Every Hawkeye Character's Future Explained

Warning: SPOILERS for Hawkeye's Finale - "So This Is Christmas".

Every character in Hawkeye received a fitting ending, although some of their futures were left uncertain. The Marvel Cinematic Universe's team-up of Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) saw the MCU's two best archers confront the perpetrators behind Hawkeye's criminal conspiracy. More importantly, Clint finally acknowledged Kate as his partner and set her up to succeed him as the next Hawkeye and as the MCU's newest superhero.

Hawkeye's finale, "So This Is Christmas," revealed that Wilson Fisk AKA The Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio) is the silent power running New York City's underworld. Kate's mother, Eleanor Bishop (Vera Farmiga), came to work for the Kingpin to pay off the outstanding debts left behind when her husband, Derek (Brian d'Arcy James), died in 2012 during The Avengers' Battle of New York. When Kate and Clint's investigation into Jack Duquense (Tony Dalton), Eleanor's fiance, got too close to the truth, the Bishop matriarch hired Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), a Black Widow assassin, to kill Barton. Meanwhile, Maya "Echo" Lopez (Alaqua Cox) deduced that it wasn't the Ronin who killed her father but that it was done on the orders of Kingpin and involved her close friend Kazi (Fra Free).

Everything came to a head at the Bishop Christmas Party with the two Hawkeyes, Kate and Clint, joining forces to take on the Tracksuit Mafia. In addition, the Bishops confronted the Kingpin, with Kate surviving a one-on-one fight with Wilson Fisk and defeating the massive crime lord. Meanwhile, Yelena battled Clint but learned Barton's side of the story of why her 'sister' and Clint's best friend, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), died during Avengers: Endgame. In the end, Kate turned in Eleanor so that her mother was arrested for her crimes while Jack, who heroically fought off the Tracksuit Mafia, made friends with Barton and Bishop's allies, the LARPers. The Christmas-themed Hawkeye fittingly ended with Kate joining the Bartons for their holiday celebration, although the fates of Kingpin, Echo, and Yelena were more ambiguous.

Is Clint Barton Still Hawkeye (And An Avenger)?

Kate Bishop and Clint Barton talking in Hawkeye

Clint Barton has been trying to retire since the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron and it hasn't really stuck. The overall point of Hawkeye for Clint was to address the fallout of all of the killings he did as Ronin and finish mourning Natasha Romanoff's death, as well as pass the torch of Hawkeye to Kate Bishop. Clint essentially learned that being Hawkeye and being an Avenger is always going to be how people see him and both identities are inextricably a part of him. But the question of whether or not the Avengers are still even a team at this point wasn't answered by Hawkeye.

At the end of Hawkeye, audiences don't necessarily get the impression that Barton is completely done with his superhero life. Whether or not Jeremy Renner has any future involvement in the MCU is unclear, but the strong possibility exists that Disney+ and Marvel Studios could greenlight Hawkeye season 2. If that's the case, Clint could be back in action alongside Kate Bishop. In the meantime, Barton has literally burned his past as Ronin. Clint has earned his rest and a Christmas with his family, which now includes Kate and her dog, Lucky AKA Pizza Dog.

Is Kate Bishop Hawkeye Now?

Kate peppering Clint with ideas about a possible "Hawk" themed codename was Hawkeye's witty in-joke about Bishop becoming the next Hawkeye. Kate rising to the occasion under Clint's tutelage and proving she's worthy to be his partner and, ultimately, his successor, was the point of Hawkeye for Bishop. So yes, Kate will be the second Hawkeye, just as she is in Marvel Comics. As for Kate's future, Marvel Studios didn't cast an actress the caliber of Hailee Steinfeld if they had greater plans for her.

There are rumors Kate could appear in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which are also hinted at with the prominent placement of Pym trick arrows in Hawkeye. Bishop appearing in the announced Thunderbolts movie or in Avengers 5 is also a possibility. Of course, Steinfeld may return alongside Jeremy Renner to headline Hawkeye season 2 if it's ordered by Disney+. All in all, Kate's future in the MCU - possibly continuing her burgeoning friendship with Yelena Belova - is bright.

Is Kingpin Really Dead? How He Could Return

Maya points a gun at the Kingpin in Hawkeye

Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin making the leap from Netflix's Daredevil to officially join the MCU was a welcome shock for audiences but just as jaw-dropping is the cliffhanger that Wilson Fisk may have been killed by Echo at the end of Hawkeye. However, all that was heard was a gunshot and Hawkeye didn't actually show whether or not Echo shot the Kingpin, despite Lopez pointing a gun point-blank in his head.

It was purposefully left ambiguous whether or not Maya went through with executing Fisk. Perhaps Fisk was able to disarm her as the gun went off. Or perhaps Fisk was shot but somehow survived. But it's unlikely Kingpin is suddenly dead after just making his long-awaited MCU debut with fan-favorite D'Onofrio back in the role. Odds are Kingpin will probably pop up again in Maya's Echo series on Disney+ or in Hawkeye season 2 so Fisk can get revenge on Eleanor and Kate Bishop for besting him.

Laura Barton Is Mockingbird (And She's Retired)

Hawkeye Finale Avengers Watch Laura Barton Agent 19 Mockingbird SR

Clint's hunt for the mystery Rolex recovered from the rubble of Avengers Compound and sold on the black market was one of Hawkeye's early mysteries but the finale confirmed the watch belonged to Laura Barton (Linda Cardinelli). Further, Laura was a superhero Agent of SHIELD like Clint, which is likely how they met and fell in love. Laura retired from SHIELD to raise her family but she clearly understands and supports everything Clint still goes through.

Although Hawkeye never uttered the word "Mockingbird," the "19" inscription on the back of Laura's Rolex confirmed she was SHIELD Agent 19 AKA Mockingbird. Adrienne Palicki played Agent Bobbie Morse AKA Mockingbird on Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, but whether or not that show is MCU canon is unclear. But even if it is, it's a simple explanation that Laura Barton was the original Agent 19 AKA Mockingbird who is now a retired wife and mother.

Echo's Hawkeye Spinoff Explained

Hawkeye Echo Kingpin Comic Connection MCU SR

Maya Lopez also has a bright MCU future since she is starring in her own Disney+ series, Echo. Announced in November 2021 on Disney+ Day, Echo hasn't begun production yet but will follow Maya after the events of Hawkeye. Echo will have to address Hawkeye's cliffhanger of whether or not Lopez shot the Kingpin but the series will chart what the deaf warrior will do next now that Maya has left Wilson Fisk's employ. Echo will become a crime-fighting superhero in her own right and she may become her own version of Ronin who declares her own war on the Kingpin and the New York City underworld.

Yelena's MCU Future Is Unclear After Hawkeye

Yelena Belova's MCU future is also in flux after Hawkeye. While Florence Pugh's Black Widow was a delightful presence in Hawkeye, Yelena didn't fulfill her contract to assassinate Clint Barton. What that means for Belova is unclear and she may end up being targeted by her employer, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss), and Val's secret organization. It's also unknown at this point where Yelena will appear next, although, like Hailee Steinfeld, Marvel must have bigger plans for an actress as talented as Florence Pugh. Yelena could join the announced Thunderbolts movie or pop up elsewhere in MCU Phase 4, including possibly reuniting with Kate Bishop in Hawkeye season 2, but the Black Widow has to reconcile her pain over Natasha Romanoff's death.

Next: Hawkeye Season 2: Everything We Know

Hawkeye is available to stream on Disney+.