Kingpin’s MCU Fate Is A Sad & Significant Marvel Comics Change

Vincent D’Onofrio will reprise his role as Kingpin in the Disney+ MCU series Echo, but what has been shown of Echoduring D23 reveals that Marvel has made a significant change to Kingpin’s comic book story. After years of speculation, D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk officially joined the MCU in Hawkeye, where Fisk was introduced along with his adoptive niece Maya Lopez. Echo will allow the MCU to explore a different side of Wilson Fisk after the three Netflix Daredevil seasons, but Marvel is already wasting one of the most exciting things about Kingpin’s history with Echo.

While Charlie Cox’s Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk have returned to the MCU and are confirmed to appear in several projects such as Echo and Daredevil: Born Again, the canon status of the Netflix Marvel shows is still a mystery. Nothing regarding Daredevil and Kingpin in the MCU so far contradicts Netflix’s Daredevil, but there also hasn’t been any direct connection to the events of the Defenders Saga. Instead, Marvel seems to be focusing on brand-new, never-adapted stories involving Daredevil and Wilson Fisk, as seen by the introduction of Echo in the MCU.

Similar to what was done in Hawkeye, Maya Lopez was introduced in the comics as a character whose father had been secretly killed by Wilson Fisk. Upon discovering that it was the Kingpin and not Daredevil who had killed her father, Maya shot Wilson Fisk in the face – just like what happened at the end of Hawkeye. In Marvel Comics, Fisk survived and became blind in both eyes. However, in the MCU, it seems like Kingpin will retain his vision. Footage of Echo shown at the D23 Expo reveals that Fisk now wears an eye patch, meaning that, unlike the comics, he is only blind in one eye. Wilson Fisk didn’t remain blind in the comics forever, but the time Kingpin spent without his vision made for an intriguing parallel between Fisk and his arch-nemesis Daredevil. Fisk and Murdock’s rivalry had always been personal in some ways, which is why it was so interesting to have Kingpin become blind – even if it was for a brief time. Unfortunately, that storyline will not be used in the MCU according to what was revealed during Marvel’s portion of thee D23 Expo panel.

Why The MCU Should’ve Kept Kingpin’s Marvel Comics Fate

Netflix’s Daredevil seasons 1 and 3 were both heavily focused on Wilson Fisk, and given how well-received the show was, the MCU has to find ways to explore Kingpin without repeating what has already been done. There are several Fisk and Murdock stories that have yet to be adapted to live-action, but given that Echo is already part of the MCU, not using Kingpin’s comics fate after being shot by Maya is a waste. If the MCU did not want to use that particular storyline, then there really was no reason to end Hawkeye on a cliffhanger regarding Wilson Fisk’s fate. Having Fisk return with an eye patch diminishes the impact of Hawkeye’s final episode, and it instantly lowers the stakes for upcoming stories involvingKingpin, Maya,and Daredevil.

There was no question that Wilson Fisk survived being shot by Maya in the Hawkeye finale. However, the MCU could still have given that scene more significance had it adapted the blind Kingpin storyline. It remains to be seen what other character dynamics Fisk, Maya, and Matt Murdock will have in Echo.