KOALA BABY

No, I don’t think Yelena took over Natasha in her own film. Not at all.

Yelena wouldn’t exist without Natasha. Yelena is Natasha’s little sister. Most of Yelena’s actions in the film, are connected to Natasha, in some way. Yelena’s storyline in the film is so intricately connected to Natasha, you can’t really make a comment about Yelena without referencing Natasha.

At the beginning of the film, Yelena got the antidote- and sent it to Natasha.

Yelena proudly shows off the first purchase she made for herself- and she gifts it to Natasha.

Yelena killed Draykov and almost sacrificed herself- for Natasha.

Yelena tries her first superhero pose- to copy/make fun of Natasha.

Yelena eventually gets a dog- and names it after Natasha (’s alias, Fanny Longbottom).

Yelena does take on part of Natasha’s role in this film though.

Natasha has always been our guide through Marvel films. Whenever Natasha is in a film, she’s the one guiding the audience through it’s events. From the sidelines, of course, because Marvel has been sexist for years. We’ve talked about this here. Extensively. What Yelena does for the Black Widow movie, is that she is the relatable character. She guides us through the movie, and we relate to her.

Yelena is us, guys. Yelena is the little girl who grew up looking up to Natasha. Natasha Romanoff, is Yelena’s hero. Yelena is a new generation of women who grew up looking up to Natasha Romanoff, and who love her with all their goddamn hearts. 

I mean, Look at Her Posing as Natasha Romanoff

What Yelena gave us, is a gift. 

She gave our love to Natasha on screen! She gave her her favourite vest (with all the pockets). She gave her the shared trauma, that all of us women, face, and she showed her that she’s not alone. That she’s never been alone. 

Natasha has the wisdom of the women that came before her (Melina), the love of the mother who never gave up on her (and I so love that they didn’t give a shit about the name of her father by the way. This movie has said Fuck You to Endgame and the Avengers in every possible way). Natasha has that invincible goodness that is herself, the heart that she never loses, and she has us, all the women who look at her, and see a piece of ourselves, our pain, looking back.

Yelena also gifted us with finally saying a proper goodbye to Natasha. 

Natasha Romanoff is our hero, and she deserved to walk into the sunset, as she did, and fly off to new adventures, as she did. With a smile on her face, with the love of 2 families in her heart, and with the gratitude of millions of women on her shoulders. 

I can never thank the makers of this film, and Scarlett Johansson, enough. Never.

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But the Karen and Frank chemistry was an accident. They caught lightning in a bottle between two characters who never even interact in the comics, but the actors just go crazy in a room with each other.

And they assumed that the Punisher's audience skewed heavily male, that they'd refuse to watch anything not already established in the comics, and that they'd scorn any new plot where The Punisher feels love for anyone, so the writers/producers never fully went there. Even though they clearly know that Frank is made all the more interesting, all the more tragic, when he's not just wallowing in grief for a lost family- he's actively denying the potential of healing and love with a new person. He's consistently being offered a redemptive escape from the violent path he's chosen and he consistently denies it, even though it's clear as day how badly he wants it. That's a more interesting choice! It makes him more pathetic and self-denying, it shows him thinking that he doesn't deserve healing, it shows his conflicted awareness of his own morality, it makes him worse, it makes it clear that this character is tragic instead of aspirational.

So they gave as many hints as they could. The near kiss in the elevator, Karen's heartbeat, the dress Maria wears in his last vision of her (as he lets go of her hand) matching the fabric of the blouse Karen wore the first time he ever saw her, Karen insisting he try to love someone else instead of another war, Micro saying "that's my family that's my wife" and Frank responding "so is Karen." They made it as obvious as they could without actually saying it because they didn't want to piss off the fan base who wants Frank to be a static, stoic, one dimensional vengeance machine.

But now they're back after SEVEN YEARS and they're not fucking around. The first time they're on screen together it is Textually Acknowledged and Stated Out Loud that Frank Castle's heart does the fucking samba when he looks at Karen Page. Matt, the Human Polygraph Test, tells Karen that Frank loves her and that he knows how she feels about him too. (Not to even mention the way he looks at her and acts around her, because Jesus Christ, I have never seen anyone more obviously lovesick.)

You know what, Frank? I'm not buyin' it. I don't believe you don't care.