Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye Tattoo May Be a Nod to Ronin in Avengers: Endgame

Jeremy Renner’s hawkeye tattoo is probably related to his character’s alias Ronin, as the hero takes on the physical appearance of a samurai. But that’s just speculation – the only way to know for sure is to see Avengers: Endgame, which hits theaters later this month. Renner recently shared a special look teaser for the movie, and along with a carefully styled mohawk haircut and grunge tats, he’s sporting a full sleeve of ink.

While the teaser is light on details about the movie, it does show the surviving members of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes gathering and preparing to launch their last-ditch effort to undo all the damage that Thanos’ finger-snap wreaked. It’s clear that everyone is feeling some serious heartbreak, but also the grit to do what must be done. That includes Clint Barton, who seems to be in some kind of midlife crisis.

The archer’s new hair and tats are an obvious clue, as the tattoo shows that he’s taking on his alias of Ronin for the upcoming film. This means that he’s trying to be a more stoic, disciplined hero, something that could reflect the aftermath of having his family dusted by Thanos. Plus, the samurai influenced look would be in keeping with his character’s aesthetic in the comics.

In the past, we’ve seen Barton adopt his Ronin persona to let out his grief over his family’s loss and lash out at criminals with brutal efficiency. The new tat seems to be part of that continuing persona, as it reflects the Japanese principle of kan kun, or “equivalent exchange.” It’s a core concept in alchemy, which states that you must lose something in order to gain something else of equal value.

This may be a reference to that samurai-inspired persona, but it could also be a nod to the fact that Barton was born in Japan and has a strong connection with his home country. The teaser trailer also features a short clip of him teaching a young girl the joy of using a bow and arrow, so it’s likely that he’s still in touch with his roots.

The trailer also teases a possible return for the archer in his Disney Plus series, so it’s safe to assume that his sleeve of ink will be present in that project too. He’ll be joined in the series by the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Paul Rudd, Don Cheadle, and Brie Larson. Ticket sales for Endgame launched on Tuesday, so we don’t have long to wait until the movie hits theaters. For now, check out the trailer and tell us your thoughts in the comments below!