Here is our spoiler free review of the new Disney Plus Marvel Spotlight show: Marvel Studio’s Echo!
Hey All!
We were thrilled to receive the screeners for Marvel’s Echo. The character Maya Lopez (Echo) was first introduced in Marvel Comics by way of the Daredevil comics but grew to a height of popularity to become a reoccurring character not in just Daredevil comics, but in multiple Marvel Comics series including The Avengers. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) version of Echo was introduced in the 2021 Disney Plus show Marvel’s Hawkeye.
Though this iteration of Echo was introduced in the Disney Plus show Hawkeye, and that show very much had the look and tone of the majority of the MCU, Echo is more in line with what Marvel Studios was producing when they were making the Netflix shows like Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and The Punisher. The focus is more on the drama between the characters with fight scenes that are more up close and intimate with little to no computer graphics. The titular character Echo herself is less a hero and more an antihero with less interest in “saving the day” and more focused on taking out her enemies.
In addition to Echo’s plan to take out her enemies, she is learning about her native American heritage, on which the show does weave a backstory of Native Americans in the Marvel Universe and how Echo is a part of their legacy. She also seems to be doing everything in her power to avoid connecting with her family which includes her grandmother, played by Tantoo Cardinal (Killers of the Flower Moon); her cousin who used to be more like a sister Bonnie, played by Devery Jacobs (Reservation Dogs), her uncle played by Chaske Spencer (The Twilight Saga: New Moon) and old family friend Skully played by Graham Greene (Wind River, Dances with Wolves).
The enemy in question is the popular Marvel villain Wilson Fisk, The Kingpin as portrayed by Vincent D’Onofrio (Daredevil, Hawkeye, Full Metal Jacket). The Kingpin was last seen in 2021’s Hawkeye and while the events of Echo are directly related to pieces from Hawkeye, the first episode of Echo pulls all the scenes from Hawkeye and replays them. While the first episode does have a lot of previously seen footage, new footage is mixed in as well to make the scenes fit the new narrative of Echo. New footage includes a look in to how the Choctaw Nation fits into the Marvel Cinematic mythos and also has a fight scene between Echo and Charlie Cox’s (Daredevil, She-Hulk, The Theory of Everything) Daredevil.
Having seen only the first three episodes of Echo, it is unclear how much Echo will play a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the exact direction of the show, but what is clear is how important it is to Marvel Studios to have a Native American culture represented in the work. 2023’s What if…? included a beautiful episode titled “What if Kahhori Reshaped the World?” which introduced a completely new Native American superhero with supernatural powers. It cannot be a coincidence that Echo is following that release just a few weeks later. Will these stories be connected in some deeper way? I am unsure if Echo will answer that question, but the inclusion of Native American culture and heroes within the popular Marvel Cinematic Universe is exciting nonetheless.
As previously mentioned the tone is more mature and not fully intended for very young audiences.
All in all, Echo is an engaging show that feels more in line with the likes of Breaking Bad than superheroes. It has less of a tie to the overall Marvel Cinematic Universe and thus is more accessible to new viewers who just may be intrigued by the Native American aspect, the action, or even just the crime drama it provides.
All episodes of ECHO are now on Disney+ and Hulu!
Welcome!
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