One question Black Widow never answers is why Natasha didn’t try to rescue Yelena from the Red Room. When Natasha and Yelena meet for the first time as adults, Yelena questions why her adopted sister never went looking for her. Natasha’s answer, however, is weak and unsatisfactory, leaving Yelena and the audience wondering what her true motives were.

Natasha’s excuse that she believed Yelena was free and thought it best to keep her distance is quickly labeled “bullsh*t” by her sister. Natasha might have believed that to some degree, but at the same time, she didn’t look too closely at the mess she left behind when she defected to S.H.I.E.L.D. Flashbacks to Budapest reveal Natasha’s assassination of Dreykov was a messy operation, with Dreykov’s daughter getting caught in the crossfire, and Dreykov himself not actually dying as a result of the operation – although Natasha wouldn’t become aware of this until far later.

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Seeing the tortures of the Red Room up close and personal makes it easy to understand why Natasha was so desperate to escape. After years of conditioning and abuse, it’s a miracle Natasha had the heart to rebel at all. When she saw a chance to get out, she was so determined not to lose it that she never looked back. Instead of tying up loose ends by searching for her long-lost sister, Natasha chose to believe Dreykov was dead and the Red Room was completely destroyed.

Natasha has a lot of practice lying to herself, but it’s likely she was especially stubborn about facing the truth of Yelena’s circumstances. Because the two developed a relationship when Natasha was still young and unguarded, memories of their childhood together are a rare weak spot in Natasha’s armor. In a world where emotion is used for exploitation and manipulation, Natasha’s love for her sister makes her especially vulnerable. By looking for Yelena or sharing the truth about her past, Natasha would put herself in a bad tactical position.

Meeting Clint also gave Natasha hope that she could start a new life. As a widow, it’s easy for Natasha to simply reinvent herself, becoming a different person entirely. With Dreykov dead, nothing prevented Natasha from cutting all ties to her past. Yelena is the strongest reminder of that past, so Natasha had to leave her behind too. It’s likely one of Natasha’s biggest regrets is her failure to save her sister. Like Yelena in Black Widow, Natasha wanted to imagine that her family was safe and happy rather than confronting a troubled and unresolved history. In her effort to become an Avenger, Natasha chose to invent a new future for them, as much a fiction as Yelena’s story about her sister the science teacher.

Key Release Dates
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  • Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)Release date: Sep 03, 2021
  • Eternals (2021)Release date: Nov 05, 2021
  • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)Release date: May 06, 2022
  • Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)Release date: Jul 08, 2022
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever/Black Panther 2 (2022)Release date: Nov 11, 2022
  • The Marvels/Captain Marvel 2 (2023)Release date: Feb 17, 2023
  • Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)Release date: Jul 28, 2023
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)Release date: May 05, 2023
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About The Author


Jasmine Gallup
(115 Articles Published)

Jasmine Gallup is a writer for ScreenRant, covering fantasy, science fiction and superheroes. She’s worked as a freelance reporter since 2018.

By day, Jasmine writes for a small North Carolina newspaper near her hometown of Cary. By night, she explores the depths of film and television alongside her twin sister.

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