The following article contains spoilers for episodes 1 and 2 of Hawkeye.After the special two-episode premiere of Marvel’s new Hawkeye series, fans have a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks as Clint Barton and Kate Bishop work together to defeat the ghosts of Ronin’s past. The premiere featured a few easter eggs from the trailer released in September, including Rogers the Musical, Lucky the dog, Clint’s hearing aid and the Tracksuit Mafia.
So far, the series has used these references sparingly, yet effectively, and the fan theories are already running rampant over social media. Beyond the easter eggs fans pointed out from the trailers, episodes 1 and 2 are chock-full of brand new content that connect the series to previous projects and comic storylines.
The Avengers Tower
Starting off with the series opening, fans first meet a young Kate Bishop in her New York penthouse, as her and her mother struggle to survive the fallout from the 2012 Battle of New York. After having a hole blown through her wall, the Avengers Tower stands high and mighty amidst the carnage of Loki’s alien army.
Moira Brandon
Episode 2 introduced Kate’s aunt, Moira Brandon, into the MCU when the archers hid from the Tracksuit Mafia in her vacant apartment. Moira Branon was the owner of a mansion in the Marvel Comics that the Avengers used as their new compound. When Clint and his wife visited the mansion-turned-compound, they were attacked by the villain known as Crossfire, and Moira ended up saving their lives.
Beyond offering her home as a sanctuary for superheroes, Moira is an actress in both the comics and the MCU. A movie poster for the film Creatures of the Dark Galaxy names Brandon as one of the starring characters in the movie, and establishes her as a renowned actress in the MCU. The poster could also be a nod to Marvel’s hit series, Guardians of the Galaxy.
Greer
Although she only appeared for a brief moment as Kate’s friend and witness to the bell tower collapse, the character Greer Grant has a long history in Marvel Comics. Greer was known as the Cat, a vigilante who can transform herself from female to feline, thanks to ancient magic. She eventually joins the Avengers team, so her cameo in the Hawkeye series just might hold some significance for the future of the MCU.
Katniss Everdeen
Staying on the topic of popular media, episode 2 also depicts cosplayers in the streets of New York showing off their Ant-Man and Hawkeye getups. When Kate draws Clint’s attention to the Hawkeye cosplayer, he argues that it has nothing to do with him and insists the woman is supposed to be Katniss Everdeen. This brief moment establishes the existence of The Hunger Games series in the MCU and showcases Clint’s humorous, cynical nature.
Ronin’s Gear
Perhaps one of the most obvious MCU connections, Kate finds herself in a secret, black market auction where guests are bidding on the infamous weaponry Clint used while operating under the name Ronin in Avengers: Endgame. Both his sword and his former outfit reappear in the first Hawkeye episode, causing a boatload of trouble for Clint and Kate alike.
Episode 2 established that the archers were able to retrieve the Ronin suit, but Kate’s stepfather, Jack Duquesne, is still in possession of the sword. As it turns out, Jack was a mentor to Clint in the comics and came across plenty of other familiar faces, like Scarlet Witch, Mantis, and the Mandarin. Given his history in the Marvel Universe, he’ll likely be playing a role in the franchise, beyond his antics in the Hawkeye series.
Thanos
A plague the heroes can’t seem to get rid of, Thanos is still popping up in various places throughout the MCU. From the reveal of the Thanos Copter in Loki to the “Thanos was right” graffiti from Hawkeye episode 1, the titan is still finding ways to haunt the universe with the memory of the Blip. Although he probably won’t be back to fight the heroes for a second time, the memory of Thanos is still a very prevalent threat that keeps the characters in the Marvel Universe on edge.
Catch and Release
Despite her death in the Infinity Saga, the Hawkeye series keeps the memory of Natasha Romanoff alive. While on the phone with his wife, Clint reveals his plan to “catch and release” the Tracksuit Mafia, by staging his own kidnapping and pretending they have the upper hand.
As his wife says, that was one of Natasha’s oldest moves, which is how fans first saw her in the original Avengers movie. The constant references to Natasha will surely lead somewhere, so this could be Marvel’s way of readying fans for the inevitable meeting between the archers and Yelena, which was foreshadowed in the Black Widow post-credits scene.
New episodes of Hawkeye are currently streaming every Wednesday on Disney Plus.