At the end of last week’s episode of “Hawkeye,” it was revealed that Wilson Fisk, the famous Marvel villain and so-called “Kingpin of Crime,” was mostly to blame for the chaos of the last five episodes. Also, Vincent D’Onofrio, who played the role in the Netflix series “Daredevil,” came back to play it again. Would there be a lot of D’Onofrio in the season (or series?) finale? Or would other dangers get in the way of our heroes, Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner), aka Hawkeye, and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld)? We did find out. And we’re here to explain everything.
As “Hawkeye” starts, we see a quick flashback. It’s the moment from the photo that Yelena (Florence Pugh) sent Kate at the end of the last episode. In a sunny back room, Kingpin and Kate’s mother Eleanor (Vera Farmiga) are talking about business. Eleanor says that she has “handled” Armond and that her daughter is getting “too close.” Still, she isn’t a completely bad person. She doesn’t want her daughter to get hurt in any way. Kingpin also finds out that Eleanor has an “insurance policy.” Kingpin is calm and careful about how he responds. Just kidding. He is very angry. Eleanor has made war happen.
We went straight to Grills’ (low-key MVP Clayton English) apartment. Kate is looking at the video that Yelena sent her. “He’s going to react,” Clint tells Kate. She feels bad. She needs to get busy. Also, tonight is the big Bishop Christmas party. Clint tells Kate, “You’re my partner.” He won’t allow anything bad to happen to her. All of them are in this together.
Meeting With Eleanor and Maya
In the same small room where he met with Eleanor, Maya (Alaqua Cox), who goes by the name Echo, Kazi (Fra Fee), and Kingpin are all together. Echo seems repentant. She writes, “I need to stop following ghosts.” The conversation then turns to her late father, Zahn McClarnon, whose death she now thinks Kingpin caused. Kingpin tells her that he has always wanted the best for her and that she should move on. At last, Kingpin writes “I love you” and she writes “I love you” back.
Kingpin looks at Kazi after she leaves. She needs to be taken care of, just like Eleanor does. “The people need to be reminded that the city is mine,” he growls. And in this scene, D’Onofrio reminds us why we wanted him back: he gives Kingpin a real sense of danger, the kind that goes back and forth between being a gentlemanly bad guy and a brute rage. It looks less impressive than it really is, and it’s great to have him growling his way through the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Kate and Clint are on the subway. They look tired but determined. Clint tells Kate, “We need a lot of gear.” Also, a lot of arrows with tricks.
Start the montage of “How to Make Trick Arrows”!
Arrows are seen being messed with by Hawkeye. This is the type of scene that is essential in Marvel Studios projects – think Tony Stark building his suit or Doctor Strange attempting to fix his hands. This is even more fun because Kate Bishop is there with her mouth wide open. The best detail is that she uses a label maker to mark the arrows that are too dangerous to use (or what they do). After the arrows are made, the conversation turns serious.
They are about to fight. Also, they are going to a fancy Christmas party in New York City. Both have a lot going on. “Heroes make tough decisions,” Clint tells her. Then she finally tells him that she saw him. She saw him throw himself off a building. She showed him that you didn’t have to fly or shoot lasers from your eyes to be a hero. She’s welling up with emotion, but it’s not a BIG SCENE. It’s understated and sad, just like everything else in “Hawkeye.” Because it’s so underplayed, it’s even more powerful. Kate says at last, “I’m ready.”
Most of this episode is a big action set piece that takes place at the Bishop Christmas party and the area around it in midtown Manhattan. But the first thing we see is Kazi across the street with a sniper rifle. He is outside the party. He is there to kill Eleanor, Kate, or both of them. So what if Hawkeye gets in the way? “I’m in position,” Kazi says.
Kate and Clint look sharp as they walk into the party. Then things start to happen: the LARPers take their places as the wait staff (including Grills). Jack, played by Tony Dalton, is also there. He just got out of jail and is holding a sword. And just when things couldn’t get any crazier, Yelena walks in. Kate stops Eleanor from glad-handing and tells her that her “business partner wants you dead.” Kate knows all the answers. Kazi starts shooting at Barton before they make any real progress. Jack comes back to where they are talking and says, “I feel like I’m missing something.” This is one of the best lines of the episode. People start to spread out.
Fight Between Yelena and Kate
In the elevator, Yelena and Kate are trying to catch up with Clint. When they go inside, Kate presses all the buttons. When they fight, each of them shows off their new costumes. Like in the last episode, they have great chemistry with each other. And whether they talk for ten minutes about hot sauce or fight in an elevator.
The fight continues outside the elevator, and there’s a really cool tracking shot that shows them fighting through an office that looks like a set from “30 Rock.” Yelena finally broke a window and started climbing the building. It is a really cool picture that turns something ordinary into something amazing. Kate runs after them down the building’s side.
They have company: the whole Tracksuit Mafia, which seems to include every member from the tri-state area (Danbury, Connecticut chapter, we’re looking at you). Kazi and Clint are also fighting. Clint jumps out of a window, but his line breaks and he falls into the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. He sees a cute owl while he’s up in the tree. Is the owl on the Christmas tree more well-known than Loki, the alligator? Discuss!
Echo, meanwhile, is getting ready to leave. She is getting things out of her apartment, like a picture of her, her dad, and Kazi. She asked Kingpin if she could take a break. She will accept it.
Kate opens fire on the Tracksuits. “We’re all going to die,” Clint says. Kate then comes up with a plan to free Clint: she shoots an arrow at one of the cables holding up the tree. This is a reference to the first episode and the tricks she was pulling at college. Then she shoots an acid arrow at the tree’s trunk, making it fall over onto the ice skating rink. It’s a great trick that is both amazing and totally believable. Clint and Kate are skating now. Clint shoots an arrow that makes the outside of the rink magnetic, which attracts all of the Tracksuits’ guns. Then the crazy arrow deployment montage starts, which is, it has to be said, very satisfying.
The best part is when a Pym arrow is shot at the van of the Tracksuits. It gets as small as a Hot Wheels car. Kate asks what they do next. Clint says that he has no idea. The owl in the tree then flies down and takes them away. Little chicks will love to eat those tracksuits, for sure. Kazi shows up with a couple of his thugs.
Clint shoots an arrow that breaks into three pieces. Two of the pieces hit the bad guys and killed them, but Kazi caught the third piece. Kazi tells Hawkeye, “Nice shot!” in what might be the best line of the episode. “No shit,” Clint says. Also, Clint is showing off his new costume, which matches Kate’s and was made by one of the LARPers, Missy. It’s kind of neat.
Yelena and Echo arrive. Yelena tackles Clint while Echo fights Kazi. Kate chases after her mum, who was spotted leaving the building (the LARPers transitioned to helping partygoers out of the plaza). Eleanor notices her security detail is dead while getting her car. Kingpin’s here. Eleanor smashes him with the car while Kate tries to subdue him.
Kate and Kingpin are at FAO Schwarz. (This references earlier Kay Bee Toys merchandise.) Kingpin beats Kate. D’Onofrio’s strength and inner wrath are stunning. He smashes Kate’s arrows and throws her around. She rises. He’s missing a cufflink. Clint teaches her a coin-tossing trick that sets off arrowheads, including one that sends Kingpin flying.
Eleanor tells Kate, “Someone has to take responsibility.” The NYPD arrests Eleanor. She’s upset. Kate arrested her mother on Christmas. She’ll become a villain in prison.
Echo kills Kazi near the rink. Yelena harms Clint. Natasha’s sacrifice isn’t believed. Clint whistles like Yelena and Natasha. (From “Black Widow”) Yelena agrees. They exchange loving words about her. Renner cries. Yelena departs.
Police raid a toy store. Kingpin’s dead. He’s missing. Bruised and bloody, he stumbles into the alley. Stop. Echo leaves. He tries to talk his way out, but gunshots erupt. Is kingpin dead? No. Did they bring him back to kill him? Nope. One of Marvel Studios’ future series is about Echo. Will return He’s difficult to subdue.
Characters recover near Rockefeller Center. Jack talks to Clint and Kate’s friend. They suggest he LARP. He’s a swordsman. “LARPing? Is that a hobby? Kate and Clint discuss the battle. He says that occasionally someone improves your life. Then he downplays it by praising Missy’s costumes. Clint suggests walking the dog. (They should also get him pizza)
