Yelena? New 'Hawkeye' trailer may have spoiled a shocking cameo

Yelena? New 'Hawkeye' trailer may have spoiled a shocking cameo

It may be difficult to believe, but Hawkeye is already half over. With the final three episodes releasing between now and Christmas it’s time for the plot to really kick off, starting with Echo (and maybe Kingpin) coming for Kate and Clint. As if that isn’t enough, Black Widow’s post-credits scene suggests Florence Pugh’s Yelena may be coming after Clint too, believing him to be the person responsible for her sister’s demise.

A mysterious character in the midseason trailer could have let the biggest reveal of the season slip. Here’s what you need to know.

In the latest promo for Hawkeye, an ominous voice says “The biggest surprises are yet to come” over a clip from Episode 3 depicting what very well could be Wilson Fisk’s hand. We also see a new clip of a character in what looks like spy gear, including night vision goggles, before Kate reacts with “Who was that?”

This character could be anyone, from Clint to Echo to even Kate herself, but the voiceover makes it seem like a character we haven’t seen before. Could this be the Yelena appearance fans have been expecting?

For Marvel Comics fans, the Yelena theory has even more weight. When Yelena took up the mantle of Black Widow in the comics, she donned an all-black uniform with a multi-lensed goggle device, bringing the spider-like elements of the alter ego to a whole new level. If Yelena is going to take up her sister’s role in the MCU, that costume may be the first glimpse of the new Black Widow.

However, don’t expect to see this in Episode 4. This character didn’t appear in an Episode 4 promo, just a broad glimpse at the second half of the season. Going off of past MCU trends, the most likely timing for an earth-shattering cameo like Yelena is the end of Episode 5, like the appearance of Contessa Valentina in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier or Pietro in WandaVision.

Black Widow vs. Black Widow as seen in Secret Avengers Vol. 2 #5, published in 2013.Marvel Comics

But regardless of if she appears on December 8 or December 22, Yelena’s appearance will change Hawkeye — and the MCU — as we know it. Not only will both she and Clint hash out their respective guilt for Natasha’s loss, but it will give Kate someone to relate to as the next generation of the Avengers. In fact, we could even see the start of Young Avengers.

Clint and Kate now have three different people after them: Echo (and the tracksuit mafia), Kingpin, and now (hopefully) Yelena. But if there’s one thing the first three episodes have proven, it’s that the combined power of both archers has yet to meet its match.

Hawkeye is now streaming on Disney+.