Hawkeye will have his hands full with both the Hood and a new Ronin in the new Hawkeye: Freefall series by Matthew Rosenberg and Otto Schmidt. This begs the question: if Clint hasn’t returned to his former role… just who is behind the mask of this new Ronin? And why are they engaging in a deadly turf war with the New York underworld?
Ronin first appeared in the pages of New Avengers #11 in 2005 as a mysterious masked member of the team. While originally revealed to the vigilante Echo, the mantle has passed down to several characters, most notably Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye (who brought the role to the MCU in The Avengers Endgame). But one thing is for sure: whoever this new incarnation may be, they will definitely prove to be a match for Hawkeye.
The new Ronin taking to the streets is intended to be a mystery for now, and while all will doubtlessly be revealed in the pages of Hawkeye: Freefall, here are some possibilities just who this mysterious new Ronin is.
Daredevil?
When Ronin was first glimpsed on the previews for the New Avengers way back in 2005, many believed it was Matt Murdock behind the mask. It made a certain amount of sense. After all, then-Daredevil writer Brian Michael Bendis was also writing New Avengers, and Matt Murdock even had a cameo in the first issue of the comic. This all turned out to be misdirection when Daredevil supporting character Echo was behind the mask, but what if it wasn’t misdirection this time? Of course, this seems highly unlikely, as there’s little reason for Daredevil to launch a bloody campaign through the streets of New York, but the Man without Fear certainly has the skills necessary to fit the bill.
Kate Bishop?
This is another dark candidate, but it’s worth mentioning if only because the pitch practically writes itself. There’s a certain poetic justice to Kate Bishop, Clint’s sometimes-partner, sometimes-protege, taking on the very identity he once did. Like Daredevil, it seems highly unlikely that Kate would wage such a brutal war against the criminal underworld, but it’s not completely out of the question. What if a particularly trying case in Los Angeles pushed private investigator Kate Bishop over the edge, and the search of justice - or vengeance - brought her back to New York for some payback? There, she takes on the identity of the Ronin and runs afoul of the original Hawkeye.
It’s certainly a good pitch, one which could lead to Barton and Bishop dealing with the implication of Ronin’s actions for years to come. But if this was the case, Kate Bishop’s presence would certainly be teased and advertised more prominently, especially considering her status as one of the most popular and visible legacy heroes.
Maya Lopez?
Who’s to say there is someone new beneath the Ronin mask? Deaf vigilante Maya Lopez, aka Echo, was the first Ronin. Lopez was killed by Count Nefaria in the pages of Moon Knight, only to mysteriously return to life in the pages of Daredevil. This is particularly interesting as the current Ronin’s enemy - the Hood - was also a subject of a mysterious resurrection. Could these two events be linked, and if so, could the Hood be after Maya Lopez for answers or vice versa? This is sheer speculation, as death and resurrection in comic books is something of a constantly revolving door, to say the least. Still, Lopez has a dark past, having been an unwitting pawn for Kingpin, and it’s not impossible to see her falling back into darker motives.
Whoever the new Ronin is, one thing is for sure: Hawkeye is going to have his hands - and quivers - full of trouble. Hawkeye: Freefall #1 hits store January 1st.
More: 10 Major Differences Between Marvel’s Hawkeye and Ronin
