#I'm sure Europeans never tire of seeing their streets and cities demolished by us in films

[rivertalesien]

Spoilers ahead.

So I want to talk a little about Black Widow, how it's a film that definitely should have been made years ago, how it borrows heavily (and well) from CAaTWS, the Jason Bourne films, and Salt, how Florence Pugh really shines in this, how I liked that the Black Widows were just badasses and not used for sexual sport or seduction, David Barbour in that suit, Rachel Weisz in *that* suit, the lack of any other Avengers or related characters (save General Ross), but mostly just how this wasn't really a Black Widow movie, brought us nothing we didn't already know at least a little or guess a little of, and didn't really connect with Natasha Romanoff's ending, excepting the post-credits scene (adding in all those BWs and a Russian super soldier who were no-shows in Endgame and never-mentions throughout the film series really puts this film far outside of where it should have/could have been).

The Natasha we knew over the course of all the Avenger's films and a few side gigs for Iron Man and Captain America was summed up in one line from CAaTWS: "Who do you want me to be?" She is the ultimate token female super agent/spy/warrior who never exists for herself, but only in service of someone else's story.

In this film, it might be her service to Pugh's Yelena, Natasha's younger "sister" from The Red Room, after she is freed from a mind control experiment to go on and become her own kind of superhero. She doesn't really become Natasha's protégé, ala Tony Stark/Peter Parker (a story development that really didn't need to happen, either), but she does have Natasha around as a sort of shepherd, giving her hope for redemption and a new start (along with a new franchise addition, no doubt).

While we are introduced to figures from Natasha's past (Weisz and Barbour are so much fun to watch), and she is allowed a (very cool) moment to free herself from an emotional burden we never really got to see her carry before (thus negating its impact), the best bits really belong to Pugh, so once again, Natasha is basically a token character on someone else's ride. And none of the Wonder Boys from her previous films even show up to give her some support. Eh.

If this film had come out right after Civil War (where it belongs in the canon), it would have been a welcome reprieve from the Wonder Boy's Club, and would have given us some characters who might have worked well in Infinity War/Endgame and given Natasha a greater emotional connection, people who care about her beyond looking Sad (tm) after her sacrifice. But it's hard not to see how even in a cinematic sense, Natasha was always something of an afterthought.

The film is a hoot though, and Pugh, again, really stands out (as she should), with Johannson taking a mostly graceful step back. Big of her, really, considering how Natasha was used throughout the Avenger's run.

From the post-credits scene it's pretty clear Pugh will be taking over the Black Widow title , but it looks, for now, that her next appointment is likely only in support for a Hawkeye film, not her own adventure.

It's a tradition.