In Hawkeye, Clint Barton behaves markedly differently than he did in Avengers: Endgame, but there's a reason why Marvel seems to keep changing his personality. Set after the events of Endgame, Hawkeye brings Clint (Jeremy Renner) to New York City on a vacation with his kids. Typically, trouble follows the Avenger around, but he also meets Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), who just so happens to consider herself the world's greatest marksman. Hawkeye puts Barton in a mentor role for Kate and the two best archers in the MCU teaming up will reveal shades of Clint's personality.

While the personalities of Avengers like Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) remained relatively consistent, Clint Barton's personality has been in flux. After his cameo debut in Thor, Clint was mind-controlled by Loki (Tom Hiddleston) for most of The Avengers, but he was quick with a quip during the film's climactic battle against the Chitauri. Barton also showed some humor in Avengers: Age of Ultron but the serious Clint was back as part of Team Cap. In Captain America: Civil War, Barton was understandably upset when he was arrested and sent to The Raft. When Thanos' (Josh Brolin) Snap turned Barton's entire family to dust, Clint became Ronin, his darkest persona, and he spent years wiping out international criminals in bloody acts of vengeance. By the end of Avengers: Endgame, Clint was mourning Natasha and Tony's deaths and unsure of what his future holds.

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Given where Avengers: Endgame left Clint Barton, it's understandable if the 180 degrees turn his personality takes in Hawkeye seems a bit jarring. But it also makes sense that Barton has learned to lighten up again since Endgame. After all, Clint got his family back at the conclusion of Endgame, thanks to the Avengers successfully reversing Thanos' Snap. That's the biggest relief to Clint and he'd naturally be a very hands-on dad now that his wife Laura (Linda Cardinelli) and kids are alive again. This easily explains Hawkeye's opening premise of Clint taking his children to a Broadway show in New York City for Christmas and his more relaxed attitude. After all, Clint helped defeat Thanos and saved the universe, and nothing could be worse than an ordeal like that. Now that he's got a second chance with his kids, Clint understandably plans to make every second he has with them count and be memorable.

Kate and Clint about to fire their arrows in Hawkeye

But it's also important to remember that Clint is human, and no human ever cracks wise in every situation, not even in a Marvel movie. When the Avengers weren't in dire situations, Clint's sense of humor had always been on full display. His ability to keep his head about him and find humor in difficult situations will aid him in his adventure with Kate. As a father of teenagers, Clint Barton is also one of the only Avengers who is used to being around young people. It was Clint who gravitated to helping Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) find her inner Avenger in Age of Ultron, and he was obviously training his daughter Lila (Ava Russo) to become an archer at the start of Avengers: Endgame. Clint taking Kate Bishop under his wing makes sense since Barton's dad instincts will kick in, no matter how much trouble the younger Hawkeye gets both of them into.

Unlike Thor (Chris Hemsworth), whose haughty personality completely changed and became comedic in Thor: Ragnarok thanks to Taiki Waititi encouraging Chris Hemsworth's natural wit, Clint Barton was always a mix of seriousness and wry comedy. Joss Whedon's Avengers movies played up Clint's gallows humor since he was seen as one of the "weakest" of Earth's Mightiest Heroes while Joe and Anthony Russo's Avengers: Endgame made Barton more tortured and lethal than ever. Rather than change the archer further, Hawkeye looks like it will tap into all aspects of Clint Barton's complex personality, which is what makes him such a versatile and adaptable hero.

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Hawkeye premieres on November 24th on Disney+.

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