Warning: Spoilers ahead for Echo Episode 2.
The second episode in Marvel Studios’ first Disney+ series of 2024 dials back the violence and focuses on the personal aspects of Maya Lopez’s (Alaqua Cox) life. With only five 40-50-minute episodes in Season 1, there’s limited time to develop each character meaningfully, but the creative team is undoubtedly on the right track.
Episode 1 heavily features Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) and elements from the Disney+ series Hawkeye, while providing additional context to Maya’s past and life in New York City. Echo Episode 2 brings Maya back to her roots by establishing a connection between her hometown friends and family. Let’s go over all the important details in our Echo Episode 2 recap.
‘Echo’ Episode 2 Showcases More of the Choctaw Origin
Episode 2 begins with the story of the Choctaw Indians in 1200 A.D. in Alabama. They are playing a lacrosse-like game; one side is losing, so they call for help from their most athletic member. The losing team will be banished forever, and a woman on the red team taps into the power of her ancestors and wins the game, securing a peaceful future for her people.
After the credits roll, we pick up with Maya in the present day in her hometown. She sends Biscuits (Cody Lightning) on a shopping trip to Grandfather Skully Ick-Sho’s (Graham Greene) pawn shop. Biscuits acquires the items for Maya while also helping Grandpa Skully out with a sale. Despite Maya’s desire to keep her presence a secret, her grandmother Chula (Tantoo Cardinal) learns she is in town and confronts Maya’s friend — who we later learn is her Uncle Henry (Chaske Spencer).
Maya and Biscuits go for a ride that leads to her jumping onto a moving train. Maya navigates her way up the train and makes it to the car she’s looking for, which contains a box that she sabotages by planting a bomb in. After a few close calls, she makes it off the train and back into the truck with her cousin, albeit with a severely damaged prosthetic leg.
Maya Lopez Is Filling the Void Kingpin Left Behind
Back in New York, the sabotaged D9-X train car explodes and destroys one of Fisk’s armories. Uncle Henry maintains plausible deniability on the explosion, but he knows Maya has something to do with it. Meanwhile, Maya goes to visit Grandpa Skully to see about fixing her new prosthetic leg. He makes her a new one but promises to deliver a third, better leg if she sticks around town for a while. Maya finds an old Choctaw statue in the shop, and Grandpa Skully explains its origins to her.
The train heist left Grandma’s truck with some serious damage, so Biscuits takes it to get it fixed. Bonnie (Devery Jacobs) calls Biscuits on the radio, and he accidentally reveals to her that Maya is back in town. Uncle Henry tries to talk her out of starting a war with Fisk, but it’s here that she unveils her plan to become the new Kingpin and take his place. He tries to warn her that if she continues down this path, it will be her friends and family who pay the price. But by this point, Maya has a single-minded focus on one thing and one thing only: power.
‘Echo’ Episode 2 Is a Slight Step Back From Its Predecessor
Echo Episode 2 may not be as technically proficient as the first installment, but it still offers some wholesome elements and a somewhat entertaining action sequence. Now nearing the halfway point in the season, there is a clear-cut goal in store for the titular character. It seems highly unlikely that a potential redemption arc is in store, but you can’t rule anything out with the MCU.
All episodes of Echo are now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. Follow the Agents of Fandom socials for all the latest entertainment news and reviews.
'Echo' Episode 2 “Lowak” Review
'Echo' Episode 2 “Lowak” ReviewThe Good
- The Lopez family is a delight.
- Alaqua Cox gives a great performance.
The Bad
- The train sequence has horribly bad visuals.
- Several characters prove to be unnecessary and forgettable.
