Marvel Explains Why Kingpin Has Taken So Long To Appear In The MCU

This article contains spoilers for Hawkeye episode 4.

Hawkeye episode 4 subtly revealed why it’s taken so long for the Kingpin to appear in the MCU. For months, there have been reports Vincent D’Onofrio would be reprising his role as the Kingpin in the Hawkeye Disney+ TV series, albeit rebooted for the MCU. It’s now becoming clear those rumors were correct – and Marvel isn’t exactly being subtle about the setup. Hawkeye has already introduced Echo, a character connected to the Kingpin in the comics, and dropped references to Echo’s unseen uncle – clearly a reinvented Kingpin. Episode 4 went one step further, with Clint Barton revealing Jack Duquesne works for “the big guy” – another pretty obvious nod to the Kingpin, as well as a rather on-the-nose physical description of him.

Unfortunately, the MCU’s shared universe model is now working against Marvel when it comes to introducing new heroes and villains. The MCU has existed for over a decade now, meaning every new character introduced needs to come with an explainer – why haven’t they been seen before? Marvel’s been trying to handle this issue with care, establishing reasons for absence as a core part of character design; the Eternals were disbanded and sworn not to interfere in human affairs, for example, while Shang-Chi was too young to get involved in any of the superhero chaos. But Kingpin is a lot trickier; he’s a threat precisely because he’s in a position of power, and the fact superheroes like Spider-Man haven’t crossed paths with Kingpin is rather odd.

Still, Hawkeye episode 4 has subtly explained this. One scene sees Hawkeye confront a member of the Tracksuit Mafia, and he notes Echo’s obsession with Ronin isn’t just his problem – it’s an issue for her boss, too, one that could potentially get her killed. According to Clint, Echo’s boss doesn’t like anything that draws attention to his operations; he prefers to stay in the shadows, avoiding any public attention – and open conflict with an Avenger would certainly be drawing a lot of attention. His modus operandi is a smart way of explaining why Kingpin hasn’t turned up in the MCU before now.

Although Kingpin probably used the chaos after Thanos’ snap to expand his criminal empire, a subtle line of dialogue in Hawkeye episode 1 suggested he was already a dominant force before the Blip; according to the auctioneer, when Hawkeye adopted his Ronin identity during that five-year gap he “almost destroyed the status and power of the head of organized crime,” a comment that suggests Kingpin had been firmly established for years. This raises the possibility SHIELD knew about the Kingpin’s activities, and had perhaps been trying to take him down for some time – until SHIELD fell in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Hawkeye could thus have already known about the Kingpin of crime, and indeed it could well have been Wilson Fisk’s survival of the snap – a tyrannical, shadowy crime boss surviving when Clint Barton’s wife and children didn’t – that drove him to become Ronin.

Hawkeye episode 4 cleverly explains why Kingpin hasn’t been seen in the MCU up till now. But it’s interesting to speculate whether he’ll have more of a presence in Phase 4, perhaps with assassins targeting Spider-Man now his secret identity has been blown. It’s reasonable to assume Spider-Man has been unwittingly interfering with Kingpin’s criminal empire – perhaps Kingpin was even one of the Vulture’s customers – and Kingpin’s assassins did indeed target Peter Parker and his family after his secret identity was revealed in the comics. Charlie Cox is reprising the role of Kingpin’s nemesis Daredevil in the MCU, and there have been rumors he’ll appear in Spider-Man: No Way Home; it would be smart for Marvel to include two minor cameos, with both Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk playing a part. That would create a strong synergy between Hawkeye and Spider-Man: No Way Home, especially interesting given the Disney+ show and MCU movie appear to be set around the same time.

Hawkeye releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4899 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