Disney+'s Echo is finally here, and the five-episode series gives Alaqua Cox's titular hero some unique superpowers.
While she was originally introduced in Hawkeye as just one of the lieutenants of Kingpin's Tracksuit Mafia, the character would go on to be so much more.
In her new Disney+ show, she can tap into superpowers from her Choctaw ancestors.
What Powers Does Echo Have in the MCU?
Super-Strength - Chafa
One of the first powers audiences see Maya use in Echo, is super-strength, namely when her prosthetic leg gets stuck between the links of the train cars.
These abilities are also displayed when Maya goes toe-to-toe with Kingpin, and her family gets to use them against his goons.
It seems these powers stem from Maya's ancestor Chafa, played by Julia Jones.
Uncanny Accuracy - Tuklo
Thankfully for Maya Lopez, one of her ancestors, Tuklo, is a great shot. Naturally, that uncanny accuracy is one of the few abilities Echo can key into.
She uses it greatly as she dispatches nearly a dozen goons in her hometown’s roller rink.
Superb Strategizing - Lowak
This one is hard to catch, but another ancestral ability Maya can access is an increased ability for strategizing.
While it's not visually portrayed well throughout the series, it is displayed when the show flashes back to Lowak in Episode 2's 1200 sporting event. Maya’s mother also refers to strategy as one of their ancestors’ key abilities.
Healing - Taloa
In the finale, it's revealed that Maya Lopez's mother, Taloa, has special healing powers, which are demonstrated on screen in several ways.
The first was how Taloa was able to heal the wounded bird.
But then there’s a deeper method of healing seen twice, as it takes views into the memories of the person being healed. When Maya’s mother went to heal her, she was pulled into that moment in the car crash when Echo was younger.
Then, in the finale, Echo uses these abilities to try and heal Kingpin’s trauma. In this case, it was a moment when Fisk was a child, overhearing his abused father on the other side of a white wall.
Echoing Her Powers to Others
One of Maya Lopez’s biggest abilities came out of left field in the finale, but they live up to her name the most: she can echo her powers to others. This means for those around her, she can slingshot her abilities for them to use—assumingly for a limited time.
There is a chance it's limited to her family ancestors, but the show doesn't explain the abilities in too much detail. Perhaps in a future appearance, there’ll be some clarification.
This seems like it could also be Maya's unique addition to the ancestral chain of powers.
Maya Lopez on Her Own
While it's not a superpower, it's worth noting that Maya Lopez is plenty skilled outside of her supernatural abilities.
She is an incredibly talented fighter, having done MMA training for a long time. Echo has more than competently held her ground against characters such as Clint Barton, Kate Bishop, and Yelena.
What Are Maya Lopez's Powers in Marvel Comics?
While Maya Lopez's powers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are pretty extravagant, her abilities in Marvel Comics are relatively simple.
In the comics, Echo has photographic reflexes, meaning she can copy any move she sees with her own two eyes; she can mimic fighting styles, dancing, musical instrument performances, and even languages.
This ability set is similar to one that Black Widow's Taskmaster has in the comics. Ironically, both characters had them stripped away when they arrived in the MCU.
When it comes to echoing abilities of her dead ancestors, that's a Marvel Studios original creation.
However, the comic incarnation of the character has the unique achievement of having held the Phoenix Force, a cosmic force of life that is among the most powerful things in all of creation.
Echo is now streaming on Disney+.
