Hawkeye Review: Echoes (Season 1 Episode 3)

Hawkeye knows how to do a superhero show!

Hawkeye Season 1 Episode 3, “Echoes,” is silly, goon-smashing perfection. It keeps the slower, character-driven pace from the premiere but expands its sights beyond the world’s greatest archers.

It is a brilliant backdoor pilot for Echo and a violent love letter to some of Matt Fraction’s coolest comic strips. It also soft launches Daredevil back into the Marvel canon because this show is all about the season of giving.

“Echoes” takes aim at a perfect episode with Kate and Clint placed at the center of the target and unfazed by the task at hand — no matter how tricky those arrows get.

Fisk-y Business

First, we have to address the Wilson Fisk-sized man in the room because, on top of this being a phenomenal episode in its own right, this reveal is nothing short of spectacular.

It’s sneaky of Hawkeye. We’re overwhelmed with bad guys; there’s no reason to believe that we would get the bad guy moments into Echo’s backstory. It’s a bluff this episode quickly calls by throwing Kingpin’s unmistakable build into frame.

The tease is simple, giving us only a suit jacket and a chuckle. It’s a wicked tongue-in-cheek grin aimed at fans who could never have anticipated this warning shot.

Hawkeye even continues to have Kingpin loom over conversations as the menacing ghost he so often was in Daredevil‘s first season.

We can speculate all day about what this means for Hell’s Kitchen, but we meet Maya doused in red light, and now there’s a Vincent D’Onofrio shaped figure caressing her face. Marvel is giving fans their reboot, starting with the king himself.

An Echo of Her Uncle

“Echoes” reveals we now live in a world where a deaf, indigenous actress is the key to the success of Marvel’s Phase 4. 

Alaqua Cox is an instant scene-stealer, and she carries herself in this world as if Echo is a pre-established character. Darnell Besaw is just as strong as young Maya, giving the backstory emotional stakes for a change.

We praise Daredevil for all the good it did, but we do so knowing how problematic Netflix’s portrayal of POC was. However, Maya challenges stereotypes with a swagger and fierce intensity that gives every interaction authenticity.

So much so that time spent with her does not feel like lost time with Kate Bishop. Plus, having Kazi there to soften Echo’s tyranny is clever misdirection, given he will be the first to pull the trigger on this dynamic.

I’m willing to overlook that most female characters in Phase 4 operate in an antagonist role if they continue to steal the whole show. However, it is easy to see why Marvel gave Echo a spin-off; she’s too interesting to be reduced to a villain.

The assumption going into Hawkeye was Clint’s hearing aid would be a fixture and nothing more.

Spectacularly, “Echoes” destroys any notions of disabilities being a performative measure, forcing Clint to face not only his wrong-doings but also his hearing loss through calculated assaults.

The plot amplifies Echo’s disabilities with editing that matches her ability to “pass between worlds.” Maya’s viewpoint brings a warmth to the Tracksuit Mafia that makes this backdoor pilot digestible. Her journey also brings perspective to Ronin’s actions.

How rewarding it is to watch Echo press Clint to sign and scorn him when he cannot continue. Hawkeye provides the proper lens to showcase sign language as a gripping form of communication, with camera angles delivering dialogue and silence with haunting accuracy.

Daredevil proved superheroes who do not fit the mold could force the genre to evolve. Likewise, Maya’s first outing confirms diversity will give Marvel the cinematic character studies they often seem incapable of telling.

Besties with Bows

Kate and Clint are the centerpieces of this perfectly executed episode. This show couldn’t overshadow them if it tried, which is a wonderous predicament for Marvel.

There is so much external friction packed into this story, but it stems directly from our leads, allowing Hawkeye to showcase the scrappy fun shenanigans that make this team up one of a kind.

The high-energy action sequences speak to the dysfunctional nature of this duo. Clint is fighting bros in a ball pit. Kate is shooting playdough arrows and screaming, “Merry Christmas!” as they dismantle a tree lot — this is what we came here for!

The car chase takes this goonish encounter to the next level with a one-take scene and an epic soundtrack of intensifying Christmas music. It is a logical marriage of Die-Hard action and Marvel’s bubbly superhero comedy.

Everything we love about Clint and Kate’s dynamic is on display, and their ability to test the bow’s limitations is a notable achievement.

The profoundly savage beats Kate and Clint share allow “Echoes” this win in earnest.

Their inability to let anything phase them is so endearing. We stan emotionally dysfunctional superheroes, and that’s okay because when Kate texts Clint, “Good thing they call you HawkEYE, not HawkEAR,” after a sad scene about his hearing loss, it just feels right.

Even so, this comedy favors humor that drifts into meaningful character growth. Sure, Kate is naive to think she and a deaf Clint are “communicating,” but these barriers echo the core similarities they share when Clint repeats Kate’s words to her.

The darker beats are carefully placed, with chills erupting at Clint’s mention of Natasha. The discussion with Nate uses muffled disappointment to wreak havoc on Clint. However, it makes us feel for him in ways the films never could, and Kate is right there to reap the rewards.

Three episodes in, their character development continues to be the heart of this holiday tale.

Eyes on the Prize

We love a good powder keg, and “Echoes” packs the conflict in tight, promising many imploding storylines in the coming episodes. We are in for some tasty Ronin-related trauma — the kind that builds character!

And we can expect more comic inspiration, what with the challenger that meets its inevitable demise and Kate yelling at Clint to label his arrows. There is an immense payoff here for comic fans, but that Pym arrow trick? That’s for everyone to enjoy.

If Hawkeye can manage this juggling act and keep the conflict condensed to street-level storylines, it might not only survive but thrive in this format.

To the episode that gave us Daredevil crumbs, authentic experiences from a deaf viewpoint, and more of the archer team-up we signed on for, thank you. “Echoes” is the gift we’ve had on our wishlist for a long time.

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New episodes of Hawkeye will air Wednesdays on Disney+.

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