The Order of The Avengers (Part 1) - (2021)

A couple of months ago, I asked my followers what kind of Avengers fan art they wanted to see from me and they voted at 81% for the “Medieval / Heroic Fantasy AU” option. Here’s the result, I hope you’ll enjoy it! ♥ A big thank you to @vegetamochi who came up with the title. (Nb: this is an art project, there’s no fic to go with it)

i’ve seen people be completely confused or misinformed for years, so here’s a simple point-by-point breakdown (scroll down for comparison bullet points)

like a lot of the aesthetic of the early mcu, mcu/movie hawkeye is largely based off of ultimates hawkeye, not 616 hawkeye

what does “ultimate” mean?

the ultimate!marvel universe was a new line of comics aimed more at teens. and, like most things aimed at teens from the early 2000s, was edgy! darker! grittier! modern! everyone’s wearing leather and kinda hates each other! as a new line, it featured a new continuity, where characters may have shared the names or abilities of their original counterparts in the “main” marvel universe, but they weren’t actually those same main universe characters. think an alternate universe, but…more alternate. even more of a different person. think spider-verse! (miles is, incidentally, from the ultimates universe)

this is ultimate hawkeye:

look familiar?

what’s 616 hawkeye then?

616 hawkeye is from the marvel-616, which is the “main” marvel universe, aka the one that had captain america running around in the 40s, the fantastic four/spider-man/hulk/x-men popping up in the 60s, and is where all “main” marvel comics take place. this line of comics was originally aimed at kids/younger readers, so everything was more fanciful and bombastic and a little silly and had lots of twinkies ads when hawkeye showed up in 1964

here’s 616 hawkeye in his classic iteration vs. now (costume conveniently changed right before the avengers movie):

what are some noticeable character differences?

ultimate hawkeye:

was a more serious person, then went off the rails

was an olympic archer (never in the circus!)

had a family and home

was never deaf, but his eyeballs were surgically modified to achieve his perfect aim and he consequently has a unique form of colorblindness

head-to-toe leather costume, usually mostly black, with pants

previously worked as a salaried intelligence agent for many years

helped found and works for SHIELD, was a secret agent

literal job as an assassin, once killed people with his fingernails

616 hawkeye:

snarky swashbuckling scamp

was a fringe-wearing carny

was married or in a serious relationship ~1/3 of the time, otherwise runs around single; considers the avengers his family, lived in avengers HQs

deaf from 1984-1996 and 2014-present; does not have literal hawk eyes

mostly head-to-toe purple & blue tunic (until 2012…rip loincloth)

grew up in a circus until he saw iron man one day and got jealous

hated SHIELD, wants attention, wears an H on his head so you know who he is

is one of the main proponents of the philosophy “Avengers Don’t Kill!!!!” which makes him cap’s gold star morality pupil when he’s not calling him grandpa or cheating at three-card monte to save the earth

wait, so who’s mcu hawkeye based off of again?

Steve never got picked for the serum because he was particularly tall or strong or skilled or smart, he got picked because Erskine saw something good in him, something special he knew would become even greater with the serum.

Erskine specifically didn't pick the obvious choice he was pressured to pick by others, which was Hodge at the time. Like Col. Phillips said, "Hodge passed every test we gave him. He's big, he's fast and he obeys orders. He's a soldier", does that remind you of someone?

John Walkers is big, fast, and he obeys orders. He's a soldier.

Steve never chose Sam because he was big or fast or a good soldier, he chose Sam because of why Erskine had chosen him; his good heart and the determination to do what's right. He saw that in Sam, the goodness of his heart, his determination and the strong will to help others no matter the cost.

That's why Sam is Captain America, even without the shield. The shield is not Cap, the heart is. The shield is a tangible symbol, one you can hold up and claim as yours, but the "not a perfect soldier but a good man" metaphor of Erskine is what's most essential, and that can't be forced by governmental support or flashy public stunts.

John Walker with his missions and skills and orders may be a perfect soldier, but Sam is a good man. A good man who kicks ass

“Is it better to be feared or respected? I say: is it too much to ask for both?”

THOR ODINSON + mouth (requested by anonymous for 10k follower celebration)

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