Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye May Be Trending, But It Was Actually A Disaster For Disney
Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye murdered criminals for years and fans on Twitter argue he should be treated like The Scarlet Witch; meanwhile, there's a stark reminder that Hawkeye flopped on Disney+.
#Hawkeye is trending on Twitter, sparking a moral debate amongst fans. It started with a tweet calling into question people who criticize the actions of the MCU’s Wanda Maximoff while giving Hawkeye a free pass after murdering countless criminals. Cosmic Book News’s Matt McGloin jumped in to point out that, while Hawkeye may be trending, the Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld series was a flop for Disney+.
“So Hawkeye can go on a 5 year murder spree for s***s and giggles and y’all don’t give a f***,” wrote one Twitter user, “but when Wanda kills a few variants to reunite with her family it’s suddenly a problem…?” The statement has divided fans into two camps: supporters of Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye and defenders of Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch.
The first major point of contention being debated is the nature of the victims. Hawkeye defenders point out that victims of mohawk Jeremy Renner were members of deadly organized crime syndicates, while Wanda enslaved and tortured a town of innocent people, killed sorcerers defending Earth, murdered variant superheroes, tried to sacrifice a teenage girl, and kidnapped her own variant’s sons by possessing the boys’ mother.
Wanda defenders point out that no one died on Wanda’s watch until after the Dark Hold had influenced her. The altered state of mind argument has been used by some Hawkeye defenders who claim that, after the death of his family, the Jeremy Renner character was broken with nothing to lose, causing him to do things he normally wouldn’t.
Other Wanda defenders have softened Wanda’s actions because her violent actions were against variants, versions of people in other universes. Team Hawkeye refuted the point with the assertion that variants are people, too, while Wanda’s children were not. Her sons were mere manifestations of her mind.
The subtext at the heart of Team Wanda’s concerns seems to be sexism. Are people so eager to defend Hawkeye and dismiss Wanda because Wanda is a woman? There may not be grounds for such a broad accusation, but examining biases woven into the MCU and the fanbase is worth consideration.
While the moral debate rages on, Matt McGloin offers a reminder that, despite zealous defenders, not even Jeremy Renner could retain viewers for Hawkeye. The show saw a massive dropoff after its first episode, and the series never came close to reaching the viewership of Loki. Many fans still hope for a second season, but the future of Hawkeye is murky.
Jeremy Renner, who originated the role on the big screen in 2011’s Thor, was hospitalized in early January after a snow plow accident severely injured the actor. He is recovering remarkably well, but he is far from his old arrow-flinging self. Renner is rumored to return to battle Kang in the next Avengers films, along with his protege.
Hailee Steinfeld plays Kate Bishop in Hawkeye, and may be poised to take over for Jeremy Renner as the Avengers’ resident archer. Steinfeld’s character was a hit with fans, especially when teamed up with the MCU’s new Black Widow, Yelena Belova, played by Florence Pugh. The pair are expected to join under the leadership of Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel when the Avengers assemble again in 2025.
The MCU offers a lot to debate about, from the quality of the films to the characters’ actions. The opinions people have and fight over reveal a lot. As superhero movies continue to reflect and shape culture, difficult conversations about how these modern myths treat intense and delicate topics will become important.
