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Avengers: Endgame was the very definition of a cinema blockbuster. It made money for Disney and Marvel Studios as it became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, surpassing James Cameron’s Avatar. It was also the culmination of over a decade of movies with overarching plots. It culminated with the memorable showdown between Thanos and the Avengers.
This movie was not only the end of the many different plot threads, but it was also the end for some of the actors’ tenures in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark dying in Endgame and Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers aging and passing on the shield to the Falcon, Sam Wilson.
But Endgame also had the death of the Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johansson. It was perhaps one of the most controversial decisions by the writers as some fans believed that her character deserved a much better sendoff as the film kept going and going without having a proper time to mourn her passing.
And one of the most interesting notions is that Clint Barton, Hawkeye, should have died instead of Black Widow. This is something that I found worth debating, as there are a lot of different aspects that should be taken into account here. So today, we will answer the question: Should Hawkeye have died instead of Black Widow in Avengers: Endgame?
No, he should not have died.
I know it’s a bit predictable, but I prefer going straight to the point.
One of the most critical aspects of storytelling is knowing how far you can take a character and how well the closure for their character is. Unfortunately, many writers tend to miss the mark, trying to stretch the character beyond its usefulness.
Knowing when to stop is a crucial aspect of being a storyteller and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, by and large, knew how to handle Natasha’s arc as the Black Widow.
The answer is straightforward: Natasha has always been a secondary character. There is nothing wrong with that: she was a villain for Iron Man in the comics back in the 60s. She then joined many different superhero teams as she went through a redemption arc. She also had a period in the 1970s when she shared a comic book series with Daredevil, with whom she was romantically involved. She had a few miniseries here and there, but nothing remotely similar to an iconic solo run that a lot of more prominent names enjoyed throughout the years.
Why do I point this out? Because Black Widow was always stronger when she had characters to go back and forward with. She is a lot more interesting when she has characters to contrast with, which was clearly shown by her interactions with Steve Rogers in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and her relationship with Hawkeye.
But the thing with support characters is that you can only take them so far. At some point, they become repetitive and stale because there is little room to roam with support characters. So it is essential to know when the character’s story can end on a high note, and that is precisely what the MCU knew regarding Natasha.
For a long time, Black Widow’s arc in the MCU was about finding a place to belong and giving her life meaning beyond being an assassin or spy. Her sacrifice in Endgame arguably was the most significant example of how much she grew since her actions not only meant saving the universe and billions of people. It also showed a commitment to the Avengers, and her friends, showing how much she cared for them, especially Clint.
On the other hand, Hawkeye has had a different route as he is the common man in the Avengers. He is a human in a group of enhanced super soldiers, technological geniuses, and thunder gods, so he is the one that is the most grounded, and his arc is what the fans tend to relate to the most as he is a family man. Clint tends to think a lot about his future and what he can do as an Avenger regarding the well-being of his family.
You also have to consider what is going on in the film. Hawkeye had taken the role of Ronin and had lost part of his contact with people due to his family being killed by Thanos’ snap, so the Soul Stone scene with Natasha served as a way to bring him back and give him determination. It was a nice ending for Black Widow and an excellent way to finish the relationship between both characters, which was one of the main points of the MCU.
This resolution was a nice ending to Black Widow’s story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it also served as an excellent way to develop Hawkeye’s arc during Avengers: Endgame. Overall, it was a good decision, and it was delivered positively.
