take a backseat to the rest of the Avengers crew.
Continued belowStray Arrows
- I wish the Jeremy Renner app still existed so I could tell him he did a great job.
- Worst. Mid-Credits Scene. Ever.
- What the hell was up with the CGI owl? That was a bit that fell flat, in my opinion.
- Speaking of which, having Jacques being a clueless, rich dupe with a sword was, while funny, still frustrating. I don’t mind subverting expectations (see the first version of Mandarin), but this one was a let-down, especially since actor Tony Dalton nailed the role.
- The Guild of First Responders was another joke that felt way too forced. I like Grills, but man, was this kind of embarrassing. That being said, sometimes I have to step back and realize these things are meant for kids, and this and the owl probably worked for audiences of that age.
- I saw online criticism of the fight between Kate and Kingpin, but I honestly thought that, of all the fights in the show, that one worked the best. Kingpin likely underestimated her, and paid the price.
- I sure hope Vera Farmiga got paid fat Disney cash for being woefully underused. Here’s to hoping that getting turned in by her daughter and going to jail turns her into an even bigger villain. What we got was pretty tepid.
- Speaking of tepid, apologies to Linda Cardellini for again being sidelined, despite finally getting some backstory. Maybe another series next Christmas all about Laura?
So – what are your thoughts on episode six? Did Marvel create a new holiday classic? Are you excited for what the future may hold for these new characters? Let me know below!
