Comparisons between “Black Widow” and Matt Damon’s multi-film action epic work in Marvel’s favor, actually. They underscore the ways that both are patriarchal domination parables.

To date, Black Widow has appeared in seven Marvel movies, not including her own solo movie. Seeing as they play out in chronological order, the best way to watch them is in release order.

Before she got her own movie, Black Widow had to die. Two years ago, in Avengers: Endgame, we witnessed the demise of Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff.It was an emotional, sudden end to a ...