Warning: There are potential spoilers ahead for Avengers: Infinity War!
The new billboards and posters for Avengers: Infinity War have gone up, and the film is less than a month away. While Marvel has relentlessly teased an epic team-up between the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man, there’s one main character who is still MIA: Hawkeye. As far as we can tell, the team’s resident archer hasn’t even been seen in any of the Infinity War trailers or TV ads. What the Hell, Marvel? Today’s Nerdist News is attempting to unravel the Hawkeye enigma and predict why he’s been marginalized in this PR campaign.
Join guest host Amy “the Other” Vorpahl as she runs through our quiver of Hawkeye theories. Make no mistake, Hawkeye’s absence is a very deliberate choice. By holding Hawkeye back, Marvel is clearly hiding something. Could it be that Hawkeye isn’t even in this film? It would run counter to everything we’ve heard from the Russo brothers about Hawkeye being on his own journey. On the other hand, it just might leave him the last hero standing if Thanos emerges triumphant. It would be a pretty big cliffhanger for Avengers 4 if the task of saving the universe came down to the guy who doesn’t have any powers at all.
After a few leaked photos from the fourth Avengers movie, there’s also a strong possibility Marvel is giving Hawkeye his Ronin costume and persona. During the New Avengers era, Hawkeye assumed the role of Ronin after he came back from the dead. It lasted a few years, and gave him a bigger profile when he eventually went back to his old costume.
Speaking of death, that could also be in the cards for Hawkeye. Infinity War needs to establish Thanos as the ultimate threat, and taking out Hawkeye early would give Marvel a good reason to downplay his presence in this film. Or at least, we may be invited to believe Hawkeye is dead. One way or another, he’ll definitely be showing up for the fourth Avengers movie.
Why do you think Hawkeye has been missing from the Avengers: Infinity War campaign? Let us know in the comment section below!
Images: Marvel Studios
