Thunderboltsdelivered some of the most emotional scenes from a recentMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)movie, but I am disappointed one Hawkeye and Black Widow scene didn’t make the cut. Thunderbolts remains one of the more underrated releases to come out of the Multiverse Saga, and despite the lower-than-expected box office, it pushed the MCU forward in a lot of important ways. Along with establishing the New Avengers, and teasing the first encounter between the heroes of Earth-616 and The Fantastic Four, it shone a spotlight on some underappreciated characters.
The ragtag group of mercenaries turned heroes had a beautiful story about overcoming adversity, and finding a way forward together. But despite the incredible finished film, there wasa lot that was left on the cutting room floor. From plans to showcase everyone’s fear rooms, to alonger narrative for Taskmaster, there were a lot of additional scenes that didn’t make it into the movie.
Hawkeye & Black Widow Are Arguably The Most Overlooked Of The MCU’s Original Avengers
Hawkeye Never Got To Star In His Own Story
Taking a step back for a moment and looking at the wider MCU, it’s important to highlight that not all characters are given equal screen time. That’s not an issue, and I’m not critiquing it, it’s just how it is when a large-scale universe of movies exists, some characters get more of the spotlight. But two characters whose stories often get passed over most often have to be Hawkeye and Black Widow. With both characters, the mantle has been passed on, but specifically,Clint Barton’s Hawkeye remains one of the least utilized charactersin the MCU.
Barton never got a solo movie, and when a series came out called Hawkeye, it was designed toshowcase Kate Bishop as the new Hawkeye, with Clint Barton supporting her to become a hero. Unfortunately, that leavesBarton as one of the least explored characters, and that only became more clear when Natasha Romanoff died, severing Clint’s strongest connection to the other Avengers.
One Cut Thunderbolts* Moment Would Have Helped Show Black Widow & Hawkeye’s Stories Still Matter In The MCU
Thunderbolts* Would Have Put The Spotlight Back On Hawkeye
However, one early scene that would have at least paid homage to the value of Clint Barton in the MCU, and highlighted his relationship with Natasha, was intended to be included in theThunderbolts*. And not only would this scene have referenced Barton and his value, but it would have better connected the story that plays out between Yelena, Barton, and Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, which was first introduced in the post-credits scene ofBlack Widowin 2021. Marvel writerEric Pearson gave this description of the scenein an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter:
I loved [the confrontation scene] because it emphasized Valentina’s manipulation. Yelena entered the scene on fire, furious, accusing Valentina of setting her up to take out her sister’s killer, when, in reality, he was her best friend,” Pearson shares. “Then Valentina completely flipped the script on Yelena. I believe the line was: ‘Set you up? You mean paid you to do a job that, by the way, you didn’t even do? So I heard some bad gossip, pardon me for trying to motivate you. But this is your job, and asking questions isn’t a part of it.’
The scene sees Yelena hold Valentina to account for her lies and manipulation, only to get spun around. This is a beautiful example of Yelena’s passion, and her love for her sister, and also a particularly strong scene for Valentina that shows off her talent for twisting the narrative and getting herself out of tough situations. It also somewhat redeems Clint, refocusing the attention on his friendship with Natasha and their bond, as opposed tohis time as the Ronin, whichleft a dark stain on his MCU legacy.
Why Cutting The Thunderbolts* Moment Does Make Sense
Thunderbolts* Needed To Put The Focus Elsewhere
Unfortunately, not every scene can make it from the script to the big screen. And as valuable as this scene is for the story of Hawkeye, itdidn’t do much to further the narrative ofThunderbolts*, or establish something for the future of the MCU. Ultimately, Valentina’s skillful manipulation is seen elsewhere when she convinces Bob to be her hero, and Yelena’s deep love for her sister comes out in her reunion with her father.
Since these two emotional cores of the scene, which do progress the story for the primary characters, are addressed elsewhere, the only added value to this scene would be thereference to Clint Barton. And while it might be nice to have that confrontation,Thunderboltsdoes not need to be the story to do it, if Marvel decides to use it at all. Instead,Thunderboltskeeps a tight focus on the themes of the movie and the characters involved, resulting in an incredible MCU story.
