While the name Maya Lopez may not mean much to those unfamiliar with the comics, she’s one of the more intriguing heroines in the Marvel universe. She made a fairly recent appearance in 1999 as a villain in the Daredevil story.

A Native American, deaf and with a prosthetic leg, she is a master of martial arts and an extremely dangerous opponent. However, her powers don’t come from mutations or advanced technology like other characters – as her nickname suggests, she’s a perfect mimic who can replicate any physical action she sees.

She made her first TV appearance in the Hawkeye series, although her comic book alias was never used. Maya’s backstory is particularly dramatic – as a teenager, she witnessed the death of her father. William Lopez, leader of the Tracksuit Mafia, was killed by a vigilante known as Ronin. Wilson Fisk, AKA the Kingpin, took care of the orphaned girl, and Maya dedicated her life to tracking down the killer.

Echo is likely to be set after the events of Hawkeye. Find out what to expect from the new Marvel series.

Echo release date

Echo was initially scheduled to hit Disney+ on Wednesday, 29 November 2023. However, the series was pushed back to 2024 due to the writers’ and actors’ strike in Hollywood.

According to the latest news, Echo will debut on Disney+ and Hulu on Wednesday, 10 January 2024 with all six episodes available simultaneously.

Echo plot

Spoilers for the Hawkeye series below.

The Hawkeye series featured the New York-set Christmas adventures of Clint Barton, and Maya Lopez appeared as the head of the Tracksuit Mafia, operating under the Kingpin’s protection. Maya was determined to find her father’s killer – the mysterious Ronin. Her search led her to none other than Clint Barton.

As it turned out, William Lopez’s murder occurred with the Kingpin’s knowledge and consent. Having discovered the truth about her mentor, Maya decided his time was up and tried to shoot him. However, as you might expect, Fisk survived. He is set to appear in the Echo series as a villain.

What happened to Maya, though? The new show implies that she left town and returned to her Cheyenne community in Oklahoma.

As the series description goes:

Streaming exclusively on Disney, the origin story of Echo revisits Maya Lopez, whose ruthless behavior in New York City catches up with her in her hometown. She must face her past, reconnect with her Native American roots and embrace the meaning of family and community if she ever hopes to move forward.

In addition to the Kingpin, Daredevil will also appear in Echo. It’s worth mentioning that in the comics, Maya is sent by Fisk to take down Matt Murdock, but the two fall in love when they meet, so there’s a possibility that the same will happen in the series. This would also set up some nice plot threads for Daredevil: Born Again, which is set to air later in 2024.

It’s likely that the solo series will also show how Maya got her nickname.

Echo trailer

Watch the first trailer for Echo:

Echo cast and crew

The following cast members are confirmed to appear in the series:

Alaqua Cox – Maya Lopez

Charlie Cox – Matt Murdock/Daredevil

Vincent D’Onofrio – Wilson Fisk/Kingpin

Zahn McClarnon – William Lopez, Maya’s father

Devery Jacobs – Julie, a member of Maya’s family

Chaske Spencer

Tantoo Cardinal

Cody Lightning

Graham Greene

Echo is created by Marion Dayre (Better Call Saul). The episodes are directed by Sydney Freeland (Reservation Dogs) and Catriona McKenzie (The Walking Dead).

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Daredevil: Born Again release date, plot, cast and news

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