Ask Marvel fans which characters they’d like to see again from the Marvel Netflix shows, one of the top choices would be Kingpin. I remember when I saw Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk for the first time, but it wasn’t in his first episode. I’ll be honest, I didn’t have Netflix around the time the Marvel Netflix shows began. Of course, they kicked things off on the ultimate high note with Daredevil, and I think that first hallway fight scene is what sold it for me. A friend of mine showed me the fight scene on YouTube and I knew I had to get on that. Before I did, however, I watched a small clip of Wilson Fisk going into full rage mode and killing that Russian guy with his car door. And keep in mind, that was long before they started calling him Kingpin.
By seeing those two clips, I knew the series would give me a Daredevil and Kingpin I would want to see on the screen for a while. And their rivalry would rage on for about three years, right up until the show got canceled back in 2018. That still makes me depressed, because it was shortly after season 3 ended. Seriously, season 3 was the absolute golden standard of those Marvel Netflix shows. Now that those characters can be legally used by Marvel again, it is possible that season 4 of Daredevil can get back on track. Too much wishful thinking? Perhaps, but as a fan, I’d like to be optimistic.
The thing is, apparently Marvel is planning for Wilson Fisk, aka the Kingpin to make his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe by joining the upcoming Hawkeye series on Disney+. I’ve read this rumor on several sites now and they’ve all made their original source clear. Let’s just say it’s not entirely reliable, or in other words, Reddit. Granted, it’s not always wrong, but I’d take this rumor with a grain of salt. Then again, as a big Marvel freak, news like this does excite me. Now I’m not one to get my hopes up, but when I hear news like this, as unlikely as it might be, I still want to think about how it can play out.
I’m willing to humor this rumor that Kingpin could be returning to the MCU in the Hawkeye series. If he is, then I’ll take him, because Vincent D’Onofrio basically owns that role. And if not, then so be it. I’m willing to wait for his return. To be honest, I’m kind of torn on this. On one hand, I think Kingpin can fit well in the Hawkeye series. But on the other had, I don’t see how his presence can be a big benefit for the series. I think most fans would agree that we would like to see Vincent D’Onofrio reprise the Kingpin role. But does that alone really warrant a return in the Hawkeye series?
Kingpin really has no connection to Clint Barton or Kate Bishop in the comics, so I wonder why the creators would bother. That doesn’t mean he can’t have a place in the series, however. For instance, he does have a connection to Maya Lopez, aka Echo. Echo will be appearing in the Hawkeye series and although her exact role is unknown, she’s known for being a supporting character of Daredevil in the comics. Actually, the comic version of Echo has a much more personal relationship to Kingpin than you may think.
In the comics, Maya Lopez became the adoptive daughter of the Kingpin after he killed her father. In his last breath, he leaves a bloody handprint on her face and ask the Kingpin to look after her. When she becomes an adult, she is sent by the Kingpin to hunt down Daredevil under the guise of Echo. Instead of killing him, however, she falls in love with him. Sounds like the typical love life for Daredevil. Echo eventually learns that Daredevil and Matt Murdock are the same person and she becomes hellbent on killing the Kingpin.
That’s really the tragedy behind the relationship between the Kingpin and Echo. It’s an adoptive father/daughter relationship forged from tragedy, and it ended in tragedy. But this is typical Wilson Fisk fashion, which can be brilliantly portrayed by Vincent D’Onofrio. I miss seeing the manipulative and cunning nature of his Wilson Fisk, because it was a perfect display of his villainy. This is the kind of thing we can see once again in the Hawkeye series if Kingpin does return.
Now the question is, would his return be canon to the Netflix shows? The last time we saw the Kingpin, he was once again defeated and imprisoned by Daredevil. We know better that no prison can truly stop Wilson Fisk from committing his criminal acts. In fact, you can say that he’s even more dangerous when he’s behind bars. With the amount of influence and connections he has in the criminal underworld, he’s incredibly dangerous no matter where he is. So if the Hawkeye series does carry on Kingpin’s story from where we last saw him, he can still be a threat.
The main reason I’d like to see him in Hawkeye is simply to establish his relationship with Echo. Their relationship can set up Echo’s beginnings as a villain. What will make her turn against her adoptive father/employer? Perhaps it can be the influence of Hawkeye and Kate Bishop, but I’d prefer her to meet Daredevil. If she doesn’t in Hawkeye, then I suppose she can in the near future.
Echo is really the key to Kingpin having a spot in the Hawkeye series. If it’s not about her, then his presence is not necessary. But you know what? Can you really go wrong with another stellar Wilson Fisk performance from Vincent D’Onofrio? Absolutely not. Even if it’s just a cameo, which it might be, then I’ll take it.
What are your thoughts, Marvel fans? Do you think Vincent D’Onofrio will return as Wilson Fisk?
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