News updates : The boundary between supervillainy and superheroism is subjective. The moral imperatives of a Holocaust survivor battling for equal rights (Magneto), a masked billionaire fighting street crime (Batman), or an alien dedicated to “truth, justice, and the American way” (Superman) are not shared by everyone. Thus, even though Echo (Alaqua Cox) was a villain in 2021’s Hawkeye, her turn from antagonist to protagonist is quite convincing, especially considering that the main motivation in these hero/villain origin stories is usually the death of a family member.
Based on Jeremy Renner’s vigilante with a bow, Hawkeye exceeded (albeit very low) expectations with an entertaining, stand-alone tale that saw everyone’s least favorite Avenger take on Kingpin and return home in time for Christmas. It was the fifth of the twelve Disney+ Marvel series, although it appeared to have been created in a time of great prosperity before the abilities of Oscar Isaac, Olivia Colman, and Tatiana Maslany had been openly wasted and before WandaVision and Loki made their debuts with some real flashes of brilliance. Even though Marvel fatigue is already sweeping the world, Echo suggests that there may still be hope for the elderly gal.
The show picks up with Echo, also known as Maya Lopez, following the events of Hawkeye, in which she shoots Wilson Fisk in the face and goes up against the army of her vicious quasi-uncle Kingpin. However, we begin with an episode devoted to her tale in order to portray her as the protagonist of the work rather than Hawkeye’s antagonist. When tragedy strikes, Maya, a seven-year-old Choctaw girl, and her father decide to relocate to New York. There, he rises through the ranks of “the Tracksuit Mafia” (yes, they all wear tracksuits, and no, the name isn’t a joke), until Hawkeye kills him in what turns out to be events that Kingpin himself set up. Before the truth is revealed, though, the young deaf amputee is tricked by Kingpin into replacing her father and emerging as his main weapon. Driven by retaliation and aided by her capacity to “echo” the fighting prowess of her rivals, she becomes a formidable foe to everyone in her path.
In addition to having received excellent training from her devoted father, Echo possesses the power of her Choctaw ancestors. Her grandfather Skully (played by Graham Greene) introduces himself and explains that she is descended directly from “the first Choctaw, who saved everyone from the cave.” They changed into humans once they emerged. The beginning of the show shows this Choctaw origin narrative, but its significance isn’t made clear until the fight scenes intensify and Maya begins to summon power beyond her own. Shafa and the ancestors would protect the family in times of need, but they are cunning, Skully says. You can never be sure when they will call. With the exception of the first cave rescue, all three of the episodes that were submitted for review begin with a heroic deed from Maya’s maternal line. This parallels the current situation, in which Maya has to defend her fellow Choctaw from weapons, gunshots, and awkward family get-togethers.
The show is far bloodier and more violent than anything that has ever graced the streamer, making it much gnarlier than its Disney+ predecessors. One of the best action scenes in the whole multiverse may be found in episode one, a four-minute single take about a trade gone awry in a warehouse that ends with a cacophony of bursting skulls and cracking necks. Even more astounding is Cox’s core performance, as she shares characteristics with the character such as being Native American (Menominee and Mohican in her case), deaf, and amputee, and she is able to convey complicated, conflicting emotions in the mid-upper-cut. The supporting cast is also full of standout performances. Tantoo Cardinal is remarkable as her obstinate estranged grandmother, poisoned by decades of resentment; Zahn McClarnon is heartbreaking as a man crushed by grief but devoted to protecting his young daughter; and Greene brings the deadpan comedy, growling at problematic white tourists who frequent his artisanal Native American store that they should go to Anthropologie.
However, the show is not immune to the general illness afflicting the MCU, which is the constant drive to create a universe that is interconnected. Even though the show tries hard to establish its unique style, it still seems like viewers must do extensive research in order to understand Echo’s story. The format has gathered an incredible amount of baggage in the three years since the Disney+ Marvel TV series debuted on WandaVision, and it’s difficult to envision any show being able to launch with the self-contained flights of fancy of its initial forays. Perhaps Echo is even more amazing than anything that has emerged from the recent universe. Unfortunately, unfortunately, she is still compelled to replicate her Marvel forebears.