The Taskmaster Twist in Black Widow Explained
Who is taskmaster we finally have the answer..
With the release of Marvel’s Black Widow movie, we finally know the answer to the film’s biggest mystery: Who is Taskmaster?
Warning: full spoilers for Black Widow ahead!
We’re going to recap everything we learned about this new MCU version of Taskmaster, explain the character's big twist, and compare the movie version to the very different comic book version.
Be sure to check out our Black Widow review !
Taskmaster's Identity in the Comics
If you’re a Marvel Comics reader, then you probably expected Taskmaster to be mercenary Tony Masters, a gifted fighter with the natural-born ability to mimic the fighting style of anyone he sees.
Taskmaster fighting Captain America. (Marvel Comics)
Taskmaster first debuted in 1980 as a tricky Avengers villain and went on to become a combat instructor hired by both villains and heroes. That’s why he often shows up in Marvel video games, to test the player with various challenges and give them a hard time along the way. He’s known for being pretty snarky.
But the MCU threw most of that out the window and gave us a brand new take on the character.
(For a full breakdown on Taskmaster's comic book origin, powers, and history, check out our Taskmaster explainer !)
Taskmaster's Identity in the MCU
After pursuing Natasha Romanoff throughout the movie, Taskmaster is finally revealed to be Dreykov’s daughter, Antonia Dreykov, played by former Bond actress Olga Kurylenko.
Taskmaster in Marvel's Black Widow. (Marvel Studios)
This twist created a brand new iteration of Taskmaster completely unique to the MCU. This version still had the power of mimicry and the signature skull look, but underneath things couldn’t be more different.
As it turns out, Black Widow’s final mission in her defection to SHIELD was to kill the leader of the Red Room, Dreykov. We learn this was the mission in Budapest referenced back in the first Avengers movie. ("Just like Budapest all over again."/"You and I remember Budapest very differently.")
For this mission, Natasha and Clint Barton rigged bombs to take out Drekov. Tragically, Nat used young Antonia as a way to get to Drekov and coldly considered her to be “collateral damage” when she seemingly died in the blast meant for Dreykov. Little did she know, Drekov survived, and he saved Antonia’s life so she could one day return… with a vengeance.
After Nat “completed” that mission, she shot it out with the Hungarian Special Forces and hid out with Hawkeye for 10 days before successfully escaping (Nat brought Yelena to their old hideout in the train station ceiling to evade Taskmaster) and starting her career as a SHIELD spy and eventually becoming a founding member of the Avengers.
Suddenly the scene from Avengers where Loki brings up Drekov’s daughter as a way to spook Natasha makes a lot more sense. ("I've got red in my ledger. I'd like to wipe it out."/"Can you? Can you wipe out that much red? Dreykov's daughter?")
Meanwhile, Dreykov put Melina’s mind-control technology to use on Antonia, completely reprogramming her brain by putting a chip in the back of her neck and turning her into what he considers his greatest weapon: a powerful assassin capable of fighting like Earth’s mightiest heroes. This Taskmaster became his tool reserved for high priority missions, and we saw that Yelena defecting with a batch of Mind Control Cure-All and sending it to Natasha called for Drekov to activate the Taskmaster Protocol.
This is a huge departure from the comics, where instead of being a mercenary and teacher with his own free will, Taskmaster was a mindless drone programmed to execute orders with brutal efficiency. Based on what we saw in the movie, it seems the MCU Taskmaster is far stronger than the one in the comics. Comics-Taskmaster was essentially a normal guy with slight enhancements, whereas movie-Taskmaster completely clobbered the super-powered Red Guardian and went undefeated the entire movie.
And on that note, Taskmaster proved to be too much for Natasha, leaving her bruised and beaten after their battle on the bridge. It wasn’t until their reunion on the flying Red Room fortress that Natasha learned the truth, and then she made it her mission to save Antonia.
The End of Taskmaster’s Story
At the end of the movie, Natasha uses her signature leg-twirl attack to remove Taskmaster’s helmet, allowing her to give Antonia the antidote and deliver the good news that her father, the man who turned her into a mindless killing machine, was finally gone for good. Antonia then joins the escaping Widows and Natasha’s family, where she’ll get to start a new life of her own.
On a thematic level, this somewhat absolves Natasha of her greatest regret, killing a child to gain her own freedom, and gave her a chance to redeem herself, at least on some level, by freeing Antonia from her father’s control and giving her a second shot at life. This doesn’t exactly remove all that red from Natasha’s ledger, but she at least got rid of some, like with a Tide Pen.
We don’t know where Taskmaster went with Nat’s family, but it wouldn’t surprise us to see her pop up again in another MCU movie. (We know how Marvel works, it’s practically a given at this point.) Perhaps when we meet her next, she’ll be a mercenary training others to fight like the Avengers. Then she’d live up to the Taskmaster name and become a little more like the fan-favorite comic book version.
It’s also a possibility that she will join whatever sort of Dark Avengers/Thunderbolts team that is being put together by Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine. We saw the Contessa recruit Yelena in the Black Widow post-credits scene, so why not Taskmaster? Taskmaster’s intricate knowledge of the Avengers’ fighting styles and the inner workings of the Dreykov’s Red Room spy network would be of great value to someone like Valentina.
For more on the film, check out our Black Widow post credits scene and ending explained , dig in on the history of Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine , or help us examine whether or not Red Guardian really did fight Captain America .
In This Article
IGN Recommends
Follow Polygon online:
- Follow Polygon on Twitter
- Follow Polygon on Facebook
- Follow Polygon on Youtube
- Follow Polygon on Instagram
Site search
- What to Watch
- What to Play
- PlayStation
- All Entertainment
- Pokémon Scarlet / Violet
- Wild Hearts
- God of War Ragnarök
- Breath of the Wild
- All Reviews
- Buyer’s Guides
- Galaxy Brains
- All Podcasts
Filed under:
- Black Widow’s Taskmaster is a twist on an old Marvel favorite
A minor Marvel villain takes center stage in the MCU’s latest
Share this story
- Share this on Facebook
- Share this on Twitter
- Share All sharing options
Share All sharing options for: Black Widow’s Taskmaster is a twist on an old Marvel favorite
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69562083/BBU_18105_R.0.jpg "taskmaster face black widow")
Every good Marvel superhero needs a supervillain , so as Black Widow stepped up for her solo movie debut , it’s only natural that she got a signature bad guy to go along with her. In Black Widow , that’s Taskmaster , the mysterious killer with the ability to learn any fighting technique simply by watching it.
Even with their true identity shrouded in secrecy, the maniacal masked mimic is the biggest recognizable threat of Black Widow , and the latest supervillain entry to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
What is Taskmaster like in the comics?
The villain was co-created by the legendary writer-artist George Pérez and writer David Michelinie, who also co-created Venom, Scott Lang, and James “Rhodey” Rhodes. The character first appeared in the pages of 1980’s The Avengers #196, in a story called “The Terrible Toll of the Taskmaster.” That’s not important, it’s just great alliteration.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22706871/IMG_0D44DED5554C_1.jpeg "taskmaster face black widow")
In the comics, Taskmaster’s true identity has always been unknown, but his abilities are well-documented. When he was a kid, he discovered he could master any physical skill simply by watching someone perform it, a phenomenon doctors referred to as “photographic reflexes.” As an adult, he turned his talent to the criminal sphere, observing the techniques of as many superheroes and villains as he could, in order to master their skills. Eventually, he branched out from trying to defeat the Avengers or working as a hired killer to using his ill-gotten gains to open training facilities for other criminals and henchmen.
This has often made him a formidable enemy for low-powered and martial-based heroes like Captain America, Daredevil, and Iron Fist — and now the Black Widow.
[ Ed. note : The following contains spoilers for Black Widow .]
Who is Taskmaster in Black Widow?
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22708258/BBU_2ndUnit_01577_R.jpg "taskmaster face black widow")
Taskmaster’s movie costume favors navy blue, and orange and chrome accents where comic Taskmaster has orange and white. They have a skull-like mask and a sword and shield. The movie clearly shows off Taskmaster’s trademark superpower of instantly learning an opponent’s skills, showing off the martial stylings of Captain America, Hawkeye, and Black Panther in Black Widow .
Movie Taskmaster doesn’t have the cool white cape of comic book Taskmaster, but where the film really diverges from comics canon is that its Taskmaster does have a secret identity.
Natasha spends much of the movie reflecting on a singular moment of red in her ledger, a day in Budapest when — while assassinating General Dreykov, the man in charge of the Red Room where she was indoctrinated and trained as a spy — she chose to allow her target’s young daughter, Antonia, to become collateral damage, rather than calling off the hit. In the climactic moments of Black Widow, Dreykov reveals that Antonia survived (the adult version of her is played by Olga Kurylenko), whereupon he pressed her into the Red Room program, supplementing her damaged body with electronic parts that gave her the ability to copy others’ moves and techniques. Against her will, he turned her into his most useful assassin.
At the end of Black Widow , Taskmaster’s future is unclear — she has left her vendetta against Natasha behind her, and joined with the rest of the Red Room Widows. But whether she’ll return again in a future Marvel movie or TV series is anyone’s guess.
In This Stream
Black widow is on disney plus — here’s what to know after you watch it.
- Black Widow shows why the MCU’s closure problem is so crucial
- Black Widow’s post-credits scene is setting up Marvel’s TV series
Next Up In Marvel
Sign up for the newsletter patch notes.
A weekly roundup of the best things from Polygon
Just one more thing!
Please check your email to find a confirmation email, and follow the steps to confirm your humanity.
Oops. Something went wrong. Please enter a valid email and try again.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’s directors let Shrek inspire the series’ reinvention
Valorant’s new Agent Gekko can remotely plant or defuse the Spike
A cross-counter punch ties Creed III to one of anime’s greatest tropes
Anime Awards 2023 name Cyberpunk: Edgerunners as Anime of the Year
Triangle of Sadness, A Man Called Otto, and every new movie you can watch at home this weekend
Attack on Titan Final Season Part 3’s first episode is now on Crunchyroll
Sign up for the newsletter sign up for patch notes.
Yahoo Entertainment
Black Widow's Surprise Taskmaster Reveal Fell Completely Flat
- Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below
“Hearst Magazines and Verizon Media may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.”
Before the release of Black Widow , there was a big mystery surrounding who was playing Taskmaster in Scarlett Johansson's long-delayed solo MCU movie.
Marvel fans knew who Taskmaster was in the comics (Anthony 'Tony' Masters, who hasn't been in the MCU to date), but there was an expectation that Black Widow would see the MCU deliver another villain twist and a big reveal.
So fans speculated how O-T Fagbenle would be revealed as Taskmaster since we knew next-to-nothing about his character, or how Rachel Weisz would be revealed as Taskmaster given Melina's antagonistic relationship with Black Widow in the comics.
As expected, Black Widow did have a surprise Taskmaster reveal up its sleeve and it's meant to be a big emotional moment, but it falls completely flat. To go into the reasons why, we need to go into spoilers so look away if you haven't seen the movie yet.
Video: Scarlett Johansson's journey from child actor to Marvel star
When Natasha Romanoff (Johansson) finally comes face-to-face with Dreykov (Ray Winstone) in the Red Room, he reveals the truth about Taskmaster and it's nobody any fan would have guessed.
It turns out that Taskmaster is Dreykov's daughter Antonia , played by Olga Kurylenko, who Natasha thought she had killed in Budapest years ago. Kurylenko is credited in Black Widow 's dark opening credits , but she wasn't reported as being part of the movie ahead of release.
Dreykov explains how Antonia was left with devastating injuries after Natasha blew up the building she (and her father) were in when Antonia was a child. Rather than looking after her like a normal father would, Dreykov brainwashed his daughter and turned her into the ultimate assassin who can mimic any fighting style.
Since this is the family-friendly MCU, Natasha chooses not to fight Antonia and saves her during Black Widow 's explosive climax. She frees her from Dreykov's mind control and, hopefully, Antonia's future is brighter than her past now she's free from her father.
The reveal is meant to pack an emotional punch as it's Natasha literally facing the demons of her past and redeeming herself by saving Antonia. However, it doesn't quite work as we've seen hardly any evidence of Natasha being haunted by this dark episode in her past.
The only previous reference to Dreykov's daughter and what Natasha did to her was in The Avengers when Loki taunts Natasha over the 'red in her ledger'. It initially appears as though she's shaken by the throwback, but her emotional response is revealed to only be a ruse to get Loki to reveal his plan.
Even in Black Widow , Yelena (Florence Pugh) has to physically force Natasha to remember what she did in Budapest. She saw Antonia's death as "collateral" in order to rid the world of Dreykov, unaware that he actually survived her assassination attempt.
We've known Natasha in the MCU for more than a decade and The Avengers nod remains the only hint of what she did. The Natasha we've seen had moved on from the past and didn't seem troubled by it, so why should Marvel fans be that bothered by Antonia's reveal?
Arguably, it's more of a failing of the MCU to not give Johansson more material to work with over so many movies. Natasha didn't really get any solo moments to shine or develop her character across the entire MCU, beyond some impressive fight scenes every now and then.
The Black Widow reveal is meant to retcon how we viewed Natasha and her past trauma. It hints that rather than her not being haunted by what she did, she essentially forced herself to forget what she did as she viewed it as a necessary evil, but that doesn't mean she didn't carry guilt over it.
That's fine, but then Black Widow doesn't give it the exploration it deserves. Like its nods to real-life issues , the movie gets distracted by its MCU trappings rather than properly delving into the dark subject matter.
When Antonia is revealed, Natasha's first instinct is to apologize to her as she's confronted with the horror of what she did. It's not long until the explosions start though, so the revelation is relegated to a subplot, rather than being the focus of the climax.
What could have been a Civil War -esque emotional and restrained final battle becomes your standard MCU climax.
Had the reveal come earlier in the movie, we could have felt the full weight of what Natasha did and really explored how she reacted to it. Instead, it's built up as this big reveal that is quickly brushed over because there's fighting to be done.
Natasha's redemption is relegated to one brief moment when she frees Taskmaster before the Red Room crashes to the ground. It's a nice character beat, a sign of how she's grown since Budapest, yet it hardly seems to balance the books given she effectively condemned Antonia to a lifetime of servitude.
Antonia is fully freed from Dreykov's influence in the end and with it probably comes the end of Taskmaster's brief MCU run. With Johansson also bidding farewell to the MCU , it probably means this is the only exploration we'll get of her past misdeeds too.
Given how beloved Taskmaster is for some Marvel fans, the Black Widow reveal has been treated as a misstep on a par with Iron Man 3 's Mandarin reveal. Shang-Chi will introduce the 'real' Mandarin, so there's a chance we could see Taskmaster again in the future in a different form.
However, we feel the real missed opportunity is with how Black Widow hints at truly delving into Natasha's past and the red in her ledger, only to end up giving it a surface-level treatment before getting distracted by less interesting matters.
Black Widow is out now in theaters and available to watch on Disney+ with Premier Access.
You Might Also Like
This Workout Torches Fat in Under 10 Minutes
How to Cool Down After Your Hardest Workouts
What’s the Deal With Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss?
We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
Why Black Widow's surprise Taskmaster reveal falls completely flat
It should be emotional and yet...
Watch Black Widow on Disney+
When Natasha Romanoff (Johansson) finally comes face-to-face with Dreykov (Ray Winstone) in the Red Room, he reveals the truth about Taskmaster – and it's nobody any fan would have guessed.
It turns out that Taskmaster is Dreykov's daughter Antonia , played by Olga Kurylenko, who Natasha thought she'd killed in Budapest years ago. Kurylenko is credited in Black Widow 's dark opening credits , but she wasn't reported as being part of the movie ahead of release.
Dreykov explains how Antonia was left with devastating injuries after Natasha blew up the building she (and her father) were in when Antonia was a child. Rather than looking after her like a normal father would, Dreykov brainwashed his daughter and turned her into the ultimate assassin who can mimic any fighting style.
Since this is the family-friendly MCU, Natasha chooses not to fight Antonia and saves her during Black Widow 's explosive climax. She frees her from Dreykov's mind control and, hopefully, Antonia's future is brighter than her past now she's free from her father.
The reveal is meant to pack an emotional punch as it's Natasha literally facing the demons of her past and redeeming herself by saving Antonia. However, it doesn't quite work as we've seen hardly any evidence of Natasha being haunted by this dark episode in her past.
The only previous reference to Dreykov's daughter and what Natasha did to her was in The Avengers when Loki taunts Natasha over the 'red in her ledger'. It initially appears as though she's shaken by the throwback, but her emotional response is revealed to only be a ruse to get Loki to reveal his plan.
Even in Black Widow , Yelena (Florence Pugh) has to physically force Natasha to remember what she did in Budapest. She saw Antonia's death as "collateral" in order to rid the world of Dreykov, unaware that he actually survived her assassination attempt.
We've known Natasha in the MCU for more than a decade and The Avengers nod remains the only hint of what she did. The Natasha we've seen had moved on from the past and didn't seem troubled by it, so why should Marvel fans be that bothered by Antonia's reveal?
Arguably, it's more of a failing of the MCU to not give Johansson more material to work with over so many movies. Natasha didn't really get any solo moments to shine or develop her character across the entire MCU, beyond some impressive fight scenes every now and then.
The Black Widow reveal is meant to retcon how we viewed Natasha and her past trauma. It hints that rather than her not being haunted by what she did, she essentially forced herself to forget what she did as she viewed it as a necessary evil, but that doesn't mean she didn't carry guilt over it.
That's fine, but then Black Widow doesn't give it the exploration it deserves. Like its nods to real-life issues , the movie gets distracted by its MCU trappings rather than properly delving into the dark subject matter.
When Antonia is revealed, Natasha's first instinct is to apologise to her as she's confronted with the horror of what she did. It's not long until the explosions start though, so the revelation is relegated to a subplot, rather than being the focus of the climax.
What could have been a Civil War -esque emotional and restrained final battle becomes your standard MCU climax.
Had the reveal come earlier in the movie, we could have felt the full weight of what Natasha did and really explored how she reacted to it. Instead, it's built up as this big reveal that is quickly brushed over because there's fighting to be done.
Natasha's redemption is relegated to one brief moment when she frees Taskmaster before the Red Room crashes to the ground. It's a nice character beat, a sign of how she's grown since Budapest, yet it hardly seems to balance the books given she effectively condemned Antonia to a lifetime of servitude.
Antonia is fully freed from Dreykov's influence in the end and with it probably comes the end of Taskmaster's brief MCU run. With Johansson also bidding farewell to the MCU , it probably means this is the only exploration we'll get of her past misdeeds too.
Given how beloved Taskmaster is for some Marvel fans, the Black Widow reveal has been treated as a misstep on a par with Iron Man 3 's Mandarin reveal. Shang-Chi will introduce the 'real' Mandarin, so there's a chance we could see Taskmaster again in the future in a different form.
However, we feel the real missed opportunity is with how Black Widow hints at truly delving into Natasha's past and the red in her ledger, only to end up giving it a surface-level treatment before getting distracted by less interesting matters.
Black Widow is out now in cinemas and available to watch on Disney+ with Premier Access.
Blockbusters are back – and the latest edition of Digital Spy Magazine has got everything you need to know about the summer's biggest box office arrivals. Read every issue now with a 1-month free trial, only on Apple News+ .
Interested in Digital Spy's weekly newsletter? Sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox – and don't forget to join our Watch This Facebook Group for daily TV recommendations and discussions with other readers.
Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki
We advise caution when dealing with any recently-released media involving multiversal subjects. Please do not make assumptions regarding confusing wording, other sites' speculation, and people's headcanon around the internet. Remember, only this site's policies fully apply in this site.
- Black Widow (film) Characters
- Thunderbolts (film) Characters
- Video Games Characters
- Red Room Trainees
- Red Room Leaders
- Thunderbolts Members
- Enhanced Individuals
- Multilingual Characters
- Brainwashed Characters
Antonia Dreykov (Russian: Антония Дрейкова ), is the daughter of General Dreykov . After having been gravely injured during an assassination attempt on her father, Antonia had her mind and body controlled by a chip, which imbued her with uncanny photographic reflexes that allow her to mimic the fighting techniques of other individuals, turning her into Taskmaster . Becoming the Red Room 's commander, Taskmaster had been ordered by her father to track down Yelena Belova , who had taken their Red Dust and could free the other Black Widows . This put Taskmaster on a collision course with the person who nearly killed her years earlier, Natasha Romanoff . However, as Romanoff had successfully killed Dreykov and destroyed the Red Room Academy , Taskmaster was exposed to the Red Dust, freeing her mind from Dreykov's control and allowing her to then escape in order to rebuild her life.
- 1.1.1 Raised by General Dreykov
- 1.1.2 Budapest Operation
- 1.1.3 Transformed into Taskmaster
- 1.2.1 Given Her Next Assignment
- 1.2.2 Ambush on Natasha Romanoff
- 1.2.3 Chase for the Red Dust
- 1.2.4 Capturing the Targets
- 1.2.5 Secrets Revealed
- 1.2.6 Battling Red Guardian
- 1.2.7 Destruction of the Red Room
- 1.2.8 Freedom from Control
- 2 Personality
- 3.1.1 Replicated Skills
- 3.2 Abilities
- 4.1 Weapons
- 4.2 Other Equipment
- 4.3 Vehicles
- 5 Facilities
- 6.3 Enemies
- 8 Behind the Scenes
- 9 References
- 10 External Links
Raised by General Dreykov
Antonia Dreykov was born to General Dreykov , leader of the Red Room . Unlike many other young girls, whom Dreykov would encounter throughout his life, Antonia was not forced to go through the Red Room Academy and be trained to become a skilled assassin and a member of the Black Widows . Instead, Antonia was actually allowed to attend a school while living in Budapest , and maintained a close relationship with her father. [1]
Budapest Operation
Dreykov visiting her father in his office
Following a day at school, Antonia Dreykov had gone to visit her father at his office in Budapest , where she happily ran up the stairs to greet her father, who was still working at that moment. However, not long after she had arrived, a bomb was detonated in the office, causing a massive fireball, caused by Black Widow and Hawkeye , who were attempting to assassinate Dreykov.
Dreykov is almost killed in an explosion
Despite being right in the middle of the fireball, Antonia and her father barely survived the explosion, with Antonia's face becoming severely disfigured by the flames, much to her father's disgust. [1] Believing her targets dead, Romanoff was haunted by the apparent death of Antonia for years. [2] In order to save Antonia's life and stop her agonizing pain from the damage that she had sustained, Dreykov had inserted a chip into the back of her neck, nulling her senses and giving Dreykov complete control of her. [1]
Transformed into Taskmaster
Having survived the bombing that Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton had arranged, Antonia had her emotions and senses disrupted by the chip that Dreykov had inserted into her head. With her under his complete control, Dreykov put his daughter through the Red Room , where he discovered that she had a skill for mimicry, and could recreate her enemies' movements by simply studying them closely enough. Over the years, Antonia would successfully complete her training at the Red Room Academy , becoming Dreykov's finest assassin.
However, as Dreykov remained disgusted by the burns covering his daughter's face, he had provided her with her suit , including a mask to hide her scars and identity, which also provided her with a HUD to assist with combat. Antonia was given the code name of Taskmaster, becoming the head of the Black Widows , under Dreykov's command, who would only send her on the most important missions. To become the superior assassin, Taskmaster would watch footage of the Avengers in combat, studying their fighting styles, in order to mimic them in combat. [1]
Red Room Assassin
Given her next assignment.
Taskmaster watching the Avengers fight
Having learned that Yelena Belova had come across the Red Dust during a mission to assassinate Oksana , and had subsequently escaped with it, General Dreykov chose to recruit Taskmaster to get the Red Dust back. While Taskmaster had been preparing for her next mission by watching video footage of the fight between Hawkeye and Black Panther , she was interrupted by Lerato , who installed new information into Taskmaster's helmet about the mission. [1]
Ambush on Natasha Romanoff
Taskmaster blocking Black Widow 's shots
Taskmaster was deployed in Norway to intercept Natasha Romanoff 's transportation of the Red Dust . Taskmaster first attacked the spy by blasting her vehicle off the road with an explosive projectile and proceeded to approach her, but raised her shield to deflect sudden gunfire, then hurled it at the spy and wedged it in her car window before the latter could shoot again in order to obscure her vision. She then retrieved her shield and flipped off of Romanoff's car while blocking more gunfire, until she decided to disarm her of her pistol with a kick.
Taskmaster analyzing Black Widow 's moves
After attempting to throw her shield at Romanoff again, the spy attempted to subdue her with her traditional head-scissor throw, but Taskmaster used the same technique against her, resulting in the both of them lying on the ground. Taskmaster kip-upped into a fighting position nearly identical to Romanoff, much to the latter's bewilderment.
Taskmaster lunging towards Black Widow
As Taskmaster attempted to collect the Red Dust from the crashed car, Romanoff used a grappling hook to tie a wire around her leg, launching Taskmaster into the air. However, Taskmaster then proceeded to use her sword to cut herself free, leaping down behind Romanoff, just as she was attempting to take the Red Dust for herself. Although Romanoff was able to use the shield to defend herself, Taskmaster was able to kick her off the bridge, before discovering that the Red Dust had been taken. [1]
Chase for the Red Dust
Taskmaster chases Romanoff and Belova
Taskmaster eventually managed to track down Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova in Budapest , where she and her team of Black Widows ambushed them and began chasing them through the streets. With Romanoff and Belova using a motorbike to drive through the streets, Taskmaster chased them in an armoured car, plowing through the other cars in an attempt to catch up. Eventually, Romanoff and Belova got away from Taskmaster, crashing their motorbike in the process.
Taskmaster draws an explosive arrow
With Romanoff and Belova managing to steal a car, Taskmaster continued to chase them down, as she managed to drive behind them, before getting out of the roof to get a better look. Taskmaster had then armed herself with her Bow and Arrows , as she used her HUD to line up the perfect shot, before shooting an explosive arrow underneath their car, which caused Romanoff and Belova to crash, rolling their car down a flight of stairs and into train station.
Taskmaster pursues Romanoff and Belova
Taskmaster proceeded to get out of her armoured car and followed her targets into the train station, witnessing them pulling themselves out of the crashed car and attempting to flee. As Taskmaster then observed Romanoff and Belova leaping down the stairway, she proceeded to launch her shield after them, which was thrown perfectly down the stairs, and barely missed her targets, becoming embedded in a support beam, while Taskmaster still continued to follow her targets.
Taskmaster loses Romanoff and Belova
Getting to the bottom of the stairs, Taskmaster had then lost sight of her targets, but observed a trail of blood, left behind by the wounded Belova. Taskmaster followed this blood trail, which led her to a manhole cover, which she assumed they had used to get away. Taskmaster then stepped through the manhole, and chased down Romanoff and Belova, only to discover that this had been a deception, and Romanoff and Belova had been able to find another way to escape from Taskmaster. [1]
Capturing the Targets
Taskmaster arriving to capture her targets
Taskmaster was contacted by Melina Vostokoff , informing her that Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova had come to her home to seek information against the Red Room , as well as attempting to learn Dreykov 's location. Following Vostokoff's lead, Taskmaster led her team of agents into Vostkoff's home, where they found swiftly found and captured Red Guardian , who had been swiftly subdued with multiple tranquilizers being shot directly into his chest.
Taskmaster enters Melina Vostokoff 's home
With Taskmaster arriving onboard her Aircraft , she stepped inside the home, where she discovered that Vostokoff had already managed to subdue both Romanoff and Belova, having taken them off guard and used her Widow's Bite to electrocute them both. Once Taskmaster entered, Vostokoff stepped forward, suggesting that they bring Romanoff, Belova and Red Guardian back to the Red Room Academy , where they could be interrogated and then executed by Dreykov. [1]
Secrets Revealed
Taskmaster stands in Dreykov 's office
Having successfully captured her targets, Taskmaster had taken them back to the Red Room Academy , where she put Red Guardian and Natasha Romanoff into their cells. Taskmaster had then returned to General Dreykov 's office, where he was greeted by Melina Vostokoff , as Taskmaster stood by while Dreykov and Vostokoff discussed what would happen to Yelena Belova , who was due to be killed during their experimentations on her mind controlling.
Taskmaster threatening Natasha Romanoff
However, during the discussion, Taskmaster had then witnessed Dreykov removing the Photostatic Veil from Vostokoff, revealing her to actually be Romanoff in disguise, as part of her attempt to assassinate Dreykov. Although Taskmaster responded by immediately drawing her gun, she was ordered to stand down by Dreykov. Taskmaster then stood by, as Dreykov and Romanoff discussed her past, including the death of Romanoff's mother , which Dreykov showed no sympathy for as he mocked her.
Taskmaster revealing her actual identity
In response, Romanoff asked Dreykov if he felt anything when his daughter was seemingly killed when she and Clint Barton had bombed Dreykov's Office , unaware of her survival. As the result, Dreykov then turned to Taskmaster, and ordered her to remove her helmet , revealing her identity and horrifically scarred face to Romanoff, who was shocked at the revelation, while Dreykov explained how they were able to survive the explosion, and how she turned into the Red Room 's most skilled assassin.
Taskmaster being ordered to kill the traitors
Seeing Romanoff's reaction to Taskmaster's identity, Dreykov had mocked her by asking if she intended to apologise to her, noting that it would not make her feel better. Dreykov had also admitted that he was disgusted by his daughter's burns, which was why he kept her identity hidden behind her helmet. Knowing that Red Guardian was working with Vostokoff and Belova to sabotage the Academy, Dreykov sent Taskmaster to assassinate them, as Taskmaster left Romanoff and Dreykov alone. [1]
Battling Red Guardian
Taskmaster prepares to fight Red Guardian
Following the orders of Dreykov , Taskmaster went to confront Red Guardian and Melina Vostokoff , who had managed to get out of their cells, and were discussing the next step of their plan to bring down the Red Room Academy . While Vostokoff left them alone, Taskmaster faced Red Guardian, who got ready to fight, while Taskmaster drew her claws, based on Black Panther 's designs, and they began to fight.
Taskmaster fighting against Red Guardian
During their clash, Taskmaster threw her shield at Red Guardian, who managed to block it, before Taskmaster drew her knife and began slashing at him, using tactics copied from Winter Soldier . Despite Red Guardian's superior strength, Taskmaster was able use his tactics against him, throwing Red Guardian through a glass wall, before reclaiming her shield and continuing the fight, striking Red Guardian repeatedly, and throwing her shield at his back.
Taskmaster being locked inside of the cell
With Red Guardian struggling to get back onto his feet, Taskmaster walked up behind him and got him into an arm lock, before drawing a hidden blade from her suit , which she attempted to stab into the back of Red Guardian's neck. However, before she could deliver the final blow, Taskmaster was unexpectedly tackled by Vostokoff, who threw Taskmaster into one of the cells and locked her inside, leaving Taskmaster furiously punching at the protective glass, angered by the defeat. [1]
Destruction of the Red Room
Taskmaster watches Natasha Romanoff
Taskmaster was left inside her cell by Melina Vostokoff , as she witnessed the Red Room Academy beginning to fall out of the sky and explode. However, Taskmaster was eventually discovered by Natasha Romanoff , who told Taskmaster that she could not allow her to die in the academy, despite knowing that Taskmaster would attempt to kill her. Ignoring the way Taskmaster furiously punched at the protective glass, Romanoff opened the cell door and allowed her to walk free.
Taskmaster is freed by Natasha Romanoff
Taskmaster had then stepped out of her cell, and prepared to attack Romanoff, determined to finally get her revenge for the bombing that had scarred her face and destroyed her life. However, before Taskmaster could attack and kill Romanoff, an explosion caused the ceiling between them to collapse, which in turn destroyed the floor underneath Taskmaster, causing her to fall to the level below, while Romanoff was then able to make her escape from the exploding academy. [1]
Freedom from Control
Taskmaster fighting against Black Widow
With the Red Room Academy falling from the sky, Taskmaster eventually caught up with Natasha Romanoff , who had just saved Yelena Belova from falling to her death, as they both floated towards the ground with a parachute. Determined to kill Romanoff, Taskmaster had leapt off the academy, and dived towards her, armed with her sword , as Romanoff then let go of Belova as she prepared to fight against Taskmaster in midair, using some of the falling debris from the academy to attempt to slow her fall.
Taskmaster prepares to fight Black Widow
Taskmaster dived directly at Romanoff, causing them to smash through a falling glass wall while Romanoff punched at her and avoided her sword. As the pair grappled in mid air, Romanoff was able to pull Taskmaster's parachute just in time, as the pair awkwardly crash landed on the ground. Getting back onto her feet, Taskmaster had then armed herself with her sword and prepared to kill Romanoff, as the pair grappled for control over the sword, with Romanoff managing to take it from Taskmaster.
Taskmaster grapples against Black Widow
Although Romanoff still refused to kill Taskmaster, dropping the sword on the ground, due to the guilt she felt for almost killing her in Budapest , Taskmaster remained determined and furiously grabbed Romanoff by the throat and attempting to strangle her. However, Romanoff was able to break free from Taskmaster's grip, and managed to get behind her, pressing buttons on Taskmaster's suit , which caused her helmet to come off, before Romanoff threw Taskmaster down to the ground.
Taskmaster being freed with the Red Dust
However, before Taskmaster could strike at Romanoff again, Romanoff broke final vial of Red Dust , causing the powder to hit Taskmaster in the face, freeing her from her mind control. Taskmaster then froze in mid-punch, staring in shock and amazement at Romanoff, having finally regained control of her mind again. Dropping to the ground, Taskmaster reached out to Romanoff, questioning if Dreykov was dead, which Romanoff confirmed, as he had been killed in an earlier explosion.
Taskmaster questioning if Dreykov is dead
With Dreykov dead and the Red Room destroyed, Taskmaster was unsure what she would do next. They were then rejoined by the surviving members of the Widows , who had also been freed from Dreykov's mind control. Having been given the opportunity to build new lives for themselves, the Widows took Taskmaster into their care, with Lerato helping Taskmaster onto her feet, and bringing her onboard the plane they used to escape before the authorities had arrived. [1]
Personality
Prior to her injuries sustained in the Budapest Operation , not much is known of Antonia's true personality. Once her father Dreykov subjected her to the Red Room , Antonia was devoid of all personality and repurposed into what he saw as his "greatest weapon" during her brainwashing, carrying out orders with sharp proficiency. When freed from Dreykov's control, Antonia begged Romanoff to know if Dreykov was gone, showing she loathed being controlled by her own father.
Powers and Abilities
Taskmaster mimicking Black Widow
- Enhanced Strength : Taskmaster also has artificially elevated strength from the chip in her neck, which allowed her to send Black Widow and Red Guardian back long distances with her strikes. She could also throw her shield with enough force for it to embed itself into metal beams.
Replicated Skills
Taskmaster throwing shield at Black Widow
- Knife Mastery : Having studied and copied the fighting style of Winter Soldier , Taskmaster is highly skilled at using a knife in combat. This is seen during the fight against Red Guardian. She also attempted to stab Red Guardian with retractable blade in her gauntlet before being flung into a cell by Melina Vostokoff.
- Sword Mastery : Taskmaster is highly skilled at using a sword in combat, best demonstrated during both fights against Black Widow. She was able to cut a trick wire around her leg before it pulled her all the way up.
Taskmaster launching an explosive arrow
- Master Acrobat : Having studied and copied the gymnastic feats of Black Widow, Black Panther, Spider-Man, Captain America, Winter Soldier, and Hawkeye, Taskmaster become an extremely skilled master gymnast, acrobat and aerialist, being able to perform highly acrobatic feats during fights. This can be seen in her fights against Black Widow and Red Guardian.
- Master Spy : Taskmaster is highly skilled in espionage, stealth, disguise, infiltration, and demolitions, surpassing all other Widows.
- Master Assassin : Serving as Dreykov's personal enforcer, Taskmaster is the best assassin in the Red Room, surpassing all other Widows. Therefore, Taskmaster would only be sent on the most important and dangerous missions, often being tasked to track and eliminate the defectors from the Red Room.
- Bilingualism : Taskmaster is fluent in her native Russian, and understands English.
Taskmaster blocking gunfire
- Sword : Taskmaster carried a collapsible single edged sword similar in appearance to a katana or ninjato sword. The sword is stored on the back compartment of the suit . Upon being tied up with Romanoff's grappling hook, Taskmaster drew her sword to cut herself free, before continuing to battle against Romanoff. Taskmaster would also use her sword, as she attempted to kill Romanoff following the destruction of the Red Room Academy , using it to slow her fall from the crashing base by grinding it through the debris. Upon landing on the ground, Taskmaster continued using the sword against Romanoff, until she was disarmed and had Red Dust thrown in her face, ending her brainwashing.
Taskmaster aiming at Romanoff and Belova
- Explosive Arrows : Taskmaster carried explosive arrows like Hawkeye which was used to overturn Romanoff and Belova's vehicle, managing to get the perfect shot under their car, causing it to crash.
- Chiappa Rhino : Taskmaster had this revolver holstered on her right thigh. Taskmaster drew this gun on Black Widow to protect Dreykov , only for Dreykov to order her to put it away, due to his knowledge that Black Widow would not actually be able to kill him.
- Combat Knife : Taskmaster carried a tanto style combat knife on her which was used during her fight against Red Guardian .
Other Equipment
- HUD : Taskmaster's mask has a heads-up display which analyzes battlefield data. Using this HUD, Taskmaster was able to predict her opponents' movement patterns, which she used against Natasha Romanoff during their first confrontation, allowing her to able to overpower Romanoff with ease. Taskmaster would later use the HUD to assist with her aim while using her bow to shoot at Romanoff and Yelena Belova 's car, finding the perfect moment to shoot underneath the car and cause it to crash.
Taskmaster unleashes her retractable claws
- Retractable Gauntlet Blade : Taskmaster's left gauntlet contains a retractable blade similar to the ones used by Crossbones which was used in an attempt to kill Red Guardian. However, Melina Vostokoff managed to attack and entrap Taskmaster before she could kill Red Guardian with the blade.
- APC : To be added
- Jeep : To be added
- Solovyov Air Helicopter : To be added
- Dreykov's Budapest Office : To be added
- Red Room Academy : To be added
Relationships
- Some of the people he has copied include (but are not limited to) Ant-Man , Black Knight , Black Panther , Black Widow , Bullseye , Captain America , Captain Marvel , Daredevil , Elektra , Falcon , Hawkeye , Iron Fist , Iron Man , Moon Knight , Punisher , Shang-Chi , Spider-Man , and U.S. Agent . He also trained U.S. Agent, Crossbones , and Red Skull .
- Taskmaster is the ninth character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be depicted as a different gender from her counterpart in the comics, following Jeri Hogarth , the Ancient One , Fenris , Ghost , Mar-Vell , Morgan Stark , Gabriella Rosetti , and Flag Smasher .
- In the video game Captain America: The Winter Soldier - The Official Game , Taskmaster is a male, like his comics counterpart. He was a terrorist hired by Sin and King Cobra , who was brought into conflict with S.H.I.E.L.D. after stealing nuclear warheads from Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. . He became an adversary of Captain America before he was taken into custody. [4]
- In a deleted scene from Black Widow, Taskmaster is seen being arrested by the United States Army , under the supervision of Thaddeus Ross .
Behind the Scenes
- Andy Lister was a stunt double and the in-suit performer for Olga Kurylenko in the role of Taskmaster. Daren Nop , Amy Sturdivant and Eniko Fulop were also stunt doubles for Kurylenko in the role.
- An early draft for Black Widow did feature Taskmaster as Tony Masters like in the comic books, but his inclusion was scrapped as the film was meant to be a spy thriller with Dreykov as the main antagonist while dealing with the mystery of who Dreykov's daughter was, leading Eric Pearson to merge Taskmaster and Dreykov's daughter into the same character. [5]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 Black Widow
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Avengers
- ↑ D23 Expo 2022: Marvel Studios' 'Thunderbolts’ Casting Announced
- ↑ Captain America: The Winter Soldier - The Official Game
- ↑ Black Widow Writer Eric Pearson on Budapest, Taskmaster, and Post-Credits Scene (Exclusive)
External Links
- 1 Kang the Conqueror
- 2 M.O.D.O.K.
- 3 Phase Five
Something New
Black widow: who is under taskmaster's mask.
The latest trailer for Black Widow focused greatly on the threat of Taskmaster -- but one thing that is still being kept a secret is his identity.
Marvel Studios released the new trailer for the upcoming Black Widow solo movie, which revealed plenty of new details about the film's story and teased the spy-tastic action scenes it has in store for fans. But most importantly, the new look focused greatly on the threat of the film's villain, Taskmaster. Previous Black Widow promos only hinted at the villain and his abilities, but this new trailer didn't hold back as it showed him in action, revealed his connection to Natasha and Co. and showcased his abilities to mimic the fighting styles of anyone he studies.
And yet, despite all of that, fans still have no idea who is hiding under the mask. In the pages of Marvel Comics comics, Taskmaster is the alter ego of Tony Masters, an assassin-for-hire. But in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, someone else might be behind the skull.
RELATED: Black Widow: Johansson And Pugh Celebrate International Women's Day
The new Black Widow trailer makes plenty of surprising revelations about Taskmaster. While he is simply a hired assassin in the comics, things appear to be vastly different in the film. In fact, it's revealed that he is the one at the head of the new Red Room, the Soviet program responsible for creating the lethal Black Widow spies. What's more, Taskmaster appears to have some sort of grudge against Natasha Romanoff, whom he personally blindsides on a bridge late at night.
But despite all of the revelations about the villain, the trailer (and all those before) only show him with his mask on. Previously, Marvel has always been eager to announce which actor is playing the villain in its next big film, with some prominent examples being Josh Brolin's Thanos, Cate Blanchett's Hela and Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio. However, the studio didn't announce anything for Black Widow -- which is surprising, to say the least. With the identity of the person under the Taskmaster mask kept secret, this creates an air of mystery around the new character.
RELATED: Black Widow Promo Art Shows A Comics-Accurate Look For Taskmaster
It's unlike Marvel to keep something so big as the secret identity of a character from its marketing, and that is in and of itself telling. If the studio is keeping the identity of the actor bringing Taskmaster to life a secret, then it's likely that it's important to the film's story. The implication with that idea, though, is that Taskmaster could be someone fans already know.
There are a few theories floating out there that include Clint Barton, Melina and even a clone of Natasha herself. Of course, it could always be someone new who fans will meet in the film. At this point in time, it really feels like Taskmaster could be anyone.
Since Black Widow takes place before the events of Avengers: Infinity War , there isn't room for many surprises in Black Widow -- and that is perhaps why it's such a good idea on Marvel's part to play coy with Taskmaster.
Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow stars Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, O-T Fagbenle as Rick Mason and Rachel Weisz as Melina. The film opens in theaters May 1.
KEEP READING: Black Widow: Scarlett Johansson Unveils 'Top Secret Footage'
Taskmaster From Black Widow Is Gorgeous In Real Life
Contains spoilers for "Black Widow"
In "Black Widow," one of the villains that Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) fights is classic Marvel villain Taskmaster. A skilled assassin who imitates others' fighting styles, Tony Masters is the identity of the person underneath the skeletal-looking mask in the Marvel Comics version of Taskmaster . However, the Marvel Cinematic Universe changes things up a bit with the character's identity for "Black Widow," revealing — after a lot of speculation over the past few months — Taskmaster to be someone from Natasha's past. The MCU Taskmaster is none other than Antonia Dreykov.
Wait, who? That's a name that traces back to the original "I've got red in my ledger" conversation Natasha has with Loki aboard the SHIELD helicarrier in the first "Avengers" film. "Can you wipe out that much red?" Loki asks from his cell. "Dreykov's daughter. Sao Paolo. The hospital fire. Barton told me everything. Your ledger is dripping," he adds. Dreykov's daughter was just a young girl when she was caught in the explosion that took place during Nat's final mission — to eliminate Dreykov himself, the mastermind behind the Red Room — before joining SHIELD.
When the mask comes off, Antonia presents a scarred and ruined face to her rival. However, as you might guess, the person who plays Antonia is rather attractive in real life, and you may have seen her before in her previous work. The actress's name is Olga Kurylenko, and although she appears to be uncredited in this film, she's a Ukrainian-French actress and model with one of Hollywood's most coveted roles for gorgeous women on her resume.
Her first big role in American cinema came in the 2007 video game movie Hitman
After several roles in French cinema and television, Olga Kurylenko's breakout role came in the ill-received yet ultimately successful 2007 cinematic adaptation of the popular "Hitman" video game. Starring Timothy Olyphant in the title role as assassin Agent 47, the film revolves around his murder missions for the Organization, a shadowy group that trains young men to be professional killers from a young age. He crosses paths with Kurylenko's character when he is sent to publicly execute Russian President Mikhail Belicoff (Ulrich Thomsen). With his mission seemingly complete, Agent 47 is ordered to take out a potential witness to the assassination, Belicoff's mistress Nika Boronina (Kurylenko). There's just one catch: she's never seen him and he's been set up, narrowly avoiding an attempt on his own life from another killer from the Organization. So Agent 47 does what he does best and kills his way to the truth, all the while being pursued by Russian intelligence and Interpol in the form of agent Mike Whittier (Dougray Scott).
"Hitman" managed a dreadful 16% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes but grossed an impressive $99 million against its $24 million budget, via The Numbers . It was due for a sequel, in which Olyphant did not plan to appear, but was instead rebooted in 2015's "Hitman: Agent 47" with Rupert Friend in the lead role. Kurylenko was not involved in the reboot but the first film served as an important stepping stone in her career. A year after "Hitman" was released, she appeared as Bond girl Camille Montes in "Quantum of Solace."
Olga Kurylenko was a Bond girl in Quantum of Solace
Olga Kurylenko became a Bond girl early in her acting career, starring in "Quantum of Solace" opposite Daniel Craig in 2008. The Hollywood Reporter stated in 2019 that she "found her niche" during that movie and has been in contention for some of the industry's most action-oriented leading lady roles. She starred in "Oblivion" with Tom Cruise in 2013 and was a runner-up to Gal Gadot for the role of Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe. She also starred in "The Courier" from 2019 as an ex-soldier who uses her combat skills when a delivery goes awry. She's now been doing action films for 12 years, and it all started with the training she did for "Quantum of Solace."
"I remember coming home, collapsing on my bed and falling asleep. It was a big shock for my body," Kurylenko told The Hollywood Reporter. "'Quantum' was the start of all these physical action films that I did after, but it was the very first one for which I had to train so hard and so much. It was six months and so intense. For the first month, I trained literally every day — from morning till evening. I went from doing nothing to suddenly doing everything that's super intense." She noted that regular gym workouts never gave her endorphins, but martial arts or sparring do. She's clearly in the right line of work.
Her other films include movies like "To the Wonder" with Ben Affleck, "Vampire Academy" where she played Headmistress Kirova, "Sentinelle," in which she plays a French soldier in a revenge-driven action thriller, "The Death of Stalin" as Soviet pianist Maria Yudina, and spy satire "Johnny English Strikes Again" opposite Rowan Atkinson. She made news in 2020 for catching the coronavirus (via CNN) , but it's fairly certain her fame from this point forward will be for other things. You're going to see this lovely face again.
Is Taskmaster the key to keeping Black Widow in the MCU?
Could Black Widow's mystery villain hold the key to bringing Natasha Romanoff back?
The first Black Widow trailer (opens in new tab) dropped toward the end of last year, like its super spy namesake, without warning. And also like Natasha Romanoff, it seems to hold its fair share of secrets. By rule, MCU trailers hold secrets, and increasingly, they feature intentional misdirection such as the trailer for Avengers: Infinity War (opens in new tab) to give but one example.
In the trailer’s wake, there are red flags surrounding the Marvel Phase 4 (opens in new tab) kick-off – namely some big questions centered on the appearance of William Hurt’s conspicuously-de-aged Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, and whether we’re really seeing the version of him in the trailer that will appear in the movie.
What the presence of a contemporary Ross could mean for Black Widow’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (both the film and character) remains to be seen, though there’s a lot left on the table, both in terms of what’s in the trailer, and the possible butterfly effect the film could have.
It’s time to dial it all in like an intelligence analyst and start breaking down our big MCU theory on why we believe Black Widow (opens in new tab) might not be Scarlett Johansson’s last appearance in the MCU, and how we think Marvel could be establishing a mechanism for her to stick around.
Right off the bat, if the idea of ScarJo/Natasha Romanoff continuing on after her first movie seems far-fetched – Black Widow died in Avengers: Endgame (opens in new tab) ! – we’d like to remind you that first of all, these are superhero movies, and like comic books, we have to assume nothing must be forever and anything is possible.
Now Johansson has talked publicly about Black Widow serving as closure for her time in the MCU, and yes, while younger than Robert Downey, Jr. and Chris Evans, she's been playing the role for a long time and fairly regularly since her 2010 debut in Iron Man 2 (opens in new tab) . But two things about Black Widow have stuck out for a while now.
For one, Marvel Studios doesn't do 'one and done' films. At least they haven't yet. And a prequel solo film is something of an odd fit for Marvel's November release date.
MCU movies are increasingly delving into their own past to shock and delight invested fans as well as setting up future events (see all the Spider-Man: Far From Home (opens in new tab) twists and turns). We have no doubt Black Widow will do the same in ways that will surprise us all and that Marvel will try their damndest to throw us all off track.
Of course there’s the added element of Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, Marvel Comics’ other Black Widow (more on her in a bit). Pugh’s a rising star, and there’s a likelihood she’ll continue on in the MCU as Yelena/a Black Widow – but since when has Marvel stopped at one hero in a key role?
Captain America had Falcon, Iron Man had Rhodey, and so on – with some of those characters eventually taking the mantle of their mentors, but not before earning their way in as supporting characters. And let's not ignore that Natasha has similar hair to Yelena in Infinity War - and Yelena appears to be wearing Natasha's Infinity War era vest in Black Widow, set partially before Infinity War. Odd.
It just seems like it's prudent to perhaps consider that Scarlet Johansson/Natasha is not quite finished with the MCU, despite her sacrifice in Endgame.
And the key to her continuing story may be hiding in plain sight in the trailer. With many things around Black Widow, it all starts with a mystery.
Namely, who the hell is playing Taskmaster?
Since Marvel Studios’ presentation at San Diego Comic-Con, speculation has been that O-T Fagbenle’s “Mason” could be the one under the mask – but if so, why not just say it outright? It’s not like “Mason” is a character everyone knows, or as if Fagbenle’s presence in the film itself is a secret. Mason, by the way, if that is Fagbenle’s character’s name, could be a number of other Marvel Comics characters, such as Tom Mason/The Agent, a superhero spy handler for S.H.I.E.L.D. He has had connections to Russian double agents, too, so it's a possibility.
Why put such a spotlight on the character and the mystery? In Marvel Studios' parlance, that’s as good as acknowledging there’s something going on with Taskmaster to be discovered. Introducing a mystery character when there are only one or two legitimate candidates among the small announced cast runs the risk of being ultimately anti-climatic, and that is not Marvel's style. Fans should expect the identity to be a shocker.
This could mean Black Widow will get her own “Winter Soldier” moment, where the skull mask comes off and the face underneath shakes her to her core. And if so, who could be under there that would shake her like Bucky’s presence shook Steve?
The answer to that may lie in Taskmaster’s comic book identity – which is, essentially, a blank slate. All we really know is, he’s got an extraordinary ability to recreate any movement he sees flawlessly, down to the use of weapons, fighting styles, acrobatics, and more – and that his ability comes at the cost of his memories of his life.
In Marvel Studios speak, he might as well be a cool mask with a full on tabula rasa underneath. Which means the MCU’s Taskmaster could be just about anyone. It might not even be a man – that suit could easily conceal a female figure, and the mask covers the entire face. It would be easy to speculate that the person in the Taskmaster suit could even be Rachel Weisz’s Melina (in comic books known as Iron Maiden), a former ally turned double-crossing foe.
But what if the answer to the question of who’s under Taskmaster’s mask is even darker, more chilling than a simple betrayal?
In comic books, Natasha Romanoff is a super spy who began her training at the end of World War II and thanks to a version of the Infinity Formula (the same special secret sauce that kept Nick Fury, Sr. young) she's remained alive and kicking for decades. And what’s more, the current comic book version is actually a clone created by the Red Room.
That’s right – the original Natasha Romanoff/Natalya Romanova/Black Widow was killed by an evil version of Captain America in Secret Empire, with her one-time Red Room masters using catalogued DNA cloning her to create their own semi-mindless super assassin, with only the memories her creators wanted her to have. She wound up with all her memories intact, leading her to betray her controllers and join the side of the heroes once again. And which heroes did she join? Falcon and Winter Soldier, who are getting their own upcoming Disney+ show.
And remember Yelena Belova? Also a clone. Basically the same deal – although Yelena’s story gets even more interesting (and complex). There were actually three clones of Yelena, who were all killed along with the original by Natasha Romanoff. But before all of that, her mind was transferred to a brand new body – a body with the abilities of the power-mimicking Avengers foe the Super-Adaptoid.
So what we have is an onscreen villain whose powers include copying movements and a comic book origin that’s basically a blank slate – and a bunch of Black Widow comic book lore that involves cloning, memory loss, and copying the Avengers’ powers. You see where this is going?
Marvel Studios does like to pull key story and character elements from Marvel Comics. So, what if the face Black Widow finds under Taskmaster’s mask is... Black Widow?
Consider this: What if the Red Room cloned a version of Black Widow with souped-up abilities and only enough memories to do their bidding? It wouldn’t be far off from what happened to Bucky Barnes at the hands of Hydra and the KGB – but it’s certainly an escalation of the concept. And if Black Widow’s journey back to Russia is all about confronting her past and bringing her ledger back to black, wouldn’t the ultimate villain be someone out there putting more red right back in her ledger?
Interestingly, a new clip from Black Widow draws visual parallels between Natasha and Taskmaster. There's a moment where the two are fighting hand-to-hand where they each flip toward each other and land - with the exact same motion and pose. And in the next shot, Natasha's face is eerily reflected in Taskmaster's mask.
Sure, that could be Taskmaster's "photographic reflexes" represented through keen visual storytelling, but in light of the full picture, it could be compelling evidence of the film's inevitable twist.
There's also a moment where Natasha addresses Taskmaster to her allies, saying "Who is this guy?". Maybe that's just the line, but the pointed dialogue could hint at the potential mistaken perception that armor that doesn't look specifically feminine must be worn by a man - another potential bit of trailer misdirection through the film's dialogue.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said the events of Black Widow would reflect back on the events of Infinity War and Endgame. If Natasha’s death in Endgame was tempered on some level by her own knowledge that she was cloned (or was a clone), that would certainly count as shedding new light on that story. Even if only one clone remained – perhaps the one operating as Taskmaster? – with the tech destroyed to prevent that back door, that would be a big deal.
And what’s more, if there’s another Natasha out there. Well, you see the straight line that takes.
Speaking of which, there is of course the complication of the Soul Stone holding Natasha’s, well, Soul. If there’s a clone out there it might be a moot point – or, that clone could maybe become a vessel for restoring her Soul to the living. It’s superheroes and Infinity Stones – they’ve already done weirder things on camera.
Now with all this on the table, watch the first trailer again. There are three sequences that string together in seemingly reverse chronological order but stand out as separate from the other sequences.
Just before the two-minute mark, she dives off of something high in the sky (a Helicarrier?) and is chased by some sort of shocktroopers in freefall in a different version of her costume.
Earlier, she seems to be on the ground in the aftermath/wreckage of the sequence with a very stoic look on her face when a caravan of cars pull up around her. Towards the beginning of the trailer, Ross seems to exit the caravan.
Over that first/last few seconds Marvel lays down audio of Ross asking Natasha "So what are you doing to do?". This is an odd question given we know exactly what Black Widow does if this scene takes place in any part of her past.
And Ross having some sort of prominent but secret place in her history really makes little narrative sense either, other than making her seem more duplicitous in hindsight, which is a character trait she grew away from over the course of her development.
So what if instead that scene takes place toward the end of the film in the MCU present day, with the Natasha clone/former Taskmaster having escaped the influence of her Russian handlers (but who hasn't gone through her full hero's journey, think the beginning of Winter Soldier), and who is ready to operate for the United States again, but under Ross's influence (whose motivations we should all be questioning) rather than Fury's?
The dynamics that potentially sets up for sequels and the MCU tapestry as a whole moving forward is significant. Far-fetched? Probably. But something big, something very big, is likely coming out of Black Widow that's gonna shake things up, and don't be surprised if that something not only makes us rethink Infinity War and Endgame, but the entire future of the MCU.
Comic deals, prizes and latest news
Get the best comic news, insights, opinions, analysis and more!
I've been Newsarama's resident Marvel Comics expert and general comic book historian since 2011. I've also been the on-site reporter at most major comic conventions such as Comic-Con International: San Diego, New York Comic Con, and C2E2. Outside of comic journalism, I am the artist of many weird pictures, and the guitarist of many heavy riffs. (They/Them)
Screen Rant
Black widow faces off with taskmaster in new marvel movie image.
Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow faces off against Taskmaster in a new image from the highly anticipated release of Natasha Romanoff's solo film.
A new image from Black Widow sees Natasha Romanoff go head-to-head with Taskmaster. Scarlett Johansson's character has been a mainstay of the MCU since her debut in Iron Man 2 , showing up in various Marvel entries to help out her allies and provide some much needed back-up. Now, after her death in Avengers: Endgame , the high-powered assassin will finally be getting her first solo feature that will see her confront the ghosts of her past. Black Widow takes place between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War , with the MCU's heroes scattered after being divided into factions.
Forced to go on the run, Natasha's past will begin to catch up with her and she'll have to team up with her some people from her past to take on Taskmaster. These people from her past represent a sort of chosen family, including mother figure Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz), father figure Alexei Shostakov AKA Red Guardian (David Harbour) , and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), a sister-like ally. Even with all this back-up, though, Black Widow will still be a highly personal journey for Natasha.
Related: Every Upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie
The isolation Natasha feels will likely bleed into some of the action in the film and she'll have to confront Taskmaster on her own to reckon with her demons. A new image from USA Today teases one of the confrontations between the pair. In the photo, Natasha and Taskmaster are meeting on a bridge at night with a mountainous backdrop behind them. Both are in the same stance, crouching on the ground and seemingly preparing for a fight. Check out the full image below:
Taskmaster's identity remains a secret , but some have speculated as to who could be behind the mask. It is someone with obvious connections to the Red Room, the training center for Black Widows. Yelena Belova points out in the trailer that the villain is now in control of the Red Room, but what that means remains a mystery. Some have posited that Taskmaster could be Natasha's mother figure, Melina, but it seems more likely that it could be OT Fagbenle's Rick Mason due to his caginess when asked about his role in Black Widow .
Either way, Taskmaster will prove to be a more than formidable baddie . One of the villain's abilities includes being able to mimic any opponent's fighting style and while Natasha has proven time and time again that she can hold her own, she's never had to fight herself before. When Black Widow finally hits theaters and Disney+ in July, fans will get a much-needed glimpse into Natasha's internal struggles and her mysterious past before quite possibly saying farewell to the beloved character.
More: Black Widow Was The Only Civil War Avenger Who Was Right (Not Cap Or Iron Man)
Source: USA Today
Key Release Dates
Black widow, shang-chi and the legend of the ten rings, doctor strange in the multiverse of madness, thor: love and thunder, black panther: wakanda forever, captain marvel 2, ant-man and the wasp: quantumania, guardians of the galaxy vol. 3.
- The A.V. Club
- The Takeout
- The Inventory
Marvel's Black Widow : Let's Talk About Taskmaster
The marvel comics character was changed greatly in the new scarlett johansson film, now out on disney+ and in theaters..
Flight. Invisibility. Super strength. All three are common answers when asked about the best comic book superpower. But Marvel’s Taskmaster—who appears in the newly released Black Widow —has one that should rank right up there. The character has the ability to mimic anything they see perfectly, which makes them a near-impossible foe for most heroes to defeat: they’re fighting themselves.
Taskmaster debuted in Marvel Comics over 40 years ago, in 1980' s Avengers #195 , and in recent years has gained a boost of popularity thanks to appearances in video games like Marvel’s Avengers and Marvel’s Spider-Man . Both of those almost certainly happened because the powers that be knew the character was coming to the big screen in Black Widow . But now that Black Widow is here , it’s come as a shock just how different the new version of the character is from the original, and there are certainly deeper implications because of it.
Time to talk spoilers. One of the big revelations in Marvel’s Black Widow is that Taskmaster—a character whose identity is hidden for 80% of the movie—is revealed to be Antonia Dreykov, played by Olga Kurylenko ( Quantum of Solace , Oblivion ). If we’re being honest, it probably wasn’t that big of a revelation considering Kurylenko’s famous name is in the opening credits and yet she doesn’t appear until the final act. Natasha (Scarlett Johansson) believed she killed Antonia years earlier during an attempt to kill the young girl’s father, the leader of the evil Red Room played by Ray Winstone. Somehow (we’re never told how) General Dreykov and Antonia survived Natasha blowing up a building with them inside it. In the many years since then, Dreykov brainwashed and trained his daughter into becoming his number one assassin, the Taskmaster, who can mimic the fighting styles of anyone she sees. Which, over the years, she’s done with Captain America, Black Panther, Hawkeye, and probably more. In the comics, Taskmaster was born with an eidetic memory and grew into it organically but in the film, she’s brainwashed and uses some sort of tech that’s never explained.
Based on powers alone, both the original version of Taskmaster and the film version are fairly similar—but really that’s the end of any adaptation and we don’t learn that much about her here minus what’s needed for the plot to move forward. Of course, some sexist idiots are mad that the original character, Tony Masters, is ignored in favor of Antonia Dreykov, but altering the character’s gender and directly linking her to Natasha’s past is one of the most interesting things about Black Widow . Her very existence is all tangled up with Natasha’s overall MCU arc which dealt with bodily autonomy—something the film digs into heavily with its Red Room plot and the sister s’ individual ways of dealing with what happened to them. She also exists as a larger example of Dreykov’s need for power over women—this father subjugating his daughter to endless battles and continued trauma makes him that much more of a despicable villain. Together, that all serves to make the battles Taskmaster has with the titular hero that much more complex; killing Antonia was one of Natasha’s biggest, deepest regrets. That she now has a chance to right that wrong or make it a reality this time, is a fascinating thread to potentially pull at for the audience and the characters.
Comes with twelve different courses comprised of a huge number of lessons, and each one will help you learn more about Python itself, and can be accessed when you want and as often as you want forever, making it ideal for learning a new skill.
And yet, Black Widow doesn’t explore those depths too well, which becomes the biggest failing for Taskmaster. Everything about her is shoved into the massive, action-heavy third act, giving a newly freed Antonia no time to process what’s happened to her life, and giving Natasha very little time to comprehend the scope of the revelation. The whole thing feels like it’s there to shock instead of inform. Also, that Dreykov controls Taskmaster (and the rest of his Red Room Black Widows) undercuts the fundamental power of the character. Taskmaster isn’t her own person, she’s this old white man’s tool, and though he gets his comeuppance and she gets a bit of redemption, it all feels under-serviced, especially in regards to Natasha. So much happens so fast it’s hard to believe she’s been able to process changing this fundamental personal building block of her life.
Though there have been some missteps along the way, the Marvel Cinematic Universe usually gives its villains just as much gravitas as its heroes: Loki , Thanos, Killmonger, Red Skull, etc. But Taskmaster—and to an extent, Dreykov himself—absolutely falls short of that, and it holds Black Widow back from being the top-tier Marvel movie it certainly strived to be. What did you think of Taskmaster in Black Widow?
Wondering where our RSS feed went? You can pick the new up one here .
- The A.V. Club
- The Takeout
- The Inventory
Nat's "such a mom" in what will hopefully be the real final Black Widow trailer
Black Widow has had a long, hard journey into the light. And, to be clear, we’re not just talking about Natasha Romanoff, former assassin turned super-spy extraordinaire. The Black Widow movie might not have been raised in a weird Russian murder academy, but it’s still had a damn hard time of it, to the point that, when Disney released a new trailer for the movie early this morning, it marked more than a year since the last time the company released an official “final” trailer for the film , amid the early days of the COVID-19 shutdowns.
But here we are, with a whole bunch of new footage to dig into, exploring the relationships between Scarlett Johansson’s Nat, her little sister/rival Widow Yelena (Florence Pugh), and David Harbour’s big, burly Red Guardian. We also get some callforwards to that scene from Avengers: Endgame , some footage of faceless weirdo Taskmaster in action, and a sting of the Avengers theme that, despite our best efforts, still undeniably sent a bit of a chill down our spines. (Also, is it just us, or does that “You’re such a mom” line hit especially strange in light of how Joss Whedon handled Natasha’s character in Age Of Ultron ? Just saying.)
Black Widow arrives in theaters—no, seriously!—on July 9. It’ll debut the same day as a premium paid option on Disney+.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Taskmaster's Identity in the MCU After pursuing Natasha Romanoff throughout the movie, Taskmaster is finally revealed to be Dreykov's daughter, Antonia Dreykov, played by former Bond actress...
In Black Widow, that's Taskmaster, the mysterious killer with the ability to learn any fighting technique simply by watching it. Even with their true identity shrouded in secrecy, the...
Black Widow has arrived in cinema and on Disney Plus, and the real identity of Taskmaster has been revealed. We had been speculating long and hard over who would be behind the mask, but...
It turns out that Taskmaster is Dreykov's daughter Antonia, played by Olga Kurylenko, who Natasha thought she had killed in Budapest years ago. Kurylenko is credited in Black Widow 's dark...
Published Jun 28, 2021. A new TV spot for Marvel Studios' Black Widow brings Natasha Romanoff face-to-face with the film's main antagonist, Taskmaster. As Black Widow -- the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first Phase Four feature film -- nears its long-awaited premiere, Marvel Studios has released a new TV spot, which pits main protagonist Natasha ...
Marvel dropped a new Black Widow TV spot that shows off the hero and villain's big battle. On the Marvel Studios Instagram, fans can see Taskmaster and Natasha throwing down in anticipation of the ...
It turns out that Taskmaster is Dreykov's daughter Antonia, played by Olga Kurylenko, who Natasha thought she'd killed in Budapest years ago. Kurylenko is credited in Black Widow 's dark...
Becoming the Red Room 's commander, Taskmaster had been ordered by her father to track down Yelena Belova, who had taken their Red Dust and could free the other Black Widows. This put Taskmaster on a collision course with the person who nearly killed her years earlier, Natasha Romanoff.
Taskmaster face reveal scene | Black Widow 2021 219 views • Jul 17, 2021 • WELCOME TO HERO MEMES! Open Description Open Description 4 Dislike Share Save Hero Memes 29.9K subscribers S.H....
Taskmaster face reveal scene | Black Widow 5,194 views Jul 9, 2021 65 Dislike Share Save ShowTheClips 6.05K subscribers Movie Black Widow Show more Marvel Studios' Guardians of the...
When Taskmaster debuted in the trailer of Black Widow, many expected the character to be played by a male actor seeing as the villain is a man in the comics. As it was known that O-T Fagbenle was in the film, fans even predicted him to be the face behind Taskmaster's helmet.
In fact, it's revealed that he is the one at the head of the new Red Room, the Soviet program responsible for creating the lethal Black Widow spies. What's more, Taskmaster appears to have some sort of grudge against Natasha Romanoff, whom he personally blindsides on a bridge late at night.
In "Black Widow," one of the villains that Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) fights is classic Marvel villain Taskmaster. A skilled assassin who imitates others' fighting styles, Tony Masters ...
Now Johansson has talked publicly about Black Widow serving as closure for her time in the MCU, and yes, while younger than Robert Downey, Jr. and Chris Evans, she's been playing the role for a ...
Amazon.com: Marvel Studios: Black Widow "Taskmaster" Metal-based with Enamel 5 Lapel Pin Set Comes in an Officially Licensed Spinning 16cm Circular Window Box ... 4.5 X 4.5CM, TASKMASTER FACE: 4.5 X 2.8CM, SWORD AND SHIELD: 4.5 X 2.3CM, TASKMASTER FULLBODY: 4.5 X 4.2CM. A great gift for people who love Black Widow and Marvel.
BLACK WIDOW MOVIE-INSPIRED MASK - The Taskmaster Mask is inspired by the Black Widow movie, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that includes Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. FITS MOST ORDINARY FANS - With an adjustable band, this Taskmaster roleplay mask fits most ordinary fans.
A new image from Black Widow sees Natasha Romanoff go head-to-head with Taskmaster. Scarlett Johansson's character has been a mainstay of the MCU since her debut in Iron Man 2, showing up in various Marvel entries to help out her allies and provide some much needed back-up.Now, after her death in Avengers: Endgame, the high-powered assassin will finally be getting her first solo feature that ...
Black Widow is a 2021 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the character of the same name.Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 24th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Cate Shortland from a screenplay by Eric Pearson, and stars Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow ...
If the Black Widow movie's villain has come face to face with Hawkeye or Captain America along the way in an off-screen bout from earlier in the sprawling history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ...
Taskmaster debuted in Marvel Comics over 40 years ago, in 1980's Avengers #195, and in recent years has gained a boost of popularity thanks to appearances in video games like Marvel's Avengers ...
Black Widow is finally coming out, on July 9. A new trailer shows off Natasha, Yelena, Red Guardian, Taskmaster, and more.