All The Hawkeye Easter Eggs You Might Have Missed In Episode 3
Marvel comics have a long and complex publication history, and one way creators pay homage to all of the comics that came before is by putting tiny Easter eggs throughout their projects for fans to find. Each of the Marvel movies and shows is packed to the brim with Easter eggs for eagle-eyed fans to search for, and "Hawkeye" on Disney+ is no exception. The first two episodes provided plenty of clues about our holiday heroes, Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) and Clint Barton (Hawkeye), and how they relate to the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Details about the villains of "Hawkeye" were slim in those first two episodes, but episode 3, "Echoes," made up for that in spades.
Let's take a look at the Easter eggs in episode 3, and what they could mean for the show and the greater MCU. On top of some fun comic callbacks, the episode features hints about the possible future big bad of the Marvel shows, who will be very familiar to fans of Netflix's "Daredevil." The focus here is on Easter eggs that aren't immediately obvious, not just characters pulled from the comics. After all, that would make pretty much every single thing an Easter egg, given that the comics are the origin for so many of these stories.
So yes, we know that's Kazi and Echo, and we appreciate the linguistic stylings of the Tracksuit Mafia, bro. Those aren't Easter eggs, but we've found plenty of fun tidbits that are, so check them out below.
A Whole Bag of Trick Arrows
Let's start with Team Hawkeye, because their Easter eggs this week are all of the fun and silly variety. When Kate and Clint manage to get away from the nefarious Tracksuit Mafia but end up in a wild car chase with Echo, it's a moment pulled straight from Hawkeye's most famous run in the comics. In the Matt Fraction and David Aja "Hawkeye" run from 2012, Kate and Clint end up in almost the exact same situation. Kate's doing the driving instead of Clint in the comics, but otherwise it's pretty stinking accurate. They're also forced to dig into Hawkeye's quiver of trick arrows after they run out of regular ones, another moment straight from that seminal comics run. There are all kinds of trick arrows in the quiver, including an explosive arrow, a plunger arrow that's more comical than useful, and two very special arrows that deserve extra attention.
The Shrinky-Stretchy Pym Arrow
Apparently Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) is just handing out his tech like candy on Halloween, because Hawkeye's got one of those sweet Pym arrows in his quiver. Those arrows have the same size-changing technology as Ant-Man's suit, which means that Barton can shrink or grow whatever he shoots with those very special arrows. In this case, it's one of Kate's regular arrows, but he probably has more of those bad boys in his quiver. (He'd better, because if not that was a very strange moment to use such a rare item!) Hopefully we'll get to see him use one on a baddie to potentially hilarious effect. Just imagine a 50-foot Tracksuit Dracula. "Bro. Bro! Everything's getting really tiny, bro!" Or better yet, imagine a pocket-sized version that you could pick up and put in your backpack. Heck, one could even ride an arrow. Bro!
An Arrow for your Math Homework
The other arrow that requires mention is the USB arrow — the only arrow you have to fire three times before you get it in the right way. Kate only ever really threatens the baddies with it, since the worst it might do is poke out an eye, but the USB arrow has made several other MCU appearances. In the first "Avengers" film, Hawkeye used one to hack into SHIELD's helicarrier system while he was brainwashed by Loki (Tom Hiddleston). It also appeared in the "What If...?" animated series, carrying a virus that can wipe out the killer android Ultron. That's right, there's an alternate universe where the USB arrow saves the world.
In the "Hawkeye" comic "L.A. Woman," Kate asks Clint about the usefulness of the USB arrow, and he mentions that it could hold a few music albums, lots of photos, or even very important tax records. The stick in the comics is only 256 megs of data space, so it's a safe bet that the one Bishop pulls out of the quiver on the Disney+ series is the upgraded version. I don't even think you can buy USB sticks that small anymore.
The Coolest of Classic Cars
Another pull straight from the Aja and Fraction comic run is the 1970 Dodge Challenger that Kate wants to steal as a getaway car. Barton takes one look at the gorgeous vintage vehicle and refuses to steal it, knowing full well that the chase they're about to get into will wreck it. Instead they boost a fairly basic model, though it would have been an absolute blast to see the comics come to life with the bright red roadster weaving through traffic as our heroes fire off trick arrows. Unfortunately, the car turns out to belong to the Tracksuit Mafia and ends up getting totaled anyway. Oh well, at least we got a glimpse of this absolute beauty of a car, which will hopefully reappear and maybe eventually end up in Barton's garage. He deserves something nice for Christmas.
Also, the moving company branding for the Tracksuit Mafia's business in the background is absolute perfection. When you need a mover to help you pack up your things, just trust them, bro.
Kate Bishop's Curses Get Cut Off - It's a Marvel Tradition!
Mid-car chase, Kate fires off one of the more powerful arrows in Hawkeye's arsenal and blows up an SUV, sending it rolling down the street in a fiery explosion. In complete shock, she yells out "holy s***!," though the final sound is cut off before audiences get a chance to hear it. Cutting off characters mid-swear has become an MCU tradition, even stopping champion curser Samuel L. Jackson mid-"motherf***er" when he got Thanos-snapped in "Avengers: Infinity War." Kate is only the latest hero to have her adult language comically cut-off in order to maintain the family friendly tone of the MCU. While Marvel characters have done plenty of swearing in the non-Disney adaptations, like the New Line "Blade" movies or the Netflix "Daredevil" series, the folks at the House of Mouse aren't really keen on foul language. Kids watch these shows and movies, after all, and the last thing Marvel wants is parents angry because their children are dropping f-bombs like frat boys.
Kate Designs the Classic Costume
After Kate and Clint manage to escape and get Clint's hearing aid fixed, they head to a diner for a little breather. While there, Kate shows Clint her design for a Hawkeye costume, and comic fans will recognize it as the original costume the comic character wore when he debuted in 1964. The original costume was bright purple and blue, featured wings on the mask, and had an "H" on the forehead for, you know, "Hawkeye." Clint isn't impressed with the design, telling Kate that it's too flashy and his wife would leave him if he ever wore something like that. Kate ends up suggesting something all-black, in a little tongue-in-cheek joke about the way the MCU has turned many of its classic costumes into black leather sameness. I, for one, would love to see Renner rocking purple tights.
Sloan, LTD Hints at Another Major Marvel Hero Joining the MCU
Curious about Tracksuit Mafia member Kazi (Fra Fee), Kate and Clint end up breaking into her mom's place. After all, Kate's mom is the CEO of Bishop Security, and security firms have loads of private information on people. After searching for Kazi, they discover that he's an employee of a company called Sloan, LTD. While there are plenty of folks named Sloan in Marvel's lengthy history, Nerdist points out that this one is most likely Jason Sloan. Sloan was a partner at the law firm Broderick, Sloan, and Cranston in the "Daredevil" comics. Attorney Matt Murdock, the secret identity of Daredevil, eventually joined their law firm, only to discover that both Cranston and Broderick were villains. (Cranston was even revealed to be supervillain Mr. Fear, who uses a fear gas that's similar to Scarecrow's in the "Batman" comics and movies. This is one of several hints that both Daredevil and his nemesis, Kingpin, could be joining the MCU very soon.)
Kate and Kazi, Sitting in a Tree?
While Kate and Clint are discussing their rather dire situation at the diner, Kate refers to Kazi as "the hot guy who spoke sign language." In the comics, Kazi is a much scarier character who wears face paint and calls himself the Clown, but there's still plenty of time for that to happen. In "Hawkeye #10," Kate and Kazi meet for the first time at a dinner party. The two have some serious chemistry and share a passionate kiss, though they're content with a little mystery and never cement a date or exchange phone numbers. Given how stilted some of the romance has been in other Marvel entries, there's potential for one twisted and tragic romance between the two characters, so it will be interesting to see how that plays out.
Echo's Dad Refers to the Dragons in Shang-Chi
We know where our heroes stand, but what about the villains? At the end of the second episode, we were introduced to Maya Lopez, aka Echo, a Marvel comics character first introduced in the "Daredevil" comics in 1999. The "Hawkeye" series diverges slightly from the comics version of Maya's backstory (more on that later), but we do get to see some heartwarming moments with her father, William Lopez (Zahn McClarnon) in flashbacks. While communicating with young Maya via American Sign Language, he uses the idea of dragons as a metaphor for her survival as a deaf person in a speaking and hearing world. She asks with childlike wonder if dragons are real, and he tells her that they live in another world.
In "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," we learned that dragons do in fact live on another plane, so Papa Lopez was on the right track. While it's unlikely that he knows the secrets of the mystical universe and was probably just trying to teach Maya truth from fiction, he still managed to be right about dragons, at least in this reality. He also calls Maya his "little dragon," hinting at her potential for greatness.
Echo is the Perfect Mimic
The episode gives us a great, subtle look at Maya's superpower: photographic reflexes. Anything she sees, she can perfectly replicate, and that includes playing musical instruments, martial arts, and dancing. In the comics, Echo's dancing is one of the few things that brings her happiness, and she combines it with her martial arts training. In "Hawkeye," we see her writing that she wants to learn the Brazilian martial art of capoeira, which combines dance-like movements with kicks, punches, and spins. We later see her practicing capoeira in a boxing ring, and she's quite good at it. Earlier, we see a young Maya watch another student in her martial arts class flip someone, and then she immediately replicates the move on her much-larger opponent. Maya ends up calling herself Echo not only as a play on her deafness, but because of her ability to "echo" everyone around her. Heck, in the comics, she even copies the near-inimitable Daredevil with ease.
Echo's Trademark Handprint
In Marvel Comics, Echo's father is killed by Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, when she's a little girl. Her father was one of Kingpin's gangsters, and his dying wish was for Kingpin to raise his little girl. As such, Maya grew up with Fisk as a father figure, and grew to love him and trust him. In "Hawkeye," Maya's father is killed by the mysterious Ronin, and she sets out on a path of vengeance against him. This is a strong departure from the comics, which see Kingpin tricking Maya by telling her that Daredevil killed her father. This could have major implications for how Daredevil is woven into the MCU, as it would affect the relationship and eventual romance he has with Maya as his alter-ego, Matt.
One important detail to note is that Maya's father touches her face and leaves a bloody hand print, directly referencing her backstory in the comics. When in her vigilante attire as Echo, she wears a white face-paint handprint on her face to honor her father's memory and serve as a reminder of why she fights. It's also a nod to her Indigenous heritage, where face paint can have significant cultural meaning.
Ronin's Potential Identity
After Thanos snapped half of the world and Clint lost his family, the Avenger went rogue and started killing baddies as the masked vigilante Ronin. In the flashback sequence where Maya watches Ronin go on a criminal murder spree at the auto garage, it seems very much like she's watching Clint kill lots of her associates. That means that Clint could have very possibly also killed her dad.
In the episode, Kate asks Clint about Ronin's identity and he's a little evasive on the subject. It's also worth noting that the Ronin costume has been missing, so it's entirely possible that Clint didn't kill Maya's father or the rest of the folks inside of the garage. Given the swordsmanship, it could even be Kate's mom's fiancé, Jack Duquesne, who happens to be an exceptional swordsman. While we don't know who's under Ronin's mask in the flashback, we do know it will have major repercussions for "Hawkeye," the spin-off "Echo" series, and the rest of the MCU. It's also worth noting that in the comics, the original Ronin was Maya herself, and she later passed the mantle onto Clint. Maybe they're doing a switcheroo here, or maybe we're in for something new entirely.
Who is Echo's Terrifying 'Uncle'?
One of the most important figures in Echo's life is Wilson Fisk, or Kingpin, a crime boss who rules Hell's Kitchen with an iron fist. Kingpin hasn't appeared in the MCU, though he was the main villain of the Netflix "Daredevil" series, played to perfection by actor Vincent D'Onofrio. There are several hints that Fisk might be making his grand MCU entrance very soon, stacked within Echo's flashbacks.
The first of these is a brief moment after young Maya defeats her opponent in martial arts class. Following her father's congratulations, a man reaches out and touches her face, telling her how wonderfully she did. Her "uncle" has the same tenor and laugh of D'Onofrio, and it's hard not to hold onto hope that he's returned in the role. The second comes in the flashback where Maya's father dies, as the name of the auto repair shop is "Fat Man Auto Repair." Given the Kingpin's size and the sense of humor of many of his underlings, it's pretty likely that the garage is a Kingpin-owned shop. Not that any of them would ever call Fisk "fat man" to his face, of course.
There are several references in dialogue to Maya's "uncle," who is apparently much more frightening than either she or her father. There are hints at the connection between father and "Uncle," including a reference to their dedication to their criminal enterprise. All this Marvel fan wants for Christmas is one very scary bald man.
"Hawkeye" is streaming exclusively on Disney+.