How Marvel's Echo sets up new series Daredevil: Born Again

The Disney+ series is out now

Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin in Marvel Studios' ECHO, releasing on Hulu and Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.
Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk in Echo, which sets up the character's storyline in the forthcoming series Daredevil: Born Again. (Netflix)

What did you miss?

Echo landed on Disney+ on 10 January, introducing a new chapter in Maya Lopez's (Alaqua Cox) story while also paving the way for Marvel's forthcoming show Daredevil: Born Again in its finale. Before we dig into it, consider this a warning that this article contains spoilers for Echo.

The series features both Vincent D'Onofrio and Charlie Cox as Wilson Fisk and Matt Murdock, respectively, roles they first took on in Netflix's Daredevil series and returned to in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with shows like Hawkeye, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and film Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez in Marvel Studios' Echo, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Echo follows Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez, as she tries to find herself again following the events of Hawkeye. (Marvel)

Fisk was introduced as Maya's adoptive uncle in Hawkeye, and the villain made a big comeback in the new Disney+ series as he tried to convince Maya to re-join his criminal empire, and even offered to give it entirely to her. But when she refused, he kidnapped her loved ones and threatened to kill them, leading to a conflict between the pair.

The show's finale went on to tease what is in store for the character, and Daredevil, in the forthcoming series through a mid-credits scene


What, how, and why?

The Echo mid-credits scene sees Wilson Fisk discuss his need to bring the various heads of New York City's criminal organisations together, before he takes notice of a news report on a mayoral election in the Big Apple.

Daredevil (Credit: Netflix/Marvel Television)
The Echo mid-credits scene teases what is to come in Daredevil: Born Again, a reboot of the Netflix series that introduced the characters. (Netflix)

Fisk watches as the newscasters discuss the level of political upheaval in New York City, and comment how the public want someone outside of the political sphere to be mayor — someone who is a "fighter" and is a "bare-knuckled brawler" who understands the pain of the average citizen.

It is remarked how the public would be keen to see someone who is unafraid to take on the establishment get the role of mayor, with one newscaster saying that while it is "late in the process... there is still a window of opportunity" and it "could be anybody's race".

Fisk's interest in the debate suggests that the idea will appeal to him moving forward, and hints that Daredevil: Born Again will see his character aim for even more control of New York City than he had before.

The new Daredevil series is set to have 18 episodes in total, with D'Onofrio, Cox and Jon Bernthal returning to the franchise. Filming first began in early 2023 but was suspended amid the writers and actors' strikes, since then the production has been given a creative overhaul and is expected to resume production at the start of 2024.


What else happened on Echo?

Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez in Marvel Studios' Echo, releasing on Hulu and Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. ©Marvel Studios 2023. All Rights Reserved.
Echo ends with Maya Lopez embracing her powers. (Marvel)

Echo ends with Maya Lopez coming into her powers and finally freeing herself from her uncle's influence, instead accepting the connection she shares with her ancestors and even giving her grandmother and cousin her powers briefly so they could free themselves from Fisk's goons.

Maya also tries to save Fisk from himself in their final fight by forcing him to revisit his past and urging him to let go of his pain and his anger over his abusive father.

Fisk did not do so, though, and questioned what Maya did to him before leaving her and her loved ones alone. Later Maya reconnected with her family, now ready to embrace her new life and try to undo some of the wrongs of the past.

Echo is out in full on Disney+ now.


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