Marvel Studios has been using the Disney+ streaming service to introduce all sorts of new characters into the MCU, from Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) to the fascinating new fist of vengeance, Moon Knight (Oscar Isaac). Some of these characters could appear in upcoming Marvel movies, while others are getting TV shows of their own. That’s where we find Echo, the deaf crime boss played by Alaqua Cox who battled Jeremy Renner and Steinfeld in last year’s Hawkeye series. Maya Lopez is the adopted daughter of the Kingpin of crime (Vincent D’Onofrio) and will appear in a new program that just began filming down in Atlanta. Here’s everything we know about Echo, as well as this first-look image in celebration.
Maya Lopez, aka Echo, was one of three main villains in Hawkeye, making things very difficult for the Avengers’ top archer as he tried to survive the holiday season and reunite with his family. She was a formidable foe, thanks in large part to her training under her adopted father, Wilson Fisk (D’Onofrio). And while there was some resolution with Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and Eleanor Bishop (Vera Farmiga) as the series drew to a close, Echo has a more open-ended denouement.
The rest of this contains spoilers for Hawkeye, so punch out now if you do not want to know what happens in the final episode of the season.
The last time we saw Maya, she was confronting a wounded Wilson Fisk as he tried to flee the scene of a battle. He appeals to her, as he once served as her father figure and mentor in the criminal underworld. Only, she points a gun at Kingpin’s face, and as the camera pans up into the night sky, we hear the gun go off… but we have no idea who was actually shot.
We assume that this story will play out in Echo, though the plot synopsis provided by Marvel leaves out details. Here’s what we know:
Streaming exclusively on Disney+ in 2023, the origin story of Echo revisits Maya Lopez, whose ruthless behavior in New York City catches up with her in her hometown. She must face her past, reconnect with her Native American roots and embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move forward.
But as we scan the list of announced co-stars for Echo, we don’t see that many familiar names based on characters we’d met in previous Marvel Studios shows. No Vincent D’Onofrio. No Charlie Cox, who I personally was hoping would show up in this series. Here’s who will be joining Alaqua Cox as she headlines her own Disney+ series: Chaske Spencer, Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs and Cody Lightning, with Graham Greene and Zahn McClarnon.
We will continue to track the progress on Echo, but there are plenty more shows on Disney+ that are on their way to entertain. That includes a handful of already announced Marvel shows, starting with the introduction of Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, and the legal expertise of She-Hulk, which has a terrific cast.
