‘Hawkeye’: Episode 1 Rundown, Bro

The twinkling trees, the soft falling show, and the sound of carolers in the distance – what’s not to love about Christmas in New York City? Well, for Clint Barton, the answer is literally everything else. In Episode 1 of Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye, "Never Meet Your Heroes," after a family trip to the Big Apple is horribly derailed after the surprise return of Ronin (much to the surprise of Clint, too), the Avenger knows he’s got to clean up this mess before it spirals out of control. Unfortunately for him, that means leaving his plans behind for the best Barton Family Christmas ever to figure out what’s going on with this surprise ghost of Hawkeye past.

 

There’s another archer in this story, too, and that’s Kate Bishop. Her Christmas vacation has also been sidetracked after the news that her mother plans to remarry a surprising new man. If that’s not enough drama, she quickly finds herself wrapped up in a murder — but at least she makes a new friend along the way, a one-eyed dog who loves pizza!

 

Can these two work together to try and save New York (and maybe Christmas along the way)? The first two episodes of Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye are now streaming on Disney+. Read more about Episode 2 here!

 

And let’s settle this debate right now: Hawkeye is definitely a Christmas show.

 

2012 — The Battle of New York, bro

It was just an ordinary day for the Bishop family until aliens started falling out of the sky. Overhearing a tense argument between her parents, young Kate Bishop confesses to eavesdropping on them, because otherwise how would she know what they’re talking about? Her dad, Derek, smooths things over and her mom, Eleanor, then suggests a game of checkers. It sounds like a regular family afternoon until the Chitauri start attacking New York City.

 

Sadly, the Bishop penthouse is caught in the crosshairs, and Derek unfortunately is killed. Promising to take care of her daughter, Eleanor asks Kate if she needs something, and yeah, she does — a bow and arrow. She saw someone use a bow and arrow during the battle, and now she wants one, too...

 

For Whom the Bell (Tower) Tolls, bro

While Kate might have great aim, she also has pretty bad luck. After a dare goes wrong (but credit where credit is due, she does manage to hit her mark), she destroys a million-dollar bell tower on her college’s campus. Someone’s gotta pay for it, and that falls on Eleanor. Telling her daughter that young people think they’re invincible, and rich people think they’re invisible, she reminds Kate that she is both and eventually it’s going to catch up with her.

 

A Barton Family Christmas, bro

No trip to New York City is complete without a Broadway show! Clint Barton and kids —Cooper, Lila, and Nathaniel — are in town to see Rogers: The Musical, while also getting some much-needed family time, too. Though the audience loves seeing Avengers sing and dance across the stage, Clint’s clearly bothered by it. For starters, Ant-Man wasn’t even AT the Battle of New York (blame creative liberties) and seeing Natasha Romanoff in the show stirs up emotions for him.

 

Deciding that the family cannot “do this all day,” they duck out mid-way through the show to take in other NYC sights at Christmas. Back at home, mom Laura is eagerly awaiting her family’s return and is busy decking out the family farm with decorations. One week to go until Christmas!

 

Eleanor, Jack, and Armand, bro

There’s an early holiday surprise waiting for Kate at home: unbeknownst to her, her mother is engaged to Jack Duquesne, a man Kate knows nothing about. She’s less than thrilled with this news, giving her mother a hard time about it and quickly turning her aggression towards the new couple. Kate’s also not the only one with a bone to pick with Eleanor and Jack, as she meets Jack's Uncle, Armand, at a charity event. Armand is eager to talk to the young Bishop about the upcoming nuptials — but Kate then hears Armand giving her mother a hard time later. “Did he threaten you?” Kate asks her clearly flustered mother. All Eleanor can stutter back is, “I don’t know,” brushing it off and heading back to the party. Kate might not see eye-to-eye with her mother, but she can certainly see when she’s in trouble.

 

In and Out, bro

Trying to find out more about Armand, Kate follows him into a basement wine cellar where an off-the-books auction is taking place (does anyone need a dinosaur skull?). Armand sits in the crowd and is soon joined by Jack, as both try to outbid a recovered artifact from the Avengers Compound — Ronin’s sword. While Jack wants it, Armand ends up being the highest bidder.

 

Not only that but there’s more Ronin where that came from: the auction also has the full Ronin suit.

 

Something suspicious is up outside of the auction, but Kate tries not to pay attention to it — she’s got to focus on Armand and Jack. However, that plan is quickly abandoned as an explosion rocks the building, and a horde of masked men wearing tracksuits storm the wine cellar: Meet the Tracksuit Mafia. They’re looking for a specific item and must be in and out of the area as quickly as possible. Jack uses this time to pocket the Ronin sword, while Kate sets her sights on something else: the Ronin suit. Seeing it as a perfect disguise – and not realizing that it’s the Ronin suit – she dons the cowl and starts trying to get everyone to safety and fight off the tracksuit men. It surprisingly works, and soon she’s fleeing into the New York City night, still wearing the suit.

 

A Dog Who Likes Pizza, bro

Fleeing the scene, Kate stumbles across a one-eyed dog who’s giving the Tracksuit Mafia trouble. When the dog gives chase, Kate steps in to save the pup — even pulling it out of harm’s way from an oncoming car. Not knowing where else to stash her new furry friend, she takes him home to her apartment, located above a pizza place. Conveniently, the dog seems to really like pizza, too.

 

Butterscotch, bro

Convinced that Armand is up to something, Kate does the only sensible thing she can think of: break into his apartment to try and find out what he’s up to. However, she almost immediately regrets this decision. Still dressed in the Ronin costume, she snoops around his lavish palace, coming across custom butterscotch candy, engraved with his name, before finding something even worse. Someone has already visited Armand and Kate finds him dead on the floor. Hearing Armand’s housekeeper return, Kate flees the scene.

 

A dog-saving ninja, bro

The Barton's Christmas is about to take a major detour. After a day of New York City sightseeing, the family returns to their hotel to find the top news story of the night is that, as Nathaniel puts it, a ninja has saved a dog. But the ninja looks shockingly like Ronin, and even the newscaster wonders if this is the return of the dangerous vigilante who hasn’t been seen in quite some time. Immediately recognizing the costume, Clint springs into action knowing that he’s got to get that suit off the street before anyone gets hurt, good, or bad.

 

You’re Hawkeye, bro

Needing to flee Armand’s apartment immediately, Kate rushes out into the New York City streets, only to come face to face with the Tracksuit Mafia. Clearly outnumbered, Kate tries to fight them off as best she can but is quickly overwhelmed and takes momentary refuge in a parked car. It doesn’t last long, as soon the Tracksuit punch through the window, on the verge of pulling her out — but what was that? A second assailant appears on the scene, quickly taking the Tracksuit out, one by one, before grabbing Kate.

 

Pulling her into an alley, Clint pulls off the Ronin hood on Kate’s face. “You’re Hawkeye!” Kate exclaims. “Come on!” Clint grumbles back.

 

But will Clint make it ho-ho-home for the holidays? The first two episodes of Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye are now streaming on Disney+.

Starring Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye and Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop, Hawkeye also features Vera Farmiga, Fra Fee, Tony Dalton, Zahn McClarnon, Brian d’Arcy James, and newcomer Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez. Helmed by Rhys Thomas and directing duo Bert and Bertie, Hawkeye debuts exclusively on Disney+ on November 24, 2021.

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