SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame

Jeremy Renner offers a closer look at the elaborate tattoo sleeve of Clint Barton/Hawkeye as assumed the person of Ronin in Avengers: Endgame. Skipping out the initial bout against Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Infinity War, Barton spent his days on house arrest after striking a deal with the government with regard to the fallout of the events of Captain America: Civil War. But just because he wasn't on the battle lines while his fellow heroes tried to stop the Mad Titan from decimating half of population in the universe, doesn't mean he wasn't impacted by the villain's actions. Avengers 4 revealed that Barton's wife, Laura (Linda Cardellini) and all three kids were part of the unfortunate part of the galaxy who were snuffed out of existence following the snap.

With no contact with the remaining Avengers, the sadness from the loss of his family pushed Barton down a dark path, ditching his Hawkeye persona and becoming Ronin. He took it upon himself to murder people involved in illegal activities like the Yakuzas and Cartels. It wasn't until the possibility of bringing back everyone that's gone from The Decimation five years later that he was sought out by Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and recruited to join the Time Heist. But between then and Thanos' win in Infinity War, no one really knows what he's been up to, but given what's established in Endgame, his actions were not very heroic.

Related: Hawkeye Is Awesome - And Here's His Marvel Movie Future In MCU Phase 4

Alongside Barton's assumption of a new persona also came a brand new look and weapon. But underneath his sick suit was another visual representation of his transformation in the last five years prior to the events of Endgame - his left arm covered with a tattoo sleeve. Renner documented his preparation to become Ronin in the film with a couple of behind-the-scenes video and images which he shared on his official Instagram account, some of which show off him getting the temporary ink for the role. Check out his social media post below:

With Endgame giving the happy ending for Barton and his family, there's a good chance that he's officially retired his five-year stint as Ronin. But the tattoos will remain on his arm - a reminder of what he's done during those dark days. No official word on it, but there are rumors that like some of his MCU cast-mates, Renner is set to headline an upcoming Marvel Studios Dinsey+ series where he'll potentially train a new breed of hero - Kate Bishop. Avengers 4 established him training her daughter archery which could open up narrative possibilities to introduce his successor - albeit taking liberties from print. Nevertheless, with the Avengers' resident marksman still around, fans can expect to see him moving forward.

Barton's story could be set in the future, but Marvel Studios also has the option to tackle his years as Ronin, which could be interesting. The masterless samurai is such a cool concept in the comic books, not to mention that five years is long enough to set a limited series in with a proper beginning and end. It's no secret that before Avengers: Endgame, Hawkeye has been mostly cast aside, but despite being one of the most veteran heroes in the franchise, it feels like his real story is just beginning.

More: Every MCU Phase 4 Movie Avengers: Endgame Sets Up

Source: Jeremy Renner

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