There’s fireworks at the powwow on Marvel‘s Echo .. and not the good kind. In “Maya,” Maya (Alaqua Cox) and her family is threatened when Fisk (Vincent D’Onfrio) and his men show up at the Choctaw Nation Powwow. This episode is directed by Sydney Freeland.
BISKINIK
When Maya (Darnell Besaw) was a child, she spotted a woodpecker in the woods. She hit it with a slingshot and hurt it. Maya picked up the woodpecker and took it to her mother, Taloa (Katrina Ziervogel). Maya says she found the bird on the ground after it fell from a tree. Taloa takes a look and asks Maya what really happened. Maya says she didn’t mean to hurt it. She just wanted to see if she could hit it. Taloa reminds her that they don’t harm living things.
The woodpecker, or Biskinik, is a messenger. The Choctaw would tell the woodpecker what to say and the bird would tap out the message on a tree, usually warning when enemies approached. Taloa puts two fingers from her right hand and crosses them on top of the same two fingers on her left hand and places them over the bird. A light glows from her hands, healing the woodpecker.
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Chula (Tantoo Cardinal) visits Skully (Graham Greene) to ask about a sewing machine she sold to him. Skully turns away but quickly returns with the machine. He never put it up for sale. Instead he cleaned it up and oiled it. He knew she’d come back for it. Skully doesn’t charge her anything for the machine except a promise that she will come back more often. He obviously still cares for her.
STRANGER DANGER
Chula is delivering mail when a child bumps into her, making her drop several letters. She bends down to pick them up and a man offers to help. It’s Wilson Fisk. Chula thinks he’s there for the the Choctaw powwow. Fisk notices a pin on on Chula’s shirt. Its the ASL sign for I Love You. Fisk mentions that his niece is deaf. Chula says she learned sign language for her daughter and her granddaughter, Maya.
Maya stops at a travel stop for food. She takes out the contact that Fisk gave to her and throws it away. At the same time, Biscuits (Cody Lightning) is parking cars when Zane (Andrew Howard) shows up driving an RV. Biscuits tries to direct Zane to visitor parking, but Zane wants a specific space to watch over the powwow. He ignores Biscuits’ instructions and parks wherever he wants.
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Maya is eating when Biscuits texts her, looking for Chula and Bonnie (Devery Jacobs). Maya doesn’t answer, instead she looks out the window and sees a woodpecker. Biscuits texts again saying Chula and Bonnie are an hour late to the powwow. Maya knows somethign is wrong and leaves for Tahama. She drives to Chula’s house, expecting to find her in trouble. Instead, she finds her mother standing in Chula’s sewing room.
LETTING GO
Maya tears up when she sees her mother. Taloa knows Maya has been hurting lately. She crosses her fingers over Maya’s heart and her hand begin to glow. Maya sees the faces of her ancestors, traveling to the night that her mother died. Taloa says Maya is not alone. Those who came before her are always with her. They echo through Maya. Taloa says it’s time for the pain to go away as they return to Chula’s house. Maya says she can’t let go because she doesn’t know how. Her mother says the ancestors will help her.
Taloa says Maya comes from a long line of special women, going all the way back to Chafa (Julia Jones). They are protectors and fight for their family. Now it’s Maya’s turn, but she’s scared because all she brings is danger. Maya says she has to leave, but Taloa tells her to stay and fight. She reminds Maya that she has gifts. Strategy from Lowak. Cunning from Tuklo. Ferocity from Chafa. And Love from Chula and Taloa. All of it is infused within the suit Chula made for Maya. Every seam on the suit shows that Maya is a part of them and they are a part of her. Taloa tells Maya that she loves her before leaving.
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GRAND ENTRY
It’s time for Grand Entry. Zane and his guys set up to attack. Two vans of Fisk’s men arrive, prepare their guns and wait for a signal. Maya, in her new suit, mixes in with the powwow Princesses, so none of Fisk’s men spot her. Zane climbs up on top of the RV and waits. He doesn’t see Maya slip away from the dancers. Maya sees the woodpecker on top of a light near one of the buildings and heads towards it.
Henry (Chaske Spencer) arrives at the powwow and immediately calls Biscuits asking if he’s seen Maya. Biscuits hasn’t seen Maya but reports that some creepy guys are there and they are up to no good. Henry says things are about to get dangerous and asks if Biscuits has any weapons. Biscuits says he has something better.
Maya pulls out her gun and enters the building. Fisk is waiting for her. And he has Chula and Bonnie. Fisk’s men pull Bonnie forward and she interprets for Fisk. Fisk is angry, saying Maya betrayed him. He gave Maya everything. Maya asks who betrayed who first.
Outside, the contest powwow has started. Henry looks around for any sign of Fisk’s men. He spots Zane sitting on top of the RV and heads to him. Zane gets the go ahead and pulls out a rocket launcher.
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ECHOES
Inside, Fisk yells at Maya, saying she brought all of this on herself. Maya is concerned for Bonnie and Chula. She says they have nothing to do with what’s going on between her and Fisk. Chula and Bonnie are in her blood and she is in theirs. She is a part of them. Maya is their legacy, not Fisk’s Fisk is pleased. He says now he knows how much it will hurt when he kills the rest of her family, just like he killed her father.
Fisk keeps talking but Bonnie doesn’t interpret. One of Fisk’s men punches Maya and that stirs up the ancestors. Maya takes off her jacket and stands up. Tuklo (Dannie McCallum), Chafa, Taloa and Lowak (Morningstar Angeline) stand with her. Maya looks at Bonnie and tells her to trust her. Maya prepares to fight with all of the strength of the ancestors in her. Maya’s hands begin to glow as Fisk’s men prepare to fight. Bonnie and Chula’s hands glow as well. Chula strikes first, pulling away from the men who hold her back and punching them. Maya and Bonnie strike next and the three Choctaw women battle against several of Fisk’s men.
While the women fight inside, Biscuits and Henry prepare to stop Fisk’s men from hurting anyone at the powwow. Biscuits fixed up Chula’s truck and turned it into a monster truck. He races through the parking lot and drives over the two white vans, trapping Fisk’s armed men. Henry pulls out a gun and points it at Zane. When Zane gets ready to shoot off the rocket launcher, he spots Henry. Henry shoots Zane, knocking off of the RV. Zane pulls the trigger on the launcher and the rocket flies up into the air. When it explodes, it looks like fireworks, so no one knows any better.
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TIME TO HEAL
Inside, Bonnie, Chula and Maya finish beating up all of Fisk’s men. Fisk is angry and rushes at Maya, who stands with her ancestors once again. Maya crosses her fingers the same way her mother did. When Fisk reaches Maya, he raises his hands, giving her access to his heart. Her hands begin to glow, and Fisk falls to his knees. Maya then places her fingers on Fisk’s head taking him back to his childhood home.
Fisk cries as he hears his father yell at his mother and beat her. Maya appears and takes him through different times in his life when he was angry. She tells him to stop listening. Maya cries watching him in pain. Fisk picks up the hammer and looks at Maya. She tells him to give her the hammer. They return to the present and Maya lets go. Fisk is scared and wants to know what she did to him. His guards rush him away from the powwow as the police arrive.
STARTING OVER
In the past, after Taloa healed the woodpecker, she let Maya release it. Maya asked if they would ever see it again and Taloa said of course. In the present, Maya sits at home remembering that last night with her mother. The next day, Biscuits, Henry and Bonnie gather at Chula’s for dinner. Maya rides through town and stops at Chula’s house. Everyone is happy to see her, especially Chula.
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Epilogue
Fisk returns to New York City, with plans to stabilize his empire after Maya’s disturbance. He needs to think about his next step. He turns on the news and hears a debate about the candidates for the New York City Mayor. The commentators agree that none of the candidates are strong enough. They say they need someone who understands what the people are going through. They need a “bare knuckle brawler.” Someone who is not afraid to take on the establishment. There is a small window of opportunity open for a stronger candidate to enter the race. The wheels in Fisk’s head begin to turn
Marvel’s Echo is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.
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