Marvel's Black Widow is one of the most anticipated releases of 2020, yet the plot, beyond it taking place after Captain America: Civil War but before Avengers: Infinity War, is mostly a mystery. The film will explore Natasha Romanoff's shadowy past, including her familial relationship with other Russian superheroes, while also introducing the villainous Taskmaster. Still, we don't know the central conflict, or why, exactly, Scarlett Johansson's super-spy is returning home.
However, newly unveiled Funko Pop! figures have triggered speculation that, while Black Widow is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's past, it may very well tie into Avengers: Endgame and the announced Ant-Man 3 -- because of Pym Particles, of course.
Black Widow Pop! - With Added Pym Particles?
The Pop! figures feature Black Widow in multiple costumes, along with Taskmaster, Red Guardian and Yelena. However, the point of particular interest is the Walmart-exclusive Black Widow dressed in street clothes. At first glance, there's nothing remarkable about the figure, until you take a closer look at the red vial clutched in its left hand.
The object undeniably resembles the same vials Hank Pym uses to store his Pym Particles, which are able to add or reduce mass and scale to any objects to which they're applied. That leaves fans to wonder why a Black Widow figure might be depicted holding them.
Why Would the Black Widow Movie Feature Pym Particles?
The Black Widow program is used to create super-soldiers for the Russian government, which, like all governments, can have corrupt or malevolent intentions. After all, Black Widow escaped the program in order to redeem herself after years of bloody, covert work.
Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne fought as covert operatives for S.H.I.E.L.D. during the 1970s and '80s, which resulted in them engaging in several missions against Soviet operatives. It's highly possible that counter to the Red Room's Black Widow program. Certainly the attributes of the Pym Particles would be of keen interest to any agency deploying spies and assassins around the globe.
This is assuming, of course, the Pym Particles are in the hands of the Red Room, and not a third party potentially working with the program. In Ant-Man, Darren Cross, the villainous Yellowjacket, tries to sell Pym Particles to Hydra, which sought them to aid in its global conquest. However, as we learn in Captain America: Civil War, Hydra had factions in Russia.
Possible Avengers: Endgame and Phase Four Ties
We learn in Avengers: Endgame that the vials the heroes use in their Time Heist are the only remaining Pym Particles. While this i only speculation, it's possible that, during the events of Black Widow (again, set between Civil War and Infinity War), most of the existing supply is destroyed, which would plausibly explain their scarcity by the time of Endgame.
However, more urgently, how does this revelation tie into the universe beyond Black Widow? Depending on how the events transpire, either the Red Room or Hydra might become a mainstream threat for the Marvel Universe. Perhaps Pym Particles are circulating throughout the villainous underworld, which will require Ant-Man 3 to focus on stopping the leak of Hank Pym's intellectual property. Worse still, now that we know Pym Particles can trigger time travel, a villain known for time-traveling shenanigans might get his hands on them. Say, someone like Kang the Conqueror or even Doctor Doom.
Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow stars Scarlett Johansson as Natasha, Florence Pugh stars as Yelena, David Harbour as Alexei aka The Red Guardian and Rachel Weisz as Melina. The film opens on May 1, 2020.