Is Hawkeye finally bringing Kingpin into the main MCU? If these episode 3 teases are anything to go by, Wilson Fisk has already arrived. With so much focus on the free-swinging multiverse door of Spider-Man: No Way Home, it's easy to forget that new MCU characters can debut anywhere at any time with precious little warning. Currently airing on Disney+, Hawkeye catches up with Clint Barton 2 years on from Avengers: Endgame and introduces Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop as his new protégé. Hawkeye also recruits familiar comic characters Echo (Alaqua Cox) and Swordsman (Tony Dalton), but Marvel fans wondered whether Kevin Feige had something up his sleeve for Clint Barton's solo series.

And by "something," we mean Kingpin. Given how Ronin supposedly decimated the MCU's criminal underworld, Wilson Fisk was heavily rumored for Hawkeye and Vincent D'Onofrio (who portrayed Kingpin in Netflix's Daredevil) gamely played up to the hype. The canon gulf between Netflix's Marvel universe and the mainstream MCU meant Kingpin's appearance in Hawkeye was never guaranteed, but audiences waited with bated breath to see if the infamous bald villain would, in fact, hop franchises.

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Hawkeye episodes 1 & 2 were light on Kingpin clues. Aside from references to mob bosses and a first shot of Echo, there was nothing concrete to strengthen the preexisting rumors. But then episode 3 happened. Hawkeye's "Echoes" all-but-confirms Kingpin in the MCU, going as far as possible without explicitly showing the character or uttering his name. Here are all the hints and teases setting up the MCU's Kingpin in Hawkeye.

Hawkeye's "Uncle" Mystery Sets Up A Major Reveal

Hawkeye-Kingpin-Echo-Uncle

The clearest indication that Kingpin will appear in Hawkeye is Echo's mysterious uncle, referenced numerous times throughout episode 3. The fun begins during the flashbacks to Echo's childhood when her father promises, "Uncle will take you home after class." A big hand then emerges to affectionately pinch Echo's cheek, but Hawkeye only reveals one brief flash of an expensive suit. Back in the present day, Kazi frets about Echo's quest for vengeance against Ronin and warns her, "I just hope Uncle doesn't find out... he wouldn't be happy." Everything here points toward Kingpin being Echo's unseen uncle. The characters are connected in the Marvel comic books, Kingpin is famous for wearing suits, and though viewers only witness one hand and a bit of arm, the man's physical build is very much consistent with what Wilson Fisk typically looks like.

But even more conspicuous is how Hawkeye so transparently avoids anything that could identify Echo's "uncle." If the villain were a completely new character (or even a minor figure from the comics), Hawkeye wouldn't bother showing an arm while deliberately hiding the face. And surely someone would mention the guy's name. Echo's father, Kazi, and even Clint Barton all decline to give away any detail that could possibly identify the man, which must mean Marvel fans would recognize his name and appearance on sight. It's a very deliberate tease that only works if the grand reveal is a major Marvel player, and Kingpin alone fits Hawkeye's particular context.

A Bigger Villain Runs The Tracksuits (& They're Terrifying)

Fat Man in Hawkeye

Hawkeye episode 1 showed Ivan taking point for the Tracksuit Mafia, only for episode 2 to reveal he was just an underling of Echo. Episode 3 proves there's yet another layer to the pyramid. In addition to Kazi warning Echo to keep her Uncle happy, Clint Barton tells Kate Bishop about "The guy at the top... someone you don't wanna mess with." Anyone sitting above Echo in the pecking order must be a pretty big deal, leaning toward a comic villain of great importance, but the more revealing clue is Hawkeye's reaction.

Related: Marvel Knows It Messed Up Thanos In Infinity War (& Hawkeye Proves It)

As an Avenger, Clint Barton has fought Asgardian Gods, armies of killer robots, Nazi scientists, and the mighty Thanos. Understandably, then, Barton hasn't taken the Tracksuit Mafia very seriously in Hawkeye, mocking them with lines such as, "Guys, I can see through the bag." But the drastic change of tone when Barton begins discussing the Tracksuits' shadowy leader is deeply concerning, and proves even the Avengers treat Echo's uncle as a high-level threat. Hawkeye's foreboding assessment of the Tracksuit Mafia's don surely means the mobster is a household name among the Marvel faithful, and given the few details Hawkeye provides, said mobster can only be Kingpin.

For a bonus Kingpin clue, the Tracksuit Mafia hideout Ronin massacres is called "Fat Man Auto Repair." Fat-Man has been an infrequent nickname of Wilson Fisk's, most notably in Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Hawkeye Episode 3 Had D'Onofrio's Laugh

Daredevil stands behind Kingpin in a room in Daredevil.

In Hawkeye episode 3's Echo flashback, the well-dressed man at the dojo gives a little laugh while playing with Maya. Starring as Daredevil's main antagonist, Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk had a very distinctive tone and a very recognizable laugh... and the voice ever-so-briefly heard in Hawkeye episode 3 is more or less identical to what Netflix subscribers heard for 3 whole seasons.

While there's plenty of evidence linking Kingpin the character to Hawkeye, only the laugh suggests Vincent D'Onofrio is the actor playing him. MCU fans perhaps didn't anticipate Hawkeye would get involved with Phase 4's multiverse madness, but transferring D'Onofrio's Kingpin from "Marvel Netflix" to "Marvel Marvel" finally creates a bridge between those universes... and that's great news for anyone hoping to see Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home. At some stage, the MCU would need to address whether its own Kingpin is the same as Daredevil's, or an alternate version that merely looks identical.

Related: Hawkeye: Whose Avengers Watch Is Stolen In Episode 1

Echo holds a gun on Kingpin in Marvel comics

The main reason Kingpin became the subject of endless Hawkeye rumors pre-release was Echo. In the Marvel comics, Echo's father worked for Wilson Fisk's mob, but was killed on the boss' order. Unaware of who really murdered her parent, Echo becomes Kingpin's adopted daughter and one of his top operatives, before learning the truth and turning against her master. Hawkeye episode 3 presents a very similar origin for Alaqua Cox's character. Her father worked as an underboss in the Tracksuit Mafia, but died leaving a bloody hand print on her face (which also happens in the comics). Although MCU Echo is much older when her father dies (and, therefore, wouldn't have been raised by Kingpin), it appears Hawkeye's mysterious "Uncle" took Echo under his wing and offered her the new vacancy that just opened up leading the Tracksuits.

The entire purpose of the flashback's "Uncle" moment is to establish the unidentified man as a secondary father figure in Echo's life. If Hawkeye is following the Marvel comics even slightly, that man can only be Kingpin. The organized crime connection, the visual similarity, and D'Onofrio's laugh only seal the deal.

Interestingly, Marvel Studios has already announced an Echo-centric Hawkeye spinoff series, confirming big plans are afoot for Maya Lopez. Marvel's investment in Echo's future only increases the probability of Kingpin having a hand in her backstory.

The Sloan Easter Egg Points To Kingpin

Sloan in Hawkeye

The final Kingpin tease in Hawkeye episode 3 comes when Kate Bishop hacks into her mother's computer to dig up dirt on the Tracksuit Mafia's Kazi, who she noted was especially close to Echo. The file lists Kazi as an employee of "Sloan Ltd." and though the company name is familiar to Clint Barton, he can't place where from. In the Marvel comics (or comic singular in this case), Willie was a faux-informant on Kingpin's payroll. The name is a relatively common one, but Hawkeye's vague sense of recognition puts emphasis on the importance of "Sloan," and given the bounty of other Kingpin clues in episode 3, Willie is the most logical connection to draw, adding to the increasingly likely theory that Hawkeye just debuted the MCU's Kingpin.

More: Hawkeye: Every Marvel Easter Egg & Reference In Episode 3

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