After over six decades as one of Avengers‘ most iconic heroes, Marvel just killed off a big-name character in an incredibly dark way. What’s more, the odds are good that they’re never coming back. Here’s what happened, and where their heroic legacy will go next.

Marvel’s Ultimate Universe Kills Off Clint Barton’s Ronin

The New Hawkeye Is Forced to Kill the Original

In today’s Ultimate Hawkeye #1 – from Deniz Camp, Juan Frigeri, Federico Blee, B. Earl, Taboo, Michael Sta. Maria, Alex Sinclair and Joe Sabino – Charli Ramsey goes up against Clint Barton’s Ronin (better known in Marvel’s mainstream continuity as Hawkeye.) The two are forced to fight by the evil Roxxon corporation, who threaten to assassinate their families if they refuse a battle to the death.

Despite being forced to injure their own hand, Charli triumphs over Clint, blinding the iconic hero with a flashbang arrow. While they refuse to finish Clint off, the villainous Oubliette does so, shooting Clint with a bullet that transforms his skin and bone to pure gold.

It’s a haunting death for one of Avengers‘ most iconic heroes, making it clear he has no future in the new timeline of the Ultimate Universe. The Ult U is known for reversing deaths far less often than Marvel’s mainstream, and it’s likely that Clint Barton is gone for good. That just leaves Charli to soldier on as the new Hawkeye – now with Roxxon menacing their family.

The Ultimate Universe Crushed Clint Barton

He’s Not the First Classic Hero To Be Destoyed on Earth-6160

Launched in 2023, the Ultimate Universe is a new timeline created by the Maker. The Maker used time travel to rewrite the history of Earth-6160, either preventing the origins of Marvel’s iconic heroes (Spider-Man, Daredevil, Thor) or corrupting them into his service (Hulk, Colossus, Moon Knight.)

Clint Barton is one of the heroes whose past was changed, ensuring he would never challenge the Maker’s authoritarian regime. The teenage Tony Stark even tried to give the modern-day Clint Barton his costume and bow, but Clint quickly gave up

In that respect, he got lucky, as trying the same thing with Carol Danvers’ Captain Marvel led to her exploding and taking innocent people with her. Sadly, Roxxon got wind of Clint’s potential and used his debts to turn him into their lackey.

Charli Ramsey Is Now the Ultimate Universe’s One and Only Hawkeye

So far in the Ultimate Universe, a lot of classic heroes have been killed off for good. The Fantastic Four, Namor, the Sentry, Black Bolt and Jennifer Walters’ She-Hulk have all been killed by the Maker’s regime, leading to new heroes taking up their legacies. However, Charli Ramsey is special, as they’re the one hero who Tony never wanted to recruit, arguing that their psych profile leans too much into darkness. Thankfully, Captain America thought otherwise.

For months, Charli has been chipping away at the villainous Roxxon Corporation and creating problems for the Maker’s regime. Sadly, this issue complicates that fight, as Roxxon sets a deadly trap that puts Clint Barton’s death on Charli’s conscience and makes it clear that their family will be executed if they keep up their heroic activities. They even try to corrupt Charli, inviting them to be Roxxon’s new enforcer under the Ronin codename.

Time will tell how Charli Ramsey’s Hawkeye copes with this latest twist and the death of Clint Barton, as Marvel continues to make huge, dark changes to Avengers history in this timeline gone wrong.

Ultimate Hawkeye #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.