An early Moon Knight plan almost ruined the upcoming Hawkeye spinoff, Echo. With so many MCU movies and shows making up Phase 4, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is now more interconnected than ever. Hence, cameos and full-fledged crossovers between characters from the big and the small screen are expected to happen more often than before. However, some characters are better off away from each other, at least before they're well established within the MCU.

Disney+'s upcoming Echo TV show will follow the titular character's story after the events of Hawkeye, where Maya Lopez learned that it wasn't Ronin, but Wilson Fisk a.k.a. Kingpin who orchestrated the death of her father. This conflict between Echo and Kingpin creates enough narrative possibilities for a whole series, but after Echo shot Kingpin during the Hawkeye finale, it feels as if Echo's story has concluded early. While Kingpin can be revealed to have survived the attack — which is expected, considering that's what happened in the comics — the revenge plot against her uncle will likely lose its novelty.

Related: Hawkeye Already Secretly Revealed How Kingpin Survived

The MCU could have made matters worse had Moon Knight followed through with early plans for a character introduction. Moon Knight head writer Jeremy Slater revealed that initially, Echo was Marc Spector's love interest in Moon Knight. Including Echo as a potential romantic partner could have robbed Echo of agency, as her first impression could have made it difficult to remove her from a "love interest" role. Considering how well Moon Knight's lack of connections with the wider MCU worked for the show, the addition of Maya Lopez would have also weighed it down with a setup for her own series.

Moon Knight and Echo MCU Disney+ Shows

Echo, like any other MCU installment, needs to function as a standalone story first and foremost. Maya Lopez needs to have a satisfying character arc throughout the series, regardless of whether an MCU mainstay gives her a hand at some point. If Echo doesn't take the same standalone route as Moon Knight and instead chooses to touch upon other known corners of the MCU, there's plenty of inspiration to draw from the source material. In the comics, Echo has crossed paths with Daredevil, the New Avengers, and of course, with Moon Knight as well. Echo has also participated in events such as Secret Invasion, World War Hulk, and the Symbiotes' invasion of Earth.

Clint Barton, Kate Bishop, and Marc Spector received thrilling character arcs with enough screentime in their respective shows, and Maya Lopez deserves the same. That is not to say love interests cannot be compelling, as Layla El-Faouly played an important role in Moon Knight, which could become bigger down the line. Still, Maya Lopez, being the protagonist of Echo, needs a special MCU storyline all for herself. Exacting revenge on Kingpin has paid off the few setups that Hawkeye established, but her role as Moon Knight's main love interest could have made the Echo series less exciting.

More: Marvel Continues Phase 4's Black Widow Insult In Moon Knight

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