Who Is Echo’s Uncle? Yes, It’s Who You Think It Is!

This article contains spoilers for Hawkeye episode 3.

Hawkeye episode 3 revealed that Maya Lopez is down the chain of command in the Tracksuit Mafia – raising the question of who exactly is Echo’s uncle. The opening scenes of Hawkeye episode 3 served as an extended setup for Alaqua Cox’s character, Maya Lopez – aka Echo, who’s soon to star in her own MCU Disney+ TV show. She’s introduced as the daughter of a local gang leader, who’s learned to “read” her opponents’ body language as easily as she reads lips. However, while Echo is undoubtedly a compelling character, it is the identity of her mysterious and nefarious uncle that could have major repercussions for the wider MCU.

Echo is essentially middle management in the Tracksuit Mafia, reporting to someone higher up who Clint Barton may not have even encountered during his time as Ronin. It seems Echo’s family were spared by the Blip, but her father and his gang fell foul of Ronin. Her uncle seems to be a major crime boss, and although he’s treated her with affection in the past – he’s shown watching her train in martial arts as a child, running his hand along her chin and chuckling with pleasure and pride – he apparently won’t be happy with her drawing too much attention by going up against an Avenger.  Hawkeye episode 3 positions Echo’s uncle as a big deal, avoiding showing his face in a manner that certainly indicates viewers will be excited to see him.

Most viewers believe this to be Vincent d’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk, AKA the Kingpin. D’Onofrio was perfectly cast as the Kingpin by Marvel Television in their classic Daredevil series, and there have long been reports he’ll be reprising the role in Hawkeye, albeit likely in a reboot. The good news is – audiences are probably right to think this is the Kingpin. If true, this indicates that the answer to the question of who is Echo’s uncle could have dire consequences for anyone operating in the MCU’s criminal underbelly.

Who Is Echo’s Uncle? Comics Link Explained

In the comics, Maya Lopez was a Native American of the Cheyenne Nation whose father secretly worked for the Kingpin of crime as a mob enforcer. Born deaf, Maya developed a prodigious talent for mimicry, and as a child she enjoyed art and dance. Her innocent came to an end when her father was brutally murdered – actually under the Kingpin’s orders. Wilson Fisk was impressed with Maya’s talents, though, and he took her under his wing, sending her to the best schools his money could buy. In truth, the Kingpin saw Maya as nothing more than another potential tool, a pawn to be brought into play when the time was right. When the time came, Kingpin lied to Maya and claimed Daredevil was the one who killed her father, using her as a weapon in his war against the Man Without Fear.

Marvel seems to have adjusted Maya Lopez’s story a little for the MCU. In Hawkeye, Wilson Fisk seems to be part of her extended family – her uncle, the one she trusted and ran to after her father was killed. Unlike the comics, Maya is aware of her uncle’s criminality, willingly serving as one of his lieutenants. The interesting question is whether or not she’s right to believe Ronin was the one who murdered her father; Kingpin could have used Ronin’s rampage as an opportunity, dressing one of his own people up in a similar costume. Hawkeye episode 3 avoided giving any direct glimpses of the murderer, meaning the costume could be similar rather than identical.

How Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin Can Return To The MCU

Vincent d’Onofrio was the perfect Kingpin, and he can easily be rebooted for the MCU. In this case, it looks as though Wilson Fisk was a survivor of Thanos’ snap in Avengers: Infinity War, with half the living beings on Earth killed when the Mad Titan snapped his fingers. He may well have already been a crime boss, who used the chaos that followed as an opportunity to extend his empire and become New York’s Kingpin of crime – after all, many of his rivals would have been erased, and The Falcon & the Winter Soldier revealed national borders collapsed, likely leading to tremendous opportunities for organized crime. Even Ronin’s rampage through the underworld could have been useful for the Kingpin. There would undoubtedly have been occasions when Ronin was an inconvenience, targeting some of the Kingpin’s schemes, but he’d also have killed even more of the Kingpin’s potential rivals.

Always an opportunist in the comics, Wilson Fisk would be able to take advantage of the end of the Blip to further cement his grip on New York’s crime. While it’s true that rivals would have been restored to life by the Hulk’s snap, they would have found themselves in a world that had changed dramatically, and they’d have been tremendously vulnerable. Kingpin could easily have had them killed at speed while persuading others to work for him. All this would mean Kingpin would become a true force to be reckoned with in the wake of Avengers: Endgame.

Is Kingpin The Same Version As Daredevil (How It Could Work)

There have been constant rumors Vincent d’Onofrio will reprise the role of Kingpin in Hawkeye, fanned into flame by the actor himself on social media. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s playing the same Kingpin as in Daredevil; Marvel Studios don’t seem to consider the old Marvel Television shows to be canon, with evidence building even Agents of SHIELD isn’t part of the mainstream MCU. Still, Spider-Man: Far From Home set a precedent for bringing back “legacy” actors with J.K. Simmons’ return as the MCU’s J. Jonah Jameson, with the similarities presumably hand-waved away due to the multiverse. Such an approach would see Marvel “have their cake and eat it” – they get to bring back popular and iconic actors such as Vincent d’Onofrio (or Charlie Cox himself), while rebooting the characters so they can do whatever they want with them.

How Kingpin’s Return Will Impact Hawkeye (And Echo’s Spin-Off)

Kingpin is one of Marvel Comics’ most important villains, and he would be the perfect antagonist for street-level superheroes. Presumably Hawkeye will see a rift grow between Maya and her uncle, with the two becoming enemies as in the comics; this arc would then continue into the upcoming Echo Disney+ TV series. But there’s no reason to assume the MCU’s Kingpin would only appear on the small screen; he’s a noted enemy of Spider-Man and could appear in the next Tom Holland Spider-Man trilogy as well.

Even better, Kingpin provides a way to incorporate many other street-level villains into the MCU as well. Countless street-level villains have worked for the Kingpin of crime, including the likes of Bullseye and Elektra, while in current comics he’s in a relationship with Typhoid Mary; his rivals could appear in crime war stories, introducing characters such as Tombstone and Hammerhead. And Maya Lopez is only one of many heroes whose origin stories are tied to the evil of the Kingpin. As a result, Hawkeye‘s Kingpin debut could set up many future ideas for the MCU.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4893 Articles Published)

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

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A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

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