TL;DR:
- Marvel introduces Charli Ramsey, a non-binary character from the Oglala Band of the Native American Lakota Nation tribe, as the new Hawkeye in their rebooted Ultimate universe.
- Charli takes up the mantle in a reality where many familiar heroes have not assumed their iconic roles due to the actions of The Maker, a variant of Reed Richards.
- Writer Deniz Camp drew inspiration from the importance of queer and ‘two-spirit’ organizers in the water protectors/Standing Rock movement when creating Charli’s character.
- Charli’s introduction marks a significant milestone in Marvel’s commitment to diversity and representation, potentially paving the way for their appearance in future MCU projects.
Marvel Comics has unveiled a groundbreaking new character in their rebooted Ultimate universe. Charli Ramsey, a non-binary individual from the Oglala Band of the Native American Lakota Nation tribe, has taken up the mantle of Hawkeye, marking a significant milestone in Marvel’s commitment to diversity and representation.
Introduced in Ultimates #5, Charli Ramsey emerges as the new Hawkeye in a universe where many familiar heroes have not assumed their iconic roles. This alternate reality, known as Earth-6160, was created by a variant of Reed Richards called The Maker, who rewrote reality to limit the emergence of superheroes.
Writer Deniz Camp explained the inspiration behind Charli’s character, stating, “When I did my research into the water protectors/Standing Rock, something that was emphasized again and again was the importance of queer and ‘two-spirit’ organizers to the movement. I wanted to put that into the book.”
Charli identifies as Two-Spirit, a term used by some Indigenous communities to describe a third gender role. They use they/them pronouns, though Camp noted that this aspect of their identity will be explored more explicitly when it naturally fits the narrative.
The new Hawkeye’s origin story diverges significantly from that of Clint Barton. In this universe, Tony Stark attempts to recruit Barton as Hawkeye, but he declines. Charli discovers the discarded archery equipment and a message from Stark, interpreting it as meant for them. They adopt the Hawkeye persona to fight against the Roxxon Corporation’s mistreatment of Native Americans.
Despite lacking superpowers, Charli wields a quiver designed by Tony Stark, capable of producing various trick arrows. Their mask also includes a built-in magnification system for improved aim and long-distance vision.
The introduction of Charli Ramsey as Hawkeye represents a significant step forward in Marvel’s ongoing efforts to create a more inclusive and diverse comic book universe. As the first non-binary legacy hero in Marvel Comics, Charli joins the ranks of other groundbreaking characters who have taken on established superhero mantles.
As the Ultimate universe continues to unfold, readers can expect to see more of Charli Ramsey’s adventures as the new Hawkeye, potentially paving the way for their appearance in future Marvel Cinematic Universe projects.
Source: Gaming Bible
