After being noticeably absent in the previous Avengers movie, Hawkeye is returning in Avengers: Endgame with some noticeable changes. Like the rest of the film's cast, Jeremy Renner has been cryptic regarding the film, not only withholding any possible spoilers or confirming or denying rumors but even going as far as creating a fake film with his costar, Paul Rudd, AKA Ant-Man, in order to deflect attention from possible Endgame leaks.
Based on the trailers, the few clues Renner has confirmed in his interviews and casting decisions, there are several things we can still confirm about Hawkeye in Avengers: Endgame.
He Has A "Parakeet-Esque" Hairdo
Jeremy Renner hasn't been shy about describing Hawkeye's new 'do that we've all seen in the trailers for Avengers: Endgame. Nicknamed the "Mohawkeye," it features shaved sides and a long, floppy center fluff of hair. When Jimmy Kimmel asked him about it, Renner said, "It’s kind of like a Paul Mitchell prison cut. The costumes change always, and the haircuts change. Thor used to have these Goldilocks, surfer hair. It just changes. You gotta change it up once in a while."
Fans are pretty split on the hair, with some pondering thoughts like, "Just why?" while others say that they wish all of the Avengers would sport more punk or retro styles.
He'll Be Ronin
Even if Entertainment Weekly didn't just out him as Ronin, we all knew it was coming, and with the Disney series in the works, the new 'do AND the trailers teasing Bishop's training, it was already evident. When Jimmy Kimmel brought up the transformation into Ronin on his show, Renner deadpanned, "Oh. Wow," and completely deflected the conversation onto a fake movie that he and Avengers costar Paul Rudd are "starring" in called The 50-Year-Old Virgins.
Renner's complete refusal to discuss this plot line, particularly in the manner he goes about it, all but confirmed the truth of the fan theory, and we could also guess that we'll be losing the Avengers who've confirmed this to be their last film, so the body counts have to stay reasonable. Recently Kevin Feige confirmed that Clint is Ronin and said it wasn't a theory but a little treat explaining where he's been to the fans, so now it's been verified.
He's Got A Sword
The most defining characteristic of Hawkeye is his bow and arrow, so when he's seen with a sword in the new Endgame trailer it may look weird to many fans. For those who are familiar with the New Avengers comics, however, swords are probably very familiar. Ronin, the new persona that Clint will adopt in the upcoming Marvel movie (and the Disney series afterward), fights with blades rather than arrows.
For those who are skeptical about the change, keep in mind that Hawkeye's original mentor in the comics went by the name of the Swordsman, so he's likely had some training with the weapons. Also keep in mind that a sword is a much more personal weapon to use, meaning that something may have changed in Hawkeye's life to cause him to desire fighting up close.
He's A Vigilante
The Entertainment Weekly cover confirmed that Hawkeye will be transforming into the vigilante Ronin, which means very different things for his character. The word Ronin refers to a Japanese samurai who has no master, a vigilante warrior who works on his own, which Hawkeye is known to do. To adopt this persona, something radical had to have happened to Hawkeye during Infinity War.
Clint Barton isn't the first or last person to be known as Ronin; the suit was first worn by Maya Lopez and most recently Eric Brooks, who found the costume in "a big box of Clint Barton's old stuff" in Mighty Avengers #4.
He's Got A Costume Update
Naturally, as Ronin, Hawkeye will be wearing a totally different costume. Many heroes get new costume updates routinely even when they don't shift personas so this comes as no surprise, but many fans are enjoying his new look immensely. Ronin is the alias that superheroes adopt when they become more ruthless and dark, and the costume matches. Black, gold and hooded, Clint's new look definitely shows that he means business, particularly when he's seen standing over a body in the trailer.
Some speculate that the reason Clint decided to use the Ronin look is to simply avoid breaking the Superhero Registration Act, but given how much he's altered his own hair and skin something far more drastic has likely happened.
He's Returning From A Journey
Back when directors Joe Russo and Anthony Russo gave us the scoop on where Hawkeye was during Infinity War last year, they told us that he had been on his own journey during the events of the movie. They also said that "he has a unique reaction to the Civil War situation that puts him on a special spot in this film."
Naturally this refers to his transformation into Ronan but what else will it mean for the character? While we'll have to wait and see the details in Endgame in a few days, we know that it was something big enough to keep him from helping the team with Thanos, so it's likely a life-changing event.
He Wields Ninja Skills
If Hawkeye's new costume seems like it belongs to a ninja, know that it pretty much does. In Endgame his skill set will encompass that of the ninja variety, which will incorporate not only his costume and two swords but a set of throwing stars. This has been confirmed by his Hasboro action figure, which comes with all of these weapons and calls the hero Ronin instead of Hawkeye.
For those interested in the action figures, there is also a Titan Hero series from the same company that will feature "hero-specific sounds." A total of three different Hawkeye-as-Ronin figures will be released.
He's Got A Bunch Of Tattoos
Anyone who's seen the trailers for Endgame already knows that Hawkeye is sporting some major ink in his new look. Whatever journey that Hawkeye found himself on, fans are speculating that it took him to Asia based not only on the glimpse of Japan we caught in the trailer but also the samurai skeletal figure Clint has tattooed along with several other images in a full-length sleeve.
Fans are demanding when he had time to get a whole sleeve while Thanos was out snapping his fingers, and many speculate that the loss of his family may have triggered this new style, tattoos and persona, especially since he's decided to join in the fight rather than remain home in semi-retirement for the safety of his family. We don't know any of those details yet for sure, but we do know that he's gone under the needle.
He Has A Relationship With A Girl
A young woman in the trailer has sparked a bit of controversy among fans. While it's clear that Hawkeye will have a relationship of some sort with the young woman, we're not sure about its nature. Many fans think the character is Kate Bishop, given the fact that Hawkeye seems to be instructing her in archery during the scene.
Others think that it's his daughter. Some speculate that the two could be one and the same, given that this is the MCU and the writers often stray from the canon of the comic books. Discovering the identity of this young woman is one of the many things we look forward to doing as we see the film later this month.
He'll Likely Survive
Jeremy Renner has signed on with Disney for a new Hawkeye series in which the character will pass on the mantle of Hawkeye to Kate Bishop after he becomes the assassin known as Ronin. This transformation is heavily teased in the trailers and most fans believe it will at least be mentioned in the film.
While it's possible that the Hawkeye spin-off will take place prior to the events of Endgame, it's more probable that Disney will focus on the future, which means that Clint will have to survive Endgame in order to carry on with the new series that's been announced.