If there’s something that we’ve all unanimously loved in the Hawkeye premiere, it is Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop. The self-proclaimed ‘World’s Greatest Archer’ has won our hearts with candor, rebellious demeanor, and the hard-to-miss sass. Who wouldn’t love a Hawkeye like Kate Bishop?
That’s right! People are already speculating and wondering if she’s the new Hawkeye? She is pretty different than Clint Barton. In fact, she is the exact opposite of Clint. So, would she be the next Hawkeye?
Kate Bishop could be the next Hawkeye, but she isn’t yet. This series could potentially wrap up Clint Barton’s character arc and end with him passing down his mantle as Hawkeye to Kate Bishop.
Kate Bishop seems to be the exact opposite of Clint Barton when it comes to her personality. Although he’s her hero, she hardly resembles him as a person. She is outgoing, candid, and always comes with a load of sass. On the other hand, Clint keeps it low-key, puts his head down, and gets the job done.
Despite these differences, it seems fitting for Kate Bishop to take on the mantle since it would showcase how Hawkeye’s mask (metaphorical one) can also evolve as the next generation takes over.
In the comics, the passing on of legacy is rather complex. Hawkeye dies or at least is assumed to be dead. Kate Bishop then calls herself Hawkeye and joins the New Avengers. Later on, it is known that Hawkeye is not dead. In fact, he’s alive and knows that Kate has taken his title, which he doesn’t mind. However, with a turn of events, he comes face to face with her, and that’s when he officially lets her carry forward his legacy formally while both co-exist as Hawkeyes before he gives up the mantle.
In the MCU, we are already seeing the next generation of superheroes being built. We’ve already seen The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, where Falcon becomes the new Captain America. Now, that scenario was completely different because not only did Falcon have to defeat the annoying new Captain America, but he himself doubted if he was capable of taking on the role.
Sam Wilson, at the end of Endgame, seemed quite hesitant to take the shield. We witness this even in the series until he finally realizes that he is ready to take it.
After all, he doesn’t have to be exactly like Steve Rogers but the best version of himself. Steve had given him the shield because he embodied his spirit or at least came closest to it. So, Sam takes it on by the end of the show.
Kate, on the other hand, doesn’t doubt herself for one second. Being a champion in every major combat sport such as archery, fencing, gymnastics, etc., she thinks she can take on the world. Well, she is 22 years old, which essentially is like being 18.
Walking into adulthood as a rich, privileged kid does make her naive, but I think like Sam, even she embodies the core spirit of Hawkeye without even realizing it.
At the beginning of the first episode, we are dropped in the middle of the New York 2012 battle where Kate loses her dad, and her first thought is that she has to protect her mother. She’s small, yet she’s not ready to lose the single most crucial part of her life – her family. Everything she does after is because of this protective instinct, which Hawkeye or Clint also possesses at his core.
We’re also seeing other next-gen superheroes such as She-Hulk, Iron Heart, etc., coming our way, and this series could just be the foundation for Kate Bishop.
Well, whatever it is, I love this character and can’t wait to see what role she plays in the larger scheme of things. I just hope the MCU treats her better than Clint Barton and paves the way for her to realize her maximum potential.
About Hawkeye
Hawkeye is an upcoming television miniseries for the Disney+ streaming service. Created by Jonathan Igla, it is based on the Marvel comic character of the same name. The show will feature Clint Barton aka. Hawkeye and newcomer Kate Bishop who will eventually become the next Hawkeye.
Cast members include Jeremy Renner who will be reprising his role as Barton, and Hailee Steinfeld will be playing Kate Bishop. Additional cast includes Vera Farmiga, Fra Fee, and Florence Pugh, who too will reprise her role from the unreleased “Black Widow”. Hawkeye is scheduled to be released in November 2021.
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