Did Marvel Just Set Up The MCU Young Avengers’ Villain?

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Marvel Studios’ Echo.

Marvel Studios may have just set up the Young Avengers’ villain via the unlikeliest of stories: Echo. More so than many recent Marvel Disney+ TV shows, Echo is a story that is largely self-contained regarding connections – or lack thereof – to the wider MCU. This is what led Echo to be listed under the MCU’s Marvel Spotlight banner as the show aptly shines a spotlight on a lesser-known Marvel Comics character.

That said, Echo still has subtle connections to the MCU via the inclusion of characters like Wilson Fisk/Kingpin and Matt Murdock/Daredevil. These connections allowed Echo‘s MCU Easter eggs to remain suitably understated given Kingpin and Daredevil have only appeared in three Marvel Studios properties between them. Despite the subtle nature of Echo‘s MCU references, the show may have foreshadowed a massive future antagonist set to face the Young Avengers, the team teased in 2023’s The Marvels.

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Kingpin Could Be Young Avengers’ Villain After Echo’s Post-Credits Scene

The potential Young Avengers villain in question is none other than Kingpin, with Echo‘s end-credit scene potentially setting this up. Kingpin was the primary antagonist of Echo, returning to re-establish his power over the titular Maya Lopez after the latter shot the former in Hawkeye. Echo‘s climactic MCU ending showed Kingpin failing to overcome Maya’s newfound familial bonds with the villain returning to New York City to continue overseeing his criminal network.

Kingpin’s final appearance in Echo came in the post-credit scene of episode 5 which showed Fisk being tempted by news reports of New York City’s mayoral election. This sets up Kingpin becoming the mayor of New York as he did for a brief stint in Marvel Comics and establishing an even greater sense of power that could see the tease of Kingpin being the Thanos of the street-level MCU come to fruition. Not only would this be fantastic for upcoming shows like Daredevil: Born Again and even movies like Spider-Man 4, but Kingpin could become the villain of the Young Avengers after his rise to both legal and illegitimate power.

Why Kingpin Would Be The Perfect Villain For Marvel’s Young Avengers

One of the core reasons why Kingpin would work as the Young Avengers villain is his connection to Kate Bishop. Kate was visited by Ms. Marvel in The Marvels, teasing the Young Avengers for the first time. If Kingpin became the mayor of New York City, where Kate operates, there is no doubt that the new Hawkeye would look to take him down. If the Young Avengers have already been formed by this point, Kingpin could serve as their primary antagonist.

Also, Kingpin works as a powerful villain who would be a tough battle for the new team. Kingpin’s power in comparison to the Young Avengers thus far of Kamala Khan, Kate Bishop, and Cassie Lang is relative to the comparison of strength between Thanos and the actual Avengers, for example. Therefore, Kingpin would not only make sense to be the Young Avengers’ villain based on power level but also because of how Echo sets him up for future confrontations with MCU characters connected to the team.

All episodes of Echo are now streaming on Disney+.