Warning: SPOILERS for Hawkeye episode 2.

In Hawkeye, Jeremy Renner disparages the idea of people saying, "I love you," to each other, and it undermines Iron Man's classic Avengers: Endgame line. Clint Barton (Renner) takes an unexpected journey in Hawkeye. During the series premiere, Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) wears Hawkeye's old Ronin suit while fighting off criminals at a black market auction, and the fight puts Ronin's enemies on her trail. Hawkeye, who just wanted to spend the holidays with his kids in New York, intervenes, and now it's up to him to ensure Bishop's safety, face his past as Ronin, and get home to his kids in time for Christmas.

Endgame helped bring Iron Man's (Robert Downey Jr.) story to a close. After a decade of making MCU movies and inhabiting the Tony Stark character, Downey Jr.'s Iron Man makes the ultimate sacrifice in Endgame. To stop Thanos (Josh Brolin), Iron Man steals the Infinity Stones and snaps the Mad Titan and his minions away. Tony Stark's memorial service features a prerecorded goodbye message, where he seemingly directs his last words to his daughter, Morgan Stark (Lexi Rabe), saying, "I love you 3000."

Related: Hawkeye's Rogers Musical Mistake Creates An Endgame Fallout Plot Hole

During Hawkeye, Clint Barton doesn't appear overly fond of people saying, "I love you." At one point, Kate Bishop is on the phone with her mother, Eleanor Bishop (Vera Farmiga), and the pair both say their goodbyes by adding that they love each other. "Since when did everybody start saying, 'I love you,' to everybody all the time?" Hawkeye complains. It's a weird statement, considering Barton is a father, and it flies in the face of Tony Stark's final message.

Hawkeye's complaint belittles Tony Stark's final words. Morgan first says, "I love you 3000," to her dad when he's putting her to bed in Endgame. Tony Stark is particularly touched by the line and then repeats it in his final message. The phrase was one of the most quotable lines of Endgame, getting repeated and retweeted by fans worldwide. Unfortunately, Hawkeye's complaint undermines the line. His flippant attitude towards people saying, "I love you," is ignorant at best and insulting to Iron Man's memory at worst.

Barton's complaint also doesn't make sense. Kate Bishop and her mom went through a harrowing experience when criminals attacked an event they attended. The pair are allowed to tell each other, "I love you." In addition, everyone's living in a world where Josh Brolin's Thanos snapped away half the population before they finally returned in Avengers: Endgame. People never know when their words to loved ones will be their last. Also, Hawkeye is a hypocrite. After complaining about people saying, "I love you," he tells his kids he loves them multiple times when he sends them home in the episode. Hawkeye likely said his original complaint because he was resentful of Kate Bishop, who essentially robbed him of his holiday with his kids, but that doesn't excuse it. After all, for someone who complains about people saying, "I love you," Barton certainly loves to say it.

More: Captain America's Musical Continues Hawkeye's Phase 1 Insult

Hawkeye releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.

Key Release Dates