So addendum for the echo. All of it's abilities are hyper empathy.

Universal translator is intent
Past/object reading is living another person's memories or the memories of a place
Aura reading is being able to understand people
Ability to possess people is just an extension of the rest taken to it's ultimate extent.

If framed as a form of hyper empathy then ALL abilities expressly displayed by the echo (barring resistance to tempering, though I would argue that comes from making it impossible for you not to consider another person's poverty which tempering does) it all makes sense and has a clear through line