Echo: All 5 episodes recapped, reviewed, and ranked

Marvel dropped all 5 episodes of its newest show, Echo, on Disney Plus on Jan. 9, 2024.

Echo tells the story of Maya Lopez and her entanglement with Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin - an infamous crime boss. The series focuses on Maya and her violent past and tendencies and her Native American heritage as part of the Choctaw Nation.

Though there are only five episodes in the entire series, the series does incredible groundwork to establish Echo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as plant the seeds for other upcoming works up Marvel Studios' sleeve. Though Hawkeye and Daredevil slightly tie into her story because of the Kingpin, you don't have to watch both shows to know what's going on - Echo does a pretty good job at explaining things on its own.

So, let's take a look at all five episodes of the MCU series and talk about them, and rank them from fifth to first place.

SPOILER WARNING FOR THOSE WHO DARE VENTURE PAST THIS SENTENCE: I will spoil the entire series for you if you haven't watched it yet. Do not read unless you don't care about spoilers.

Episode 1 - "Chafa"

We kick off with a mysterious scene where a bunch of people with what looks like clay for skin rise from water pools underground, like a super-secret club. They drink some ancient pool water (no, not your average pool party) and their hands mysteriously glow orange. But things go south really quickly as their hangout spot starts crumbling. They seem doomed, but don't forget that this is still a Marvel show – teleportation saves the day! They pop up in the wilderness, revealing themselves as Native Americans. Chafa, our lead character, steps up like the boss she is and they follow her.

Cut to Oklahoma, 2007. Sweet baby young Maya and her cousin Bonnie are soaking in this origin story. We see a heartwarming family scene with signing and bonding as we see Maya's parents and grandparents chatting by the fire while Maya and Bonnie play with shadows in their tent, but tragedy strikes. While going to the store for some hot chocolate, Maya and her mom get into a horrific car accident, caused by sabotaged brakes. This is also the accident in which Maya loses one of her legs and becomes an amputee. Who's the culprit behind all this sadness? The plot thickens.

Maya's life takes a dramatic turn. After getting an earful from his wife's mother, Maya's father whisks her away from her family to move to New York for a job, and she struggles to fit in. William, her father and a visibly sketchy character feeds her the tough-love speech about surviving in two worlds, hinting at his dicey dealings with Wilson Fisk - the infamous Kingpin.

Fast forward, and we see Maya, now with a prosthetic leg, owning the ring in a sparring match. Despite her pretty stoic face, she's got a storm brewing inside. I honestly wish I had the strength to look like nothing ever gets to me like she does, and I don't mean that in a bad way at all. She comes home just in time to witness a swordsman killing her father, and though she's late to save him, she's full of quiet rage at his funeral. Bonnie's supportive messages can't calm the storm inside Echo.

Then, in a bold move, Maya steals a bike from a dealership and goes on a destructive joyride, only to get arrested. But who comes to her rescue? None other than Kingpin, empathizing with her and offering her a way to channel her rage. Maya's new mission: join Fisk's goons to fend off a rival gang.

Enter Daredevil, and we're treated to a fight scene that's more dance than battle. Kingpin, however, is oddly impressed with Maya's skills and welcomes her into his "family." Has he been watching Fast and Furious? This ties into the events of Hawkeye, where Ronin (Hawkeye's emo alter ego) confesses to Maya that Kingpin had wanted her father dead. She then decides she's had enough and pulls the trigger on Kingpin, literally, taking him out of commission.

Maya's journey takes her back to Oklahoma, where we meet Biscuits - who is precious and must be protected at all costs - and we see a bit of the family life she's missed out on. She's also haunted by visions of her ancestors. She weirdly avoids Bonnie, which kind of irks me, and instead seeks out her uncle Henry, a staking rink DJ with connections - and is a horrible judge of character as he had one of the bad guys, Vickie, literally working under his roof for many years.

The episode ends with Henry refusing to help Maya do shady business involving exploding train carts and a shot of Kingpin still very much alive, breathing like he's Darth Vader, and recovering at a hospital.

Whoops.

Episode 1 ranking: Fifth place.