‘Echo’ Episode 4 Recap & Review: Kingpin Offers Maya a Shocking Ultimatum

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Echo Episode 4.

All episodes of Echo are now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, and the penultimate installment offers an additional glimpse into the history of Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) and Kingpin’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) relationship. Episode 4 truly lives up to the TV-MA mantra, with several prolonged sequences of brutal violence to accompany a somewhat compelling but frustrating story.

Echo unfortunately falls victim to the outdated, original formula for Marvel Studios television, using five episodes on Disney+ to deliver a drawn-out movie. However, it heavily benefits from the all-in-one release model, as it does not feel like true television and would’ve surely struggled in a week-to-week setting. Regardless, there are plenty of exciting details, so let’s ensure you didn’t miss any of them with our Echo Episode 4 recap.

Wilson Fisk Joins the Fraternity of Awful MCU Fathers in ‘Echo’ Episode 4

Echo Episode 4 opens with the series’ most popular marketing sequence. Maya tries to order ice cream, but the salesman is unwilling to communicate with her and sends her on her way. Kingpin sees this, drags the man into the ally, and violently beats him. He tries to prevent a young Maya (Darnell Besaw) from seeing him covered in blood, but she wanders into the ally and gets a few kicks on the man herself.

We move forward to 2021, but still a few years behind the present day. Kingpin tells Maya that her training is complete, and she is ready to take the next steps, just before he orders their ASL interpreter executed right in front of her. Now after the opening credits, we resume after Episode 3, where Kingpin gives Maya a special contact lens for understanding people who cannot sign. The two then head inside for one of their classic “Sunday dinners.”

Fisk believes Maya is happy to see him alive, and after a very tense meal, he offers her an empire to call her own if she comes back to New York with him. Maya speaks with Uncle Henry (Chaske Spencer) about his offer, who reminds her of his true nature. He warns her of getting further involved with Fisk, as he’s already wreaked so much havoc on their family.

Maya Isn’t the Only One in the Family With a Deep Connection to Her Ancestors

While she is speaking with Uncle Henry, Maya has another vision of her ancestors. Simultaneously but in a different location, Grandma Chula (Tantoo Cardinal) has a similar vision as her granddaughter. Concerned for her well-being, Uncle Henry takes Maya to see Grandma Chula and discuss what happened.

Maya tells her about the intense dreams, and Chula tells her she’s been having the same visions, dating back to the night she gave birth to Maya’s mother, Taloa (Katarina Ziervogel). Chula believes different generations of their family are reaching out through these visions in the hopes of reconnecting with Maya.

Maya ultimately cannot forgive her grandmother for choosing herself over her all those years ago, and heads to the Choctaw Casino to confront Fisk. He offers her the hammer he used to kill his father and insists she use it to kill him; Maya refuses. She decides she will not return to New York with Kingpin, leaves the casino, and the credits roll.

The Stage Is Set for an Exciting Showdown in the ‘Echo’ Season Finale

Although the penultimate episode is viciously violent, it’s lacking in the narrative department, partially due to the short runtime. With installments teetering closer to 30 minutes than an hour in such a short season, it’s nigh on impossible to develop and tie up threads meaningfully. Nonetheless, an impactful showdown for the future of New York is surely in the cards for the finale.

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