Warning: SPOILERS for Hawkeye episode 3, "Echoes."

Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez, a.k.a. Echo, as a new threat to Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld). Following her cameo at the end of Hawkeye episode 2, she played a much more central role in the next episode, one that appears to have brought Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk to the MCU.

Echo's first full appearance in Hawkeye explored her origin, powers, and more. It began with a flashback to 2007 when she was just a young girl and trying to fit in at a regular school instead of a specialty one for children who are deaf. This is where Hawkeye introduced her father William Lopez (Zahn McClarnon) and teased his powerful associate. The multiple teases in Hawkeye of Echo's "uncle", who is the true leader of the Tracksuit Mafia, and a glimpse at his towering build and nice suits immediately made some viewers theorize it was Kingpin. The former Daredevil villain has a major connection to Echo in the comics, which has fueled speculation that the MCU will adhere to the source material.

Related: Echo Repeats Marvel's Longest-Running Villain Problem

Echo's connection to Kingpin in the comics came right from her debut, as Maya Lopez is introduced as Wilson Fisk's adopted daughter. Kingpin knew of Maya when she was just a kid as her father worked for him. However, Fisk became more directly involved in her life after Maya's father unexpectedly died. Before he died, Maya's dad asked Kingpin to take care of her should anything happen to him, and Fisk made good on that promise when the time came. He spared no expense sending Echo to the best schools in the world. As Echo, Maya's powers to perfectly replicate any physical movement she sees allowed her to become a great dancer and painter, as well as a highly-skilled assassin. Kingpin eventually tried to use those powers for his own gain when he told Echo that Daredevil was responsible for her father's death. However, she then learned that he lied and was the one who actually killed her dad, leading Echo to turn her back on Kingpin.

Hawkeye-Kingpin-Echo-Uncle

Based on what Hawkeye has shown of Echo's origin, it appears that the MCU is set to change aspects of this connection. Maya does seem to have known Fisk for much of her life and clearly views him as family, with the references to him being her uncle. However, it doesn't look like he had to come up with a lie for her to make Ronin her top target. Hawkeye episode 3 clearly showed Ronin killing Echo's father firsthand, so the need for Kingpin to fabricate a story that implicates one of his enemies isn't needed. That said, there is still a chance William Lopez's death will have a twist to it that involves Kingpin in some fashion.

Since Marvel Studios routinely takes creative liberties when bringing characters and comic storylines to life in the MCU, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Echo and Kingpin's connection could also differ slightly. The important aspects of their relationship are still in line to be kept, which likely means Kingpin returns in Echo's spinoff. That could be where even more of their shared history comes to light after Hawkeye and where Echo learns the truth about her uncle after he debuts.

More: Is Hawkeye's Kingpin The Same Version As Daredevil?

Hawkeye releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.

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