Echo – Season 1 Episode 3 “Tuklo” Recap & Review

Tuklo

Episode 3 of Echo starts with a black and white montage for more Native American shenanigans. Just like in episode 2 with the games, this time we see how oppressed women are in this society compared to men. As a result of being shunned, our protagonist rides away. She braids her hair, just like the warriors do, and decides to ride with the Lighthorsemen. This eventually culminates in our little shooter doing right by her father and proving everyone wrong.

Back in the present, Chula shows up to see Skully and the pair discuss Maya’s return. She’s unhappy that Biscuit is caught up in this, especially with his car now totalled. Skully keeps his poker face going, given he fixed up Maya’s leg and Chula is none the wiser. Skully bemoans Chula’s hard-head and suggests that she listen to her granddaughter for a change.

Meanwhile, Maya continues to experiences flashes to her Native American ancestors. But unfortunately her visions come back to bite her when she’s kidnapped and tied up in the skating rink. She manages to wriggle free, but she spies Henry tied up and gagged from afar. Vickie is the one in charge here, and he has his associate, a middle-aged woman, keep watch.

They didn’t bargain on Bonnie showing up outside though and she heads in through the unguarded back door and wanders through the hallways. Henry is there but he signs to her about what’s happening in secret. When Bonnie leaves, she radios through to dispatch… but she’s taken out before she can continue the call. These guys aren’t stupid, and Bonnie ends up tied up in the same room as Maya.

Maya breaks free from her binds thanks to a hidden knife in her shoe and unties Bonnie too. While Maya keeps her poker face going, Henry learns that Vickie has called in back-up. They all show up at the skating rink, while Maya prepares to break out. With a whole bunch of tools, she quickly rustles up a makeshift gun and shoots out the lights.

Vickie is the middle-man here and he wants his money from Kingpin’s men. However, when he refuses to play ball and asks for his money upfront, he ends up shot dead by their leader, Zane. Zane is after Maya Lopez, who decides to stalk the soldiers herself. A fight sequence breaks out with a whole bunch of accommodating stuntmen, including one who literally just stands there waiting for Maya to German suplex him into a pinball machine.

Things are going great… until Zane happens to have Bonnie at gunpoint. Maya is forced to concede… until Zane’s phone rings. Whoever is on the other line, he decides to leave with all his men, which subsequently saves Maya, Henry and Bonnie. Henry knows who this is, and he tells Maya that evening that Kingpin is back. Henry decides he’s going to help her from now on.

Skully hands over a new prosthetic leg for her that afternoon, and he also encourages her to go and see Chula. He points out that Chula’s heart was broken when Maya left, and so she should maybe go and patch things up with her. But then there’s still the unresolved drama with Bonnie too. So what does Maya decide to do? Well, she packs up her stuff and heads home. Only… Kingpin happens to be there waiting for her Business is about to pick up!

The Episode Review

The third episode of Echo is arguably the best, but that’s still a long way to go from being up to the standard of previous Marvel projects. You can clearly see the influences to Daredevil here but without the same level of choreography, lighting, camera work and writing, it pales by comparison.

The skating rink fight was okay but we still haven’t had a proper explanation over how Maya can access her powers or how they work. Does it only activate during heightened periods of stress? Given the creators came out ahead of time and said that Echo’s comic book powers were “too lame” and needed changing, they haven’t exactly set the show alight with their new vision.

With Kingpin back, hopefully there will be some extra gravitas in the show now that’s been sorely lacking thus far.