Summary
- Starring in the MCU's first TV-MA series Echo, Maya Lopez (played by Alaqua Cox) is already poised to make waves in January, 2024.
- The series will undoubtedly draw on Echo's journey from hitman to hero in Marvel Comics, but it could set the stage for something even greater.
- Once the host to one of the most powerful entities in Marvel Comics, Echo could become much more important than anyone would've guessed, helping usher in the MCU's anticipated Mutant Saga.
The Phoenix Force is one of the most powerful and most ancient cosmic beings in the Marvel universe. A physical manifestation of the force of life, it exists before darkness itself and cleans the universe from everything that doesn't belong. However, it usually needs a host to work. Its more famous host is Jean Grey, one of the most powerful telepaths in the Marvel universe, but she isn't the only one to wield this ancient power. Recently, the Phoenix Force bonded with Echo, a vigilante mostly famous for her time as the enemy/lover of Daredevil during David Mack and Joe Quesada's 90's run on the Man without Fear.
With the introduction of Echo in Hawkeye, more fans know about Maya Lopez than ever. This vigilante has been around in the comics since 1999 but didn't get a chance to truly shine until recently when Jason Aaron turned her into the Phoenix Champion for his Avengers run. Although Echo's time as the Phoenix Host was cut short by the Masters of Evil during "Avengers Assemble," it definitely put Maya on the map for more casual fans, especially when it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This particular storyline has some fans wondering if her upcoming series, Echo, will set the ground for the Phoenix or the X-Men's appearance in the MCU.
The MCU Already Covered Echo's Backstory, But There's More To Explore
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In 2021, Hawkeye introduced a new character to the MCU, Maya Lopez, aka Echo. Portrayed by Alaqua Cox, she's the leader of the Tracksuit Mafia. Echo seeks revenge against Ronin for killing her father. When she crosses paths with Clint Barton, things get complicated for the archer, who spent a while acting as the vigilante Ronin following the Snap. Ultimately, Echo learned that the true mastermind behind her father's murder was Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, her own boss and mentor. She confronts Fisk and seemingly shoots him in the Hawkeye finale. Now, the Echo trailer shows Kingpin has survived with an eye wound.
Echo's story in the MCU is heavily inspired by the comics. In her debut, in Daredevil (Vol. 2) #9 — by David Mack, Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti, Richard Isanove, Richard Starkings, and Comicraft — Echo is a hitman for Kingpin. However, in the books, she doesn't have a vendetta against Ronin/Hawkeye. Instead, she seeks revenge against Daredevil, who she has a very complex romance with. Everything else is fairly similar, including Echo blinding Kingpin. However, this is only the beginning of Echo's story in the comics. She has quite a redemption arc, so the MCU films and series still have plenty to adapt. After shooting Kingpin, Maya embarked on a self-discovery journey, leaving Matt Murdock behind. When she returned, Daredevil had moved on, so she did the same. Almost immediately, Echo took the Ronin moniker and, more recently, during "Enter the Phoenix," she became the new host for one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel universe, the Phoenix Force.
The Phoenix Chose Echo As A Champion
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22 years after her debut in comics, Maya became the host of the Phoenix Force during "Enter the Phoenix." This event, which spawned from Jason Aaron and Javier Garrón's run on Avengers, featured a tournament of trials by combat between some of the most iconic Marvel heroes. Each trial designed with the intention of determining who would become the new Phoenix Champion. At the beginning of the competition, Echo was pitted against Namor in the Ocean. Since the Sub-Mariner had an obvious location advantage, Maya lost the battle. The Phoenix felt a strong connection to her anyway, so it chose her immediately, then tasked her with recovering the pieces of Force inside the other combatants.
By Avengers #44, Maya had absorbed the full extent of the Phoenix Force and re-emerged as Thunderbird. She then joined the Avengers at the Avengers Mountain so they could study her new powers. During her time as Thunderbird, Echo showcased some of the most powerful Phoenix abilities, such as flight, power bestowal, and cosmic pyrokinesis, as well as superhuman strength and stamina. These powers, combined with Echo's photographic reflexes, made her one of the most powerful Phoenix hosts to date, almost invincible in battle. Unfortunately, her run as the Phoenix wasn't as long as it was for other Champions.
Echo's Time As The Phoenix Host In The Comics Is Over
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As Thunderbird, Maya was the Phoenix Champion until the rest of Avengers Vol. 8, throughout the "Heroes Reborn" event. In this event, she was transported to an alternate reality where she was a Ravenscroft Institute inmate. She chose not to escape jail, even though she had the Phoenix abilities. However, Captain America contacted her, and she became part of the team dedicated to bringing reality back to its former state. Funnily enough, she only joined Earth's Mightiest Heroes officially towards the end of the run in Avengers #55. She had accompanied the team during the most dire circ*mstances, but never as an official member. Additionally, she got a thrilling solo series, Phoenix Song: Echo, by Rebecca Roanhorse, Luca Maresca, Kyle Charles, Carlos Lopez, Bryan Valenza, and Ariana Maher, in which Maya fought against the X-Men villain known as Adversary.
Ultimately, Thunderbird exhausted her newly found abilities saving the universe during "Avengers Assemble," in Avengers Assemble: Omega #1. In this issue, Maya joined forces with Old Man Logan (also wielding the Phoenix Force in Earth-14412), and Firehair (the Phoenix Force's first human host), to stop the Masters of Evil. This plot twist left the Marvel universe without a Phoenix host for the first time in a while (which obviously no one expected). It also cemented Maya as an incredibly selfless hero. Following her time as Kingpin's muscle, this action speaks volumes about her change in moral alignment.
Maya Could Become Central To The Mutant Saga
Following the Echo trailer, MCU fans know the series will focus on Maya's relationship with Kingpin. The show's official synopsis states she will return to Oklahoma to find herself again after the events of Hawkeye. However, viewers are hopeful Echo will be just the beginning of Maya's journey in the MCU. In fact, many optimistic fans think her presence in future MCU projects could make her the first ever MCU Phoenix Force host. After all, between Ms. Marvel becoming the first MCU mutant officially, Namor referring to himself as a "mutant" too, and Beast's cameo in The Marvels, the Mutant Saga seems closer than ever.
The Phoenix Force is mostly related to Jean Grey, one of the most powerful members of the X-Men, so it would be risky for the MCU to kickstart the Mutant Saga with such a secondary character, especially since Maya isn't a mutant. However, this wouldn't be the first time Marvel Studios has made major changes to Marvel lore. The X-Men films already carved into the Phoenix Saga with Jean Grey in the lead, so Marvel Studios may wish to steer away from that storyline to focus on other great X-Men arcs. Giving Echo this power boost down the line would set the ground for the Mutant Saga in a thrilling and unexpected fashion.
