Black Widow's Life | Video Essay

[@jorgec98]

Everyone was sad when Tony died. But what really broke me was Nat's death

[@dak4465]

She was suck a genuine and equally broken charecter looking for her true place in the world.

[@DaveKatague]

It got me even worse on second viewing. See you in a minute. EUGH

[@kedrprao]

I didnt care about Tony and Nat's death much but what really broke me was Yondu's death!

[@-ejamezfictionalstudioz-4951]

It really hurts when she didn't get a proper funeral at the end of the movie but the post credit scene in black widow did remedied it

[@Azimii]

"that sounded a lot more poetic than i planned" homie that's your entire channel it's why we watch

[@Sam-hv7kj]

Facts

[@frankwolftown]

Frickin' ay!

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks everyone!

[@themadtitan7603]

Hell yes

[@radieschen79]

So true.

[@SlickSith]

You mention each of the Avengers visions and how they come to be in the end, but you missed that her vision was about her inability to bring life into the world rather than end it. This ends in endgame when her sacrifice allows her to bring life, albeit back, into the world. The one that could never be a mother in turn becomes mother, the life giver, to half the universe. Her legacy is not the children she never had but the children she saved.

[@ketakikadam3804]

Wow. That was so profound!

[@ROYkrysta]

This is beautiful.

[@kimberlygonzales9691]

wow. I have no words. This is just beautiful.

[@batsignal3469]

So Black Widow saves the present, Iron Man saves the future and by going to the past Captain America "dies" in the present but creates/saves the past that is the foundation of the present! NEAT!!!!

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Yeah!

[@markuskosmo]

And Thor is just a loser. By that I mean someone who's lost stuff (a reference, but to what?). You know, like his powers and worthiness (got it back), his brother (he thought), his mother, his brother again (he thought), his father, his eye, his hammer, his friends, his homeworld, half of his people, his brother (at least the post-Dark World version), his best friend and his motivation. Hopefully, Thor 4 will continue his arc in an interesting way. Anyway, I really liked this assessment of this video, and that's pretty much what I thought too!

[@ahnizos8]

the big trio

[@noelrose7419]

she was always one of my fav mcu characters for this very reason. her growth was subtle, rarely the focus and in a way that allowed it to be really fluid and natural feeling from movie to movie

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Yeah I think the space from not being as demanded in the core events all the time gave her effectively almost all the quiet scenes, so she was able to get some writing that was more gentler in spirit and more relaxed too :)

[@damionmccarthy4679]

@Snehil Shrey do u hate black widow or something

[@austonvarner9142]

@@damionmccarthy4679 Call me crazy, but I don't think people usually call characters they hate 'underutilized'

[@drackestalentorgen166]

I hate how we finally get a BW movie after they killed her. I'm ok with her noble sacrifice, but at the same time we been asking for her solo movie since avengers

[@user-Jay178]

Kinda like what they did with Han solo

[@Boundless-Boredom]

Snehil Shrey you do understand thats not how any of this works right

[@TK_Brainslug]

Back in the day Feige was under Perlmutter who thought women are not important. what a prick.

[@videovoidtv]

Snehil Shrey please stop being such a toxic fan please. This is a good community and we don’t need you here.

[@judeannethecandorchannel2153]

Very Good point

[@ThePonderer]

What a perfect Christmas present.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww flattered to be at service!

[@Bahruchnik]

Well damn, now I am never going to be able to watch her final scene in endgame without getting even more emotional. Well done!

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks!

[@shallowhound2751]

This essay has made me appreciate Natasha even more. She's one of my favourite characters and I think this video is a beautiful (and sad) tribute to her.

[@witch4255]

That I always loved about Natascha. She showed us, that Identity is not something you are. It is something you do. It is a performance, an act, but thats the point. Identity becomes real, becomes your one, something stable and content, the moment, you are in sync with the performance you play. Nat's arc is fantastic and by far my favorite in all of the MCU.

[@marleyvizualz7692]

This video reduced me to tears thank you it is perhaps the best video I've ever watched

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Holy cow thanks! I wasn't sure at all if this video was any good, so that's not only relieving to hear but flattering too! :)

[@carolinedelagarza2769]

Thank you for touching on her motive behind pursuing a relationship with Bruce in Age of Ultron. I have always kind of resented AoU for that whole arc but your explanation shows just how layered and complex her character is in that movie.

[@anethkiray]

I still feel like she was done wrong but this video helps to soften the blow of losing her and helps me understand her more. Thank you for making this.

[@tiffanypersaud3518]

I agree.

[@sarahirisfox]

This is an excellent video essay. I love Black Widow and I have to say that you analyzed her character arc really well.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you! That's incredibly relieving, because I wasn't really sure if the quality matched with my other videos!

[@sarahirisfox]

@@ImplicitlyPretentious thanks for responding!

[@aivarizhtml]

You’ve brought me to tears of joy, nostalgia and pride over my favorite woman. Good job, you talented brat. Upd: I’m always wondering how many times you’ve already watched these movies and honestly it’s kinda scary

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks! And surprisingly I don't re watch them that much, it's more like everytime I edit one of these I have to scan through the films again and again, so certain scenes stick out and gives me ideas for the next essay! :)

[@juliec8090]

This may be my favorite one of your videos. I don’t quite have the words for it right now. I think I’ll have to sit with it a while. But... yeah, wow. Beautifully done.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you so much! That's incredibly flattering and relieving, because I wasn't sure at all if this one was up to the quality of my other work! :)

[@juliec8090]

Honestly you had me hooked the moment you brought up Cooley’s looking glass theory. I was familiar with it (especially in applying it to the idea of double consciousness), but in applying it to Black Widow the realization of why I love her and felt her to be so weirdly relatable hit me like a train. Most of the other characters don’t think that way, their identities are so firmly rooted in their own inner lives and values. She’s morally flexible in a way that always felt like a somewhat easily explained ‘weakness,’ but viewing it as an identity issue due to being denied the opportunity growing up to even *develop* an identity for herself... yeah, wow. Honestly, I sent this video to a bunch of my other MCU-analysis geek friends this morning cause I couldn’t get it out of my head. 10/10, would watch again. Thanks for all of your hard work and the many incredible video essays! You’re awesome!

[@tiffanypersaud3518]

While watching Endgame, I was still reeling and bawling from Nat that I could barely see the screen for the finale. Thanks for this and for the insight. To me, she's not a supporting character, she's a main character, they all are, in The Avengers. I still think her solo film should have been released before Endgame.

[@08gameplaya]

Love your work big fan so in-depth.

[@robertearhart4316]

That was an amazingly insightful retrospective on Natasha's history. I never thought of her relationship with Bruce like you described it, but it totally makes sense. I love watching your videos for the added perspective and depth you offer for so many of my favorite things. Thank you, and keep it up, man!

[@MereBearScare]

Someone must have been chopping onions at the end, what a great tribute to one of my favorite characters ever :'(

[@claraeana3]

i always ended up crying with yours essays

[@OMGACKT24]

A video essay about my favorite Avenger? Merry Christmas, indeed!

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww I hope it was up to standard!

[@t7957r]

Great essay on Natasha Romanoff. I think you captured why she is so loved and central to the MCU. While technically a supporting character she is in essence the glue that holds the whole team in place thus without her there is no real presence of the whole.

[@duwanglover7730]

My mind is so feeble from this quarantine that I'm not sure I understood everything you said here. But even then, it was still so beautiful and profound. Thank you for this.

[@ajwalswick4423]

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it!

[@spookyman5ever]

Happy holidays!!

[@ryanrabe]

This video made me sob again for Natasha. Now in her own solo movie will finally understand everything that she’s done and her choices in life. 👍🏼

[@SkatKat]

Your corny speeches bring tears to my eyes, you don't doubt yourself and keep making them!

[@qemuel]

Delightful study of Natasha's character, well done. And do keep going with the "cheese" please. Happy holidays!

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks! I hope the cheese never gets too cringy! :)

[@AnalyticalMenace]

18:56 To be fair, if I were forced to eat peanut butter sandwiches the rest of my life, I'd be in fucking tears, too.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Damn son

[@aidanvidal6736]

These videos are more than analyses. These videos are reinterpretations of stories, and they are just as beautiful as the source material they come from. Thank you for continuing to make these videos. Thank you for the 20 minutes of Scarlett Johansson footage. And a special thank you to all my Patreon supporters.

[@Jay-Jones]

You've just earned a subscriber.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks!

[@TheRealAdaWong]

Beautiful analysis of Black Widow. Loved her since I first saw her in Ultimate Avengers 1/2 as a kid. Scarlett Johansson really gave the character the emotional range Widow has as a spy and made her a household name. Never would have imagined after seeing snippets of her in Ultimate Alliance/Avengers; that she would have gotten a decade onscreen. Now she’s the reason I finally started reading comics! 🕷️

[@komang1224]

Your uploads always makes me excited to watch. you have such a cool style and informative way to deliver what u say. and the videos are always such high quality. good work as always

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thank you so much! And it's particularly relieving for this video because I wasn't sure if it was up to snuff! :)

[@wisemoon40]

I'd be interested to see you do an update/followup of this video after you see the Black Widow movie! Please consider doing one.

[@KrazyKobold]

At about 17:26, moving into Act 3, you comment on good old Joseph Campbell's "Crossing of the Return Threshold" I feel like (without having seen Black Widow yet) that's 100% what we'll be seeing in her movie Black Widow.

[@madsj_]

I’d be keen to watch an update now that black widow has come out

[@masquerader101]

These character essays fill me with a sense melancholy as well as clarity.. Very well done my friend

[@dautolover]

It's unbelievable the level of depth that these characters have. The MCU is truly something else.

[@heysolifehow3359]

I want to get all the 3 Shrek movies (excluding Shrek 3) and liquify them and inset them in my veins

[@miker6452]

Very well presented, insightful commentary. I'm a Marvel Comics reader going back to the late 70's and it's been very gratifying to have seen these films on the big screen and how important these characters have become to fans all over the world. Once again, well researched and very well put together, great work.

[@user-km9bx3gf3z]

ahhhhhhh a 24 minute video on my favorite avenger! awesome! And I loved your take on Nat and Steve's relationship. I always felt so happy seeing them get along b/c their opposites yet they seem to fit together like yin and yang, which makes the friendship so much more satisfying and rewarding. You described it perfectly, thanks :) And yeah I was sad that Nat died but you're so right, I can't imagine Nat just living an ordinary peaceful life. This is the perfect way to go out for her. also your video essay made me cry, thanks for that ;p keep doing this, I love your stuff!

[@martinmoran87]

Best video so far! Amazing character deconstruction!

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thank you so much! That's incredibly relieving and flattering!

[@DharmaB420]

I thoroughly enjoy your corny speeches. Please keep making them! I think Scorsese should check out your videos. He could learn something.

[@InfernoBlade64]

It’s a shame black widow was retired before she got her first film

[@offgang2805]

@Snehil Shrey we all wanted a black widow film for years.

[@offgang2805]

@Snehil Shrey My old youtube channel was deleted for unknown reasons.

[@offgang2805]

@Snehil Shrey why do I have to post everything about myself on KZbin? And I hate Captain marvel.

[@billyb7852]

*Dead

[@ruly8153]

You got masterclass as a sponsor on your video Wow congrats

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww who was the teacher this time? 😂

[@ruly8153]

Implicitly Pretentious Awww I think it was the guy with the glasses He was taking about dialogue

[@ruly8153]

Implicitly Pretentious Aaron Sorkin actually Good job on the vid

[@jkctucker]

I love your essays! Keep up the great work. :)

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you!

[@user-Jay178]

Great video and also cool video essay

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thank you!

[@joshuafogel1116]

This is one of the best videos you've made

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Oh wow thanks! I always have an uncertain feeling everytime I upload, so it's incredibly relieving to hear that! :)

[@kiobakunawa1149]

Love hearing amazing grace in the background while you explain the intricacies of nats arc and somewhat reflects it.

[@thedailytruth8833]

It’s about time this video was make, thank you

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks, I was going to push it until her film comes out, but I'm glad I got it out beforehand then :)

[@thedailytruth8833]

I’d just like to say, I love your videos and it’s been a great learning experience into characters and such, so keep it up. I’m trying to think of more ones for you to do, but you’ve already done so many good ones. Keep it up man, Merry Christmas

[@nanagyambibi7426]

The only thing that I didnt like about Black Widow is that I felt in Endgame she was a total different character from how she portrayed herself to be in the rest of the movies she was in.

[@djangounchained9387]

Uhhh well to me it seems logical that she was a different character. 5 years passed, people change.

[@JeusAlprime108]

because in Endgame she in post trauma condition while in the other movies she is in her usual self. Of course that is different.

[@jumpoff3967]

Duh....

[@juliamyers6101]

Beautiful video! You captured the amazing character arc Natasha has had in the best way possible. She is a character who is constantly looking for her purpose and actually found her purpose in this emotional and beautiful way. Thank you for another incredibly well done video!!!

[@AngusStewart01]

As a marvel fanatic thank you for this video good content as always

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks for coming back always too!

[@aryansoni8415]

I have been a fan of nat since the starting, and I relate with her a lot. This video was so heart touching and truely discovered THE NATASHA ROMANOFF. I love you nat 3000

[@maxx8362]

I look forward to your revision of this video essay in 6 months to a year from now. Prequel/midquel/sequels are irritating that way especially since I get a very strong plot twist vibe from the marketing for her solo film.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Yeah the plan is to give her solo film a separate essay and examine it both as an extension of my reflection thesis (seeing if it agrees or disagrees), while also looking at it as its own little arc too

[@js66613]

When you showed the clip of Tony and Steve arguing, instead of processing "morally impeccable" as good, my mind turned it into something more along the lines of "morally despicable." XD

[@adamjbond]

Black Widow has been my favorite MCU character for years now. She was done dirty that Captain Marvel got a film before she did.

[@MrRonk55]

How many credits do I get from watching every video? Studying the Human Comedy is sort of a hobby of mine, and so was comics for the first thirty years of my life. Now in my retirement, I find both intersecting again. A Fan.

[@DuendeTortuga]

Great video!! I really like that scene from Civil War where she goes to the funeral, just to be there for Cap. Her dvelopment as a character was handled so good. Now, I have a bit of mixed feelings about her solo movie, I'm looking forward to it, it's probably going to be fun to watch, but I also think it belittles a bit her sacrifice in Endgame (despite the BW movie being set years before)..

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Yeah we'll have to see if the solo film serves as an epilogue of sorts that gives some time to reflect on her life or if it's a missing peice in her journey! And thanks!

[@lexis4490]

You are really good with these essays. Consider doing Star Wars, if you want.

[@realar]

Yeah, good luck with that.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Yeah I think I've got a couple essays planned, but I'll have to wait until everything has cooled down before I make them lol

[@TheGeorgeD13]

@@ImplicitlyPretentious It's never going to cool down, so who gives a shit? Just do 'em.

[@macmcleod1188]

@@TheGeorgeD13 he's an Entertainer. Why should he antagonize half of his potential customers and fans? It will cool down and it is cooling down. And a couple of years it will be the kind of subject that you can analyze safely without anyone getting bent out of shape at you personally.

[@TheGeorgeD13]

@@macmcleod1188 If I were him, I wouldn't want fans that would feel antagonized if they have a different opinion than me on a movie. Those kinds of people are losers.

[@Chasing_santino]

Love this so much, I love black widow and watching a video on why she is the way she is, is so interesting, hope u make another one when her movie comes out🙏

[@mohaimanmstk2694]

Your videos are nicely descriptive. Make one for Hulk and Hawkeye. Btw do you watch TV series like Stranger Things?

[@mohaimanmstk2694]

@Snehil Shrey He could have. Marvel is great at developing characters in a subtle way.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Yeah I have one for Hulk planned out and a Hawkeye will probably depend on his new show or something :)

[@macknight2352]

@Snehil Shrey Not in the Avengers, no, but he definitely had it in Ultron, Civil War, and Endgame.

[@illmatix541]

Dude, easily one of your best pieces of work....good job

[@vagabon5130]

what she did for Clint, can't be put into words. Damn...

[@ThatsSoRaechel]

Thank you for this video! I needed a Christmas miracle 😂

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks!

[@judeannethecandorchannel2153]

Leo on the opposite end of social psychology is the psychology of personality. You should consider checking out the Enneagram personality system, derived from the Sufi diagram and it's mystical meanings about human nature. In the Sufi system Black Widow / Natasha Romanoff would be a counterphobic type number 6. With a type number 7 extroverted energy wing...

[@ME-kd1ko]

I'm pausing at 5:15 to tell you that there is a difference between "it's" and "its". Carrying on with the rest of the video from here. Thank you, and Merry Christmas!

[@Bizarro69]

12:57 he knows.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks and yeah I was working on this mostly at night after work so I tend to have a lot of grammar mistakes from sloppy sleepiness. Derp

[@suntzupup]

I've always loved how the writers were able to string black widow's character growth film to film without us being able to see what she's going through between each film. she keeps changing and growing and learning. but i feel a lot of it is off screen. and it's up to the viewers to see that.

[@suntzupup]

​@Snehil Shrey i loved the skill of the writers to make something great with her given what they were assigned to do.

[@suntzupup]

@Snehil Shrey I think you are very frustrated and assuming a lot about what i feel.

[@videovoidtv]

This was beautiful. Thank you for this work. Nat has always been a favorite of mine, someone I related to and now I think I better understand why.

[@crapnuggets202]

i got the 69th like hehe nice also awesome video as always. i'm interested to see if her solo film expands on these ideas in a kind of reverse orientation, like whether what she's been through that we know of will be accentuated by her being in the inverse position.

[@macknight2352]

@Snehil Shrey How?

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks! And yeah I wonder how the two families in her life contributes to this established tension between how she sees herself vs who she wants to be :)

[@macknight2352]

@Snehil Shrey But that family was a family of trained Russian assassins, so she would still be trying to separate herself from that family, since it's linked to the red in her ledger. I'm guessing that that Russian family will die once they redeem themselves or completely betray her, still cementing that she had nothing without the Avengers. The Avengers are the only morally redeeming thing she has.

[@DavidSilva-mn4dz]

Nice, the hardest working Avenger along with Clint. Thanks for the analysis

[@realar]

Thank you for helping to justify my love of Age of Ultron further. I still feel a lack of feeling for Nat's death on Bruce's behalf was a HUGE detriment on Hulk's character. I still don't get why they did what they did. In his case, reconciling with his other half removes the essence of the character in question. His power is weakened, he doesn't really pose a threat, he's no longer the best back pocket Avenger anymore for when things get difficult. Him getting an arm injury made things a lot worse.

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Aww thanks!

[@eileen8787]

Thanks for making me ball my eyes out

[@DaveKatague]

LOL this made me tear up more than when she kicked herself off the edge in Endgame. I think the shot choice just threw me off cause it looked undercranked and strangely composed

[@sonny凡]

Thank you for the Black Widow video and Merry Christmas to you and everyone else. 🍺😄

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

[@sleepninja2350]

"How many of these corny speeches have I made?" Bro you're perceptions of yourself as pretentious is harming the sincerity of your work

[@CharlottevdVeen]

You put it into words!!! holy shit dude

[@binder38us]

Your essay gives so much meaning to Natasha's sacrafice. Many fans that her death was cheap. But it was a good death. She gave to us all. She wiped her ledger clean. You'll probably have to revise this once the BW movie is finally released. I am curious how it will fit in tbe narrative.

[@tychobotter]

Nice how Tony died to safe the future, Natasha died to safe the present and Steve 'died' to safe the past. poetic

[@darrenhansen2418]

They are all corny speeches. Which is why I watch them.

[@jennamomenna5750]

12:25 the _Wandavisions_ ?

[@soccerandtrack10]

your littery the definition of an angel,your just as angelic as dc arrow shows or 40k.

[@cgmshow1871]

Man this may either look different or better after her movie lol

[@cgmshow1871]

@Snehil Shrey why ?

[@macmcleod1188]

When you think about how these movies support such deep character analysis, you can see why the films have been so successful. Good stories have good complex characters. In the Marvel Universe, human beings are as important as superpowers.

[@macmcleod1188]

@Snehil Shrey a different kind of success and they did not stick The Landing. It would be interesting to see if it implicitly pretentious thinks there is any depth there to analyze though. Most of the robots are stereotypes rather than personalities and have no Arc.

[@macmcleod1188]

@Snehil Shrey You see them as stereotypes? I see hawkeye as fully realized. He's full of remorse, a loyal friend, a family man, a normal human who exudes confidence while surrounded by full on gods and superhumans. He's definitely of the classic scammer/spy/mobster mentality that some things are "just business and nothing personal" which sets him apart from Rogers and Stark. I love the positive way they portray him as a loving family man respected and adored by his wife and children. That's what's genius about the MCU- even some of the villains are driven by love of family- and that male characters are complex human beings- not just "dumb or evil or dumb *and* evil" characters to be embarrassed and humiliated by female characters. In fact, outside of Captain Marvel- there is a wonderful lack of misogyny and misandry in the universe. I view Wanda as sketchy and undeveloped tho definitely a real human being more than a superhero. I feel like some of her scenes were left on the cutting room floor because she's a supporting character. She should get a lot of development in the upcoming movie. Bucky was well developed supporting character in the first movie but winter soldier is very distant from that character and not well developed. I'd say his foundation is stronger than Wanda's but agree he's sketchy at best. For large parts of his history he was essentially a robot lacking personal agency so he couldn't make character defining choices. Outside of bumblebee, what robot characters in Transformers have depth in your view? I think bumble bee has some depth but lacks an arc or character growth.

[@maxalaintwo3578]

The self returns and I'm here for it

[@keerthanap1542]

12:26 wandavisions .... nice touch

[@AngusStewart01]

Yo I’m hyped she is finally getting a movie tho her movie is ten years late .

[@ahnizos8]

yay here am I crying again about Nat, i miss my hero

[@caveresch]

Nobody here or anywhere can convince me that black widow wasn't able to pick up mjolnir...even back in age of ultron, she could have done it. If not then, then absolutely after winter soldier. She was the most selfless of the entire group. She's worthy. Try to convince me or yourself otherwise.

[@rycolligan]

I really enjoy your videos, and also I think you should have enough confidence in your sappier moments of reflection that you don't have to undercut them with self-deprecating humor. Be boldly sappy. Like Naruto. It's a look that the world needs more of. Become... Explicitly pretentious!

[@mundanethings208]

Ive been waiting so long for this my dud!! 🤧😭

[@Galimeer5]

Natasha could've lifted mjölnir

[@user-sevxs]

Tony's fear was to fail as an Avenger and in the end, he died as the best one.

[@grinnazeed]

Can I have the full title of Campbell's book you're using

[@davidalbee5039]

Every video is better than the last!!

[@JDdr86]

Holly shit man! I cried with tour vídeo. I'll subscribe for more beautifull, soulfull essays like this. Wonderfull!

[@JDdr86]

-your-, nota “tour”, sorry. XD

[@JDdr86]

Oh f*ck, now ir changed *not* for “nota”, WTF?. Anyway, beautifull work man, beautifull work.

[@JDdr86]

*it*😖, no “ir” . Upps 😶

[@Doctor_17]

Steve is the past Tony is the future Natasha is the present (Edited thanks to I/O, who pointed out my mistake)

[@ioshinigami2165]

think you messed it up at the end chief

[@Adamatronamus]

Now explain the deep and emotionally complex journey Bree Larsons character went through.

[@PeanutStrawberry]

Son of a... made me shed tears :'(

[@bigfootnintendorazr]

Awesome

[@ImplicitlyPretentious]

Thanks!