Thanks to the story of Thunderbolts*, I finally feel as though the death of Black Widow from Avengers: Endgame is being made to matter. Avengers: Endgame is often considered among the best-ranked Marvel movies ever made, despite the story being one of the franchise’s most tragic. The film featured the deaths of major characters like Iron Man and Black Widow, with even Captain America’s MCU timeline coming to an end via his old age and retirement.

Nonetheless, the MCU moved on beyond Avengers: Endgame, with upcoming Marvel movies set to extend the franchise over a decade beyond the 2019 film. Before then, though, the Multiverse Saga needs to conclude, of which 2025’s Thunderbolts* is a part. The cast of Thunderbolts* has several links to Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, allowing the film to feel like it is making the hero’s death from Avengers: Endgame more important than it ever has been before.

After Avengers: Endgame, Black Widow’s MCU Death Didn’t Seem To Matter

At Least Not In The Wider Context Of The Franchise

Firstly, it is worth exploring why I felt Black Widow’s death was made to feel like it was not overly important to the MCU after Avengers: Endgame. Of course, I acknowledge that the plot point was integral to the film itself, as Natasha’s sacrifice is what allowed Thanos’ Snap to be reversed. However, when placing Black Widow’s death in comparison to Iron Man’s, there is almost no contest regarding which was made to feel like it mattered more to the franchise.

For instance, Iron Man’s funeral was shown in Avengers: Endgame, yet there was no scene akin to this for Black Widow. Moreover, movies like Spider-Man: Far From Home outwardly addressed how the world would move on without Iron Man, proving just how much his loss mattered. For Black Widow, it was only really Yelena’s role in two episodes of Hawkeye that addressed her death, with even her own solo film being set before Avengers: Infinity War.

Thunderbolts* Makes Natasha’s Black Widow Sacrifice Mean Something Real

Thanks To Two Main Characters

While the MCU failed to adequately portray how important Natasha’s sacrifice was for six years, Thunderbolts* finally rectified this. The film features two team members of the Thunderbolts who tie intrinsically to Black Widow in the form of Yelena Belova and Alexei Shostakov. Throughout Thunderbolts*, the film explores the depths of both characters’ mental health struggles, especially Yelena’s lack of self-worth and loneliness.

In the third act of Thunderbolts*, Yelena reveals that part of the reason she feels so alone is because of Natasha’s death. It is then revealed that Alexei distanced himself from his daughter in the aftermath, causing her to feel even worse. This huge focus on two characters connected to Natasha and the exploration of how her death is still impacting them only makes her sacrifice feel real in a way the MCU has not since 2019.

I’m So Glad Black Widow’s Legacy Has A Clear Way To Live On

Natasha’s Memory Continues

Finally, after six years, Thunderbolts* has provided Black Widow with a legacy befitting her MCU role. Iron Man’s legacy came in the form of characters like Spider-Man and Ironheart, while Captain America’s mantle was pᴀssed on to Sam Wilson. Only now, though, has Black Widow’s true legacy been taken up by two major characters. After addressing how they felt about Natasha’s sacrifice and growing closer because of it, Yelena and Alexei took their place on the New Avengers to truly honor Natasha.

As already alluded, this allows Black Widow’s sacrifice to mean something beyond the confined story of Avengers: Endgame. Now, the world will see superheroes that carry on Natasha’s memory, with Yelena potentially even taking the тιтle of Black Widow for herself. For this reason among many others, Thunderbolts* has become an integral story concerning the wider scope of the MCU.