Echo: Marvel Goes Back To Its Roots

Echo picks up with the aftermath of several, separate parts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Most directly a spin-off of the Disney+ Hawkeye series, Echo sees Maya Lopez attempting to fight back against the forces of The Kingpin, Wilson Fisk, after learning of their role in her parent’s murders. Thankfully, a large chunk of the first episode provides a lot of the much needed context for the various aspects of the shared universe that inspires this series. Consequently, a lot of Netflix’s Marvel shows such as Daredevil and Luke Cage get re-retconned back into the continuity through acting consequences of the backstory that catches audiences up to the current point. Thankfully, following this in-depth backstory, Echo dives straight into a personal story of self discovery and redemption through the lense and setting of Native American culture. 

One of the most endearing aspects of Echo is the deep cultural roots which ground the series firmly within known history. The show spends a large chunk of its runtime discussing and engaging its audience within the context of a modern Native American town in Oklahoma. This aspect of the show truly differentiates it from everything else that Marvel has put out, and grounds it in a historical cultural foundation without diving too much into the typical MCU schlock that has been so reviled over the past couple of years. More than anything else, Echo provides an authentic look into another culture without mystifying past the realm of understanding.

Another avenue this show embraces is the discussion of disability and living with a disability. Maya Lopez is deaf and missing one leg, making her one of the most diverse characters that the MCU has explored thus far. The excellent casting of deaf actress Alaqua Cox truly gives this character a much needed authenticity that only adds to the story being told here. Cox also picks up exactly where her character left off in Hawkeye, allowing this connected universe to feel alive and strong. All in all, Cox does a fantastic job with this character, delivering a performance that is undoubtedly one of the best in the MCU.

The other standout performance here is Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin. D’Onofrio never has missed a beat with this character and it almost feels like he was born to play Wilson Fisk. The character feels closer to the Daredevil show than he does his iteration in Hawkeye, embodying the fear and menace that has made him so compelling. The future for this character is so bright and it’s nice to see him in a setting that separates him from the Daredevil character almost entirely. Echo would not hold the same gravitas without Kingpin and that’s all thanks to D’Onofrio and all the emotion he puts into his work.

While most of the cast is great, some characters feel like they needed to be fleshed out more or just scrapped all together. Biscuits, played by Cody Lightning, serves as the comedic relief for much of the supporting cast, but at times it just feels like he’s the brunt of bullying and manipulation. It’s hard to not feel bad for the guy as his life gets flipped all around by his family and friends who seem to care little for how things could affect him. Equally, Maya’s childhood best friend and cousin Bonnie, played by Devery Jacobs, gets the short end of the stick. She is hyped up to be this big foil for the Echo character but ends up coming across one note and inconsequential. Both these actors give great performances, they just could have been fleshed out more.

Coming into this show, much of the buzz was centered around how similar it was going to be to the Marvel Netflix shows, both in tone and in graphic content. While the show does get a bit graphic at times, it’s hard to compare it to those previous shows. Yes, it builds upon some content set up in those series; however, the overall tone and structure feel very typical of the MCU. It makes sense that this show was released all at once, as Marvel finally has realized that they need to focus on how to make TV shows and not just long, drawn out movies. That being said, Echo’s cultural foundation and proper use of cameos make it flow a lot better than the previous Disney+ offerings.

One important factor that seems to be missing from many people’s opinions about these Disney+ Marvel shows is the rewatchability. Would it be fun to go back and watch Echo or is it a one and done? This seemed to be an issue that plagued a lot of the Netflix shows, as fans would hop on board just to watch the season and then jump back off after they have absorbed the content. Here, it’s hard to say. Echo is a lot of fun, both culturally and plot wise, but in a lot of ways it does seem like a show that’s attempting to get a character from point A to point B. By the end of the show, it becomes clear where The Kingpin will be the next time he’s shown, and for some people, that may be the only reason they remember Echo. For others, Echo may be a cultural touchstone for what the MCU should strive for in the future.