Black Widow marks Marvel Studios' long overdue return to theaters, and it's fair to say that the movie has kicked off the big screen side of Phase 4 in an explosive, exciting way.
This story may have been set in the past, but that doesn't mean we don't have plenty to talk about. In this recap and discussion for the movie, we run through the plot, highlighting the biggest moments and reveals, and sharing some insight into what those might mean for this movie and beyond.
Regardless of whether you've seen the movie and just want a refresher or are curious about what to expect when you check out Black Widow in theaters or at home this weekend, we have you covered.
So, to check out this breakdown in its entirety, simply click on the "Next" button down below!
9. Natasha Romanoff's Childhood
The movie kicks off by taking us back to Natasha's childhood, an area of her life we've never explored up until now. While she seems to have a happy life in America with her mother, father, and sister, it quickly becomes clear Nat is all too aware it's just a front and that the "family" are Russian operatives there on behalf of the Red Room.
After Red Guardian steals information from a local facility, they flee for a nearby private airstrip with S.H.I.E.L.D. (who we later learn are HYDRA) in hot pursuit, and make their escape.
Meeting with Dreykov, Natasha and Yelena - who knows nothing of this deception - are separated and taken back to the Red Room to be trained as Widows. The movie delivers a tragic take on the hero's past, and one that shows just how much she went through before joining S.H.I.E.L.D. and becoming a member of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
8. On The Run And The Movie's MacGuffin
In the present (well, past), we pick up with Black Widow tricking General Ross and going on the run. Thanks to some help from an old ally, Mason, Nat finds a good place to hide out after breaking the Sokovia Accords and seems content to move on from her time as an Avenger.
Elsewhere, Yelena - now one of the Red Room's Widows - pursues a woman but is exposed to a mysterious red mist. That breaks her free of the shady organisation's control, and she goes on the run with the vials before sending them to Natasha. Heading into town for gas, the former Avenger is attacked by Taskmaster but manages to flee and again goes on the run.
The two women meet up in Budapest, and after a brief scrap, escape the clutches of both Taskmaster and the other Widows.
7. Recruited By S.H.I.E.L.D.
Learning from Yelena that Dreykov is very much alive, Natasha recalls that her final mission when she decided to defect from the Red Room to S.H.I.E.L.D. involved blowing up the villain. However, to do so, she had to wait until his daughter visited as that was the only way to confirm he was there.
This explains the reference to "Dreykov's daughter" in The Avengers when Loki taunted Black Widow about the red on her ledger, and Nat later explains that it took her and Hawkeye several days to escape Budapest.
That's as much as we see of the mission, unfortunately, and it's definitely not the flashback many fans were likely hoping for. Regardless, now aware that Dreykov is still alive, Natasha and Yelena agree to team up to put an end to him and the Red Room once and for all.
6. Prison Break
Acquiring a helicopter from Mason, Natasha and Yelena break Red Guardian out of a gulag. Dreykov sent him there for reasons which aren't entirely clear, and it's apparent that - despite being proud of his daughters (an Avenger and the Red Room's youngest assassin) - he's not exactly the best "father."
Following this action-packed sequel, the trio tracks down Melina and learn that whereas Natasha was influenced and brainwashed in a "normal" way during her training, Yelena and the current generation of Widows are being impacted with tech that means Dreykov has full control over them.
The red gas we mentioned earlier is the only way to free them, but can this dysfunctional family put their differences aside to bring down the Red Room once and for all?
5. Melina's Betrayal
Taskmaster and Dreykov's men arrive, and we learn that Melina has betrayed the rest of her family. With that, we're taken to the Red Room, a Helicarrier-like floating base that means the villain can constantly stay on the move and avoid capture.
With Yelena, Natasha, and Alexei all imprisoned, Melina meets with Dreykov...who quickly realises that he's speaking to Natasha. Melina didn't really betray them and actually hatched the plan with Black Widow. While the others break free, Natasha tries and fails to kill Dreykov, but can't do it because of a failsafe that stops his Widows from harming.
He reveals that he's created an entire army of Widows across the world, and proceeds to introduce Natasha to his greatest weapon: Taskmaster...
4. Dreykov's Daughter
Removing Taskmaster's mask, we learn that he is, in fact, a she. It's Dreykov's daughter (played by Olga Kurylenko). Like her father, she escaped that explosion but was left badly scarred.
Fully under her father's control thanks to Melina's tech, Taskmaster is sent to deal with the escapees, and it's then Natasha proceeds to break her nose so she no longer smells Dreykov's pheromones and can kill him. Before she succeeds, the other Widows arrive, but a timely intervention from Yelena means they're all freed from the villain's control.
Taking the final vial, Natasha flees the now exploding base and watches as Yelena blows up Dreykov's helicopter, killing him before she falls from the base. Nat saves her, but after also helping Taskmaster escape, she has some problems of her own!
3. The Final Battle
The final battle with Taskmaster doesn't last particularly long and when they crash to the ground, hitting the villain with the concoction in that vial frees her from her father's control. She doesn't want to take revenge on Black Widow and instead seems happy to learn that he's finally dead.
As General Ross and his men approach, Yelena, Melina, and Red Guardian bid Natasha an emotional farewell and vow to free the rest of the Widows still under the Red Room's control.
They take Taskmaster and the rest of the no longer brainwashed survivors from the Red Room with them, and that's where their story ends. As for Natasha, it appears a confrontation with Ross is inevitable. Unfortunately, it's then that things take something of a bizarre turn.
2. A Baffling Ending
As Black Widow stands there waiting to be arrested, we immediately jump to two weeks in the future and see Natasha meet with Mason - now rocking her Avengers: Infinity War costume and hairstyle - as she vows to help break the rest of The Avengers out of The Raft.
He has a Quinjet for her, so that explains that, but what happened with Ross? We never find out. It's possible she could have made a deal with him (she did just take out the Red Room), but this feels like a noteworthy plot hole, and it's strange that Marvel Studios didn't at least reference how she managed to escape...yet still ended up being considered a fugitive!
Learning that she was instrumental in helping the likes of Ant-Man and the Scarlet Witch escape from The Raft means Natasha was clearly with Steve in those scenes right at the end of Civil War.
1. The Post-Credits Scene
Black Widow has only one post-credits scene, and that comes right at the very end of them.
In it, we find an emotional Yelena visiting Natasha's grave in the Midwest. An obnoxious sniffing nearby reveals Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (she's suffering from allergies, not the sadness of the moment). The two women clearly have a history, but Val thinks she has a job that will definitely interest the former Red Room operative.
She wants Yelena to take out Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye. It seems Nat's sister is under the impression that her death was his fault, so this is very much "To Be Continued..." in Disney+'s Hawkeye...