Hawkeye’s Kingpin Detail Made Daredevil MCU Canon

This article contains spoilers for Hawkeye episode 6 and Spider-Man: No Way Home.

A subtle detail in Hawkeye‘s portrayal of the Kingpin strongly suggests the Marvel Netflix Daredevil series should be considered canon in the MCU. When fans use the word “canon,” what they are really meaning is they want to know the things they love actually matter. In the context of a shared universe, that means they are valuable contributions to the world and its overarching narrative. In the case of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that’s led to particularly heated debate over whether or not the various old Marvel Television shows – including those still available on Disney’s rival streaming service Netflix – should be considered part of the same MCU “Sacred Timeline” as (most of) the movies and Disney+ TV shows.

The debate has become a lot more interesting of late, with Marvel Studios choosing to incorporate actors from the Marvel Netflix world – notably Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin and Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock, who appear in Hawkeye and Spider-Man: No Way Home respectively. But are these the same iterations, or soft reboots taking advantage of the multiverse, allowing Marvel to do their own versions of Kingpin and Daredevil? On the face of it, both the Disney+ TV series and the latest Spider-Man movie are silent on this point, studiously avoiding making any commentary. It’s particularly notable that, while other major characters in Hawkeye were given extensive flashbacks to show how their stories slotted into the MCU, Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin didn’t get that treatment – leaving him wide open to interpretation. But, on closer examination, one subtle detail strongly suggests the Daredevil Marvel Netflix show was indeed considered canon by Hawkeye‘s production team.

The key lies in Kingpin’s costume design. In Daredevil, Wilson Fisk wore the same pair of cufflinks every day – one he had inherited from his father, which he wore to remind himself of his father’s true nature. Strikingly, Hawkeye‘s portrayal of the Kingpin wore exactly the same pair of cufflinks, a subtle and smart continuity nod that indicates this is indeed the same Kingpin. This is the best kind of continuity, handled so unobtrusively it’s only there if a viewer looks closely, and seemingly confirming that Netflix’s Daredevil is now MCU canon. Vincent D’Oncofrio has subsequently confirmed in an exclusive interview with ScreenRant that Daredevil and Hawkeye‘s Kingpin are the same character.

The inclusion of these cufflinks is particularly striking given there have recently been indications Marvel Studios don’t consider the old Marvel Television shows to be canon. But, in truth, it’s long been clear Marvel care a lot less about canonicity and continuity than the fans do; it’s quite possible there simply isn’t a rule at all, with each production team encouraged to take whatever approach they wish. That would explain why Captain Marvel, for instance, fitted in with Agents of SHIELD remarkably well – with subtle Agents of SHIELD cameos and references in the background – while WandaVision ignored Marvel Television’s previous iterations of the Darkhold. There simply isn’t a hard and fast rule, with producers and showrunners doing whatever they feel fits best with their story.

Notice that the continuity binding Daredevil to Hawkeye is subtle, though. In truth, that’s the best approach for any Marvel TV show hoping to draw in new viewers and appeal to a wider audience than the decidedly R-rated Marvel Netflix shows; it means nobody who watches Hawkeye feels they have to go to a rival streaming service to understand the story they’ve just watched. But it also means Marvel certainly isn’t committed to anything, giving future production teams room to maneuver if they want to take a different approach as Daredevil and Kingpin become more firmly embedded in the MCU. Hawkeye‘s details strongly imply Daredevil should be considered canon in the MCU – but they don’t officially state it, meaning that could change should Marvel’s next team wish it to.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4894 Articles Published)

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

More From Thomas Bacon