Marvel’s Avengers recently saw the arrival of Kate Bishop, and the young Hawkeye will soon be joined by her mentor. Confirmed to be coming to the game soon, the arrival of Clint Barton is exciting for fans of the comic book character and the MCU version of Hawkeye. While Clint’s arrival will help to conclude the intriguing, time travel-filled narrative started in Kate Bishop’s DLC storyline, the character’s skillset remains up in the air — and provides Crystal Dynamics with a major challenge to overcome.

With Marvel’s Avengers already having one playable Hawkeye, Crystal Dynamics will need to make sure that the hero feels different from his protege. Clint Barton feeling like a reskin of Kate Bishop would be a major misstep on the path to fixing Marvel’s Avengers, especially with its dire need of more content. Fortunately, while the two Hawkeyes will surely share some similar move sets, there is enough that can be done to differentiate between Kate Bishop and the original holder of the Hawkeye name.

RELATED: Obscure Marvel Characters That Would Be Fun Additions to Avengers Game

Arrow Variety And A Canine Companion

hawkeye in marvel's avengers game

With Kate Bishop being one of Marvel’s Avengers strongest heroes, Clint Barton has some stiff competition in the playable archer category. Fortunately, a few things can be done to make the veteran Hawkeye stand out. First, instead of Kate’s teleportation-based movement, Hawkeye can travel long distances by firing off grappling hook arrows. Zipping across long gaps of land quickly, Hawkeye’s movement could be surprisingly fast-paced and satisfying. As far as combat goes, Barton could be given some arrow types that set him apart from Kate.

In the pre-launch trailer that originally teased Hawkeye’s addition via Marvel’s Avengers DLC, shock arrows were shown being used by Barton. A favorite of the hero in the comics, other classic arrow types such as acid can be used, with the special ammo possibly leaving behind a poisonous area-of-effect cloud that deals damage over time. Aside from the standout arrows and confirmation that Clint will be Deaf in one ear like he is in the comics, the reveal trailer for Hawkeye confirmed his dog Lucky would be in the game. While the dog may feature in some special finishing moves, Lucky could also serve as a way to let Hawkeye loot areas from afar — letting players keep some distance as they pick off enemies from long range.

More Than A Bow And Arrow

While a loot-loving pup and different trick arrows will go a long way to making Clint feel unique, they will likely not be enough to make him stand out as his own character. After all, Kate and Clint share more in common than just the Hawkeye name, as only so much can be done to give two bow-users differing playstyles. However, one key moment from a historic chapter of Hawkeye’s comic book history could be a major influence on his gameplay. If Crystal Dynamics wants to make its take on Clint Barton truly feel like an experienced hero with a varied moveset of his own, giving him the sword wielded by his alter ego Ronin would be an excellent idea.

While it is entirely possible that the acknowledgement of Ronin in Marvel’s Avengers will be limited to a costume, letting parts of the persona slip into Clint’s actual gameplay would be a blast to see. A darker time in the hero’s life where a blade was wielded instead of a bow, making Hawkeye’s ultimate ability a katana would truly make him stand out among the current roster. With most of his abilities likely being ways to deal ranged damage, letting Clint let loose with a sword every so often would be a great way to add variety to his kit. With Kate Bishop set to steal the spotlight in the MCU and a very different version of Hawkeye appearing in What If?, Crystal Dynamics has the chance to give fans of Clint Barton something special — and the use of Ronin’s katana would be a fantastic way to make his DLC all it can be.

Marvel's Avengers is out now on PC, PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Xbox One, with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions currently in development.

MORE: Outriders Avoids The Biggest Mistake in Marvel's Avengers