Hawkeye Directors Confirm What We Suspected All Along About Maya's True Superpower
To cap off a remarkable year on Disney+, Marvel Studios' "Hawkeye" has kicked off its six-episode run on the streamer. Set against the backdrop of the Christmas season, skilled archer Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) quickly finds herself in a bit of a bind. After following her mom's fiancé, Jack (Tony Dalton), to a black market auction gone wrong, New York City's criminal underworld believes she's the infamous Ronin. With the help of the real person behind the mask, Clint "Hawkeye" Barton (Jeremy Renner), she's on a desperate mission to clear her name and stay alive.
Following its premiere on November 24, 2021, Marvel Cinematic Universe fans have had a lot to say about "Hawkeye." Some are loving Hailee Steinfeld's take on Kate Bishop, others are desperate to see more of Lucky the Pizza Dog, and it's safe to assume that most of the fandom is captivated by the show's villain, Echo (Alaqua Cox). Since arriving at the tail end of Episode 2, "Hide and Seek," Maya Lopez has become a major point of interest for those tuning in, and not just for what her presence may mean for the MCU at large. While Episode 3, "Echoes," thoroughly covered her origin and motivations, one question still remains: does she actually have any superpowers?
The directors behind "Hawkeye," Bert and Bertie, shed some light on the truth of Maya's superhuman abilities, and their comments confirmed what we suspected all along.
Echo's superpowers are defined by her disabilities
Though Maya Lopez's MCU run has just begun, so far, we've had the chance to learn a lot about her in her first few appearances. Her father was a Tracksuit Mafia member who the Ronin apparently killed, motivating her through vengeance to stick by the family business. Not to mention, she has a mysterious "Uncle" who seems quite familiar despite him not showing his face during his cameo in "Echoes." Most noteworthy, though, are the facts that she's deaf and only has one leg — disabilities that make Echo such a powerful character.
"That's her superpower. Everything that she's learned in life comes from what we see as a disability...but that's the reason she kicks ass," Bert and Bertie told TVLine, citing her ability to thrive despite her disabilities as a superpower itself. They add that upon learning that Alaqua Cox wears a prosthetic leg, instead of hiding it, they chose to show it off. "It was like, 'Oh, that can actually add to the superhuman nature of [Maya].' She's a hero. Alaqua is a real-life hero, and what she's overcome in her life is really mirrored in Maya's story."
With three more "Hawkeye" installments to go and a series of her own on the way, Echo will surely get even more opportunities to showcase her badassery in the future.