The final episode of Hawkeye Is filled with the kind of fun action and comedy that I wish the rest of the series had. We get some solid resolutions for both Clint Barton and Kate Bishop. I think Higgins from Ted Lasso said it best, “To the family you’re born with and the one you make along the way.” That’s essentially what this episode represents as a whole. Fans of Marvel everywhere finally get the catharsis they’ve been waiting for in the form of the Kingpin returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Vincent D’onofrio once again commands the screen as Wilson Fisk. His whole mission this time around is to eliminate Eleanor Bishop from the equation so that he can continue his illegal operations. The only individual standing in his way is Kate Bishop, and her mission is to make sure that her mother is safe. Clint also finally squares off with Yelena, apologizing for the death of Natasha in Avengers Endgame, with both characters dealing with their grief and finding a different and new way to move forward.
Congratulations audience, I just saved you 60 minutes. The rest of the episode is literally trick arrows being fired at the tracksuit mafia. This was a fun, cohesive episode that came two to three episodes too late. All of the stories that I was hoping to find within this miniseries about Marvel’s favorite Archer didn’t come to pass. I don’t understand why the writers of these short series prioritize likable characters without considering what their full story and journey should be first. Was it fun to watch these characters go through all the different action beats? Yes. Did it mean anything as a whole to the overall story? I’m not convinced.
As a writer, I feel like more could have been done to flesh out why it was important for Kate Bishop to continually try and be a hero. I don’t get any form of self-confidence that would have been gained from continually fighting to be Clint Burton’s partner. He isn’t exactly a character that needs someone because he literally already has a team of Avengers and a family waiting at home. What would be the point of giving him someone else to take on? Either way, the characters work together well, and I’m excited to see where Kate Bishop finally goes after spending Christmas with the Barton family.
It was nice to see Vincent D’onofrio get a chance to really celebrate the character of Kingpin. I mean, to beat up Kate Bishop in a toy store was the most imaginative fight that I could have seen on screen. It was perfectly in line with the Christmas theme used throughout the entire season and allowed Kate Bishop not to be beaten up so severely that she had broken bones.
This whole episode was about resolution, and even though that was given to us, it was a poor effort. The journey went in too many crazy directions, and I found it confusing. I’m glad there were still some threads left hanging, but I don’t know where they’re going to lead, and I can’t say that I’m excited to find out. I also can’t say I didn’t at least have a little bit of fun watching all the chaos unfold at the end. Let’s hope the next time the writers do a series like this, they shoot a bit straighter and on target.
