Echo is Marvel’s new TV show, released on Disney+ on January 19.
Maya has been away from her home for 20 years and has completely severed all ties with her family. When she returns home the memories rush back, but strangely, not all of them are hers.
Echo follows Maya Lopez and her struggles to accept her past and take charge of her future. There are some pieces of her past that she wants to leave behind, namely her former job working for Kingpin. But her violent past follows her home, bringing danger to those she loves most.
Maya brings a new era of Marvel, with iconic characters, new and old, and a beautiful look into modern Native American life.
Life has thrown some serious struggles at Maya. She was born deaf as well as lost her leg and her mother in a tragic accident. The accident haunts her as she and her father relocate to New York to start again. Maya and her father soon become close with the crime lord- Kingpin. After tragedy strikes again, Maya starts to reconsider where her loyalties lie.
Maya was introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in Hawkeye(2021) as a powerful ally to the dangerous criminal Kingpin. When Maya shifts loyalties, she finds it difficult to shake the shadows of her old life.
Her town, Tamaha, formerly in the Choctaw nation, is tight-knit and full of tradition. The town’s culture emphasizes being in touch with heritage and embracing where you come from. Reconnecting with her family is something that Maya struggles with throughout the show, pushing away those who love her deeply.
This show is full of action, with fight scenes demonstrating Maya’s strength as a fighter, regardless of her disabilities. Coming from someone who loves Marvel, I was incredibly excited to see such a unique show coming out on Disney+. These are the types of shows I dreamed of as a kid. The KC-Undercover-esque, action with a dash of drama and, of course, a strong female lead.
Because I am such a big fan, I was also aware of the violence in Marvel shows similar to Echo. These shows happen in a tumultuous time in Marvel, full of power struggles and constant battles between what is right and what the characters want, causing certain scenes to be intense. With this in mind, take caution if you aren’t a fan of intense fight scenes.
Not only does Echo have an incredible storyline, but it also has incredible visuals and audio.
Because the main character is deaf, Echo is a lot quieter. Although it has intense scenes, both verbally and physically, the sounds are very different. For dialogue, the majority of it is through sign language, making arguments very different, so after watching you might have a little sign language knowledge under your belt.
My favorite aspect of the audio Echo was during the fight scenes. Throughout these scenes the audio changes, cutting from the regular sound, to what Maya hears, which is virtually nothing other than heartbeats. The change of audio adds a gripping detail to the fight, making it seem more human.
Another aspect that adds humility to Echo is Maya’s hometown and the culture and tradition surrounding it. In modern media, I haven’t seen a lot of Native American representation, so it was interesting to get a glimpse into that part of America.
I believe it is so important to have shows like Echo. To have media that demonstrate that the groups of people that many look over, labeling them as “too different”, are just regular people. They live in regular towns, have regular jobs, and are trying to be in touch with their culture just like everyone else.
As an avid Marvel fan, I have watched plenty of shows and movies that take place in the same corner of the “MCU” as Echo. This show adds so much depth and character to this era of Marvel.
Echo is a beautiful celebration of family and how each generation is intertwined, teaching the viewer that we are all an echo of the past.
