Warning! Spoilers for Hawkeye #2 below.

Ronin has been a fixture in modern comics since first appearing back in The New Avengers more than a decade ago. The sword-wielding antihero’s real-life identity has changed multiple times with Maya Lopez originating the role. But, the most famous iteration of Ronin is Clint Barton - like we saw in Avengers: End Game. In a shocking twist, it appears Hawkeye is back behind the mask.

In Hawkeye: Freefall by Matthew Rosenberg, Otto Schmidt, and Kim Jacinto, Ronin has returned to destabilize crime and take down the Hood. Ronin’s quest has been interfered with as Hawkeye, the Winter Soldier and Falcon tried to stop him. That attempt backfired tremendously. The new Ronin is a force to be reckoned with, leading to speculation to who they might be. It turns out, he’s one of the last people we’d expect.

In Hawkeye: Freefall #2, Clint is at a fundraiser for Aunt May’s F.E.A.S.T. organization. To the surprise of everybody (especially Tony Stark) he’s made the night’s largest donation to the organization. Later, Clint also makes a massive donation to Mercy Hospital to open a state-of-the-art drug rehab center.  But, where exactly is Hawkeye getting that money from? Well, Ronin is quickly seen by Spider-Man stealing a bag of money from criminals. And, later when Ronin goes after one of the Hood’s safehouses, one of the villain’s stooges shows security footage to him showing Ronin is copying the fighting style of Hawkeye - meaning Ronin is Hawkeye.

It’s great to see Clint doing the whole Robin Hood-routine, but the reveal brings up more questions than answers. First and foremost, what inspired Hawkeye to take on the Ronin mantle again? How did Hawkeye, Falcon, and Winter Soldier take on Ronin if Hawkeye is Ronin? Is he in cahoots with someone? Is that someone Kate Bishop? Or could that someone be Taskmaster since they are copying his moves? Are there multiple versions of Clint? Is Clint killing people as Ronin? I’m sure those questions will be answered as the series progresses - however, the reveal remains shocking.

It’s definitely in character for Hawkeye to steal from criminals and help those in need, but it’s somewhat bizarre for him to take up the Ronin mantle again. There’s something more going on. We’ll find out what that is when Hawkeye: Freefall #3 hits comic book stores later this month.

Next: Disney+’s Hawkeye: 5 Things That Have Been Confirmed (And 5 Fan Theories)