‘Hawkeye’: Will Echo Become the Next Ronin?
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe world, few characters have been robbed of the chance to shine like Hawkeye.
While not the only character to lack a solo movie, Hawkeye’s inclusion in the MCU is often pushed to the side, even when he plays a vital role in the overall plot. However, with an upcoming series, Hawkeye might get a chance to shine. He might get a little help from Echo in the process, too.
Hawkeye in the MCU
Of all the prominent cast members, Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye has had the least amount of time in the spotlight. When Black Widow premieres next year, Hawkeye will be the only original Avenger without an official movie. That said, he is one of the most prominent members of the Avengers and has taken part in every significant Marvel event since the first Avengers movie.
He premiered in a cameo in Thor, although his first appearance beyond that brief cameo was The Avengers. Unlike many other heroes, Hawkeye doesn’t necessarily have any superpowers or a suit that makes up for this. Instead, he is an expert archer with a warrior’s skills in all aspects of combat. Loki used this to his advantage when he took over Hawkeye’s brain in the first Avengers movie.
Since then, Hawkeye has been fleshed out, from his family life in Age of Ultron and ensuing retirement from the life of fighting crime, Hawkeye’s backstory was filled with human drama for those who chose to pay attention. Always one to fight for what he believes in, however, Hawkeye joined Captain America in his fight against Iron Man in Civil War.
When his family disappeared with Thanos’s snap, however, Hawkeye took a turn for the worst. He dressed in all black and began to take out criminals more violently under the pseudonym Ronin. He was inches away from sacrificing his life for the betterment of humanity in Endgame. Black Widow made the sacrifice instead, and now fans have to wait for what is next.
What is next for Hawkeye?
With Disney+, the MCU is going to television in ways it never has before. Starting with WandaVision later this year, many of the MCU characters who haven’t gotten solo adventures are getting their time to shine in television series.
Among these is a show called Hawkeye. With Renner on board, Hawkeye will likely show what happened to the character, either during Endgame’s events.
However, for many fans of the Marvel movies, this will offer them a chance to see other favorites from the comics, but one particular character seems to be on all their minds. With the introduction of Ronin, the MCU expanded on Hawkeye’s character.
With Renner’s character going by his original Avengers name, his Ronin character’s replacement is likely.
With that in mind, several fans are looking toward a character called Echo.
Who is Echo?
Echo is a groundbreaking character in the comics for many different reasons. Not only is she a rare Native American superhero, but she’s also deaf. Fans of the Marvel movies took to Reddit to speculate on Echo’s role inside the show and how it fits with the greater story.
Reddit user u/ItIsABear speculated that Echo could take over as Ronin in the series.
“Considering we’re getting Echo in the show, I wouldn’t be surprised if she takes up the mantle of Ronin. She was the original Ronin before Clint was.”
However, some fans wondered if Echo would be a side character in a show that’s not after the Endgame events, but concurrent with them. Hawkeye became Ronin, but fans never saw that journey. If Hawkeye chose to go back in time and show the character’s transformation, Echo could also be a sidekick for the character.
Whether Echo ends up being Ronin or helping Hawkeye in his journey toward Ronin, fans will have to wait until at least 2021 to see it happen. The show is currently in pre-production, and with COVID-19 shutting down many productions, that date could get a delay once filming starts. Whatever the case may be, Hawkeye could become one of the most anticipated Marvel shows thanks to characters like Echo.
