The Hawkeye Finale's Big Reveal Was Teased In Avengers: Age Of Ultron
The following article contains spoilers for "Hawkeye" Episode 6.
"Hawkeye" managed to squeeze one shocking revelation after the next across its six-episode run. The one that caught the attention of pretty much all fans was the reveal that everything we'd seen in the show was kicked off by Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio). It made it clear the "Daredevil" antagonist was, in fact, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and he was still a sizable force to be reckoned with.
However, Kingpin's presence was far from the only surprise the finale had in store for viewers. Throughout the show, Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) wants to get his hands on a watch recovered from the old Avengers compound. It was always unclear why the watch was of significance to Clint and why he went to such extreme measures to get his hands on it, even going so far as to almost miss Christmas with his family.
Of course, all's revealed at the end when he hands the watch to his wife, Laura (Linda Cardellini). She turns it over to reveal the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo, implying that she was once an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. a long time ago. It was one final surprise to leave audiences with, but it shouldn't have come as a shock to anyone who had paid attention during "Avengers: Age of Ultron."
Tony Stark knew Laura was an agent all along
Marvel loves playing the long game when it comes to laying the groundwork for revelations and Easter eggs. One of these appears to have come in the form of a throwaway line in "Avengers: Age of Ultron." When the team needs time to recoup, they head to Clint's farm, where it's revealed he has a secret family. The Avengers are appropriately flabbergasted, but it's Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) who drops this little tidbit, "This is an agent of some kind," in reference to Laura.
He may have meant it as a joke, but as it turns out, he was correct. Laura was, in fact, an agent, but it appears as though she hung up the mantle a long time ago. It does explain how the two met in the first place, and there's a fun detail hidden within the watch. Underneath the S.H.I.E.L.D. emblem is the number "19." In the comics, that's the designation given to the agent known as "Mockingbird," who does have a romantic relationship with Hawkeye (via GamesRadar+). Everything adds up, and the MCU has once again proven itself adept at rewarding those who pay close attention to every last detail in the films.
When one question gets revealed, two more take its place. What's next for Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) now that she's excommunicated from her family? Will Clint Barton officially hang up the superhero gig for good? Will there be a "Hawkeye" Season 2? It wouldn't be a Marvel series if it answered every single question fans have.