Yesterday delivered the first trailer for Marvel’s upcoming Hawkeye TV series, which is set to be a key entry in the MCU for a number of reasons. Not only is it the first solo outing for Jeremy Renner’s Clint Barton, it will also introduce fan-favorite character Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) to the franchise. Likewise, it’ll feature the debut of another new hero who’s likely to have a big future after this. Namely, Maya Lopez/Echo, as played by Alaqua Cox.
It’s easy to miss Echo’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo in the trailer, but once you spot it, you’ll realize it potentially holds a lot of meaning. The shot sees the deaf heroine bathed in red light. This immediately put fans in mind of Daredevil (Charlie Cox, no relation), who was often lit in a similar way on his hit Netflix show. The comparisons are everywhere on social media, and Cox herself has even reacted to them in her Instagram story (H/T, The Direct), as you can see via the screenshot below:
This Daredevil connection is important because Maya and Matt Murdock are closely connected in the comics, often being partners in crime-fighting and also having had a romantic relationship. What’s more, her role in Hawkeye serves as a preview of Cox’s very own Echo TV series. It has also been rumored that Charlie Cox could join her as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen in that show, in a significant role following his expected cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
In the comics, Echo is the adoptive daughter of Daredevil’s nemesis Wilson Fisk and has also taken on the identity of Ronin, which the Hawkeye trailer teased that Kate Bishop will initially do. While we’ll have to see whether these elements are adapted for the screen, she will be the franchise’s first Native American lead.
Alaqua Cox makes her debut as Echo in Hawkeye, premiering on Disney Plus in time for the festive season this November 24th.
