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!Spoilers for all previous Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse works will be left unmarked.

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!Spoilers for all ''all'' previous Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse works works, including ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' will be left unmarked.
unmarked. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned!



The film stars Creator/ScarlettJohansson as Natasha Romanoff, Creator/FlorencePugh as Yelena Belova, Creator/DavidHarbour as Alexei Shostakov, and Creator/RachelWeisz as Melina Vostokoff. Other cast members include O-T Fagbenle as Rick Mason, Creator/WilliamHurt as [[ComicBook/RedHulk Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross]] (which turned out to be Hurt's last outing as the character before his passing a year after this film, being recast with Creator/HarrisonFord in upcoming installments), and Creator/RayWinstone as General Dreykov. Creator/OlgaKurylenko also plays an important role in the film.

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The film stars Creator/ScarlettJohansson as Natasha Romanoff, Creator/FlorencePugh as Yelena Belova, Creator/DavidHarbour as Alexei Shostakov, and Creator/RachelWeisz as Melina Vostokoff. Other cast members include O-T Fagbenle as Rick Mason, Creator/WilliamHurt as [[ComicBook/RedHulk [[ComicBook/Hulk2008 Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross]] (which turned out to be Hurt's last outing as the character before his passing a year after this film, being recast with Creator/HarrisonFord in upcoming installments), and Creator/RayWinstone as General Dreykov. Creator/OlgaKurylenko also plays an important role in the film.
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The film was released simultaneously in theaters and through Creator/DisneyPlus Premier Access on July 9, 2021. The film became available to all Disney+ subscribers on October 6, 2021. ''Thunderbolts'', a [[https://www.cbr.com/marvel-thunderbolts-black-widow-sequel quasi-sequel spinoff]] based on [[ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}} the titular team from the comics]] and featuring many of this film's cast in leading roles, will be released on December 20, 2024, as part of the MCU's Phase Five.

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The film was released simultaneously in theaters and through Creator/DisneyPlus Premier Access on July 9, 2021. The film became available to all Disney+ subscribers on October 6, 2021. ''Thunderbolts'', a [[https://www.cbr.com/marvel-thunderbolts-black-widow-sequel quasi-sequel spinoff]] based on [[ComicBook/{{Thunderbolts}} the titular team from the comics]] and featuring many of this film's cast in leading roles, will be released on December 20, 2024, July 25, 2025, as part of the MCU's Phase Five.
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* ResolvedNoodleIncident: "Budapest" and "Dreykov's daughter", both incidents briefly brought up with no explanation in ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', get expanded on here. [[spoiler:Natasha -- then a Widow -- and Clint initially tried to kill each other, before Natasha defected and teamed up with him to take down the Red Room. They hid for ten days before they could leave Hungary, finally culminating in Natasha trailing a then-child Antonia Dreykov to her father and blowing up the building.]]

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* ResolvedNoodleIncident: The movie elaborates on the "Budapest" and "Dreykov's daughter", both daughter" incidents briefly brought up with no explanation in ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', get expanded on here.Avengers|2012}}''. [[spoiler:Natasha -- then a Widow -- and Clint initially tried to kill each other, before Natasha defected and teamed up with him to take down the Red Room. They hid for ten days before they could leave Hungary, finally culminating in Natasha trailing a then-child Antonia Dreykov to her father and blowing up the building.]]
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* BigScrewedUpFamily: Natasha, Yelena, Melina, and Alexei were only a "family" for three years as a deep cover American family so that Alexei and Melina could steal government secrets from HYDRA, and the girls were merely supposed to be recruits for the Red Room after the mission was completed. Despite this, and despite Melina and Alexei still seeing their mission and sending their "daughters" into slavery as noble, 20 years later Nat and Yelena still consider their fake family as still "real" to them, and Melina and Alexei feel the same way.

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* BigScrewedUpFamily: Natasha, Yelena, Melina, and Alexei were only a "family" for three years as a deep cover American family so that Alexei and Melina could steal government secrets from HYDRA, and the girls were merely supposed to be recruits for the Red Room who were supposed to resume their training after the mission was completed. Despite this, and despite Melina and Alexei still seeing their mission and sending their "daughters" into slavery as noble, 20 years later Nat and Yelena still consider their fake family as still "real" to them, and Melina and Alexei feel the same way.



** The mooks cornering Melina above the engine tell her to "drop to the ground". Melina responds "Precisely what I was thinking" before shooting the engine and demolishing it, causing the station to go into a controlled crash.

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** The mooks cornering Melina above the engine tell her to "drop to the ground". Melina responds responds, "Precisely what I was thinking" before shooting the engine and demolishing it, causing the station to go into a controlled crash.



* ItMeantSomethingToMe: Non-romantic version during the dinner scene, as Melina and Natasha insist that their family wasn't real but Yelena, the youngest, says it was real to her. [[spoiler:Natasha later confesses it was real to her too.]]

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* ItMeantSomethingToMe: Non-romantic version during the dinner scene, as Melina and Natasha initially insist that their family wasn't real but Yelena, the youngest, says it was real to her. [[spoiler:Natasha later confesses it was real to her too.]]



** [[spoiler:Melina is willing to abandon her life's work after a few hours with her family. As Natasha notes, Melina kept the photo album for over two decades, so she clearly still cared.]]

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** [[spoiler:Melina is willing to abandon her life's work after a few hours with her family. As Natasha notes, Melina kept the photo album of their life in Ohio for over two decades, so she clearly still cared.]]



* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: Melina and Alexei are represented very sympathetically as Natasha's adoptive parents. Despite being professional spies and assassins that dutifully and willingly participated in the atrocities of Dreykov and the Russian government, helping to form the Black Widows. Including child abductions, brainwashing and possibly lethal training of them to become elite spies and assassins. Since it wouldn't be cool to make Natasha have to possibly kill her adoptive parents, everyone blames everything that happened on Dreykov and declares it over after they kill him, even though almost everyone involved in these disgusting acts got away with it. The film justifies this with Melina having gone through the Red Room herself ''four times'' and Alexei being a fairly dumb true believer who didn't really know anything about the Red Room.

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* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: Melina and Alexei are represented portrayed very sympathetically as Natasha's adoptive parents. Despite parents despite being professional spies and assassins that who dutifully and willingly participated in the atrocities of Dreykov and the Russian government, helping to form government involving the Black Widows. Including Widows, which comprised of child abductions, brainwashing brainwashing, and possibly lethal training of them to become elite spies and assassins. experimentation. Since it wouldn't be cool to make for Natasha to have to possibly kill her adoptive parents, everyone blames everything that happened on Dreykov and declares it over after they kill him, him and begin to free the Widows, even though almost everyone involved in these disgusting acts got away with it. The film justifies this with Melina having gone through the Red Room herself ''four times'' and Alexei being a fairly dumb true believer who didn't really know anything about the Red Room.



*** Yelena gives one to Melina regarding the subjugation chemicals as she was one of the Widows under their influence, and also to Natasha for her defection to S.H.I.E.L.D. without finishing the job of killing Dreykov.
*** Natasha blasts both Melina and Alexei, who believed they were a family (along with Yelena), and calls the former a coward because she was the inventor of the subjugation chemical that Dreykov administered to the Widows including Yelena.

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*** Yelena gives one to Melina regarding her inhumane experiments with chemical subjugation, as the subjugation chemicals as she former was one of the Widows under their influence, and also to Natasha for her defection to S.H.I.E.L.D. without finishing the job of killing Dreykov.
Dreykov or coming back for her.
*** Natasha blasts both Melina and Alexei, who believed they were a family (along with Yelena), and calls the former a coward because she was the inventor of the subjugation chemical that Dreykov administered to the Widows Widows, including Yelena.
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* ArtisticLicensePhysics: It's possible to open a parachute on someone else while holding on, but you have to loop your arms through the straps and they'll both break and the other person also has to hold on to you, and even then it might not work. Natasha does this ''twice'' in as many minutes while just gently holding on with her hands. She must have fingers like the Hulk.
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* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: Melina and Alexei are represented very sympathetically as Natasha's adoptive parents. Despite being professional spies and assassins that dutifully and willingly participated in the atrocities of Dreykov and the Russian government, helping to form the Black Widows. Including child abductions, brainwashing and possibly lethal training of them to become elite spies and assassins. Since it wouldn't be cool to make Natasha have to possibly kill her adoptive parents, everyone blames everything that happened on Dreykov and declares it over after they kill him, even though almost everyone involved in these disgusting acts got away with it.

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* ProtagonistCenteredMorality: Melina and Alexei are represented very sympathetically as Natasha's adoptive parents. Despite being professional spies and assassins that dutifully and willingly participated in the atrocities of Dreykov and the Russian government, helping to form the Black Widows. Including child abductions, brainwashing and possibly lethal training of them to become elite spies and assassins. Since it wouldn't be cool to make Natasha have to possibly kill her adoptive parents, everyone blames everything that happened on Dreykov and declares it over after they kill him, even though almost everyone involved in these disgusting acts got away with it. The film justifies this with Melina having gone through the Red Room herself ''four times'' and Alexei being a fairly dumb true believer who didn't really know anything about the Red Room.
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* {{Determinator}}: Turns out Natasha's mother was just like her in this respect. She never gave up looking for her daughter. She was such a problem that Dreykov had her killed.
-->'''Malina:''' She was relentless.
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* SingleTear: When Yelena starts to break down about how their "family" was real to ''her'', Natasha quietly wipes away a tear.
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* DramaticallyMissingThePoint: When trying to excuse his actions, Alexei keeps praising Yelena and Natasha for the things they hate most about themselves, as assassins, their ledgers dripping with red.
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* TemptingFate: Alexei, taking a tranquilizer dart in the chest, pulls it out and contemptuously scoffs, "They think that..." He is immediately hit with a dozen more.

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* TemptingFate: Alexei, taking a tranquilizer dart Alexei gets tranquilized in the chest, pulls it the dart out and contemptuously scoffs, "They think that..." He is immediately hit with a dozen more.



* TranquillizerDart: During the assault on Melina's farm, Alexei gets hit in the chest by a tranquillizer dart. He's contemptuous at first, since that won't be enough to take down a SuperSoldier, but then he's comically hit by a dozen more darts in rapid succession and ends up falling flat on his face.

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* TranquillizerDart: During the assault on Melina's farm, Alexei gets hit tranquilized in the chest by a tranquillizer dart. chest. He's contemptuous at first, since that won't be enough to take down a SuperSoldier, but then he's comically hit by a dozen tranquilized 15 more darts times in rapid succession and ends up falling flat on his face.
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Removed index headers per MCU Index Headers Wiki Talk thread


[[header:[[center:[-'''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse -- Phase 4'''\\
''Series/WandaVision'' | ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'' | ''[[Series/Loki2021 Loki (Season 1)]]'' | '''''Black Widow''''' | ''[[WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021 What If...? (Season 1)]]'' | ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' | ''Film/{{Eternals}}'' | ''Series/{{Hawkeye|2021}}'' | ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' | ''Series/{{Moon Knight|2022}}'' | ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' | ''[[Series/MsMarvel2022 Ms. Marvel]]'' | ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'' | ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'' | ''Film/{{Werewolf by Night|2022}}'' | ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever'' | ''Film/TheGuardiansOfTheGalaxyHolidaySpecial''\\
'''[[Film/SpiderManFarFromHome <<< Phase 3]] | [[Film/AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania Phase 5 >>>]]'''-]]]]]
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[[header:[[center:[-'''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse -- Phase 4'''\\
''Series/WandaVision'' | ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'' | ''[[Series/Loki2021 Loki (Season 1)]]'' | '''''Black Widow''''' | ''[[WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021 What If...? (Season 1)]]'' | ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' | ''Film/{{Eternals}}'' | ''Series/{{Hawkeye|2021}}'' | ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' | ''Series/{{Moon Knight|2022}}'' | ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' | ''[[Series/MsMarvel2022 Ms. Marvel]]'' | ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'' | ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'' | ''Film/{{Werewolf by Night|2022}}'' | ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever'' | ''Film/TheGuardiansOfTheGalaxyHolidaySpecial''\\
'''[[Film/SpiderManFarFromHome <<< Phase 3]] | [[Film/AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania Phase 5 >>>]]'''-]]]]]
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Hurting Hero is a disambiguation


* DoubleMeaningTitle: The film is indeed, centrally, about ''the'' Black Widow we have been following in the MCU the entire time, Natasha. At the same time, much like ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'' [[DeconReconSwitch deconstructing and reconstructing]] what the role of "Captain America" means, the film takes stock what the institution of the Black Widow means within the MCU: a misguided system that exploits women for the benefit of masculine institutions (be it the Soviet state or Dreykov's agenda), but nonetheless produced [[KnightInSourArmor people who can be]] [[HurtingHero heroes despite their trauma]]. Equal screentime is given to other fellow Black Widows who played a major part in her life, Yelena and Melina. Furthermore, the main conflict of the film is liberating the other brainwashed female agents (the other Red Room Black Widows and [[spoiler:Taskmaster]]).

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* DoubleMeaningTitle: The film is indeed, centrally, about ''the'' Black Widow we have been following in the MCU the entire time, Natasha. At the same time, much like ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'' [[DeconReconSwitch deconstructing and reconstructing]] what the role of "Captain America" means, the film takes stock what the institution of the Black Widow means within the MCU: a misguided system that exploits women for the benefit of masculine institutions (be it the Soviet state or Dreykov's agenda), but nonetheless produced [[KnightInSourArmor people who can be]] [[HurtingHero be heroes despite their trauma]]. Equal screentime is given to other fellow Black Widows who played a major part in her life, Yelena and Melina. Furthermore, the main conflict of the film is liberating the other brainwashed female agents (the other Red Room Black Widows and [[spoiler:Taskmaster]]).
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See Ask the Troper. Also we already have indexes.


[[header:[[center:[-'''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse -- Phase 4'''\\
''Series/WandaVision'' | ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'' | ''Series/{{Loki|2021}}'' | '''''Black Widow''''' | ''[[WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021 What If...?]]'' | ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' | ''Film/{{Eternals}}'' | ''Series/{{Hawkeye|2021}}'' | ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' | ''Series/{{Moon Knight|2022}}'' | ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' | ''[[Series/MsMarvel2022 Ms. Marvel]]'' | ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'' | ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'' | ''Film/{{Werewolf by Night|2022}}'' | ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever'' | ''Film/TheGuardiansOfTheGalaxyHolidaySpecial''\\
'''[[Film/SpiderManFarFromHome <<< Phase 3]] | [[Film/AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania Phase 5 >>>]]'''-]]]]]
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''Series/WandaVision'' | ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'' | ''Series/{{Loki|2021}}'' | '''''Black Widow''''' | ''[[WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021 What If...?]]'' | ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' | ''Series/{{Moon Knight|2022}}'' | ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' | ''[[Series/MsMarvel2022 Ms. Marvel]]'' | ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'' | ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'' | ''Film/{{Werewolf by Night|2022}}'' | ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever'' | ''Film/TheGuardiansOfTheGalaxyHolidaySpecial''\\

to:

''Series/WandaVision'' | ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'' | ''Series/{{Loki|2021}}'' | '''''Black Widow''''' | ''[[WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021 What If...?]]'' | ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' | ''Film/{{Eternals}}'' | ''Series/{{Hawkeye|2021}}'' | ''Film/SpiderManNoWayHome'' | ''Series/{{Moon Knight|2022}}'' | ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' | ''[[Series/MsMarvel2022 Ms. Marvel]]'' | ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'' | ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'' | ''Film/{{Werewolf by Night|2022}}'' | ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever'' | ''Film/TheGuardiansOfTheGalaxyHolidaySpecial''\\
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Tweaked wording.


* ActorAllusion: Creator/RachelWeisz plays [[Film/TheBourneLegacy a scientist who helped create assassins, then later works to free and save them.]]

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* ActorAllusion: As with her previous film ''Film/TheBourneLegacy'', Creator/RachelWeisz plays [[Film/TheBourneLegacy a scientist who helped create assassins, then later works to free and save them.]]
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[[header:[[center:[-'''''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'' -- Phase 4'''\\
''Series/WandaVision'' | ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'' | ''Series/Loki2021'' | '''Black Widow (2021)''' | ''WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021'' | ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' | ''Series/MoonKnight2022'' | ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' | ''Series/MsMarvel2022'' | ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'' | ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'' | ''Film/WerewolfByNight2022'' | ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever'' | ''Film/TheGuardiansOfTheGalaxyHolidaySpecial''\\

to:

[[header:[[center:[-'''''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'' [[header:[[center:[-'''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse -- Phase 4'''\\
''Series/WandaVision'' | ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'' | ''Series/Loki2021'' ''Series/{{Loki|2021}}'' | '''Black Widow (2021)''' '''''Black Widow''''' | ''WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021'' ''[[WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021 What If...?]]'' | ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' | ''Series/MoonKnight2022'' ''Series/{{Moon Knight|2022}}'' | ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' | ''Series/MsMarvel2022'' ''[[Series/MsMarvel2022 Ms. Marvel]]'' | ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'' | ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'' | ''Film/WerewolfByNight2022'' ''Film/{{Werewolf by Night|2022}}'' | ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever'' | ''Film/TheGuardiansOfTheGalaxyHolidaySpecial''\\
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

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[[header:[[center:[-'''''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'' -- Phase 4'''\\
''Series/WandaVision'' | ''Series/TheFalconAndTheWinterSoldier'' | ''Series/Loki2021'' | '''Black Widow (2021)''' | ''WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021'' | ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'' | ''Series/MoonKnight2022'' | ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' | ''Series/MsMarvel2022'' | ''Film/ThorLoveAndThunder'' | ''Series/SheHulkAttorneyAtLaw'' | ''Film/WerewolfByNight2022'' | ''Film/BlackPantherWakandaForever'' | ''Film/TheGuardiansOfTheGalaxyHolidaySpecial''\\
'''[[Film/SpiderManFarFromHome <<< Phase 3]] | [[Film/AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania Phase 5 >>>]]'''-]]]]]


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