The MCU's Echo Could Be Phase Five’s Best Hero

While she has a questionable past, Echo could be one of MCU Phase Five's most relatable heroes.

Echo, whose real name is Maya Lopez, is the daughter of former Tracksuit Mafia commander William Lopez. Her first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in 2021's Hawkeye, starring Clint Barton and Kate Bishop. However, she isn't one of the good guys when fans first see her. Having been raised by Wilson Fisk (Kingpin), Echo is on a quest to find her father's killer, and her taste for vengeance is just beginning. The unique thing about Echo and the actress who plays her, Alaqua Cox, is they are deaf. She is the first deaf hero to star in her MCU TV show!

In the Marvel comics, Echo is a powerful hero, and while her past is similar to her MCU backstory, fans will have to wait until her series Echo to know more. The series will follow Echo's healing path after believing the man responsible for her father's demise is dead. While her character and personality aren't perfect, she is an authentic representation of the duality many people face in today's society. Below is why Echo could be one of the best heroes of Marvel Phase Five!

Echo’s Powers and Abilities

In the age of representation, a Marvel hero like Echo is excellent for the MCU despite the comic fatigue. The Echo series' grounded and spiritual tone will bring something new to the MCU. Since the MCU's creation, Kevin Feige and his team have done their best to ensure all walks of life are well represented in their TV shows and movies. People of different cultures, ages, and races see themselves in most adaptations of Marvel Comics. However, the most famous representation of people with disabilities is Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer and hero. Echo is here to change that. In the comics and the upcoming TV show, Echo is Native American, deaf, and has super-human abilities. The MCU cast Cox, who is also Native American, deaf, and an amputee. Cox being an amputee didn't stop her from breaking down doors and carrying out the intricate fight scenes in Hawkeye.

Echo's inability to hear doesn't stop her from being a formidable opponent during battle. Her photographic reflex abilities allow her to copy any fight movements she sees instantly. Echo is also a master with swords and staffs, which fans catch a glimpse of in Marvel's Hawkeye. Her skill, however, isn't only in combat. As a leader of the Tracksuit Mafia, she plans and carries out several operations under the guidance of one the most influential people in Hell's Kitchen, Kingpin. Echo's fight with Ronin in Hawkeye is easily one of the best scenes in Marvel Phase Five. Her cold demeanor when shooting her adoptive father, Kingpin, shows how unpredictable she can be. Kingpin's appearance in Echo could be through flashbacks or to set him up for his role in the upcoming Daredevil series.

However strong and capable Echo is, she can still bleed. In Hawkeye, Echo fights Barton and Bishop but manages to escape with only a shoulder wound. Her friend, Kazi Kazimierczak, tends to her injuries, but she is still human and can get severely injured. Echo is tough and invincible on the outside but very bruised on the inside. This vulnerability could change with the MCU writers rumored to give her a new supernatural power in her spinoff series set to hit screens in 2024. Her tough character resembles another Marvel hero, Jessica Jones, who could return in Echo's first season.

Echo’s Past isn’t the Same as Other Marvel Heroes

Most of Marvel's heroes were as close to morally perfect as possible for a long time. The likes of Captain America, who stands for truth and Justice, Thor, who wants the best for his people and earth, and Spider-man, who is trying to balance his powers and personal life, were the standard. While some Marvel characters like Black Widow have a checkered and dark past, Echo's history isn't like any other fans have seen on screen.

Echo comes from a tough upbringing. Her father, one of the leaders of the Tracksuit mafia, raises her, and after his death, Fisk takes her as an adoptive daughter. Growing up in the streets in Hell's Kitchen, she becomes tougher than those around her, especially with her hearing impairment. Echo learns to develop her other senses, which makes her a great fighter and martial artist aware of her surroundings. Her skills and heightened senses are similar to Matt Murdock's Daredevil character, who will also appear in the Echo series. In the comics, Kingpin pins her father's death on Daredevil, sending her on a vengeance spree against the Hell's Kitchen hero. This backstory is slightly changed in the MCU, with Ronin being used to kill her father.

However, Echo isn't the typical hero the MCU promotes. Her methods of justice and fighting to get the truth have put her in the category of anti-heroes like The Punisher returning in Daredevil: Born Again and Jessica Jones, making her more suitable to join The Defenders than the Avengers. Her father couldn't afford to take her to special schooling, so she had to learn in a regular school that couldn't accommodate her specific needs. Echo was tough, and after Fisk raised her in his image, she took over the Tracksuit Mafia. Echo's handling of Clint Barton and Kate Bishop during their car chase in Hawkeye says everything about the crew she was leading.

Echo is One of MCU’s Most Relatable Heroes

Echo is formidable, but her vulnerability and love for the people she cares about will resonate with audiences once her series airs. When she learns that her close friend, Kazimerczak, is the informant behind tipping Ronin, Echo feels betrayed. She has proven that she won’t let any pain stop her from getting revenge. No matter what or who tries to harm her, Echo will always get back up because she is resilient. After the pandemic, people are constantly facing unimaginable situations in their daily lives, and some motivation that things will improve could help Marvel tap back into what Phase Four fans came to love about the MCU.

Echo’s father wouldn’t have wanted this life for his daughter. She deserved to get more out of her life than being part of a mafia. However tragic her past is, she has a new path ahead of her. Kingpin is no longer controlling Echo, and although she started as a villain, she could be one of MCU Phase Five’s main characters that fans will relate to. While it will be challenging to gain the trust of those she’s tried to kill, MCU symbolizes numerous times that everyone deserves a second chance. Marvel’s Echo series could be Echo’s chance to do right by her father’s memory and live the way she wants.