Kingpin’s MCU Return Supports Shocking MCU Theory

One shocking MCU theory may be supported by Kingpin’s return in Phase 5’s Echo, and could pose a major problem for the future of Marvel Studios’ street-level stories. After debuting as Wilson Fisk’s Kingpin, in Marvel Television’s Daredevil series, Vincent D’Onofrio reprised the villainous role in the MCU proper back in 2021’s Hawkeye. After facing Kate Bishop and Clint Barton, Kingpin returned in the MCU’s first Marvel Spotlight series, Echo, exploring his backstory and revealing more about his criminal empire. His return in Echo may have come as a surprise, however, as Kingpin’s Phase 4 storyline saw him gravely wounded.

In a divergence from his story in Netflix’s Daredevil, Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye revealed that Wilson Fisk had been caring for Maya Lopez since she was a child. As an adult, Alaqua Cox’s Maya Lopez was trained by Fisk to become his most loyal and powerful soldier. After Maya learned that Kingpin had allowed Ronin to kill her father, however, she renounced her father-figure and traveled home to Tamaha, Oklahoma. Unfortunately, Kingpin’s wrath followed her, but this allowed her to realize her true strength as a new hero in the MCU, yet it seems Kingpin also has some terrifying hidden powers.

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Marvel May Have Just Solved An MCU Kingpin Problem Created By Daredevil Season 3

Daredevil season 3 created a key problem for Kingpin’s future in the MCU, but it may have just been solved thanks to Marvel’s new Echo series.

Kingpin’s Healing In Echo Supports Super-Soldier Theory

After his appearance in Hawkeye, many questioned how Kingpin seemed to demonstrate an increased level of physical strength compared to his counterpart from Netflix’s Daredevil. The villain survived being shot by an arrow, being hit by a car, and being blown up by a series of trick arrows, which surely would have knocked the Kingpin from Daredevil for six. One theory suggested that Kingpin may have been enhanced by a super-soldier serum, perhaps the very same one that the Flag Smashers utilized in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and though this hasn’t been confirmed, Echo may support this idea.

At the end of Hawkeye, Maya Lopez shot Wilson Fisk in the face at point-blank range, seemingly wiping the villain off the map. Despite this brutal attack, Kingpin somehow survived, and in Echo, set only five months later, was shown to have healed considerably, with no sign of a bullet wound whatsoever. Kingpin’s rapid healing between Hawkeye and Echo seems to support the idea that he has a super-soldier serum coursing through his veins, as the MCU’s previous super soldiers have been known to heal much faster than the average human. This would be a terrifying prospect for the MCU.

Super-Soldier Kingpin Sets Up A Dangerous Story For The MCU’s Future

The idea of Wilson Fisk’s Kingpin being enhanced with a super-soldier serum poses some major issues for the MCU’s street-level stories, particularly with his starring spot in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Daredevil: Born Again set to change the status quo significantly. Echo’s post-credits scene teased Kingpin’s future as the Mayor of New York City, potentially teasing an adaptation of Marvel Comics’ Devil’s Reign, which saw Mayor Fisk outlaw vigilantism in New York. If Kingpin is an enhanced individual, it may be difficult for anybody to bring the supervillain to his knees, meaning his career as a world-changing Mayor may be long-lasting.

Marvel Studios executive producer Brad Winderbaum recently revealed to Screen Rant that Kingpin will become the “Thanos of the street-level corner of the MCU.” Imbuing the looming villain with super-soldier serum would certainly help advance this fate, particularly if he is set to face other powerful street-level heroes such as Spider-Man, Moon Knight and She-Hulk. The fact that Wilson Fisk has already survived a barrage of otherwise-fatal attacks in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga certainly suggests something more sinister is going on, so hopefully Kingpin’s appearances following Echo will provide confirmation about his true power level in the MCU.