In a recent interview with IGN to promote Arrival, Jeremy Renner hinted once again that he would be up for a Netflix series dedicated to the Avengers’ resident archer, Hawkeye. Even though it may be difficult to schedule with Renner’s big-time movie star career, this is a great idea. As he’s one of the few heroes of the MCU to rely on zero superpowers, a 13-episode season of Hawkeye would give us some insight into what it’s like to be the most normal part of an abnormal world. Netflix has done some amazing and grounded storytelling of heroes with powers, helping the audience to feel their humanity, but fans deserve a story that also showcases the extraordinary in those without powers.
Hawkeye said it best in Avengers: Age of Ultron, “The city is flying. We’re fighting an army of robots. I have a bow and arrow. None of this makes sense.” A more self-aware statement has never been said. Hawkeye understands that he is in over his head. He’s fought off an alien invasion, as well the above-mentioned army of robots. He even went toe to toe with an Infinity Stone when he fought the Vision in Civil War. So far, all we have received are one-liners from Hawkeye as to what he feels about all of it. A TV series could give us more insight into what he is thinking as he is heading into these epic battles, knowing that he is going to be outgunned almost every single time, but going in anyways.
When Hawkeye goes off with his teammates, he is leaving a LOT behind in the form of his wife and three children. For most of the Avengers, all they have are each other, so it’s easy for them to jump into the fray. What drives a man with so much to lose to take those same risks? Netflix would provide the venue, possibly via flashback, as to why Hawkeye would still be an Avenger while being a husband and father. It would also provide an opportunity for Laura Barton’s character to be developed more, showing the audience what emotions come with seeing a loved one fight the battles that no one else can.
From the Kingpin to the Purple Man, and to some extent even the Punisher, the villains of the Netflix TV universe are the most interesting and developed in the MCU. Since Hawkeye doesn’t have an arch villain of his own (like Red Skull or Loki), this would give Marvel the chance to either take a lower-tiered villain and give him or her a makeover (much like they did with Batroc in Winter Soldier) or even create an original character from scratch to put Hawkeye through his paces.
Also, for a few years in the comics, Hawkeye was dead and a young girl named Kate Bishop took up the mantle of Hawkeye. Today, they both share the name, with Clint acting as Kate’s mentor of sorts (most of the time it’s vice versa). Netflix would not only be the perfect place to introduce her character, but also set Kate up as Clint’s eventual replacement as Hawkeye in the MCU. Clint has referenced wanting to retire in his last two appearances (which he obviously failed to do), so being able to have someone he can trust take his place could make that decision even easier. Doing this would also add to the growing diversity that Marvel is slowly but surely trying to achieve with their properties.
But would that sort of crossover make sense? Well, the Netflix Marvel series are the most grounded of any of the MCU properties. Every series so far has taken place in New York City, with no mention of outer space or another dimension. But with Hawkeye being the most grounded of the Avengers, his potential Netflix series would be a perfect link between the epic scale of the movies and the somewhat more reality based stories of the TV shows. Ironically, this would be the hardest point to achieve with this Netflix series. With Defenders currently filming, then each one going off to film their individual seasons, would there be time to fit in meeting an Avenger? The other concern would be the PG-13 world of the movies colliding with the borderline R-rated TV shows. How would families that go to see these movies together react when one of the Avengers enters the world where violence seems to reign supreme? Netflix would have to decide either to leave Hawkeye as a series separate from the Defenders,  or else address the violence enacted by these characters should they appear. I feel that Marvel has the creativity necessary to create these interactions without making it seem like fans are watching watered down versions of Daredevil, Jessica Jones, or Luke Cage.
While there is no word as to what Hawkeye’s fate will be following Infinity War, the possibility of a Netflix series could turn the least powerful Avenger into the most compelling.
So what do you think? Would you check out 13 episodes of “Hawkguy”? Let me know on Twitter or sound off in the comments below.
Images: Marvel/Disney/Netflix
