"She leaves the scene as a cold-blooded killer": Echo director teases never-heard-before details about Daredevil's fight scene

The Marvel miniseries Echo, set to premiere on Disney+ and Hulu on January 9, features an intense fight scene in which the titular character holds her own against Daredevil. In an interview with GamesRadar+, director Sydney Freeland said the six-minute-long sequence highlights her transformation from a naive teenager to a cold-blooded killer.

"When I read the script, what was great about this scene is that Maya Lopez comes into the scene as a teenage girl, and she leaves the scene as a cold-blooded killer," he said.

Freeland further said that the scene serves as a tribute to the character's origins as she appeared in the Daredevil comic series, which impressed fans in the 90s.

"I think within that as well, we wanted to honor the origins of the Echo character in the comic books. And she first appeared in the Daredevil series in the late nineties."

The Hawkeye spinoff comes from creator Marion Dayre, best known for her work on Better Call Saul. She also serves as an executive producer on the show with Kevin Feige, Stephen Broussard, Louis D'Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Victoria Alonso, Richie Palmer, Jason Gavin, and Sydney Freeland.

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Who is Maya in Marvel Comics?

Maya Lopez is one of the most intriguing and skilled characters in the Marvel comics. She had a difficult childhood as Kingpin murdered her father, Willie 'Crazy Horse' Lincoln. Crazy Horse left a bloody fingerprint on his daughter’s face before his death and requested Kingpin to look after her. Kingpin honored his dying wish and sent her to a school for children with learning disabilities.

He later asked her to spy on Matt Murdoch, one of his biggest rivals. However, in a surprising development, she fell in love with him. Maya later assumed the identity of Echo to hunt down Daredevil, who she blamed for her father’s death. After a few failed attempts, she eventually defeated him in a brutal fight but spared his life when she learned that he was actually Matt Murdoch.

Murdoch then gave her a reality check and exposed Kingpin’s misdeeds. This led to a showdown between Echo and her mentor, which resulted in the latter’s downfall. She eventually left the United States to begin a new chapter in life. Later, Maya became friends with Wolverine, who helped her understand Japanese culture.

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What are Echo's powers?

Echo is Marvel’s second hearing-impaired superhero after Makkari from The Eternals. She can replicate any action she sees, which makes her a skilled markswoman and martial artist. Her weapons of choice include handguns and poisoned darts. However, her powers on the show will differ from what comic book fans are used to. Freeland hinted at this when he described her original abilities as 'lame.'

Being a mere human being, she has her share of weaknesses as well. Echo can't fly or generate fire. Moreover, the fact that she needs to read lips to communicate has often proved troublesome for characters such as Moon Knight and Spider-Man, but Marvel does not consider this a weakness.

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What is Echo about?

Marvel’s first release of the year centers on Maya Lopez as she tries to reconnect with her Native American roots and move forward after a tragedy. According to Marvel, the official synopsis reads:

"Maya Lopez is being pursued by Wilson Fisk's organization, leading her to return to her hometown in Oklahoma, where she must come to terms with her past, reconnect with her Native American roots, and embrace her family and community."

The show is headlined by Chaske Spencer and Alaqua Cox. The cast also includes Tantoo Cardinal, Devery Jacobs, Zahn Mcclarnon, Graham Greene, Cody Lighting, and Charlie Cox. Marvel Studios has produced the miniseries under the Marvel Spotlight wing.

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All five episodes of Echo will be released on Disney+ and Hulu on January 9, 2024.