Photo Credit: Marvel Studios
Beware of potential spoilers for “Echo” and “Daredevil: Born Again.”
Marvel Studios’ “Echo” was released on Jan. 9. It was the first series from Marvel Studios to both debut on Hulu and receive a TV-MA rating.
In the series, fans received multiple glimpses of the MCU’s street level big bad— Kingpin, a man whose wealth, brute strength, and connections make him the most powerful man in New York.
Fans are now speculating that Kingpin will be the new big bad, since Marvel has fired Jonathan Majors from the role of Kang the Conqueror.
Previously on “Hawkeye,” we saw Maya Lopez (Echo) betray her adoptive uncle, Kingpin. In doing so, she shot him in the head, leaving fans wondering if he had survived. Maya then decided to run away from the streets of New York.
As the series begins, there is a six-month timeskip. Maya decided to head home, only to find that Kingpin’s empire had continued to spread and even reached her rural hometown of Tamaha, Oklahoma.
When this series was announced, I thought it was highly unnecessary. I enjoyed seeing the character appear in “Hawkeye,” but a spinoff is something I didn’t know I needed.
There were many things I believe Marvel Studios perfected with this series.
First, I am amazed by how accurately Wilson Fisk is portrayed compared to previous media. One of the biggest connections is Kingpin’s injury and eyepatch, which is a reference to the comic book “Daredevil: Parts of a Hole.”
There are also connections to Netflix’s “Daredevil,” such as Kingpin paying off the police and the reference to the hammer he used as a child to kill his father. Speaking of Marvel’s Netflix series, they are now officially canon to the MCU’s Sacred Timeline.
I believe that the casting of Maya’s family was perfect. Every single member introduced was likable in different ways. It was as if they were actually family, and every emotion portrayed felt real.
Something that I did not like, however, was the rushed end.
I understand that Maya’s pure intention was to save her family, but the fact that Kingpin was barely harmed annoyed me. That said, seeing Kingpin conflicted by his past was something that threw me back to the days of “Daredevil.”
Something that made up for the lackluster ending was the post-credits scene of the final episode. Seeing an anxious Kingpin is not something that normally happens.
As of “Echo,” there are now five heroes in New York who have encountered him: Daredevil, Punisher, Hawkeye, Kate Bishop, and of course, Maya. This causes him to search for anything that can take them down, and he sees a news clip discussing the mayoral race.
I believe this series is the setup for “Daredevil: Born Again.” In the comics, Fisk joins the election and rigs it to win. Based on previously leaked set photos, this might happen in the upcoming series.
An unexpected part of the “Echo” series was the inclusion of flashbacks to the blip (the time when half the universe was snapped away). Fans have speculated for years whether or not the Netflix characters had survived. “Echo” confirms that Daredevil, Kingpin, and Maya had, at least.
However, it is still unknown if characters such as Punisher, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist survived.
I would say this series contains action sequences that are similar to the Netflix series’. The fights are brutal, gory, and the choreography is intense.
One takeaway I’d specifically like to mention from the fight sequences is that sometimes the only thing able to be heard is a heartbeat. For me, this made it much more intense.
Overall, there are two things about this series that set it apart from other Marvel series.
First, there is the representation of Native American Culture. Marvel was in contact with the Choctaw Nation and ensured that their history and culture were shown in full detail. Even the language and iconography used throughout the series were carefully authenticated.
This is extremely important because Native Americans have been displayed inaccurately many times in the media.
Then there’s the representation of physical disability culture. Alaqua Cox, the actress that plays Maya, is both deaf and an amputee.
Sign language with captions are provided, and there is complete silence in certain scenes. This really makes the audience consider what it’s like to be deaf. Additionally, Maya gets a new prosthetic leg, decorated by her grandfather, to honor her ancestors.
Overall, I would recommend this series to anyone who is a fan of the more “grounded” Marvel stories. It sets up what is to come next, and it does so in an extremely creative way.
“Echo” is now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.