Ever since Hawkeye spent most of The Avengers under the control of Loki, fans have wondered when the Marvel Cinematic Universe would give him his due. The MCU slowly gives fans a peek into his life with his family in Avengers: Age Of Ultron and his mission in Avengers: Endgame. The upcoming Disney Plus series Hawkeye will get to further explore the character, but will also see another comic book Hawkeye join Clint Barton. Kate Bishop comes to the MCU, likely with Clint passing her the mantle.
Fans have few details about the series despite photographers snapping images of filming. As a result, a lot of rumors have begun swirling about the show. One of those rumors, born of speculation by a lot of fans, is just who the big bad of the series will be. After all, every Marvel project has a villain, even if the audience doesn't know who they are at first. In this case, it seems like Hawkeye might be bringing a villainous organization back into the MCU. That group is the Maggia, the Marvel comic book version of an organized crime syndicate.
The Maggia Is Already In The MCU
In Marvel comics, several different families make up the Maggia. Those families have their hands in all manner of criminal activities. It's a contrast to the many supernatural and super-powered villains in comics. The Maggia already appeared in the MCU, though in small ways.
Agent Carter briefly gave nods to the Maggia in its second season, set in the 1940s. As Peggy Carter made the move to California from New York for a case, she landed in their path. That's because Whitney Frost (real name Agnes Cully) became the villain at the center of Carter's case. Frost had a connection to Joseph Manfredi - who would do almost anything for her. The Manfredi crime family operated out of Los Angeles, but they're also one of the families in the Maggia in the comics. Because ABC canceled the series following its second season, the Maggia wasn't explored much further.
Cut to 2017, and the Netflix arm of the MCU also featured the Maggia. This time around, it was in Daredevil as Wilson Fisk targeted the Lombardo crime family in an extortion plan. Like Agent Carter on ABC, Netflix canceled Daredevil. There are rumors that the titular character will appear in the MCU, but in the civilian form of Matt Murdock. That could mean the MCU isn't done with the Maggia just yet.
Hawkeye Might Feature Madame Masque
In Agent Carter, Whiteney Frost is the 1940s version of the comic book villain Madame Masque. Though the character doesn't get the full villain treatment with the codename, she still had her Maggia connections. Rumor has it that Hawkeye will bring a modern version of Madame Masque to the screen. Ever since Vera Farmiga was cast in the series, rumors have swirled that she might actually be playing Madame Masque. Reportedly, she's playing Kate Bishop's mother, not a villain, but a comic book connection might be getting reworked for the show.
Born Giulietta Nefaria to the Nefaria crime family, she becomes Whitney Frost when adopted by another family. Eventually, her Maggia ties come for her. She adopts the name Madame Masque after wearing a gold mask to hide scars on her face. In the comics, Madame Masque rises through the ranks of the Nefaria crime family to run it. She makes play after play for power in the Maggia. Also in the comics, she has a connection to the young Hawkeye's mother.
Kate's mother actually orchestrates many of Madame Masque's plans that put her at odds with Kate as she takes on the mantle of Hawkeye. Some fans have speculated that the two characters might be one in the same for the Disney Plus series. That would mean Kate's own mother sets villains against her own daughter.
Other Hawkeye Characters Might Have Maggia Connections
Announcements from Marvel and images from filming give fans a few hints at what to expect from Hawkeye. A lot of those expectations come in the form of villains for the series.
Echo, played by newcomer Alaqua Cox, appears in Hawkeye. The comic book character crosses paths with heroes when she works as an assassin for hire. Though she works for Wilson Fisk's Kingpin in the comics, reworking her criminal connection to the Maggia is relatively simple. A spin-off is also reportedly in development for Echo, giving the MCU another potential grounded street-level series in the midst of its potentially expanding multiverse hinted at in Loki.
The Tracksuit Draculas and the Clown, both characters from the Matt Fraction and David Aja run of the Hawkeye comic book series, are also set to appear. Neither have an explicit connection to the Maggia, but do have their hands in organized crime. The Tracksuit Draculas have a business deal ruined by Hawkeye in the comics and come after him. The Clown is an assassin hired to take him out as well. It's the latter that might have Maggia ties since he worked for the Tracksuit Draculas, Kingpin, and even Leland Owsley in the comics. With Kingpin attempting to extort the Maggia in Daredevil, and Owsley being connected to the Maggia in the comics, it's not a stretch to think the Clown will be connected in the series.
If the Madame Masque rumors prove true, she could tie all the villains together. With the potential of the Maggia making a return to the MCU in a more fleshed-out form, Disney Plus could pave the way for some more grounded villains in their super world. Hawkeye is a great show to take that path.