Here's why Hawkeye is more powerful in the Marvel Cinematic Universe than you may have realized. The sharp-shooting hero commonly known as Clint Barton first made his debut in the MCU in 2011's Thor, when Jeremy Renner appeared in a very small role. He instantly established his preference for a bow and arrow, and showed just what he could do with his specialized equipment throughout The Avengers - especially after breaking free of Loki's mind control.
As the MCU continued to expand after a massive alien attack though, grounded characters like Hawkeye started to feel a bit out of place in the grander context. Barton even acknowledges this in Avengers: Age of Ultron, as he quips that they are fighting an army of sentient robots on a flying city and all he has is a bow and arrow. Even though he has at times questioned his own worth among the ranks of super soldiers and Asgardians, Hawkeye brings many skills to the table.
In Screen Rant's newest video, we take a look at the powers that Hawkeye has and why he's more powerful than he often gets credit for. Unlike most superheroes, Hawkeye's powers aren't based on magic, given to him thanks to a freak accident or at birth, or created with a piece of technology. Instead, what makes Barton so dangerous and powerful are all of the different abilities he's perfected over the years, from marksmanship to speaking multiple languages. Check out the full breakdown in the video at the top of this post.
After really highlighting his aim at first, Hawkeye's foray of weapons and skills has continued to expand. He turned his bow into a staff for combat during Captain America: Civil War, but one of the bigger transformations he's received comes in Avengers: Endgame. He dawns the Ronin persona in the movie and proves he's just as deadly with a katana as he is with his bow, if not more. His greatest skill, though, is how he brings the team together and makes it so the Avengers never lose when he's fighting with them - as their biggest loss came when he was noticeably gone in Avengers: Infinity War.
The MCU may soon return to showing off his talents with a bow though, as Renner is rumored to be returning to star in a Hawkeye series on Disney+. The show hasn't been confirmed to be in development, but the premise is said to revolve around Barton teaching Kate Bishop how to take over the mantle. This will hopefully give the series plenty of bow and arrow action, and add being a great teacher to the list of skills that Hawkeye has.
