'Hawkeye' ending explained: Here's when we'll see Kate Bishop next

Hawkeye ended with a bang. Well, multiple bangs, actually. The series (or possibly Season 1) finale was chock full of explosive trick arrows and one Broadway banger, but what does the show’s ending mean for the future of Clint Barton and Kate Bishop? Allow us to explain.

Warning! Spoilers follow for Hawkeye’s ending.

Hawkeye ending, explained

First, let’s cover the basics. A lot happened in the Hawkeye finale, so you shouldn’t be embarrassed if had trouble following along. Here’s a quick recap of Episode 6’s many showdowns.

Kate Bishop confronts her mom about working for the mob at a fancy Christmas party, which both Yelena and the Tracksuit Mafia decide to crash. (Yelena wants to get revenge on Clint Barton, while the Tracksuits want to murder pretty much everybody there.) This leads to a bunch of big fights:

• Kate Bishop vs. Yelena (winner: Yelena)
• Kate Bishop vs. Kingpin (winner: Kate)
• Clint Barton vs. Yelena (winner: Yelena)
• Echo vs. Kazi (winner: Echo)
• Clint and Kate vs. The Tracksuits (winner: Team Hawkeye)
• Jack Duquesne vs. Not getting blood on his tie (winner: Blood on the tie)

In the end, Echo confronts Kingpin for calling the hit on her father and appears to shoot him point-blank. (Is Kingpin finished? More on that in another article.) Meanwhile, Clint is able to convince Yelena that he’s not responsible for Natasha’s demise on Vormir.

Afterward, Hawkeye and Kate Bishop return to the Barton homestead with Lucky the dog. It’s revealed that the mysterious Rolex belonged to Laura Barton, aka Agent 19, aka Mockingbird. (More on that in another article.)

Finally, Clint and Kate burn the Ronin costume, signaling an end to that chapter in Hawkeye’s life — and maybe his time as a superhero in general. But with Clint Barton ostensibly retired, where will Kate Bishop go next? There are a few different options to consider.

Hawkeye ending explained: Season 2?

The obvious answer is that we could get a Hawkeye Season 2 where Kate Bishop (not Clint Barton) is the star of the show. Kate jokes about taking on a new superhero name in the finale, but we assume she’ll eventually take on the mantle of “Hawkeye” either in a second season or whenever she crossed over into the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Hawkeye ending explained: Young Avengers (5)

Just as likely is that the next time we see Kate Bishop it will be in Marvel’s next epic crossover event. Marvel has been planting the seeds for a Young Avengers team-up with characters like Eli Bradley (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) and Wiccan and Speed (WandaVision). Kate could be a part of that team (along with Yelena) the next time the world needs Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Hawkeye ending explained: West Coast Avengers?

Or maybe Marvel is setting up a totally different Avengers team. We all assumed Hawkeye would retire after his spinoff show, but maybe he just needs a change of scenery. After becoming Kate Bishop’s mentor and not totally hating it, we could see Clint head to California to start a new superhero team: the West Coast Avengers.

In the comics, Hawkeye is that team’s founder and leader. The lineup also includes Ant-Man, Warmachine, and Mockingbird (aka, Clint’s wife). In later iterations, Kate Bishop joins too. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we perhaps Clint starts a new team out west that includes both Laura and Kate, along with Ant-Man and anyone else in the general area who wants to join.

Regardless of where she shows up next, it seems certain we haven’t seen the last of Kate Bishop, aka Lady Hawk? Hawk Eve? Hawk Shot? Let’s just stick with Hawkeye.

Hawkeye is streaming now on Disney+.