The season finale of 'Hawkeye' hits the mark

After last week's big reveal that Wilson Fisk, good 'ol Kingpin, is back on the scene, this week's episode wastes absolutely zero time in putting Vincent D'Onofrio to work.

What a pleasure it is to see him back in action. Obviously, it seemed quite unlikely that 'Hawkeye' would introduce Fisk in the same way that 'Daredevil' did or have him close the door on some bastard's head repeatedly. Still, it's in the power of D'Onofrio's performance and presence that he's able to be completely terrifying without being physically violent. The way he just towers over Vera Farmiga's character, or later on, when he's literally throwing Hailee Steinfeld around like a ragdoll.

The fact that the final episode, however, was set inside a skyscraper on Christmas Eve and featured Clint Barton / Hawkeye in a rapidly deteriorating white shirt isn't lost on anyone. Yet, while 'Die Hard' is obviously in the air, putting the entire final fight sequence on ice was a nice little nod to 'Home Alone 2' and potentially 'A Charlie Brown Christmas', even if it ended with Barton and Bishop destroying the 30 Rock Christmas tree, thus ruining Christmas for New Yorkers. All that aside, the final rumble with the Tracksuit Mafia was well-staged and the sheer excitement in Hailee Steinfeld's performance helped to move things along quite nicely, even if it was a little flat in parts. Likewise, bringing in Florence Pugh for one last punch-up didn't do much to liven things up.

That said, Tony Dalton's reappearance as Jack Duquesne and his swashbuckling moustache and sword were a completely welcome addition. Out of all the characters in 'Hawkeye' that's getting a spin-off, Jack Duquesne as Swordsman is the one that deserves it the most. Yes, Echo / Maya Lopez is an important step for the representation of deaf and hard-of-hearing people, but you can do both? It's Disney+, they'll need more shows and who doesn't love a good swashbuckler? Look at his moustache, Marvel. That deserves at least a three-season contract.

With this final episode, 'Hawkeye' is now by far the most enjoyable out of the Marvel TV shows thus far. It's not the best - that title arguably goes to 'Loki' - but 'Hawkeye' has been consistently fun and engaging without needing to resort to endless cameos or callbacks in order to make its case. The chemistry between Hailee Steinfeld and Jeremy Renner has time and time again proven to be the leading light of the show, and Marvel would be crazy not to give this another season. The lighthearted nature, keeping the stakes low but meaningful, and locking in with a theme helped to keep it on target.

Final Thoughts

• Wilson Fisk can't be dead, can he? Bring him back for one episode just to kill him? Come on...
• Player of the Week, as mentioned, goes to Tony Dalton and his swashbuckling antics. En garde!
• Can fully imagine Fox News doing a whole bit about how the Avengers hate Christmas and destroyed the 30 Rock Christmas Tree because of the left's agenda
• Also, if you're really cynical, setting the final episode in Comcast Headquarters and letting Marvel superheroes smash the place up feels like a giant 'f*ck you' from Disney