Spoiler alert: This article talks about the return of a major Marvel villain in Episode 5, “Ronin.”
Hawkeye's latest episode was a gamechanger not only for Kate Bishop and Clint Barton but for the Marvel Cinematic Universe in general. There were a number of reveals in the penultimate episode, including the truth about Echo’s father’s death. But the installment featured a return that many fans were hoping would happen, and when it popped up in the final scene, it sent the internet into a frenzy. After the online geek-out, two of the show's directors opened up about what they loved about a certain villain’s return.
After months of speculation, it was finally revealed that Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk (a.k.a. Kingpin) was working with Eleanor Bishop, who contracted Yelena Belova to hunt down Clint Barton. This development, of course, brings up more questions. But Bishop's meeting with the feared crime boss made perfect sense given his ties to the underworld. When it comes to this episode, fans have Amber Templemore-Finlayson and Katie Ellwood to thank for the big payoff. After Episode 5’s shocking end, the directing duo known as Bert and Bertie spoke to Insider about the rational behind the reveal:
We kinda loved that it was this grainy, grainy impression of him and just confirms everyone's suspicions because there have been lots of theories and that one's been the outstanding theory about who this was. It's Marvel. There've been different iterations of how Kingpin was revealed and this is the one that served the story, to hold him back to the very end of five. …We're gonna see what he's got in store playing out in six.
Honestly, the two couldn't have chosen a more unique way to bring back Vincent D'Onofrio's villain. The directing duo was aware of those rampant theories online, though they seemed confident that fans would be pleased. Now, one can only imagine what the villain will be up to in the season finale.
As the series has progressed, evidence gradually began to point to Wilson Fisk's involvement. He particularly seemed to loom as this larger-than-life unspoken presence since Episode 3. But, of course, the actor behind the character had to deny his involvement in the series, given Marvel's secretive tendencies. But the most concrete evidence was Daredevil’s Charlie Cox joining the MCU. Much like his co-star, Cox constantly denied rumors until Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige finally confirmed the news. With Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio officially in the MCU, maybe they'll both cross paths again in a future project.
Connecting the Marvel villain to Bishop, Barton, Belova and the others allows for a thrilling finale for devoted MCU fans. Viewers won’t have to wait much longer to see it, as the finale premieres on Disney+ on Wednesday, December 22.
