How Did Clint Get The Pym Arrow In Hawkeye Episode 3?
Contains spoilers for "Hawkeye" Episode 3
The third episode of "Hawkeye" is here, and as their uncomfortable buddy cop chemistry shifts toward seamless cooperation and complimentary skillsets, it's becoming clearer and clearer that Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) both have what it takes to be an archery-themed superhero.
The pair's first true co-op action moment comes in the form of a car chase sequence between them and Echo's (Alaqua Cox) Tracksuit Mafia. As circumstances conspire to confine Clint to driver's seat, he assigns Kate as the shooter, and provides her with a bunch of his trick arrows. However, Clint himself ends up delivering the final blow to the remaining vehicle that's about to ram them. In an incredible feat of archery, he hits an already flying arrow with a trick projectile to end all trick projectiles — a Pym Particle arrow that promptly grows to gigantic proportions, and crushes the rear end of the van heading at them.
Here's the thing, though. Where, exactly, did Clint get such a magnificent piece of equipment? Let's see if we can figure out the answer.
The Pym arrow has precedent in the comics, but raises questions in the MCU
Most of the trick arrows depicted in "Hawkeye" Episode 3 are comic book accurate, though the hilariously ineffective USB arrow is likely more of a nod to the events of "What If...?" Season 1, in which a similar projectile plays a pivotal role. Likewise, "Avengers: Roll-Call" #1 shows that the comic book version of Hawkeye has actually used more than one version of Pym arrows over the years.
Still, while the other arrows in MCU Hawkeye's quiver could be manufactured with Stark tech or other high-end technologies, the Pym arrow hinges on its titular growing and shrinking particles, which implies that Clint has connections to their inventor, Dr. Henry Pym (Michael Douglas). It's unclear how the two have befriended each other, especially to the point that the grouchy Pym has agreed to make custom arrows for Clint. However, if we had to hazard a guess, we'd say that the point of contact is more than likely Scott "Ant-Man" Lang (Paul Rudd).
Scott famously teams up with Clint to attack Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) with the old "Ant-Man rides the arrow" trick in "Captain America: Civil War." Events like that tend to forge fast friends, and though Clint's house arrest and Scott's incarceration after the events of that movie mean they likely haven't seen each other all that much, the two Avengers have still had plenty of time to talk shop offscreen by the time "Hawkeye" takes place in the MCU timeline. Besides, given how liberally Pym, Scott, and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) use the particles in various gadgets, it's entirely possible that Lang has been able to score some cool Pym gear for his archer buddy, as well.
New episodes of "Hawkeye" are available for streaming every Wednesday on Disney+.