Black Widow

 

When I was first introduced to Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in The Avengers, I was rather wary of a beautiful, female character placed among all these male characters and what her purpose in the story was (I hadn't seen Iron Man 2 prior to seeing the Avengers). Was she just there to be the fan service to the male audience, to be the the token 'strong, empowered woman, the alpha female bitch? Safe to say she wasn't in The Avengers or for the rest of the MCU franchise. Natasha has been the embodiment of unwavering loyalty, absolute compassion, steadfast friendship, while at the same time she has had to redeem herself from her bloody past, her broken heart and her fear of losing everything she has obtained since Clint Barton brought her to S.H.I.E.L.D. Now, finally, Natasha's story can be told.

After the fallout with Tony Stark in Civil War, Natasha is on the run from the feds. Although she has moved on from her former life as an assassin, there is still a great deal she must atone for. And the best time to do it is when she's under the radar and alone. As Natasha builds her plan, she reflects on her life and how she came to become the Black Widow 21 years before.

In 1995, Ohio, Natasha was an ordinary kid living in a happy life with her foster family; her younger sister, Yelena, her brilliant mother Melina and her father, Alexei. However, that changes overnight. Everything that Natasha knew and what she believed to be real turns out to be completely false. Natasha is separated from her family and sent to train in the notorious Red Room. There she is molded into a killer, ruthless and without mercy. And she was not alone. Natasha was one of many 'black widows.' Young girls that were taken, trained and used for the downfall of governments and the desolation of societies. 

Natasha escaped and forged a new life for herself. When a mysterious package shows up on her doorstep, Natasha traces it back to the family she lost many years before. And in spite of the pain, the anger and the bitterness, Natasha knows that the only way she can bring down the Red Room is to reunite her 'false family,' with some hope that they can survive to see one another again. 

This movie was so good! I loved the story, the characters, everything! Scarlett Johansson was wonderful as usual and her new family that consists of Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz and David Harbour all had excellent chemistry together. A story that's based on the enslavement of young girls that is thinly similar to child sex trafficking fit well for Black Widow. Whether in the MCU or the real world, trafficking of people for whatever reason--sex, labor, crime--is not a subject that can be ignored; especially as trafficking becomes more and more prevalent in the Western world. 

Natasha Romanoff is hero not just to girls, but to anyone who feels like they can't move on from the demons of their past life. Yet, it is the victory over her demons and the desire to right her wrongs with the world that made Natasha the Avenger, the leader, the friend and the ultimate legend that world has come to love and admire.