Have you ever witnessed a cinematic moment so moving that it lingered long after the credits rolled? The death of Natasha Romanoff in Avengers: Endgame was just one of the moments that devastated Marvel fans, and Scarlett Johansson found it almost as hard to come to terms when she learned about her character’s fate.
Kevin Feige produced the 2019 superhero flick, which is a direct sequel to Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Mark Ruffalo.
Indeed, Johansson handled Feige’s cruel Avengers: Endgame decision with the poise of a true champion, a decision that continues to shock Marvel fans to this day. But behind the scenes, the Black Widow actress, 39, was not immune to the weight of this narrative shift, admitting to crying in her shower alone—a raw, human reaction to a character she had lived and breathed for almost a decade.
Scarlett Johansson’s Emotional Response to Black Widow’s Fate in Avengers: Endgame
In Avengers: Endgame, Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff died one of the most memorable deaths in the history of the MCU, helping the other Avengers defeat Thanos after she gave her life in lieu of Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) to obtain the soul stone on Vormir.
The Iron Man 2 actress earlier recalled how she learned of her character’s death from Marvel President Kevin Feige. Although she acknowledged that it had broken her heart, she felt that she handled it “like a champ”. In her words (via LADbible):
“I was home on the phone with [Marvel Studios President] Kevin Feige, and I don’t know how I reacted. I think I was like, ‘OK… ‘ [laughs] I think all of us sort of… we kind of all would joke with one another about who was going to get offed in Endgame. I was heartbroken about it, but I think I took it like a champ. I cried in the shower later, but nobody saw that part.”
In the end, her reaction did not change Feige’s determination about her character’s fate, and like with other actors, there came a time when even a long-running character must bow. Johansson recapped that crucial conversation in an interview with BBC Radio 1, emphasizing the importance of Black Widow’s tearful farewell.
The mother of two also revealed that the Marvel Studios boss was equally glum and nervous when he started the conversation.
Justifying the Loss: Avengers: Endgame Writers Clarify Black Widow’s Demise
The immensely popular Avengers: Infinity War and its even more successful sequel, Avengers: Endgame, are the products of the screenwriters, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who were free to conclude the stories as they saw fit. However, some of the conclusions of the six main Avengers arcs were not as well received as others.
Yes, we are referring to the demise of Black Widow in Avengers: Endgame.
In a Los Angeles Times interview, the two writers talked about how they decided on her fate and what they thought of the divergent reactions to that particular plot point. Markus said:
“I understand she was a beloved character and none of us want our heroes to die, but that is the natural end of her journey, and it is the sort of apotheosis of who she is becoming. She started out as a very dark character. Even before the movies begin, she’s a spy, she’s an assassin. She has red in her ledger and to take her all the way to that sacrifice point is where her character is headed. And to not let her do that seemed a disservice to her as a hero.”
McFeely responded in a similar fashion, stating:
“We couldn’t be afraid to kill her simply because she was the most important and the first female character.”
He went on, pointing to the other heroes as examples of the stories they intended to tell:
“The goal with all these things is just to put these people on a journey or continue or end their journeys. Steve Rogers goes from selfless to slightly more self-interested. Tony goes from selfish to giving himself for the universe. Thor goes from obligated to letting go of that obligation. And Black Widow goes from a woman with red on her ledger to clearly wiping out all that red.”
While the wounds are still fresh, Scarlett Johansson’s grace and resilience have left an indelible impression on fans and audiences alike, showing that even in the face of heartbreak, heroes can rise above and inspire us all.
Avengers: Endgame can be streamed on Disney Plus.
