Thoughts on relationships, female agency, and Ultron

[igrockspock]

Here is my non-spoilery preface: the only reason we have to debate Natasha's representation in Ultron so much is that she's the only female character in a lead role. This film gives us some awesome ladies around the periphery, like Laura, Maria Hill, and Dr. Cho. Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff is more fully developed, but Natasha is the only female

Comments

[caitri]

YES

[scribble_myname]

Oh. I love that headcanon.

[franztastisch]

*draws hearts around this post*

[inkvoices]

THIS. Exactly.

[sugar_fey]

Thank you so much for this meta! I thought a lot of the Bruce/Nat stuff was clumsily handled, but the people declaring that Natasha is reduced to a love interest (or, as one person put it, a 'sexual chewtoy'- GROSS) can take a hike. Bruce/Nat didn't work for me as a romance, but as an arc for Natasha I liked it. She wants something new, she tries it, it doesn't work out for her, she moves on. I don't think she ever thought Bruce was the love of her life, she just wanted to try having a relationship on her terms. Her agency hasn't been compromised, nor her sense of self. I don't think her portrayal was perfect (I don't think that of any of her appearances so far, including Cap 2), but it worked. I could've done without the occasional cheesy dialogue, but Natasha certainly wasn't the only character to have that problem

[ragnarok_08]

If I could change anything about how fandom reacts to female characters, I'd want people to stop automatically saying that a woman who wants a relationship is "reduced" to being a love interest.

So much YES - I agree with you so much there!!!