Hawkeye season 1, episode 3 review: Echoes

The latest episode of Hawkeye dives deep into the mystery and sets up Echo as the next big MCU character.

Hawkeye started strong last week, with a two episode premiere that showcased great chemistry between both Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton and MCU newcomer Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop – who has been a highlight thus far.

The second episode of the Disney Plus series ended with Bishop and Barton being captured by the Tracksuit Mafia, led by the intimidating Maya Lopez a.k.a. Echo (portrayed by Alaqua Cox). The latest episode deals with the duo working their way out of the clutches of the Tracksuit Mafia, while delving into Echo’s backstory and Clint’s struggles with both hearing loss and the possibility of not making it home to see his family for Christmas.

Echo’s Story

The episode begins by showcasing Maya Lopez’s backstory, providing some set up for her spin-off series and some potential clues for the future of Hawkeye and the MCU. Maya is shown to have a close relationship with her father. She is also shown to struggle with the world around her during her childhood as no one in her school knew sign language.

Her father, however, does and the pair share an incredibly touching scene where they communicate using ASL. However, when she grows up, her father is killed by Ronin, leading Maya on a path to becoming the head of the Tracksuit Mafia.

The episode showcases how Maya adapted throughout her life as she grew up deaf, learning to rely on many different skills and thriving but it also showcases how Clint struggles with his hearing loss without the aid of technology.

This forms a sort of temporary connection between the two characters, as they briefly communicated through sign language. And if that connection hasn’t already been destroyed by what happened next, it could be used to set up Echo’s spin-off series.

Lopez’s father being murdered will likely play a role in the rest of the series, as will the reveal that the Tracksuit Mafia are led by someone simply called “Uncle,” who is rumoured to be a major Marvel player that will affect the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Bow + Arrow + Car Chase = Amazing Action Sequence!

“Echoes” features the best action sequence of the series thus far, with both Clint and Kate getting a chance to show off their combat and archery skills. Clint gets a chance to utilise his training with the bow and arrow up close and personal in the warehouse, while Kate gets the chance to try out some trick arrows during an exhilarating car chase sequence.

The car chase was heavily featured in the show’s promotional material and it is easy to see why, with the variety of trick arrows showcasing how resourceful and cool Hawkeye can be. Arrows including a “playdough” arrow, explosive arrow and a very cool Pym Particle arrow made for a very exciting sequence.

Hawkeye’s dynamic duo

The best part of the series so far has been the chemistry between Steinfeld and Renner’s characters, with this episode being smart and pairing them together in almost every scene. From the banter when discussing arrows and Kate trying to help Clint with his “branding issue” (which leads to a nice nod to Hawkeye’s comic costume), there are plenty of laughs, but the pair also share some real dramatic moments.

Kate tries to aid Clint with his struggles after the destruction of his hearing aid and the Avenger tries to warn Kate that superheroics are not all they are cracked up to be, referring to his PTSD and the impact being a superhero has had on him personally.

If the show continues to dominate the screen with both of these characters together, fans will definitely be happy. Their comedic timing works perfectly together and Clint works well as a tragic yet supportive mentor.

Overview

The ending of the episode has the pair on a collision course with Kate’s stepfather Jack, who Clint likely has a few questions for considering he is holding the Ronin’s sword. “Echoes” does a great job of setting up Maya Lopez as an anti-hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and it’s an incredibly important step in terms of representation for the Deaf Community both through the introduction of Maya and the use of ASL. The chemistry between Steinfeld and Renner is also a major highlight.

Hawkeye adds new episodes to Disney+ every Wednesday.

What did you think of Hawkeye episode 3? Let us know in the comments below!