Black Widow Director Explains Movie Ending’s Plot Hole

[Animous]

Black Widow director Cate Shortland explains the apparent plot hole at the end of the Marvel movie. Last weekend saw the long-awaited release of Black Widow, the first movie in the MCU's Phase 4. Scarlett Johansson suits up for one final adventure as Natasha Romanoff, taking the assassin-turned-Avenger back to her roots. Black Widow picks up with Nat amid the events of Captain America: Civil War and sees her team up with her Russian spy family to take down the oppressive Red Room that trained her as a child.

After the climactic battle at the Red Room, Natasha remains standing amid the wreckage of the once-floating fortress as Secretary Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) arrives on the scene. As Natasha is still on the run because of the situation with the Sokovia Accords from Civil War, one can assume Ross has every intention of arresting her. However, Black Widow cuts off before Ross gets there and jumps ahead two weeks, to when a blonde Natasha sets off to reunite with her fellow ex-Avengers. Some have questioned why Black Widow glossed over Natasha's escape and have even deemed it a plot hole.

RELATED: Long-Standing MCU Mysteries Solved By Black Widow

According to Shortland, Black Widow's end isn't a plot hole, but it isn't meant to be filled in either. Speaking to The Wrap following the movie's release, Shortland explained the decision to leave Natasha's interaction with Ross a mystery was "intentional." She said:

“That was intentional, because we wanted to leave the question of how she would get away, rather than allow the audience to get exhausted by another fight.

“We wanted to leave you guys on a high with the question of how did she use her ingenuity? Because she did. And it was probably, I would say, she bargained her way out of that situation. But I don’t know.”

Natasha certainly has the skills to get out of sticky situations like the one at the end of Black Widow, so it really isn't surprising that she actually managed to do so. Additionally, since fans know full well she eventually joins up with Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and the other Secret Avengers, there wouldn't be much tension in that moment had the movie shown her final moment with Ross. Shortland's reasoning makes sense, though there may be some fans who aren't satisfied by the lack of resolution on that point.

Black Widow proper ends with Natasha heading off into the sunset, but the real last scene is tucked onto the end of the credits, per Marvel tradition. It confirms Natasha's sister Yelena (Florence Pugh) has a bigger role to play in the MCU, and it will continue later this year with the Disney+ series Hawkeye. While audiences will see more of her, Black Widow is the end of the line for Johansson's Natasha. As sad as it is to see her go, it's perhaps fitting that the last scene she's seen in has her leaving for a new adventure after using her skills to evade capture yet again. There's a level of mysteriousness to it that's absolutely perfect for a character as fascinating as Black Widow.

[Silent Watcher]

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