8 Best Moments From Marvel’s Echo

Marvel’s Echo is finally on Disney+ in its entirety. It’s already broken a few barriers based on its existence alone — Maya Lopez is the MCU’s first Indigenous main character, who’s more antihero and morally ambiguous than a flat-out hero. However, she grows immensely throughout the five-episode series, thanks to the writing and Alaqua Cox’s nuanced, compelling portrayal. She has such a commanding onscreen presence. She’s also the first main character in the MCU who’s Deaf and disabled. Lots of beautiful firsts here.

This is Marvel’s first series in which all episodes dropped on the same day. It’s also the start of a new era for the entertainment juggernaut as the first series to debut under the Marvel Spotlight banner, which signals to viewers that it’s a standalone project. You don’t need to watch anything preceding it to understand what’s happening.

If you’re a fan of the Marvel Netflix series catalogue, you’ll have noticed that Echo adopts a similar gritty tone (although not quite as gritty; there’s a nice balance between light and dark here). The show is the MCU’s proper introduction to the street-level phase of its programming, and I’m here for it. Bring on all the more grounded, insular stories.

I quite enjoyed Echo. It’s not about Maya fighting a big bad or contributing to anything that affects the MCU at large. It’s about one Native woman reconnecting with who she is and learning to heal. The series is a breath of fresh air. To celebrate its arrival, here are the eight best moments from Echo.

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Maya and Daredevil’s Fight 

You know the one (well, the only one). Comic book fans have been undoubtedly waiting with bated breath for Maya to meet Matt Murdock, AKA Daredevil, in the MCU. Of course, there’s no formal introduction … just one with fists and feet. Their brief fight doesn’t disappoint and is intricately (and brutally) choreographed. Maya certainly kept the Man Without Fear on his toes. I can’t wait to watch their future interactions. Fingers crossed Maya appears in Daredevil: Born Again. 

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The Choctaw Women Connecting With Their Ancestors

Hands down, one of the best parts of Echo is its gorgeous Indigenous representation. The creative team worked closely with the Choctaw Nation to ensure the most accurate on-screen portrayal. Plus, there are Natives behind and in front of the camera. I found the moments when the Choctaw women connected with their ancestors emotionally resonant. Additionally, having every episode named after said Choctaw women is a nice touch. 

For example, when Lowak needed the strength to overpower her opponent in a game of survival, she called upon Chafa, the first Choctaw who saved her people from destruction. Chafa gained her abilities by drinking from a magical source in a cave before it collapsed, saving her people from seemingly inevitable destruction (I love the inclusion of the Choctaw creation myth). 

Tuklo sourced the power of her ancestors to save her father and his fellow Lighthorsemen. Chula overcame a particularly taxing labor by tuning in to those who came before her. Lastly, Maya unlocked a new source of strength courtesy of her ancestors when she freed her prosthetic leg during a nighttime train infiltration. 

These moments of connectivity are integral to Maya’s growth as she rediscovers her roots and how bonding with family is her superpower. It’s also how she heals in the wake of losing her parents. Echo beautifully illustrates this onscreen. 

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The Train Sequence

Who doesn’t love a good train sequence? Maya enlists the aid of her cousin Biscuits (a delightful character who needs to meet Luis from Ant-Man at some point) to pull off a dangerous retaliatory mission as she sticks it to Wilson Fisk’s men. These scenes in episode 2 are a bona fide highlight, from Maya infiltrating the train car to rig the armory with explosives to Biscuits being her ride-or-die to Maya leaping off the train. Side note: The shot of Maya’s notebook with the list of items she needs for the mission cracked me up. 

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The Rob Zombie Roller Rink

 

Echo utilizes music so effectively, from traditional Native music to rockin’ tunes like “Dragula” by Rob Zombie. The latter is perfectly placed in the roller rink scene in episode 3 when Maya takes out Zane’s men. In fact, everything at the roller rink ticked off all the boxes for me. I loved watching Maya craft a makeshift gun that’s part-roller skate while held captive, along with the photo she texts with “XO Maya.” Her resourcefulness comes into play again when she channels her ancestor, Tuklo, by using arcade games to inflict damage. It’s just so badass. 

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Reunions

This series deftly balances action and drama. The impactful reunions, which fall into the latter camp, are the perfect catalyst for Maya’s development. There’s Maya reuniting with Fisk after shooting him in the face. In true Fisk fashion, he interprets this as part of their love language. You know, normal adoptive uncle/niece stuff. Then, Maya’s reunion with Chula is as emotionally charged and painful as expected. Speaking of that scene, Maya telling Chula she needed her the most after Taloa died gutted me. Alaqua Cox and Tantoo Cardinal are riveting.

I wish Maya and Bonnie spent more time together in Echo, but their reunion certainly packs a punch, as does Maya reconnecting with her mother’s spirit in the series finale.

Side note: I love the detail regarding ASL usage and how it applies to Maya’s relationship with each character. Fisk refused to learn ASL, which spoke about how he only “loved” Maya as a weapon. Meanwhile, Bonnie, who hadn’t seen Maya in 20 years, kept up with her ASL, as did Chula, Skully, and Henry. Biscuits, who didn’t know Maya quite as well, struggled somewhat at first with recalling ASL but caught on quickly once he and Maya spent more time together. Details like these make me giddy as a geek.

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Maya and Taloa in the Finale

I found Maya’s scenes with her mom in the finale to be the crux of the series. Taloa inspires Maya to harness her inner power and call upon the formidable women who came before her. As Taloa eloquently puts it, each woman represents a different facet of Maya’s gifts: her ferocity (Chafa), her strategy (Lowak), her cunning (Tuklo), and her love (Taloa).

The bird we see pop up intermittently throughout the series plays a pivotal role in the finale, representing Maya’s ancestors always watching her. We also get more insight into Maya’s abilities this way (they’ve changed from the comics). One of those abilities is the power to heal, as evidenced by Taloa healing the bird. I love how the writers cleverly reworked Maya’s powers to include her comic book alias “Echo.” The Choctaw people and Maya’s ancestors “echo” through her — the source of her superpowered gifts (along with being a formidable fighter).

Maya’s visceral reaction to seeing her mother again and revisiting the site of the accident is such a gut punch. It’s also simultaneously healing.

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The Climactic Powwow

As a non-Native, I loved watching the powwow scenes in the finale. I was also glad no Indigenous characters died during said powwow. If you’re a Reservation Dogs fan, you might have recognized the man emceeing the powwow. Dallas Goldtooth portrays Spirit in the aforementioned series and fits this brief role perfectly. I adored the kaleidoscope of colorful costumes, dancing, and music.

Then, adding the climactic confrontation with Maya, Bonnie, Chula, Fisk, and his men feels like the cherry on top. These Native women are empowered by their ancestors to kick butt, and it’s gratifying to watch. Maya even extends mercy to Fisk, attempting to heal him by exposing him to his childhood trauma. While that might not vibe with some viewers, it’s a beautiful moment for Maya as a character. He walks away somewhat changed by the experience, but I’ve no doubt we’ll see his nefarious side rear its head at some point.

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Wilson Fisk for Mayor

Echo blesses us with a mid-credit scene that alludes to what’s to come in, presumably, Daredevil: Born Again. As Fisk flies home to New York City after failing to persuade Maya to continue working for him, he watches a news segment about the mayoral candidacy. It inspires him to run for mayor of NYC. In the comics, Fisk campaigns as an independent and is elected mayor (although he didn’t win without fixing the vote). Matt Murdock even becomes his deputy mayor at one point, although he utilizes his position to bring Fisk down.

According to the premise, Daredevil: Born Again is about Fisk and Murdock putting aside their darker alter egos and deep-seated rivalry to help NYC flourish. This aligns with Maya trying to aid Fisk with his healing in Echo. Initially, his intentions to run for mayor might be pure, but this “Born Again” version of Fisk will have an expiration date.

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What did you love most about Echo? Where do you think Marvel will take Maya Lopez next? Join the conversation with other Marvel fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!