Echo, the most recent present from Marvel Studios, debuts on streaming tonight. It’s the primary Marvel present to not solely drop all of its episodes concurrently, but additionally to premiere each on Disney+ and on Hulu, which is going on for a number of causes. One, it’s TV-MA, which means it’s geared toward a extra mature viewers. Two, it’s the primary “Marvel Highlight” title, a brand new banner marking Echo as a present that’s purposefully grounded and extra faraway from the epic scope of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Principally, it means you don’t should be tremendous well-versed within the earlier 30+ films and 10 or so exhibits to grasp it.
Due to that, Echo itself gives you just about every part that you must know to grasp it in its first episode. However when you’d like a little bit extra context on high of that, we’ve received you lined.
Who’s Maya Lopez?
Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) is a deaf lady with a prosthetic leg who, regardless of these disabilities, grew up as a really assured, succesful fighter, thanks partially to the teachings of her father, William Lopez, and her “uncle,” Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin.
We first met Maya within the Disney+ present Hawkeye the place we noticed a little bit of her upbringing. Maya was an exceptionally sensible little one who initially discovered it exhausting to adapt to a listening to world, however shortly got here round. She gained a few of that confidence by coaching in martial arts.
On the planet of Marvel Comics, Maya is Echo, a personality who can copy the actions of anybody. She doesn’t have that energy (or any energy) but on this universe, although.
What was Maya doing earlier than Echo?
Maya is without doubt one of the leaders and key members of the Tracksuit Mafia, a gaggle run by her father however overseen by Fisk. In the future Maya witnesses Ronin, Hawkeye’s alter ego, kill her father. Maya vows revenge on Ronin however later learns it was her uncle, Kingpin, who orchestrated William’s dying. Maya then activates her uncle and, on the finish of Hawkeye, shoots him within the head. Or so we thought.
Who’s Wilson Fisk?
Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) is Kingpin, the massive crime boss of New York Metropolis. Within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he was first launched in Hawkeye together with Maya in a narrative that’ll proceed in Echo and into the upcoming present Daredevil: Born Once more. His earlier actions on the Netflix present Daredevil can even come into play.
In Marvel general, he’s one of many largest (actually) villains on the market, able to superhuman feats however principally simply as a super-powerful crime boss. A model of the character was the villain in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
What was Fisk doing earlier than Echo?
When you think about Netflix’s Daredevil, which Marvel sort of is—he was doing rather a lot. That’s a three-season, nearly 40-episode present. However none of that’s pertinent at this second. By way of Echo particularly, Fisk is effectively established as a really {powerful}, very intimidating crime boss along with his fingers in mainly every part. A type of issues was controlling the Tracksuit Mafia, which Maya’s father was the chief of. A few years earlier than, William requested Fisk for assist with Maya and the 2 developed a really shut, familial relationship. Therefore him sort of turning into her uncle. Maya trusted him utterly till she realized Kingpin had William killed by Ronin.
Who Is Matt Murdock?
Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) is a blind New York lawyer whose different senses are all superpowered so, within the evenings, he moonlights as a hero known as Daredevil.
What was Matt doing earlier than Echo?
Within the MCU, Matt Murdock first appeared as Peter Parker’s lawyer in Spider-man: No Manner Home and, later, because the love curiosity of fellow lawyer Jennifer Walter, aka She-Hulk. So he was preventing crime each in court docket in addition to within the streets (and within the sheets… heeeeey!).
Matt exhibits up briefly in an early episode of Echo and it’s made clear that he has additionally feuded with Kingpin up to now. Whether or not these conflicts are particularly what occurred on Netflix’s Daredevil, or one thing else fully, can be lined in his future present, Daredevil: Born Once more.
What do I’ve to observe earlier than Echo?
When you really feel the necessity to brush up on the related nook of the MCU, watch Hawkeye, which is Echo’s direct predecessor. And when you actually need to dive deep, you can additionally watch Netflix’s Daredevil. However when you haven’t seen both, it’s completely superb. Echo is designed in order that something that you must know is on this story. Every part, together with the occasions from Hawkeye, is proven once more to carry viewers in control.
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