So following the direct, here's some things about thoughts and junk:
-Dixie is not out yet. Dark Samus was revealed separately from Ridley. Dixie can be revealed separately from K Rool.
-The inclusion of new DK items, a DK assist and K Rool makes me feel better about her being in than before actually. It shows that the series is getting highlighted in the playbook, and an eye is being paid to Tropical Freeze most likely.
-We should be ready to embrace her as an Echo fighter, because it seems that the conditions of being an Echo are simply being based on someone else. The definition gets more loose with each addition.
Dark Samus is animated totally different. Chrom has a couple unique moves, a unique Up B (it is NOT Aether from Ike, contrary to popular belief, just similar), and is otherwise kind of like Roy. Dixie could have a mostly unique moveset, but if she's uses Diddys running/dodging animations or shares a couple attacks, she'll probably be called an Echo.
I'm truly starting to believe that Echo is just a way to keep people from blowing their tops when they see ONE similar move and call "CLONEEEEEE" (As a Wolf player, I know how this goes), and is also a way to sort of apologize for having a newcomer that isn't entirely bespoke and built ground up. And let's be real, Dixie won't be.
-I have a sneaking suspicion there will be a direct about a story mode, which will show some new heroes and sidekicks joining to beat the baddies, like Bandana Dee and Dixie.
-Stay optimistic. We have some months to go.