How Hawkeye’s Kingpin Twist Sets Up A New MCU Hero

Warning! SPOILERS for Hawkeye episode 5

In Marvel’s Hawkeye, a new twist involving the Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) sets up a brand new hero in the MCU. While Wilson Fisk’s return had been teased in earlier episodes of the new Disney+ series, Hawkeye episode 5 marks the Kingpin’s official return as the “big guy” behind the criminal gang known as the Tracksuit Mafia. He’s also the “uncle” of Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) whom she’s known since she was a child. However, Clint Barton (Jeremey Renner) and his return to the Ronin costume shed new light on Maya’s past, setting her up to become more just the Tracksuit’s captain.

In previous episodes of Hawkeye, it was revealed that Maya’s father was captain of the Tracksuit Mafia to make ends meet. However, he was killed by Clint Barton during Thanos’ Decimation when Hawkeye became the vengeful Ronin after his family disappeared, going on a lethal and merciless crusade against the world’s criminals. This set Maya on the path for vengeance, taking her father’s place in leading the Tracksuits and working directly under her “uncle” (now revealed to be Wilson Fisk’s Kingpin). However, a new twist revealed by Clint Barton himself reveals what really happened that night.

While Clint Barton did kill Maya Lopez’s father and freely admits to doing so in his new confrontation with her in Hawkeye episode 5, he reveals that his actions were directed by someone else. Admitting to being blind with rage, Barton reveals that he was tipped off by an informant who worked for Kingpin himself. As a result, Ronin was nothing more than a weapon used by Fisk who for some reason wanted Maya’s father gone. While it doesn’t change what Ronin did, it does set Maya on a new path against her “uncle.” Now, Maya looks ready to take her first steps into becoming a vigilante in the MCU just ahead of Echo, her upcoming spinoff series.

While there are some deviations, this new Kingpin-twist mirrors Maya’s comic origins very well. In the pages of Marvel Comics, Maya’s father was also killed and she was adopted by Wilson Fisk, while believing that Matt Murdock’s Daredevil was the man responsible for her father’s death. Becoming Kingpin’s agent, Maya sought her vengeance just as she does in Hawkeye before eventually realizing the truth that Kingpin had her father killed. Because she then turned against Fisk and became a vigilante and eventual Avenger, it seems likely that the MCU’s Echo will follow suit in the final episode of Hawkeye and beyond into her own series.

That being said, it’s still unknown how much of a role Maya still has to play in the series. With the official confirmation that Wilson Fisk is the big bad behind the Tracksuit Mafia, as well as behind hiring Yelena Belova to kill Clint Barton, it seems more likely that Hawkeye and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) will be the central figures in the final episode of Hawkeye. Maya’s turn to move against Kingpin could certainly come later in Echo should Kingpin be the main antagonist in that series as well, motivating Lopez to fulfilling her vigilante arc.

Marvel’s Hawkeye releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+

About The Author

Kevin Erdmann
(2522 Articles Published)

Kevin Erdmann is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers. With a major in Cinema Studies and a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin is pretty sure he’s writing for the right site. While Kevin is a huge Marvel fan, he also loves Batman because he’s Batman and is a firm believer that Han shot first. Disney also shares a big part of his fan patronage. Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.

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