Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Hawkeye episode 2!

The events of Hawkeye show that Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) can ruin Clint Barton's (Jeremy Renner) life without killing him. In the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios announced that Hawkeye would star in his own Disney+ series. Fans were treated to an unexpected piece of setup for Hawkeye's story in Black Widow's post-credits scene. Through this scene, Marvel teased Yelena's return as she was given a mission to get revenge on the person responsible for Natasha Romanoff's death: Clint Barton.

Yelena's mission came from Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). It was Phase 4's mysterious new character who showed Yelena a picture of Clint in his Ronin suit and said that he was to blame for the recent loss of her "sister." Black Widow's post-credits scene clearly puts Yelena on a mission for revenge against Clint Barton, and this has created a lot of speculation that she could kill the MCU archer. Since Hawkeye also introduces Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), fans have wondered if his solo series is where his story could ultimately end. However, the first two episodes of Hawkeye indicate that Yelena could ruin Hawkeye's life without killing him.

Related: Where Is Yelena Belova During Hawkeye Episodes 1 & 2?

Clint Barton isn't Ronin anymore when Hawkeye takes place, but the suit and its legacy play a major role. Kate Bishop came to acquire it and brought trouble into her life for the enemies Clint made when he wore the suit. It is through this storyline that Hawkeye reveals a new piece of information: no one knows that Clint Barton was Ronin. The show repeatedly mentions that the identity of Ronin is a mystery even though the suit was found in the wreckage of Avengers Compound. While Avengers: Endgame made it clear that the Avengers knew Clint was RoninHawkeye indicates that not even Clint's kids know about this dark part of his past. This could be important in the context of Yelena Belova's role, as Black Widow confirms that she and Val also know that Clint was Ronin. Thanks to Hawkeye, Yelena could now be in a position to use this information to benefit herself and ruin Clint's life.

Yelena Belova Florence Pugh Black widow appear next in the MCU Hawkeye

The photo of Clint Barton unmasked in the Ronin suit from Black Widow's post-credits could now prove to be a vital part of Hawkeye's story. It is difficult to imagine Clint putting the suit back on during the Disney+ show in the present day due to how much the time as Ronin still haunts him. While the series could show more of Clint's time as Ronin through flashbacks, Yelena and Val are now known to be two of the few individuals who know about Hawkeye's past. Depending on what Yelena wants to do to Clint to get revenge, she could release this image to the public or just to Ronin's enemies. In either case, Yelena could ruin Clint's entire life by revealing that he was Ronin.

Not only would such a reveal damage Hawkeye's public perception (possibly resulting in him getting pulled from Rogers: The Musical), but Clint's time as Ronin could put him and his family in danger. It's no secret that Ronin crossed paths with some powerful criminals in New York and around the world, including Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, potentially. Those left could attack Clint's family if they learn he was the man under the black and yellow ninja suit. At the very least, this could ruin Clint's chance for a quiet life with his family, while it might also mean sacrificing his life to save them. All of this is possible since Yelena Belova knows he was Ronin before Hawkeye and gives her a lot of power ahead of her return.

More: Hawkeye: Every Marvel Easter Egg & Reference In Episodes 1 & 2

New episodes of Hawkeye air Wednesdays on Disney+.

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