When Maya Lopez was introduced in ‘Hawkeye’, her spin-off series had already been announced, and was already deep in development. Her arc in the series left much to be desired, and a full series focused on the character at the time didn’t seem captivating nor necessary. Two years later, ‘Echo’ is finally live on Disney Plus, and proves that Alaqua Cox‘s character deserved her own dedicated storyline. And yet somewhat ironically, ‘Echo’ falls into one of the biggest issues that plagued prior Marvel series’ on Disney Plus: a short season that prevents a fully fleshed out exploration of the title character.
‘Echo’ is only 5 episodes, which is short enough to be slotted into Marvel’s new “Spotlight” banner. This new designation is designed to identify grounded Marvel stories that don’t require any viewings of other content to understand and connect with the characters involved. Despite this identification, ‘Echo’ still suffers, at least initially, from the interconnected nature of the MCU.
It Only Gets Better with Time
As mentioned, the character of Maya Lopez was introduced in the Disney Plus series ‘Hawkeye’, and so ‘Echo’ is forced to acknowledge the events of the show in order to set up Maya’s current predicament. The first half of the premiere episode is purely dedicated to explaining the character’s backstory, and attempts to intertwine new scenes with one’s from ‘Hawkeye’. Unfortunately, this attempt will likely be confusing for viewers who’ve not seen ‘Hawkeye’, and a slightly boring rehash for dedicated Marvel fans who’ve already seen the prior show. This extended review of previous events yields a first episode that fails to captivate, and presents a “cliffhanger” that is so obvious that it will likely not surprise even the most casual Marvel fans.
Luckily, the second and third episodes (critics did not have access to the final two episodes) improve immensely from the premiere. On the run after shooting her father figure, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio), who killed her biological father, Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) returns to her birthplace in Oklahoma. The (very) small town is still home to Maya’s Choctaw family, including her grandparents, uncle, and cousins. Maya hasn’t been home since her and her father were driven out of town due to the death of her mother in a car accident, which was a result of her father’s association with Fisk and his criminal elements. Her return is a welcome one for most members of her family, but a bad omen for her grandmother Chula (Tantoo Cardinal). Chula’s fears are proven right, as the consequences of Maya’s arrival begin to bare their teeth.
Echo Goes Mature for Marvel
‘Echo’ is Disney Plus’ first mature series, and embraces this designation. The action sequences are brutal, with punches that break bones and splatter blood. One sequence in the first episode (featuring a short-lived cameo from Charlie Cox‘s Daredevil) is shot as an extended one-take, with Maya and a couple of Fisk’s goons taking down some traitors of their organization. It’s choreographed very well, and helps showcase Maya as a skilled fighter. For Daredevil fans, it gives a small taste of what the new iteration of the character is like, while not taking too much attention away from the titular character of the mini-series. However, the best action sequence takes place in the third episode. A set piece at a bowling alley/laser tag building sees Maya creatively using her environment (and her deafness) to take down some of Fisk’s thugs.
Despite the bloody action scenes, ‘Echo’ really shines when it slows down and explores Maya’s family and relationships. A scene between her grandfather (played by Graham Greene) and grandmother, who are no longer together, is one of the best in the initial three episodes. The two veteran Indigenous actors make the characters and their estranged relationship incredibly believable, and provide emotionality and levity as well. The mature designation doesn’t prevent ‘Echo’ from stepping out of its dark storyline, as some solid jokes and humorous moments are sprinkled throughout the series. The first few minutes of each episode also presents distinctly different explorations of Maya’s Choctaw ancestors over hundreds of years. These opening sequences are some of the most interesting and creatively shot moments that Marvel’s ever produced, and yet they only last a couple of short minutes. I would happily eat up an entire series just about the Choctaw in this style, but as prefaces to each episode, they make the rest of the runtime feel less captivating and more generic in comparison.
Critics didn’t screen the final two episodes, and therefore the finale of this series is still in question. However, the shortened season and strange pacing leaves me questioning how ‘Echo’ can achieve a satisfying conclusion in just two episodes. The series was initially designed with eight episodes in mind, but rumoured issues with the production led to much of the storyline being reshot and edited into just five. That original eight episode season will never see the light of day, and so it’s unknown how it compares to the final cut. However, it’s clear that five episodes just isn’t enough time to make each character feel tangible. ‘Echo’ still has time to achieve a satisfying ending, but if it can’t stick the landing, it will represent another somewhat forgettable entry in Marvel’s television catalogue.
All episodes of Echo are now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
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