Marvel’s New 2025 Show Gave Hawkeye The Power Upgrade They’ve Owed Him Since The Avengers

Hawkeye is one of the original Avengers in the MCU, and despite him consistently appearing since 2011’s Thor, he has always gotten the short end of the stick. Clint Barton is the constant butt of jokes, with many in-universe characters and real-life fans mockingly comparing his bow and arrow to the more powerful MCU superheroes. Although the Hawkeye Disney+ series gave him the spotlight, a new Marvel project has finally given Hawkeye a much-needed power upgrade.

After making his debut in Thor, Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton eventually joined The Avengers, before rage turned him into the vengeful Ronin. Eventually, Clint got back on the straight and narrow, mentoring another Hawkeye known as Kate Bishop in their Disney+ series. And while Hawkeye hasn’t been seen in the MCU since season 1 of the Hawkeye Disney+ show, his latest appearance makes him so powerful that he is even seen as someone who can save the Avengers, with him almost singlehandedly taking down the Brotherhood of Mutants in one battle.

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Hawkeye Just Finally Got A Serious Power Upgrade

In 2025, Hawkeye returned in LEGO Marvel Avengers: Strange Tails, the two-part miniseries that was released on Disney+ on November 14. Throughout the two-part special, Hawkeye uses all kinds of trick arrows, including ones that feature ice, fire, water, grappling hooks, and even a stink arrow. His acrobatics are also utilized to a greater extent as well, with the animated nature of the LEGO special allowing Hawkeye to have a greater variety of movements.

And as discussed, Strange Tails sees the Avengers take on the Brotherhood of Mutants, while a social media influencer takes advantage of the fight to grow her following. Eventually, she uses social media to unleash a new threat, forcing Hawkeye to form a team made up of Black Panther, White Tiger, and other cat-themed superheroes to take down the unique villain.

Throughout his time in the live-action Marvel movies, the MCU has never really taken full advantage of Hawkeye’s power level from the comics. While the Disney+ series did improve on this somewhat, Strange Tails takes Hawkeye to another level, creating a Clint who is more comparable to his comic book counterpart.

On top of the power upgrade, Hawkeye’s personality is also improved. In the MCU, Clint has always been portrayed as the emotional and vulnerable member. His relationship with his family has been the focus of most of Hawkeye’s stories, and while this isn’t bad, it isn’t necessarily what Hawkeye is known for in the comics.

In Strange Tails, Hawkeye is far more confident and show-offy, which is much more accurate to his comic book counterpart. While Strange Tails isn’t nearly as grounded as the MCU, Jeremy Renner’s version of the character could take some notes from this LEGO Hawkeye.

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