Hawkeye teases the return of a major Marvel villain, and it's quickly becoming my favourite MCU show

Hawkeye is quickly living up to the comicbook created by Matt Fraction and David Aja. The third episode of the Disney Plus series, "Echoes", has all the makings of what made the comic run so successful, targeting in on the drama, comedy, action and most importantly, bringing the characters down to Earth. 

Warning: spoilers for Hawkeye alongside potential future spoilers for the wider MCU as a whole

The latest episode opens with the introduction of Maya Lopez aka Echo, the first deaf superhero to join the MCU as played by Alaqua Cox. We get an overview of her upbringing and how Ronin (Clint Barton) seemingly murdered her father (William) who was part of the Tracksuit Mafia, setting up the stakes for the remainder of the series. There's one particular shot, though, that has the internet already going bonkers. 

During the karate lesson sequence, we see Maya's father explain that her "Uncle" will take her home once finished. A huge hidden figure in a suit then walks up to Maya, pinches her cheeks, and chuckles. This person is presumed to be none other than Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin.

It's a huge revelation if true, after D'Onofrio starred as Wilson Fisk throughout the Netflix Daredevil series to massive acclaim. Calls for his interpretation of Kingpin to join the MCU have constantly flooded social media ever since Daredevil was cancelled back in November 2018. It's now finally looking more likely than ever to be happening, with the actor himself fuelling speculation via his own Twitter account ahead of the first episode. 

There's also the fact that Kingpin is the adopted father of Echo in the comics, so there's precedent for his introduction. The difference here is that Kingpin killed Echo's father in the comics, whereas Ronin has killed him in the MCU show. All of this is setting up what could be a fantastic final three episodes. 

This week's episode, especially, felt like a major step up in quality. Filming on location in New York has worked wonders for show, helping to blur the lines between TV and film. Then you have the Christmas theme enveloping the backdrop that when collided with Jeremy Renner's grumpy Hawkeye makes for an entertaining and festive watch. 

Not to mention, Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop shines in every scene. The chemistry between the pair is dynamic, whether that be in the middle of a car chase with an assortment of special arrows (Pym Tech – nice), helping Clint speak to his kid while dealing with deafness of his own, or simply having breakfast in a diner. It's had me grinning ear to ear, often finding myself at the credits before I know it and eagerly awaiting the next episode. The MCU may have finally hit its stride with Hawkeye as of right now, the sky's the limit.