Hawk and Dove in their various iterations are two of the most iconic DC superheroes to debut in the '60s. First appearing in Showcase #75 (1968), Hawk was a champion of chaos and war, balanced by his partner Dove, an avatar of order and peace.
The characters made their live-action debut in DC's Titans, with Alan Ritchson as Hank Hall (Hawk), Minka Kelly as Dawn Granger (Dove), and Elliot Knight as Don, Hank's brother and the first Dove. They make routine appearances working with the Titans in the comics, and have had their dedicated series and miniseries over the years. The premise inspiring Hawk and Dove, chaos and order coming together in a celebration of their strength, is as relevant and intriguing a concept as ever. Fans can dive into the history of these characters and explore some of the little-known and interesting facts about the pair.
Differences In Comics
Titans Hank and Dawn are without superpowers, a key difference between them and their comics counterparts. However, they are excellent fighters, both capable of holding their own in battle alongside Dick, Donna and the others.
In the comics, Hawk and Dove actually do possess superpowers, gifted to them by the Lords of Chaos and Order. When they don their capes, they can transform by uttering 'Hawk' and 'Dove,' becoming superpowered versions of themselves, albeit this only works when they are in danger. The two embody the Lords' elements and are granted powers that include avian characteristics, super-strength and agility. These powers aren't exclusive to the original Hawk and Dove, as Dawn Granger inherits Don's abilities right after his death in Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Hawk's Strongest Form
Agents of Chaos and Order are granted an array of metahuman abilities and one of the most impressive was demonstrated by Hank in Hawk and Dove Annual #2 (1991). He was shown to have the ability to store his power and unleash it all in one bout of might.
He does this when he faces Monarch in Waverider's predicted future and transforms into a massive, bird-like creature, capable of withstanding blasts from Monarch, one of the most powerful villains of that era. Fans may keep in mind, though, that Hank fights Monarch alone, long after Dawn's murder, and that without Dove by his side, he grows full of rage. This massive build-up of power that fans see him use against Monarch demonstrated nearly all of his strength. Even still, it wasn't enough to best the villain, later revealed to be Hank's future self.
Hank Was Monarch And Extant
A future Hank Hall was revealed to be the supervillain Monarch in the 1994 crossover event Armageddon 2001, one of DC's darkest future timelines. This followed the leaking of Monarch's original intended identity, Captain Atom. Hawk would actually defeat his future self in a battle, discovering and succumbing to his fate as the villain following Dawn's murder.
As Monarch, Hall would discover that he had great power hidden within him, in part caused by inheriting late Dove's powers. Following this, he would become the villain Extant, seeking to control time. Extant would eventually be defeated for good, and afterward, his and Monarch's story was retconned so that Hank Hall did not assume the titles. The storyline proved controversial, and Monarch's identity would later be altered back to that of Captain Atom in Battle for Blüdhaven #6 (2006).
Hawk And Dove Had A Child
Hawk and Dove Annual #2 (1991) sees Waverider peering into the futures of the titular heroes. At this point, he was still seeking the identity of the evil Monarch. Waverider learns of Hawk and Dove's future child and their efforts to keep their latent powers hidden from Monarch.
Hawk and Dove's child, Dr. Arsala, even as an adult, remains unaware they possess the abilities of their long-gone parents. In fact, by now, Arsala is the last metahuman alive besides Monarch. When they unlock their powers from two 'keys,' one with Dawn's essence and one with that of the villain Kestrel, Arsala becomes Unity. They are empowered by both chaos and order, and to quote, 'loyal to none.' Arsala goes on to seek out Monarch in an attempt to change his tyrannical ways.
They've Had Their Share Of Enemies
Hawk and Dove have encountered a slew of DC villains and nemeses over the years, some lesser-known and others more so, like the counterparts of the duo tied to the Lords of Chaos and Order.
First, there's Condor, who acts as a powerful avatar of war and partner of the villain Swan. Together they feed on the powers of others to grow stronger, and appear to have insight into the origin of their (and Hawk and Dove's) powers as avatars. Then there's Kestrel, a malicious spell created by two Lords of Chaos. Kestrel would target Hawk, later become a member of the Injustice Society and even manage to capture Raven's soul-self.
The Characters' Alternate Versions
The titles of Hawk and Dove have been taken up by many and not just members of the Hall and Granger family. A 1997 miniseries, (The New) Hawk and Dove, launched two alternate versions of the characters.
Sasha Martens and Wiley Wolverman took up the mantles of Hawk and Dove respectively. These characters appeared unrelated to the Lords of Chaos and Order so prominent in Hank and Don's origin story. Instead, Sasha and Wiley got their powers and a telekinetic link to one another following experimentation done on them as children. During their comics run, Sasha and Wiley encountered various other DC characters and groups, such as the Vigilante, Vixen, Checkmate and the Suicide Squad.
Their Various Cameos And Appearances
Outside of Titans and the characters' respective comics, Hawk and Dove have appeared in various other DC media, including the animated series Justice League Unlimited and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. They also had a cameo appearance in the Arrowverse Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover tied to the DC multiverse.
As for comics, Hawk and Dove featured in DC's Blackest Night crossover, where Hank is reanimated as a Black Lantern and later resurrected by a white ring. Following the events of Blackest Night, Hank and Dawn appear in Brightest Day. Finally, the duo was seen for a brief moment in the Watchmen sequel, Doomsday Clock, being arrested on television.
Don's Death In The Comics
Don's tragic death in Titans follows a different set of events from the comics, where he was killed off during Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985). Don was killed by one of the Anti-Monitor's Shadow Demons. Hank couldn't stop this and Don himself was busy saving an endangered child.
His death is followed by Dawn Granger's introduction as the new Dove in a 1988 miniseries, where she is gifted her powers in order to save her mother. In Titans, Granger witnesses both Don and her Mother's deaths alongside Hank. The two are brought together following this tragedy, and unite as a team for the first time.
Holly Granger As Hawk
After comics Dawn Granger is resurrected following her death at the hands of Monarch, her new partner arrives in the form of her sister, Holly, who's granted the Lords' powers of war/chaos in Hank's absence.
The new Hawk and Dove then appeared in Teen Titans Vol 3 #22 (2005), pitted against Doctor Light. They would go on to face Kestrel, Trigon and join Teen Titans East. In Titans season 3, following Hank's death, Dawn parts with the titular heroes. Should she return and should there be a need for a new Hawk, perhaps Holly Granger could enter the fray. That being said, Dawn's a force to be reckoned with on her own, as reinforced in past episodes and in the comics.
Dove's Hidden Power
Waverider, peering into Hawk and Dove's futures, faced unprecedented resistance from Dawn Granger in the timestream -- that is, countless iterations of Dawn from across time combined into one. This Dawn was able to touch and sense Waverider's presence as he tried to determine whether she was, in fact, Monarch.
Dawn reminded Waverider that order is everywhere and that she is order's champion. As such, she was able to override Waverider's powers and use them against him, making him relive his past as Matthew Ryder. It took Waverider incredible willpower in order to hold his own against Dove in the timestream and determine her future, he even lost his physical form at one point. This serves to reinforce that Dawn, as an avatar of order, is extremely powerful and should not be underestimated.