Right or wrong
In Captain America: Civil War, more negativity came out towards Hawkeye as he came out of retirement “to help the wrong side.”
Except, to me, there was no wrong side of the argument between Team Cap and Team Iron Man – both had valid points to their arguments, but to go into that would be a whole other story.
Clint was one of the few [besides Thor and Banner] to not be included in the Accords debate.
Steve Rogers: Who else signed?
Natasha Romanoff: Tony. Rhodey. Vision.
Steve Rogers: Clint?
Natasha Romanoff: Says he's retired. [She smiles slightly.]
Later, someone caused a distraction to lure Vision outside the building away from Wanda, which was Clint who managed to sneak up on her, which resulted in her using her power to fling a knife to his head, thankfully she realised quick it was him, and did not harm him.
Just pointing out, he didn’t even flinch when the knife was in his face. [nerves of steel] Just made a smart ass quip.
Clint Barton: Guess I shoulda knocked.
Wanda Maximoff: Oh my god! What are you doing here?
Clint Barton: Disappointing my kids. [He shoots arrows to both sides of the room.] I'm supposed to go water-skiing. Cap needs our help. Come on. [he takes her hand and they walk away]
Vision: Clint! [Wanda and Clint stop.] You should not be here.
Clint Barton: [He turns around.] Really? I retire for, what, like five minutes, and it all goes to shit.
Vision: Please consider the consequences of your actions.
Clint Barton: Okay, they're considered. [Vision is held in a force field, crackling and sparkling between the two arrows.] Okay, we gotta go. It's this way.
Wanda Maximoff: I've caused enough problems.
Clint Barton: [Frowning Clint runs back from the door.] You gotta help me, Wanda. Look, you wanna mope, can go to high school. You wanna make amends, you get off your ass. Shit.
[Vision breaks the force field with his mind stone. He punches Clint to the floor, Clint recovers quickly.] I knew I should've stretched. [He extends a baton and tries to hit Vision, but the blows go through him. Clint resorts to punches, then tries the baton again. It breaks. Clint tries to kick Vision, but his leg goes right through him. Vision gets Clint in a headlock.]
Vision: Clint, you can't overpower me.
Clint Barton: I know I can't. But she can.
Wanda Maximoff: [uses her power] Vision, that's enough. Let him go. I'm leaving.
Vision: I can't let you.
Wanda Maximoff: [She holds her hands apart, glowing with energy. Clint slips from Vision's grasp.] I'm sorry.
Vision: [He falters.] If you do this . . . they will never stop being afraid of you.
Wanda Maximoff: I can't control their fear, only my own. [She moves closer. Vision glows from within and crashes through the floor, and several floors beneath. Wanda and Clint stand over the holes in the floors.]
Clint Barton: Oh . . . come on. We got one more stop.
[this was an excellent scene which further cemented the relationship between Clint and Wanda – much like their conversation from Age of Ultron, he spoke to her being firm but fair – such a dad!]
This is something she needs – Clint is most defiantly a father figure to her. He’s kind and listens, while offering sincere advice and words of wisdom. He never pressures her, just gives a gentle push to help her along. [unlike Tony attempts] He’s very much a mentor and friend – he has a knack for that!
First – Natasha: Helped save her from her traumatic past, and helped get her onto “the right path” with SHIELD.
Now – Wanda: An orphan who needed guidance.
Later:
[On the 6th level of a parking garage at the Leipzig/Halle airport. Steve drives into the parking lot in the battered, old car. He parks by a grey van and gets out.]
Clint Barton: Cap.
Steve Rogers: You know I wouldn't have called If I had any other choice.
Clint Barton: Hey man, you're doing me a favor. Besides, I owe a debt.
Steve Rogers: Thanks for having my back.
Wanda Maximoff: It was time to get off my ass.
Steve Rogers: How about our other recruit?
Clint Barton: He's rarin' to go. Had to put a little coffee in him, but… he should be good.
Scott Lang: What timezone is this?
Clint Barton: Come on. Come on.
Scott Lang: [Scott shakes Steve's hand with an amazed look.] Captain America.
Clint pays his dues, deciding to help Cap.
[later, before the Airport Battle begins]
Steve Rogers: [to Stark] You've been busy.
Tony Stark: And you've been a complete idiot. Dragging in Clint. 'Rescuing' Wanda from a place she doesn't even want to leave, a safe place. I'm trying to keep . . . I'm trying to keep you from tearing the Avengers apart.
Steve Rogers: You did that when you signed.
Barton is able to shoot a single arrow to free Steve’s hands, and stays close to Wanda till they come face-to-face with Iron Man.
[Iron Man shoots rockets that explode just beyond Clint and Wanda.]
Tony Stark: [Hovering above the ground.] Wanda, I think you hurt Vision's feelings.
Wanda Maximoff: You locked me in my room.
Tony Stark: Okay. First, that's an exaggeration. Second, I did it to protect you. Hey, Clint.
Clint Barton: Hey, man.
Tony Stark: Clearly, retirement doesn't suit you. You got tired of shooting golf?
Clint Barton: Well, I played 18, I shot 18. Just can't seem to miss. [He fires an arrow which Tony deflects.]
Tony Stark: First time for everything.
Clint Barton: [smiles] Made you look.
[Suddenly a car slams past Iron Man. He looks up as dozens more come crashing down. Wanda rows her glowing hands until Iron Man is buried under a pile of cars.]
FRIDAY: Multiple contusions detected.
Tony Stark: Yeah, I detected that too.
Clint’s dry humour is personally a saving grace within his scenes, which doesn’t get old or repetitive, unlike some characters who become predictable.
Sam Wilson: What do we do, Cap?
Steve Rogers: We fight.
Natasha Romanoff: This is gonna end well. [The two teams stride towards each other with grim determination etched on their faces.]
Peter Parker: They're not stopping.
Tony Stark: Neither are we. [Everyone breaks into a sprint.]
[Steve blocks a punch as Iron Man lands. Clint fires an arrow at Vision. War Machine flies after Falcon and Bucky trades blows with T'Challa. An explosive arrow hits Iron Man. Natasha throws Scott, as Peter swings through the air, struggling to evade vehicles projected by Wanda. Bucky lands punches on T'Challa.
[Clint and Natasha battle with batons. Clint pins her down with his bow.]
Natasha Romanoff: We're still friends, right?
Clint Barton: Depends on how hard you hit me. [She spins him with her legs. As she's about to kick his head, her foot stops and glows bright red. Wanda projects Natasha down.]
Wanda Maximoff: You were pulling your punches. [Clint nods sheepishly.]
Clint and Natasha would NEVER harm each other… not too severely anyway. They are on opposing sides, but they NEVER stop being friends. Not unlike the other “pairings” – who are really going for it during the fight.
Sam Wilson: [Evading fire from Iron Man.] Clint, can you get him off me?
Clint Barton: Buckled in?
Scott Lang: Yeah. No, I'm good. I'm good, Arrow Guy. Let's go. Let's go! [Miniaturized Scott is on the tip of Clint's arrow. As he fires it, the head splits and Iron Man shoots the shards. Scott dives between Iron Man's splayed fingers and slips inside the Iron Man Suit at the shoulder joint.]
[an excellent shot]
Steve Rogers: We gotta draw out the flyers. I'll take Vision. You get to the jet.
Sam Wilson: No, you get to the jet! Both of you! [Being chased by War Machine.] The rest of us aren't getting out of here.
Clint Barton: As much as I hate to admit it, if we're gonna win this one, some of us might have to lose it.
Sam Wilson: This isn't the real fight, Steve.
Steve Rogers: Alright, Sam, what's the play?
Sam Wilson: We need a diversion, something big.
Clint is prepared to go to prison to ensure Cap gets away.
Is that selfless or selfish?
He has a commitment to his family, but his loyalty to his job in that moment was greater – this is a valid choice that parents tend to face.
His commitment to his duty is inspiring. If he went home, how could he face his children or his wife with the fact he had abandoned his team?
I see it as selfless.
Later
;[Clint fires arrows at T'Challa who catches two right in front of his face. After the arrowheads explode he drops them and rises extending his claws.]
Clint Barton: We haven't met yet. [He flattens his bow and spins it around.] I'm Clint.
T'Challa: I don't care. [Wielding the bow like a staff Clint attacks T'Challa who acrobatically ducks then counters with a high kick.]
Admittedly this is not Clint’s finest moment in regards to hand-to-hand fighting, but it is worth noting, Black Panther has enhanced abilities.
Plus they were on opposing sides! And Clint still remained friendly.
Unfortunately, all of Team Cap [except Cap himself and Bucky] are captured and imprisoned.
Tony goes to the Raft to speak to them to try and find Cap.
[A security door opens. Tony walks into a chamber surrounded by large, bared windows. Beyond the windows are a number of prison cells. Tony takes in his surroundings.]
Clint Barton: [clapping] The Futurist, gentlemen! The Futurist is here! He sees all! He knows what's best for you, whether your like it or not.
Tony Stark: Give me a break, Barton. I had no idea they'd put you here. Come on.
Clint Barton: [spits] Yeah, well, you knew they'd put us somewhere, Tony.
Tony Stark: Yeah, but not some super-max floating ocean pokey. You know, this place is for maniacs. This is a place for...
Clint Barton: Criminals? [He stands up.] Criminals, Tony. Think that's the word you're looking for. [He eyes Tony through the bars.] Right? That didn't used to mean me. Or Sam, or Wanda. But here we are.
Tony Stark: Because you broke the law.
Clint Barton: Yeah.
Tony Stark: I didn't make you.
Clint Barton: La, la, la, la, la . . .
Tony Stark: You read it, you broke it.
Clint Barton: La, la, la, la la…
Tony Stark: Alright, you're all grown up, you got a wife and kids. I don't understand, why didn't you think about them before you chose the wrong side? [He walks away.]
Clint Barton: You gotta watch your back with this guy. [smacks the glass] There's a chance he's gonna break it.
Can I just say, Clint was right here. He chose A SIDE, not the wrong one – what’s wrong is the politics behind it all.
Everyone should be entitled to make their own choice, not be forced to do something / fight for something they do not want to.
And it’s worth noting, TONY IS AN ASS!!!! He just revealed to all those listening behind the glass that Clint has a family – with one sentence he just condemned Clint’s wife and children by revealing their existence.
Presuming, except Fury and Natasha, no one else knew about them, as Clint stated in Age of Ultron. So his anger is further justified.
Thankfully, it’s implied at the end of the film that Steve Rogers breaks his people out of the Raft, but it’s not expanded upon leaving their fates unknown.