With four episodes down and two more still to come, Hawkeye hasn’t disappointed. The series has incredible action sequences, heartfelt moments, and more from our favorite archer. One of the greatest surprises of the series so far is the return of Linda Cardellini as Laura Barton. Not only was she back, but she seemed to be more of a right-hand woman to Clint than we ever expected, helping him with intel and research. What seemed just a cameo in the first episode has developed into something else. Which makes me and many other fans wonder, what’s the deal with Laura Barton?
Fans were first introduced to Laura in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Her appearance came as a complete surprise, not just to viewers but to the Avengers as well. At the time, she presented as an average housewife with no connection to Clint’s (Jeremy Renner) profession. It was refreshing to see a normal side to a larger-than-life hero. Throughout the MCU Laura appeared a few more times, specifically Avengers: Endgame. At no time during her scenes did she appear to be more than an amazing mother and understanding wife. Until Hawkeye episode 4, that is.
In a collection of on-screen appearances and a few text messages, viewers learned quite a bit about Momma Barton. She spoke fluent German to Clint, appeared to know more about Clint’s profession than we originally thought, and was concerned over the watch from episode one. Is Marvel Studios laying the groundwork for a bigger story arc for Cardellini’s character?
I think Marvel Studios may be giving us Bobbi Morse, a.k.a. Mockingbird, but with a twist. In the comics, Bobbi is a top Agent with S.H.I.E.L.D. and has a long history with Clint Barton. In fact, the two have been married at different points in their comic history. Could something have happened in Laura’s past that she had to give up crime-fighting and change her name? Or similar to the parents in Spy Kids, was the thought of settling down with a family more exciting than fighting crime?
I feel more inclined to think it may be a bit of both. Perhaps something happened that made Laura/Bobbi realize that the life of an agent was too dangerous, while also the desire to have a family helping to seal the deal. That being said, with that mysterious Rolex in play still, is it possible that Laura/Mockingbird may retire from her retirement? I don’t think it’s off the table.
At one point, there were rumors that Mockingbird would be making an appearance in Hawkeye. While fans hoping that Adrianne Palicki would return, those near Marvel Studios had indicated that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is not canon. Tho perhaps with the introduction of the multiverse, anything is still possible – even variant Mockingbirds.
Last month I wrote an article about a secret project that Scarlett Johansson is producing with Marvel Studios. In the article, I predicted that the project might be about Bobbi Morse a.k.a. Mockingbird. It seems possible that a Hawkeye spin-off about a strong female character like her could have been enough to bring Johansson back on board. A present from Auntie Nat to us viewers.
But what do you think? Could Linda Cardellini be Mockingbird? What do you think the project Scarlett Johansson will be producing with Marvel will be about? Let us know in the comments or on social media!
Hawkeye is currently streaming on Disney+ with new episodes airing on Wednesdays.
