'Echo' Looks Like the Shot of Adrenaline the MCU Needs

By Nate Parker | TV | November 3, 2023 |

By Nate Parker | TV | November 3, 2023 |

It’s fair to say Marvel’s hit some bumps in the road with recent Disney+ series. After the confused disgrace that was Secret Invasion and lackluster interest in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (even though it was great!), they could use a clear win. With any luck, Echo will provide just that.

Maya Lopez, aka Echo, is the deaf Native American fighter who first appeared in Hawkeye as the daughter of one of Clint Barton/Ronin’s victims pre-Endgame. Her father, William, was a mid-level boss in the Tracksuit Mafia under Wilson Fisk, and Kingpin was an uncle to her for a long time. After several fights and misunderstandings, Echo left his employ and is finding her own path in the world which, as you’ll see below, involves childhood flashbacks and a fair amount of blood.

That’s an effective trailer.

Echo looks more brutal than we’re used to on Disney+. It reminds me of Netflix’s Daredevil, and that’s a good thing. It doesn’t hurt that Vincent D’Onofrio and Zahn McClarnon return as Wilson Fisk and William Lopez respectively. Devery Jacobs of Reservation Dogs and Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock are also in the cast. My one concern is that all the episodes drop at once, rather than doled out over several weeks. I don’t know if it shows a lack of confidence in the series, but I worry it’ll mean Echo is a flash-in-the-pan moment. That would be a shame, because Echo is a force to be reckoned with. All episodes will be available January 10 on Disney+ and Hulu.