The Echo miniseries is now streaming on Disney+ with Alaqua Cox in the eponymous role of Maya Lopez. The character, who debuted in 2021’s Hawkeye show, faced off with Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin in her miniseries and looks likely to reemerge in the MCU as a prominent hero going forward.
But which villains could Echo face in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the future? The character has a 25-year history in Marvel’s comic books to pull ideas from, and this piece will list six possibilities.
Elektra
Elektra Natchios has already appeared in the MCU in two Netflix shows: Daredevil and The Defenders. Played by Élodie Yung, she seemed to perish in The Defenders finale. However, given that Daredevil survived the same predicament after Midland Circle imploded around them, there’s every chance she did too – especially given that she’s survived death once before, her body was never found, and she claimed death would not stand in her way before the building collapsed.
She’d be a great enemy for Echo in the MCU, making for a tremendous all-female battle. There’s precedent for the rivalry in the comics, as Echo has been tasked with keeping tabs on the assassin, resulting in confrontations between the pair.
Count Nefaria
Count Nefaria is well above Echo’s weight class. He’s the wealthy Italian aristocrat, Luchino Nefaria, who gained the powers of the combined powers of the villains, the Living Laser, Power Man, and Whirlwind, amplified a hundredfold due to an experiment. He’s gone toe-to-toe with Thor and even stopped Mjolnir in its tracks – but Echo has faced him previously in the comic books with some help.
That help came from Moon Knight, another Marvel Cinematic Universe character, and that alliance to combat Nefaria happening in the MCU would be amazing. Echo and Moon Knight went after Nefaria in the comics because he attempted to become the new West Coast Kingpin, which sounds startlingly familiar to her rivalry with Wilson Fisk. Nefaria killed Echo in the comics, though, so this scenario could end badly for Alaqua Cox’s character.
Madame Masque
The nature of Madame Masque’s potential MCU rivalry with Echo entirely depends on her relationship with her father, the previously mentioned Count Nefaria. Otherwise known as Giulietta Nefaria, Madame Masque was initially disgusted to learn who her father was and fought against him – which could bring her into conflict with Echo if they become rivals in their attempts to take him down.
However, she ultimately joined his Maggia, meaning she could stand in Echo’s way to protect her father in that scenario. Like Echo, she’s a skilled fighter and markswoman, and their comic book fights have been great. It’s a fair fight that would be awesome to see in a live-action project.
The Hood
The Hood, played by Anthony Ramos, is set to debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the upcoming Ironheart series. The character, Parker Robbins, will initially ally with the eponymous Riri Williams in the show but will likely transition into a villain. In the comics, Robbins is a petty New York City criminal who kills a demon, dons its cloak, and gains mystical power.
He becomes a well-known figure in the New York criminal underground, forms a crime syndicate, and goes big time when he gets involved with groups like the Cabal. The Hood has come into conflict with Echo in the comics, and given that she will likely head to New York, she would be a great opponent for him in the MCU, given their similar combat abilities and links to mysticism.
Kingpin
Simply put, there’s no way the conflict between Echo and Kingpin is over. Granted, Maya Lopez and her allies attempted to heal his childhood trauma in Echo’s final episode rather than killing him, but Fisk was outraged by the whole thing – and he’d undoubtedly have felt humiliated being sent back to New York City with his tail between his legs.
When Lopez inevitably returns to New York in the MCU, her path will cross with Fisk’s again, and it’s unlikely he’ll forget about his humbling at her hands. With the additional power that comes with Fisk’s probable role as New York City mayor, he’ll have more resources to take Echo on. Even if she has superhero allies assisting her next time, she’ll be in for a more brutal fight with Fisk than ever before.
Kang
Assuming Marvel Studios finds a suitable replacement for the sacked Jonathan Majors, Kang and his many variants will still be the big-bad of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the coming years. That means the Avengers will need all the help they can get from the heroes of the MCU to defeat him. Echo should undoubtedly be one of those characters recruited. There’s no significant precedent for her facing Kang in the comic books.
Still, she should certainly be part of the mass conglomerate of heroes brought together in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to combat the Council of Kangs. Of course, it would be mere speculation to discuss how she might be utilized in that fight, but having her deafness become an advantage in some way would undoubtedly be fantastic, as would calling on the power of her ancestors to assist. We eagerly await what might happen.
