Hawkeye Review: So This Is Christmas? (Season 1 Episode 6)

The final hour of Hawkeye holds no punches — or jokes!

In the true spirit of the season, Hawkeye Season 1 Episode 6, “So This Is Christmas,” embraces its battered squad of super dorks and proves these high-octane series are capable of providing satisfying closure. All while keeping its destructive scope and trolling humor.

However, as the future of this young hero is set into motion, the erasure of past franchise successes becomes brutally evident.

Hawkeye keeps its sights on what matters despite a desire to pack these final moments with threads for future projects.

Cint and Yelena’s confrontation is the center stage of this final act, as they put Natasha’s legacy to rest with a phenomenal reactionary performance from Florence Pugh and one devastating whistle from Clint.

In a lovely turn of events, Tony Dalton’s Jack reveals himself to be the hour’s self-proclaimed hero and a likable one at that. Jack’s eagerness to fight people in public with a sword is the most accurate rich, white man shit Marvel could come up with, and as such, this redemption arc is my new favorite thing.

Some flaws suggest that this finale is the weak link in a season of solid storytelling. These Disney+ series are improving, but they still struggle to lock down that ending.

Clint’s journey of acceptance covers Natasha, yet it glosses over his hearing impairment in the final hour. Unfortunately, most of his development is lost in the crossfire too. This campy Christmas character study made Clint likable just to keep him from us.

I also don’t love how Laura’s backstory comes at the expense of potentially de-cannoning Agents of SHIELD. It’s frustrating to see these series elevate Dark World and Age of Ultron while erasing the triumphs of Marvel’s pre-Disney+ television.

Just a Couple of Hawkguys

Kate and Clint are the steadfast leads of this series to the very end, guiding Hawkeye to success as a six-episode capsule series we can enjoy knowing it paid proper homage to this iconic comic team-up.

Kate Bishop may have named her dog Lucky, but we’re the lucky ones.

Hailee Steinfeld has brought this beloved comic-book character to life with unwavering integrity and a flawless understanding of her internal compass. She is Kate Bishop with every mannerism, and we will never be able to thank her enough for giving us this dorky goddess fully formed.

In its final hour, this show highlights what makes Clint and his trick arrow montages imperative to Kate’s journey to becoming a bonafide superhero. Hawkeye gifts us two fleshed-out heroes with bruised hearts of gold.

This partnership expertly lends itself to Kate and Clint’s separate struggles while finding the emotional beats needed for this holiday homecoming to leave us satisfied. Clint inviting Kate to spend the holidays is such a sweet footnote to end their mentorship.

The choice to leave the future of Kate and Clint’s partnership up in the air feels suitable for this mundane show’s trajectory, too. No one has to die, and there’s no official passing of the torch. It’s all very low-key Hawkeye in the best of ways.

Kate and Yelena

There are no words to describe what went down here. Did Hawkeye spend money and resources on an elaborate Yelena Belova and Kate Bishop fan fiction? It sure looks like it.

The elevator confrontation is hands down the best scene to come from any Phase 4 series. Steinfeld and Pugh are expert scene-stealers, and when shoved into a confined space together, they become unstable vessels of excessive sexual tension and physical comedy. Their banter transcends the best of dialogue.

Seriously, send this scene to the academy; they need to see this work of art!

It’s Kate bitch-slapping Yelena. It’s Yelena retaliating by undressing Kate, inadvertently making this Bishop’s iconic super-suit reveal. Kate, proud as hell, presses every last elevator button just to be petty.

These two are the gift this show keeps giving with another scene that takes to the halls, encouraging Yelena and Kate to roughhouse (because this is too flirty for fighting), all while complementing each other’s form and making drink plans.

The great thing about Hawkeye is it has so much going for it, enough to know this relationship between Yelena and Kate is not a priority. But the series focused on letting these two chaotic women with “fight me” energy keep talking. This spectacular scene is the reward for using murder to build a rich friendship.

Kingpin or King-Pointless?

On paper, the Kingpin introduced during Hawkeye‘s finale is just as pristine.

He is comic-book accurate with an ensemble straight from the Spider-Man: Family Business comic run, and his violent “demise” is straight from Echo’s source material. Vincent D’Onofrio slips effortlessly into the role as if no time has passed, reminding us there is only one man capable of playing Fisk to perfection.

But there are lenses incapable of capturing this character to his full height.

The Kingpin we first meet is similar to Daredevil‘s Big Bad. But, as the episode progresses, he vacates the lowkey lunatic we love, becoming the shell of a cartoon videogame boss. Regardless of how identical the mannerisms are, this version works against what made the first iteration such a force.

Up until now, Hawkeye has clung to the highly effective “less is more” aspect of Wilson Fisk. A relief given his unseen presence is arguably the greatest tool of a crime boss who prefers to bloody other’s hands.

Unfortunately, this tackier version does not beat around the bush as he stomps around, ripping doors of cars like the Incredible Hulk.

In doing so, this six-episode slow burn stumbles, overwhelming a storyline that couldn’t bear the weight of setting up Echo‘s villain when it warrants no emotional payoff or consequences for Kate.

By shoving this antagonist into a role appropriate for Disney, Marvel loses sight of what makes his cruelty groundbreaking. Arguably, a more comic-book-accurate Kingpin is the goal, but as his lapel pins suggest, why fix what wasn’t broken?

Netflix handed Hawkeye the framework for a knockout villain, and instead, the series jammed a comic-book palooza into a story begging for sharper edges. Throwing this Kingpin at us with no explanation is the downfall, not necessarily the character.

Many will embrace this Kingpin for his accomplishments and should because D’Onofrio chews this episode to pieces. But, having seen him utilized better, I hold Marvel accountable to do better.

A Festive Farewell

Hawkeye skillfully closes out its limited run by passing the baton to a reputable roster of heroes and villains. Marvel’s most cohesive tale yet also manages to part ways with the least-likable Avenger on much better terms.

This series has been an absolute blast and a reminder that the unlikeliest of heroes make for the best stories.

The series successfully tells a condensed character-driven story with pacing that compliments comic book Clint’s mundane vigilantism. What it becomes is a heartfelt romp that leaves us yearning for little beyond more of this festive-flavored joy ride.

Hawkeye is the cozies of ugly-sweater comfort watches with a satisfying wrap-up and six cohesive installments to look back on fondly. In addition, the fun action-comedy packaging makes this a year-round delight.

In the end, Clint Barton didn’t need an alien invasion or time travel to hit the mark. He just needed better branding.

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All episodes of Hawkeye are now available to stream on Disney Plus.

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