When it comes to superpowers, Hawkeye wasn’t granted the same abilities as some of his comrades. It’s for that reason, he is often considered one of the weaker Avengers. While he’s an expert sharpshooter with the bow and arrow, it’s unlikely anyone considers him one of the best Avengers. However, Hawkeye is not the worst - and he can name names on who ranks below him.
The Avengers have long featured some incredibly overpowered characters. Captain Marvel, the Hulk, Captain America, Vision, and Scarlet Witch are just some characters gifted with awesome abilities. Hawkeye’s just got a bow and arrow and some skill. Still, when it comes to the worst Avenger, Hawkeye isn’t ready to take the title.
In Hawkeye: Freefall #2 by Matthew Rosenberg, Otto Schmidt, and Kim Jacinto, Hawkeye finds himself facing off against the Human Bomb. The b-villain claims everyone knows who he is (they don’t), and insults Clint Barton by saying “You’re the WORST Avenger. They sent the worst Avenger after me?!” Hawkeye doesn’t take too kindly to those words, rebutting he’s not the worst and “not even top five worst.” He proceeds to name Gilgamesh, Stingray and the “super-creep” Star Fox as being worse than he is.
The three heroes Hawkeye namedrops aren’t memorable Avengers. Stingray is an oceanographer who has an exoskeleton battlesuit. He’s essentially a sea-version of Iron Man. Gilgamesh aka The Forgotten One comes from the pages of The Eternals. He is one of the strongest characters in the Marvel Universe. However, his time in the Avengers was a low point for the character, especially considering he wore a ridiculous uniform that resembled a bull. Starfox is definitely a super-creep, albeit an insanely powerful super-creep. The brother of Thanos has a slew of powers, including the ability to control other people’s emotions - a power which he’s used in many unfortunate ways. While all three characters could probably take on Hawkeye in a fight, they are definitely three of the worst Avengers.
There have been hundreds of different members of the Avengers. Fortunately for Hawkeye, that means there has got to be some that are worse than he is. Gilgamesh, Stingray, and Starfox certainly qualify. While Hawkeye has thoughts that he might be the worst Avenger after the fight, he can rest easy knowing he’s not. Hawkeye isn’t the best Avenger, but he’s one of the most iconic - that means something, right?
Next: Hawkeye: 5 Things About The Disney+ Show We Can’t Wait For (& 5 That We’re Nervous About)
