The following story contains spoilers for Marvel Studios’s Echo, and potential teases for the future of the MCU.
PART OF THE fun that comes along with a connected world as expansive as the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the fact that while, yes, everything technically exists in the same shared space, there can be sub-sections of that same space where entirely different things are happening. The outer space adventures of Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor don’t need to have anything to do with the web-slinging adventures of Spider-Man in Queens. Black Panther doesn’t need to have any idea what’s going on in Ghost Rider. Marvel did a remarkably good job linking everything together for a long time, but that doesn’t have to be the case.
It’s important, though, that each of those sub-sections are properly filled out. While the MCU seemed to be initially looking big and cosmic for its post-Endgame era (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Loki, etc), it’s smartly begun to build things out on the smaller, street-level scale. Through Hawkeye, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and, now, Echo, Marvel seems to have some very strong pieces in place for a New York City-set world within its greater universe.
Echo took five episodes to tell a story about Maya Lopez/Echo (Alaqua Cox), who was first introduced as an antagonist in Hawkeye before taking an anti-hero turn in her own series. But perhaps more notably, the series marked the first major return of Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, as played by Vincent D’Onofrio. Kingpin is one of the most beloved and iconic villains in the entire Marvel canon, and D’Onofrio previously played him to much fanfare in three seasons of Netflix’s Daredevil series, opposite Charlie Cox (he also showed up for an episode and change at the end of Hawkeye, officially returning to the role within a project produced by Marvel Studios for the first time).
By the end of Echo, Maya uses her new powers to help Kingpin return to his traumatic past—the moment where he killed his abusive father as he was hurting his mother—and clear his mind. It leads Kingpin to retreat from one of his many moments of bloodlust, perhaps, at least briefly, a changed man? Probably not. But, well, at least until the always-anticipated credits scene, people could hope.
What does the Echo mid-credits scene mean?
Marvel Studios
The Echo mid-credits scene picks up with Kingpin, after retreating from his threats to kill Maya’s entire family (he already killed her father, which we learned in Hawkeye), planning his next scheme aboard his private plane. “I want a meeting with all remaining heads,” he tells an aide. “We need to stabilize this situation before it spirals out of control.”
At that moment, though, Kingpin begins listening to news coverage on a nearby TV; it’s a report discussing the upcoming New York City mayoral race, and the anchor leading the segment indicates that the right candidate hasn’t yet emerged. He says that people are looking for a “fighter” (“which works against the career politicians”), “someone who understands the pain they’re going through.”
As if the direction this was going in wasn’t clear enough, the TV personality continues: “A bare-knuckles brawler would do well in this race. An outsider. Somebody who’s not afraid to take on the establishment.”
The reporters continue, saying that, unfortunately, that person doesn’t seem to exist. But while we’re hearing this, all we see is the face of an emotional, big-eyed Kingpin—he believes he’s once again found his calling.
And just like that, the MCU is getting ready to soon have a Mayor Wilson Fisk.
Kingpin seems destined to become Mayor of New York City—and become a major, looming figure in the future of the MCU.
Marvel Comics
Just as he frequently is in the Marvel Comics—recently and notably in writer Chip Zdarsky’s Devil’s Reign event series—Wilson Fisk/Kingpin seems primed to gain a major position of power as the mayor of the MCU’s New York City. The implications of this are huge; a “legitimate” Kingpin rarely goes straight and abandons his criminal enterprise. Instead, he usually uses the legal forces on his side to… continue going after the street-level MCU heroes.
DEVIL’S REIGN
A Mayor Kingpin could spell major trouble for all of our superheroes based in New York City, which, at this time includes Daredevil (who is confirmed to lead his own series, alongside Kingpin, Daredevil: Born Again), Kate Bishop, Ms. Marvel, and, yes, despite Peter Parker being erased from everyone’s memories, Spider-Man. There’s also the possibility that more of the Netflix Marvel heroes—including Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, The Punisher, and Iron Fist—could return to the fold; all are based in New York City.
Kingpin with this level of power (and his level of intelligence, brute strength, and criminal expertise), could help Marvel to establish what would essentially be a street-level version of Thanos—a strong, feared, overarching villain with a valuable point of view—while the rest of the universe tries to come up with whatever is going on in the post-Jonathan Majors Kang the Conqueror era.
So, while we’re only confirmed, for now, to see Vincent D’Onofrio return as the Kingpin in Daredevil: Born Again, if he becomes Mayor—and it seems to very clearly be trending in that direction—he could continue to be a major adversary in everything from the forthcoming Young Avengers team-up film, to the yet-to-be-titled Spider-Man 4, and more.
Echo and Hawkeye have only barely scratchedthe surface of the Kingpin barrage that could be ahead of us.
Evan Romano
Evan is the culture editor for Men’s Health, with bylines in The New York Times, MTV News, Brooklyn Magazine, and VICE. He loves weird movies, watches too much TV, and listens to music more often than he doesn’t.
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