‘Black Widow’ Fans Are Relieved They First Met Val in ‘FATWS’
Black Widow delighted Marvel fans, and one specific aspect of the post-credits scene also left them jumping out of their chairs: the second appearance of new character Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. But what some Marvel fans may not realize is that while her Black Widow cameo may have been a surprise, it would have been even more of a surprise if Marvel’s original plans had come to fruition.
Let’s take a closer look at why Marvel fans first met the character in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and why some argue that’s a good thing.
‘Black Widow’s’ post-credits scene featured a major new MCU character
At the conclusion of Black Widow, Marvel fans were treated to a poignant scene of Yelena visiting Natasha Romanoff’s grave. After a touching moment of reflection and grief, it’s revealed she’s joined by Valentina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). The two speak as if they not only know each other but have already been working together.
This wasn’t the first time Marvel fans have seen the Seinfeld star pop up in an MCU property. She first appeared in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. There, she supported Wyatt Russell’s John Walker after he was punished by the U.S. government. She later facilitates his transition into his new persona of U.S. Agent.
According to Marvel’s official website, the character is a “triple agent” spy. She infiltrates both HYDRA and SHIELD while working for another terrorist group known as Leviathan. Marvel’s films don’t always match up exactly with its comics, so that means she could be a hero, villain, or some of both. At the moment, her intentions remain hidden.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Valentina Allegra de Fontaine was supposed to debut in ‘Black Widow’
According to a Vanity Fair report, Valentina was supposed to make her first MCU appearance in Black Widow. After the pandemic shelved that film for over a year, they had to recalibrate their plans, and instead, she first popped up in The Falcon and Winter Soldier due to sliding release schedules.
For some fans, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. In a Reddit post about her appearance in Black Widow, one fan argued that having her cameo in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier come first was more logical:
“I think it made way more sense to see her introduce herself and recruit someone, and then see her giving someone an assignment in a post-credits scene. I don’t believe this scene would have landed as an introduction to Val quite as well as the TFATWS scene did.”
No matter what order her appearances happened in, one thing is apparent: she’s in the MCU to stay.
What Valentina’s appearances in the MCU so far mean for her future in the franchise
According to JoBlo.com, executive producer and godfather of all things MCU Kevin Feige speculated on what the character’s role in the MCU may be going forward. While he didn’t give any definitive answers, it sure seems like fans of Louis-Dreyfus should be happy, as she appears to be in Marvel’s long term plans:
“She’s doing something. Yes she is. She seems to be in recruitment mode. Does Yelena already work for her? They seem to have a connection at that point. Yes. And the future is bright for the MCU because Julia is in it.”
If you’ve lost track, audiences have seen Valentina courting the services of John Walker and Yelena. It’s anyone’s guess as to what she’s up to, but it looks like she’s putting a team together. It’s unclear whether she’s a force for good or evil yet, but she doesn’t seem to be one of the squeaky clean good guys we’re used to with the rest of the Avengers.
