Summary
Marvel Studios’EchoTV show has finally premiered, bringing a fresh and gritty new vibe to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and offering some much-needed representation for indigenous and handicapped viewers. But oddly enough, critical audience members have zeroed in on the Daredevil fight scene.
Echofollows Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez, a woman who grew up essentially brainwashed by Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. Kingpin, into thinking he was looking out for her best interests. Now, after thinking she had killed Fisk, she finds herself back in her hometown while being pursued by the criminal boss' organization. Her journey takes her back to her roots, both her Native American ones as part of the Choctaw Nation and those of her family. She was a powerful adversary when she first appeared inthe MCU seriesHawkeye. Now, she still is, only to more deserving prey.
But that’s not the topic of the day. Instead, it seems like viewers on Twitter wanted to criticize a weird moment in Maya’s fight against Daredevil, who appeared rather abruptly in the firstEchoepisode. But just like the heroes in the shows they love, give or take a few powers and shifted priorities,Echofans swiftly came to the Daredevil fight scene’s defense to the point where they seemed to drown out the detractors. But it isn’t just an unfocused clapback at the haters. As compiled byFanwire, these responses know what they’re talking about.
The shot in question sees Maya hold back a kick during the fight, which many viewers took as an indication of sloppy fight choreography. But some fans inthe martial arts communitywere quick to point out that that’s a feint. Essentially it’s meant to pretend to make one move, forcing the opponent to react to something too soon and leave themselves vulnerable. Several fight experts seem to be watching the show, which makes sense given Maya’s penchant for fisticuffs.
The fight itself isn’t even particularly important to the story other than to prove that Maya’s prowess makes her more than a match for a hero like Daredevil. That same aptitude also likely gives her an edge when using her newfound powers to channel the abilities of her ancestors, as seen in theEchoseason 1 ending. Even so, critiquing relatively minor things is something of a tradition in fandom, right behind staying after the credits and using “woke” as an insult.
Echomade for a fantastic little miniseries—with many lamenting its short stay. It offers an important representation of those in the deaf community and those with amputations, along with theNative American-focused story. Hey, maybe it’s a blessing that the complaints came for the Daredevil fight scene instead of the show’s inclusivity. Nice bait-and-switch there, fight choreographers.
Echois available to stream on Disney Plus and Hulu.
Echo
Alaqua Cox returns as Maya Lopez in Echo, a first-of-its-kind Marvel Spotlight series. The show explores Maya’s past as she deals with the fallout of her confrontation with Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) in Hawkeye. Unlike previous Marvel projects, Echo is rated TV-MA and explores a grittier, more violent side of the MCU.
