All five episodes of Echo are now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, and if you haven’t tuned in yet, what are you doing? Echo brings back the gritty, unflinching action sequences that made Marvel shows like Daredevil so popular, but at its heart, it’s a moving story of family and redemption. In short, it’s really good.
One scene in particular is a subtle, moving portrayal of familial bonds—and it sets the stage for all the catharsis and forgiveness that follows.
Let’s get into it!
This article contains spoilers for episodes 1-5 of Echo.
Skully shows up for Maya, no questions asked
After Maya (Alaqua Cox), Henry (Chaske Spencer), and Bonnie (Devery Jacobs) survive the attack on the skating rink in episode 3, Maya heads back to the house she used to live in with her parents. As she’s cleaning her gun, the door opens—but it’s not an enemy. It’s her grandfather Skully (Graham Greene), who has finished making her a new prosthetic to repair the one that was damaged.
Skully proudly reveals the new prosthetic to Maya. It’s beautifully crafted, with a gold finish and designs inlaid in the metal. Maya, however, isn’t sure what to make of it at first. It isn’t her usual style. It’s flashy, maybe a little ostentatious. She does try to be grateful, though, letting him put it on her prosthetic. “I’ll just wear my pants over it,” she teases, grinning.
But the prosthetic isn’t just about fancy metalwork. “You live in New York,” Skully reminds her. “You represent your people. That means a Choctaw warrior is on the scene.” The prosthetic is a gesture of love in more ways than one: it’s a beautiful handcrafted object, and it’s also an invitation for Maya to find her place again in her community.
Skully’s gesture is especially poignant, considering Maya’s estrangement from her family. She doesn’t want Chula (Tantoo Cardinal) or Bonnie to know she’s in town. She feels angry at Chula for not contacting her. Maya doesn’t feel like she has a place among her family anymore. But Skully—who is himself somewhat estranged, since he and Chula aren’t together anymore—refuses to let her go.
Skully’s gift is also a beautiful way to foreshadow the gifts Maya will accept in the series finale: a new outfit from Chula, and a healing ability from her mother and ancestors. Thanks to her family, Maya goes from a hardened assassin in Kingpin’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) army to a loved and accepted warrior.
What’s next for Maya? It’s hard to say, but at least her family’s got her back.
(featured image: Disney+)
