Of Hawks and Hunters

I just caught this season's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." premiere. It continues to improve, and it seems to be doing so in some especially obvious ways now. The focus on the whole Inhuman phenomenon is pleasing. This also serves to contribute to a tone that's distinct from the fantastical feel of the Marvel films and the ground level of the Netflix branch of this franchise that "Daredevil" has owned with such aplomb.

As the program continues to banish blandness, stronger personalities come to the fore. Fitz is focused on attaining a different type of awesomeness, and the venerable comic character Mockingbird is now apparently a mainstay. While her partner Lance Hunter takes his name from a figure of less renown, he feels more like a representation of the comics' Hawkeye than Renner's somewhat stoic persona, which contributes to a growing resonance between the show's atmosphere and that of its source material. I did recently have a dream in which Renner featured, though. The details aren't too clear, but I awoke with the idea that he'd probably make a decent Wildcat in a DC film. But I don't think that he even got the chance to play that role in the dream. 

The choice of the "Lance Hunter" name still seems slightly odd. It has a rough and reckless sort of charm that feels better for this character than it does for the less roguish depiction that originally appeared in the comics, and it certainly has a stronger ring than "Clint Barton". That's not a particularly dull name, but if it hadn't already been given to Hawkeye, it could easily go to a less adventurous type of gentleman. Actually, I could imagine an owner of that name who looked like Jeremy Renner. He wouldn't really be the kind of person that Renner generally plays. He'd just be a guy on the street with a Renner face and a name that did nothing to add to his appeal.

But here's the thing. While "Lance Hunter" sounds pretty great, the actor's name is even better. "Nick Blood" feels like the appellation of an adventurer a Lance Hunter would idolise. He could've just kept it for the show. Like Bernie Mac on "The Bernie Mac Show". Or something. "Bernie Mac" is a decent name too, but its attributes are perhaps less suited here. 

Bonus Question! 

Best hawk? Tobias.