MCU Theory: Spider-Man Will Appear In The Hawkeye Finale

WARNING: Contains spoilers for Hawkeye and Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spider-Man: No Way Home is a huge hit, but it's possible that the movie's titular central character also shows up during the Hawkeye finale. Clint Barton's struggle to get back to his family in time to celebrate Christmas, all while completing his quest to end the conflict between Ronin and Maya while protecting his young protege Kate Bishop has been filled with street-level intrigue, rather than the multiverse-threatening events of the film. However, there are several clues throughout both narratives that point to a potential crossover.

The relationship between Hawkeye and Kate is somewhat similar to the relationship that existed between Iron Man and Spider-Man prior to Tony Stark's death in Avengers: Endgame. Both Tony and Clint ended up as reluctant superhero mentors to much younger, inexperienced proteges, although at least Tony first brought Peter Parker into the mix in Captain America: Civil War. Kate unwittingly got herself mixed up in a criminal conspiracy, to no fault of Hawkeye's, although he does keep working with her against his better judgment as a hero. Going into the Hawkeye finale, it's been revealed that Kate's mother Eleanor Bishop is the one who hired Yelena to assassinate Clint, although it's unclear if she's truly evil or simply being set up to take the fall by Kingpin. Either way, the Hawkeye finale looks to feature a reckoning for both Clint and Kate, one which many think might end with Clint's death.

However, aside from the potentially heart-breaking conclusion to the series, there is a chance that Hawkeye's story could see the introduction of Peter Parker's iconic webslinger. Not only does the show's narrative conveniently take place in New York, but the timelines involved also provide scope for the two characters to cross paths. Here's why Spider-Man might make an appearance in the Hawkeye finale.

Hawkeye Is Set After Spider-Man: No Way Home

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For a long time, it wasn't quite clear when exactly Hawkeye was taking place in relation to Spider-Man: No Way Home. The Marvel Cinematic Universe often has a fluid timeline, with movies not necessarily taking place later than the movies released prior. Sometimes Marvel Studios has even had multiple movies take place at almost the exact same time, just in different places. Now that Spider-Man: No Way Home is out though, it's a bit clearer where Hawkeye falls.

The final battle in No Way Home happens on the still under construction new version of the Statue of Liberty that will feature the addition of Captain America's shield. Following that battle, and Peter Parker agreeing to be forgotten by the world in order to save the multiverse, it doesn't seem like more than a month might've elapsed, since it's still clearly around the holiday season, and New York is covered in snow. Still, this could line-up with Hawkeye's timeline nicely. One issue with this idea is Yelena's mention that she plans to go see the new Statue of Liberty, and it's hard to imagine whatever damage was done to the site being fixed in a month. Still, with Marvel's habit of time-jumping, it's possible Hawkeye is set in the winter of 2025, while No Way Home took place in 2024. Marvel has suggested Hawkeye is set about two years after Endgame, so that timeline could theoretically make sense.

Spider-Man: No Way Home Included Daredevil, Hawkeye Is Including Kingpin

There's another big reason to expect some kind of tie between the two projects and that's because both No Way Home and Hawkeye on Disney+ have served to reintroduce the Netflix Daredevil show back into the arms of the MCU. Many have worried that the shows made by the old Marvel Television arm on Netflix had been left behind by the MCU, and rendered non-canon, due to them never being directly referenced in a Marvel Studios production. Yet now, in the same week no less, Spider-Man and Hawkeye have played host to two Daredevil TV characters. Spider-Man: No Way Home featured the first appearance of Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock since Daredevil season 3 ended in 2018, while Hawkeye episode 5 saw the briefest of debut appearances for Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, in a photograph.

All the Hawkeye finale teasers are making it obvious Kingpin will appear properly next time, as Fisk becomes the big bad of the show. The idea that both these MCU properties would incorporate Daredevil characters around the same time, and that it would only be a coincidence, seems unlikely. The MCU last left Spider-Man in New York at Christmas time, while Hawkeye is about to have a yuletide fight with Kingpin, in the same city. Add in that Daredevil is still clearly afoot in NYC, and played a recent part in a Spider-Man legal case - even if he doesn't remember Peter - and the dominoes appear ready to fall, leading to Spider-Man getting involved in Hawkeye's Kingpin fight. In fact, Daredevil could well show up too.

Spider-Man's New Apartment Is Near A Key Hawkeye Finale Location

Perhaps the biggest clue toward a Spider-Man appearance during Hawkeye's series finale though has to do with Peter's new life after his erasure from memories. Peter ends Spider-Man: No Way Home by getting a new apartment, then taking his new Spider-Man suit - which looks more like the classic comic design - and swinging through New York City. Not long after he leaves his apartment though, Spider-Man swings right over a big ice skating rink. It's a famous rink that's been seen in lots of movie and TV productions filmed in the city. More importantly though, Hawkeye's finale teasers make it look like the final battle involving Clint, Kate, Maya, Yelena, and Kingpin will take place on that same rink.

That means that not only is Hawkeye about to fight Kingpin, the arch-nemesis of Spider-Man: No Way Home guest star Daredevil, in the same city at what appears to be around the same time of No Way Home's ending, they're literally having the battle in Peter's own new friendly neighborhood. Does all this evidence, admittedly circumstantial, mean Spider-Man is for sure going to be a part of Hawkeye's finale? Definitely not. At the same time though, such an appearance wouldn't at all feel out of place, and could serve to create an indelible, iconic moment for both Sony's creative marriage with Marvel Studios, and the MCU Disney+ shows. If Spider-Man swings down to the small screen, anything could happen going forward.

More: How Spider-Man: No Way Home Protected Its Biggest Spoiler

Hawkeye releases new episodes on Wednesdays on Disney+