Marvel Studios confirms Clint Barton isn't an Avenger during Hawkeye, and here's why Jeremy Renner's sharpshooter has retired for the Disney+ show. Over a decade after making his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Thor, Hawkeye is finally on the precipice of leading his solo project. This will come in the form of a Hawkeye Disney+ series that also introduces the world to his MCU replacement, Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld).

As shown in the first Hawkeye trailer, the upcoming Disney+ MCU show is a Christmas-set adventure set primarily in New York. The trailer begins by showing Clint Barton is in the Big Apple to spend time with his kids after finally getting them back thanks to Hulk's snap in Avengers: Endgame. The series is expected to flesh out and change Hawkeye's MCU story in several ways, such as exploring his origin and making him deaf. One other development in Clint Barton's life, though, is that he is no longer an Avenger when Hawkeye takes place. The official synopsis calls him a "former Avenger," but why isn't he an active hero anymore?

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Hawkeye's retirement from the Avengers is believed to be largely driven by his family. Clint lost all three of his kids and his wife as a result of Thanos' snap, as depicted in Avengers: Endgame's opening scene. Avengers: Endgame's ending saw him return to the Barton farm to reunite with them before attending Tony Stark's funeral. Now that they have returned, he's clearly prioritizing making up for the lost time. Clint previously retired from the Avengers after the birth of his second son but came out of retirement for Captain America: Civil War. While his mission with Kate will interrupt his New York trip, he is still determined to return to his family for Christmas. It is Clint's focus on being around his family that should be a primary motivating factor in his decision to leave the Avengers behind.

Hawkeye aiming four arrows in Captain America: Civil War

There is also the fact that Hawkeye's recent years as an Avenger were troubled, so he might not want to play the hero part right now either. Clint is still fresh off wearing the Ronin costume and going on a killing rampage across the world. The guilt that he feels for these actions is evident in Hawkeye's trailer and the return of the Ronin suit. Spending time with his family gives Clint a reason to not confront the demons of his past. However, it seems that his past as Ronin will still catch up to him during the series. Atoning for these sins could be a huge part of Clint's arc in Hawkeye, but his reluctance to do so could quietly be why he stepped away from the Avengers. Plus, there's also the death of Natasha and her saving him that could be messing with Clint's mental and emotional state.

Another possible factor in Hawkeye's decision to leave the Avengers could be the unfamiliar state that they are in after Avengers: Endgame. The movie's events led to Iron Man and Black Widow's deaths, Captain America growing old and retiring, and Thor leaving Earth again. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings even revealed a massive change to Bruce Banner, which could signal the end of his days as Hulk even if he continues to help the Avengers. The lack of more original members and Clint's close friends could increase his desire to leave the Avengers behind. Since Clint will get back into the superhero game somewhat in Hawkeye, it will be fascinating to see if he remains a former Avenger by the time the Disney+ series ends.

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