Hawkeye: What’s hidden in plain sight in episode 4

Hawkeye’s fourth episode gives out more intriguing clues, including the possible identity of an almost forgotten-about wristwatch.

If you, fellow viewers, were starting to wonder where Disney Plus‘ Hawkeye was going (if going anywhere) its fourth episode, entitled “Partners, Am I Right?”, will likely set your mind at ease.

Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) became true partners and friends over a mini-Christmas, only for it to potentially fracture when Clint realized the danger his new protegee was in. Another MCU character finally showed up to make Clint’s week even more complicated. Kate’s mom (Vera Farmiga) is displaying even more suspicious behavior. And what we thought was a minor plot point ends up being far more important.

We also got more Marvel-ous Easter Eggs, including the return of the phrase “Thanos was Right,” this time on a coffee mug. There’s also Kate’s “Laika” T-shirt, which is a perfect match for the one she wore in Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye comic (and, itself, a reference towards the first dog launched into space). And there’s also a movie poster in Kate’s apartment starring a fictional actress, Moira Brandon, who, in the comics, is an honorary Avenger and donated her mansion to the West Coast branch of the team. Those are just the little Easter Eggs, however; there’s a lot more to go cover, including a few revelations. Some of them point towards certain theories, while others debunk them. And one of those theories that got debunked is…

The real history between Clint and Jack Duquesne

Or should we say the lack of history between Clint and Jack Duquesne? Because as it turns out, Kate’s stepfather-to-be only knows Clint by his reputation as an Avenger and nothing more. He doesn’t even know Clint’s proper superhero name (“Oh my God! You’re Archer!”). Looks like actor Tony Dalton wasn’t lying when he said that Jack being Clint’s mentor was “completely not happening.”

This also suggests that neither Clint or Duquesne were ever circus performers, either. Certainly in the comics, the Swordsman was never the head of his own company, shell corporation or otherwise. Nor was he sponsoring the Tracksuit Mafia, either. Duquesne was a thief, however. That’s what ended up severing Clint’s ties with Duquesne in the first place, as he caught his mentor in the act of stealing money from the circus’ ringmaster and Duquesne almost killed him as a result.

That’s too bad, because having Duquesne be Clint’s former mentor would’ve have given us a little more insight into Clint’s past prior to becoming an Avenger or even an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Certainly, it would’ve made Duquesne a bit more complex. For now, it seems like the MCU version of Duquesne is yet another in a long line of crooked businesspersons who also just so happens to be really, really good at fencing. It also lends further credence to the theory that Kate’s mom, Eleanor, is crooked, too, perhaps with ties to organized crime and a certain Kingpin?