Hawkeye (vol. 2) #4 — Nick Peron

Dec 20

Dec 20 Hawkeye (vol. 2) #4

Rage

After uncovering a Secret Empire plot to create a breed of biologically engineer wolf soldiers, Hawkeye has vowed to shut them down for good. With the aid of Rover — one of the few surviving experiments — Clint has tracked the terrorist organization to the Amazon jungle. Upon their arrival, they rush the enemy base taking down everyone on their sides.[1]

It doesn’t take long before the Secret Empire learns of Hawkeye and Rover’s presence. Their leader, the maniacal Viper, order Trick Shot and Javelynn to head out with their latest batch of bio-engineered wolf warriors. This batch is more feral and savage than the previous batch and Viper is certain that they can eliminate the intruders.

Soon, one of these new creatures ambushes Hawkeye and Rover in the jungle. Caught off guard, Clint snares the creature in a net arrow so they can regroup. However, the monster is able to break free with relative ease. The chase is observed by Viper, Trick Shot, and Javelynn. While the others revel in the hunt, Trick Shot begins having second thoughts, thinking his old student Hawkeye deserves better than this.[2] More of the creatures are unleashed in the jungle, and they are so vicious even the Secret Empire soldiers recording the fight are not safe from attack.

Hawkeye and Rover soon get to a rope bridge that will take them across a chasm to the Secret Empire base. However, both sides of the bridge are soon blocked off by the creatures sent to kill them. When Clint uses an electro-arrow to stun the group converging from behind, their combined weight is too much for the bridge to handle and the ropes snap. As Hawkeye and Rover hold on for dear life they are at the mercy of the wolf creature on the opposite side of the bridge. However, before it can slash at them, Trick Shot arrives and shoots the creature with three arrows — on in the shoulder and two in the eye — killing it. Trick Shot then leads them to a hidden cave behind a waterfall where they can rest up. There, Clint’s former mentor explains that he has turned on the Secret Empire. He admits that he didn’t expect to work for Viper nor that he would ever face Hawkeye again.[3] That said, he explains that he didn’t think the way that Viper wanted to eliminate Clint was very honorable. He now wants to see the Secret Empire shut down and gives Hawkeye the exact location of their base. Before Clint leaves, Trick Shot offers his condolences as he had heard about Bobbi’s death. Barton says he’ll get over it eventually, but Tricky knows better, telling Hawkeye that her memory will live on with him until his dying day.

Trick Shot then runs interference while Hawkeye and Rover make their way to the base. Seeing that Trick Shot has turned on her, Viper vows to see him dead. Assaulting the Secret Empire base, Hawkeye and Rover make short work of both their foo soldiers and Javelynn. That’s when Viper comes out in a suit of battle armor to eliminate both intruders. When Rover leaps onto Viper’s suit it creates enough of a distraction for Hawkeye to fire an arrow into the fuel supply stored on the back of the suit. Clint and Rover then leap to safety as the armor explodes, seemingly taking out Viper with it.[4]

With their mission over, Hawkeye heads to the nearest highway. He is about to send Rover off on his own when Clint is almost run down by a passing big-rig. He then decides to head back into the wilderness with Rover to live in isolation for at least a little while longer.[5]

Recurring Characters

Hawkeye, Rover, Secret Empire (Viper, Trick Shot, Javelynn)

Continuity Notes

Clint’s internal monologue recounts how he recently left the Avengers following the death of his wife, Bobbi Morse, aka Mockingbird. Mockingbird seemingly died in Avengers West Coast #100. However, it is later revealed that this was actually a Skrull spy who took her place. Bobbi will turn up alive again in Secret Invasion #8 and the truth explained in New Avengers: The Reunion #2.
Here it is mentioned that Trick Shot taught Hawkeye everything he knows. See Solo Avengers #2.
Trick Shot mentions here how he beat cancer. Tricky revealed that he was dying of cancer in Solo Avengers #5. However, after treatment it went into remission by his next appearance in Avengers Spotlight #25. However, the illness will return and claim his life later on in Hawkeye: Blind Spot #1.
Despite her apparent demise here, Viper survives the explosion and will turn up alive again in Beast #1. In that story she is depicted using the mutant Gateway’s portal powers and presumably it is through him that she cheated death here.
This is the last appearance of Rover as of this writing (January, 2023). His subsequent fate is unknown but I think it’s safe to assume that Hawkeye eventually left him to live out the rest of his life in the Amazon. We’ll see Hawkeye again in Marvel Comics Presents #159-161. By this point, Rover has left his side and he is living off the land in the wilderness of Tennessee Mountains.