this episode was just epic and the fights and that cameo omg
Hell yeah! Yelena's back baby!
I let out an audible hell yeah when she got on screen.
Oh my. Florence Pugh. Yes.
I know everyone's talking about Yelena, but it was pretty heartbreaking when the music from the Vormir scene was playing while Clint was talking to Kate about Natasha.
I believe in Florence Pugh supremacy
We were gonna reach a boiling point for Clint and Kate at some point, and having it here is probably the smartest choice they could have made. While not a lot of progress is made on the overarching mystery (outside of confirming some small details), the real treat is all of the strong, strong character work being done here for pretty much the entire cast. Clint in particular I think stands out here as the real treat - the PTSD of his time as Ronin, as well as the death of Natasha, still cast a shadow over the entire series and I love how the show is making that the main emotional hook for him to overcome here.
Just as interesting too is how the show continues to handle Kate, whose naive attitude towards crimefighting and lack of planning is starting to really backfire. The final argument that occurs, a hot kettle of these two opposing arcs clashing with each other, really works because of that, and the action scene that proceeds it - which features a wonderful four way battle including a really great surprise - uses that backdrop for strong emotional beats and great choreography. Cinematography is aces as well here. Still absolutely in love with Hawkeye, and with two episodes left to go I'm eagerly awaiting what they have next.
[7.8/10] My favorite episode of the show so far. “Partners, Am I Right?” finally delivers the lived-in, layered dynamic between Clint and Kate that I’ve been wanting, while also delivering some top flight action, and making Kate’s family situation compelling for the first time in the series.
I’ll confess, I abhor the schmuck bait from the end of the last episode. If you’re going to have Jack hold a sword to Clint’s neck, it’s pretty cheap to immediately deflect into one big misunderstanding when you start this one.
Still, I’m willing to forgive it because the interactions between the assmeled are legitimately good here. I don’t know what the cinch is exactly, but Tony Dalton’s Jack is more recognizable as someone wearing the masque of the genteel bumbler while hiding a sinister side beneath. Likewise, I initially thought Eleanor took her daughter teaming up with an Avenger a little too much in stride (maybe it was just being starstruck.) And yet, the show assuaged my fears, having her take Clint aside and basically tell him “Don’t get my daughter mixed up i this dangerous shit.” There’s a patina of realism in this heightened reality in that. I’m increasingly suspicious that Eleanor herself may be involved in some malfeasance, rather than being hoodwinked by Jack, but it’s still nice to see her responding to all of this the way a mother might.
If that weren’t enough, II love love love the scene of Kate showing up to Clint’s place to spend the holiday together. It gives us a reason to like Kate a little more -- she has empathy for her would-be partner, knowing he’s been through a lot and wanting to make sure he’s not alone at a difficult time. In the same way, it makes us like the two of them together more too. The way they banter about trick shots and trick arrows, shuffle through holidays movies, and come up with plans using what turn out to not be dry erase markers is funny and endearing.
Things get serious too though. I’ll admit I forgot that, in the right hands, Jeremy Renner can be a damn good actor. As much as I enjoy the MCU, he hasn’t always had the chance to show that. But hearing him talk about sparing Natasha when he found her, processing what he’s lost and the depths he fell into when he became Ronin is powerful. Some of that’s thanks to the writing, which is better across the board here. But a lot of it comes down to Renner’s performance, which makes Clint an open wound who’s still living with his pain and trying to warn Kate off from it. Seeing him confide in her a bit, open up to her a little, helps cement the partnership in the episode’s title.
After indulging in some of the slack tide hangout vibe that, vitally, let’s us get to know these characters and see them together when they’re not adventuring, the episode also provides them each with solid missions and objectives. Clint strongarms Echo’s lieutenant, Kazi, with a persuasive argument that Maya’s personal vendetta against Ronin is a losing battle that’s going to lose both her and Kazi standing in the eyes of “the Boss.” For her part, Kate gets her own amusing set of interactions with the Larpers, using the connection to retrieve the trick arrows and secure themselves the studio/merchandise-mandated new costumes. One is dramatic and convincing, the other is fun and light, and it’s a good balance. (Hello Thanos fans!)
But the climax of the episode pays things off in a big way. Snooping through Maya’s apartment and discovering that she’s after Clint’s family ups the stakes here. There’s a threat here that goes beyond Clint himself putting his life on the line. The set piece itself is strong, with too many quick cuts for my taste, as usual, but a lot of hard-hitting action and neat wrinkles like Kate's ziplining adventure to liven things up.
There’s the added benefit of making this a four-way fight where who’s on whose side isn’t necessarily clear. Clint and Kate are a team, of course, but Echo has her own agenda, as does the Widow sent after our hero. The shifting alliances, coupled with Clint’s efforts to keep Kate out of harm’s way, makes for a unique dynamic to the fight.
Plus hey! Yelena! It’s nice to see Hawkeye paying off the tag from Black Widow. The debut is well-handled, with the masked assassin fighting like a widow and giving hints of who she is before the reveal happens. At the same, Yelena’s presence is a complicating factor, in a good way. She’s the sister of someone Clint is still mourning, and as he tells Kate, her mere presence means business has picked up. If Clint’s going to keep his word to Eleanor and stop Kate from falling into serious danger, then he has to dissolve their partnership almost as soon as it truly begins. That’s good stuff, which serves both the plot and the characters.
Overall, this is a winner of an outing which kicks things into gear. The dynamic between Kate and clint has never been clearer or more compelling or more endearing, and with connections to other events across the MCU, we’re getting meaningful developments for Clint as he processes the events of Endgame, while orienting Kate within a wider world.
IF THEY DON'T BRING KINGPIN IN NEXT EPISODE, WE RIOT!
Re: boomerang trick arrow: "You'd have to dodge." Oh, Kate.
Why can't I take happy Vera Farmiga seriously?
Nat is such a crucial part of Clint and the show despite everything. And I am all for it. The talk about Clint's "best shot"/the one he didn't take had me tearing up. It also took me a while to realize that that pause Clint had when reaching down for Kate was a call out to their Endgame scene, but when I did, god damn it.
Yelena's BW moves, oh yeah! Wish it didn't end there. I wanted her to beat their asses lol. I do like that Yelena zipped Kate up before dropping her off the side of the building (that was homicidally sweet of her) because she was there just for Clint.
I'd really like for Clint to at least know of Yelena, like when she finally tells him why she's after him, that she's doing it for her sister, he'll know and just go "Yelena?" or something. She's supposed to be one of the most important people to Nat, next to her found fam Avengers, and since Clint's her bff and she knew about his family, it would make sense that he would know about hers. Since there was never really any allusion to Yelena before the BW movie, I feel like we need this for some continuity.
I love this show ; i'll be sad when the season concludes
ladies and gentlemen, YELENA BELOVA OH MY GOD
I'm tired of stories that tell and don't show. Yet none of this rubs me the wrong way as much as character arcs. You see, in many MCU media, there are character arcs where the writers are only concerned with moving from Point A to Point B. The problem is that they disregard the middle part, the journey from Point A to B. And if you've heard the saying "it's about the journey, not the destination", you might understand what I mean.
Well, this episode went against this trend!
After a fun montage with Clint and Kate, Clint starts opening up to Kate for the first time—it's beautiful. Not only does he call himself a weapon, but he reveals that he doesn't want anyone else to die because of him.
"He doesn't bend over backwards to see himself as 'defending' anything. He knows what he's done and what he can do. There are no illusions to cling to. But what I like about this attitude is that it actually extends to his actions afterward." — Film Crit Hulk
For Clint, this episode has some great character work! Not only is his previous screen time reincorporated in this series, but it becomes his motivation and goal.
"There’s this clean clarity in that he knows his Ronin past will haunt him, but he’s not going to ever put that guilt ahead of a future with his family. He’s simply taking responsibility for it." — Film Crit Hulk
Anyway, this is a solid episode! Hopefully, the show keeps this up!
Clint: "I really appreciate what you did tonight,"
feels like an earned line and
Clint: "Prioritize a quick exit over a quick entrance,"
is great advice! Thanks, Clint!
For me, this and episode 3 have been the best ones so far. First two episodes were good, but I didn't really enjoy everything in those compared to these recent episodes. Some things felt off to me. I'm getting more interested in the story and characters so I'll definitely keep watching.
Definitely the best episode yet. Lot of great scenes and the first appearance of Yelena Belova in the series.
Touching moments that would feel a bit too straightforwardly cheesy if it wasn’t a holiday-themed show. The “go home Airbud” moment in particular felt like something I’ve seen a bunch before. Hoping to have my expectations subverted in the next eps! It’s getting predictable, but it’s still enjoyable.
YESSSSLENA!!! But it was a little bit embarrassing that Kate was such a good match for her cause Yelena is a BLACK WIDOW!!! Yelena wake up!!!
And I guess kate’s mom tipped Valentina of about clint’s whereabouts and current mission, cause kate’s mom 100% is a bad guy.
I was actually waiting for that "character"!
Shout by Molly KVIP 2BlockedParent2021-12-08T05:02:40Z
Episode 4 is not out until 2 am cst