Hawkeye is one of the most beloved Marvel superheroes, having been a founding member of the Avengers in the comics. With Jeremy Renner portraying the character in several Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, Hawkeye has gained an even wider fanbase. However, his fate was left unclear following the events of Avengers: Endgame, leading many to wonder – is Hawkeye dead?
What Happened to Hawkeye in Endgame?
In Avengers: Endgame, Hawkeye was noticeably absent for much of the film. It was revealed that he had taken on the mantle of Ronin following Thanos’ snap that wiped out half of life in the universe, including Hawkeye’s family. Ronin operated as a violent vigilante, ruthlessly hunting down criminals.
Hawkeye returned to his Hawkeye persona after being recruited by Black Widow to help the Avengers in their time heist plan to steal the Infinity Stones and undo Thanos’ actions. Hawkeye and Black Widow traveled to Vormir to retrieve the Soul Stone, where they learned one of them had to sacrifice themselves for the stone. After a physical struggle between the two longtime friends, Black Widow sacrifices herself so Hawkeye can obtain the Soul Stone.
An emotional Hawkeye returns with the stone, and later participates in the Avengers’ climactic battle against Thanos. After Tony Stark sacrifices himself to defeat Thanos once and for all, Hawkeye is seen attending Stark’s funeral along with the other surviving heroes.
Aside from this appearance, the film does not provide any definitive clues as to Hawkeye’s fate. With Black Widow getting her own solo film slated for 2020, many are left wondering will there be another appearance of Hawkeye in the future of the MCU, or did he meet an unknown demise off-screen?
Is There Evidence Pointing to Hawkeye’s Death?
There are a few hints that could suggest Hawkeye may have died at some point after the events shown in Endgame:
- His absence for most of Endgame is curious, and could signify he was already deceased before the time heist plan.
- He was ready to sacrifice himself on Vormir, indicating his own life didn’t mean much to him after losing his family.
- Losing Black Widow, one of his closest and longest friends, may have sent him over the edge emotionally.
- With his family gone, he may have felt he had nothing left to live for and sacrificed himself off-screen.
However, none of these are definitive proofs. There are also several reasons to doubt Hawkeye’s death:
Reasons Hawkeye Is Likely Still Alive
- His appearance at Tony Stark’s funeral.
- No mention by the other characters that he had died.
- The upcoming Disney+ Hawkeye series featuring Jeremy Renner.
- Renner being included on the poster for the Black Widow movie.
The funeral appearance confirms Hawkeye was still alive at that point. And for the other heroes not to mention him dying between Endgame and the funeral would be unusual.
The upcoming Hawkeye Disney+ series centering around Renner’s version of the character also implies the character is still alive in the MCU timeline. And Renner being featured on the poster for Black Widow, which takes place between Civil War and Infinity War, also indicates Hawkeye has more story left to tell.
What Will Happen in the Hawkeye Disney+ Series?
The Hawkeye series featuring Jeremy Renner will debut on Disney+ in late 2021. Not much is known about the plot, but there are a few details that have been revealed:
- It will follow Renner’s Hawkeye training his protege, Kate Bishop, to take over the mantle.
- Kate Bishop will be played by Hailee Steinfeld.
- The series will feature flashbacks to Hawkeye’s time as Ronin.
- It will explore the period after Thanos’ snap when Hawkeye became Ronin.
Based on this, it seems the series will fill in the gaps between Infinity War and Endgame while also advancing Hawkeye’s story into new territory by passing the torch to Kate Bishop. This strongly suggests Renner’s Hawkeye is still alive in the main MCU timeline.
Who is Kate Bishop?
In the comics, Kate Bishop is a young heroine who took up the mantle of Hawkeye when Clint Barton (the original Hawkeye) was presumed dead. She became his protege after joining the Young Avengers team, and continued to operate as Hawkeye even after the original returned.
In the MCU, it seems Bishop will take on a similar role, learning the ways of Hawkeye from Clint himself. This passing of the torch could signal Renner stepping back from the role, while still keeping the Hawkeye name going. But all signs point to Hawkeye being alive to train Kate Bishop in the Disney+ series.
Will Hawkeye Be in Future MCU Films?
While the Hawkeye series will continue the character’s story on Disney+, it’s unclear if Renner will reprise the role in future MCU films. Here is the likelihood of Hawkeye showing up again on the big screen:
| Movie | Hawkeye Appearance Likelihood |
|---|---|
| Black Widow | Low – Set between Civil War and Infinity War |
| Shang-Chi | Low – Doesn’t seem connected to Hawkeye |
| Eternals | Low – Focuses on new heroes |
| Spider-Man 3 | Low – Seems to feature same core characters |
| Thor: Love and Thunder | Low – Set with cosmic Thor storyline |
| Black Panther 2 | Low – Isolated in Wakanda |
| Captain Marvel 2 | Low – Space setting likely |
| Ant-Man 3 | Medium – Could feature wider MCU connections |
| Avengers 5 | High – Major crossover film, would likely include Hawkeye |
Based on what we know about upcoming MCU films, another Avengers ensemble movie seems like the most likely place for Hawkeye to return outside of his Disney+ series. But his fate remains up in the air until confirmed within the films or shows themselves.
Conclusion
While Hawkeye’s fate was left ambiguous after Avengers: Endgame, the evidence strongly suggests he did not die off-screen and is still alive in the MCU timeline following Endgame. His upcoming Disney+ series with Jeremy Renner reprising the role confirms the character is still active, even if Renner may eventually pass the mantle to Kate Bishop.
Hawkeye is unlikely to appear in most upcoming standalone MCU films due to their disconnected storylines and characters. But another Avengers ensemble film down the road seems a probable place for Hawkeye to return to the big screen. Until then, fans can look forward to exploring more of Clint Barton’s journey when the Hawkeye series hits Disney+ in late 2021.
The lack of any concrete references to Hawkeye’s death, combined with Renner’s continued involvement in the role, leaves little doubt that while his time as an active Avenger may be winding down, Hawkeye still has some life and fight left in him. The world has not seen the last of Clint Barton yet, even if he may now pass the Hawkeye name to a new generation.