Marvel has fans in awe because even though “The Avengers” movies have come to an end, the franchise continues to give their fans creative, action-packed content that leaves us wanting more. What draws me to Marvel the most are the female roles that have such a positive impact on the films, and more recently, the TV shows. There are many female heroes that inspire me, of which I will further show their great qualities in their films.
I am going to start with my favorite Marvel lady, The Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), played by Scarlett Johansson. The Black Widow is selfless (especially when she sacrifices her life for her best friend), witty, smart, and the best quality is that she has no actual superpowers! I believe that Johnasson had a very hard role to bring to life: a strong-willed woman who mostly works alongside male superheroes, all while she has no powers. She is an Avenger because of her natural female traits and crazy training. In an interview, Johansson states that she is “advocating for better female representation in superhero movies, female heroes should be more than “Batman in heels.”’ I know that her future film, “Black Widow” will further develop the amazing, independent character of Natasha Romanoff.
The most recent Marvel character that came out to show her true colors is The Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff), played by Elizabeth Olsen. In her recent television show “WandaVision,” Olsen had to bring a character, who is still trying to figure out who she is and what her powers can really do, to life. Marvel fans did not know much about Wanda before the show, but we came to know that her heart is filled with love for her family. Olsen states, “I feel like all the men in Marvel movies have done such a brilliant job with satisfying a lot of things our audiences want, and they’re funny and they’re talented. And so are all the women. And to give them more screen time, I think, would be a huge impact because comics aren’t just for boys who want to watch big boys.” Hopefully, this will happen in the near future because I would love to see more of this great character!
The only woman in Marvel so far with her own movie is, the one and only, Captain Marvel (Mar-vell), played by Brie Larson. Captain Marvel is the most powerful superhero in Marvel who defeated the biggest, most unstoppable villain, Thanos. That tells you a lot in itself. Captain Marvel was written as a male role but was last minute changed to a female one (an amazing choice). Larsen embraced her powerful woman role and in an interview, states that,
“And that’s definitely a theme that was important to me when filming the new movie. This idea that we don’t just have one female experience, and we need to show what it means to be all different kinds of women.” I think this is a great concept to portray in the Marvel franchise, that not only are women strong, but they are also unique.
Last, but certainly not least, is Okoye, played by Danai Gurira. This “Black Panther” female warrior is smart, loyal, and can do impressive things with a sphere. She is truly inspiring both on-screen and off-screen because Gurira continuously shows her efforts to raise awareness and gain women’s equality through multiple campaigns such as her current one called “Love Our Girls”. Gurira’s Instagram is filled with informational posts about women’s history, how to become involved in women’s equality, and women in leadership. In one of her Instagram posts, Danai Gurira, she adds, “Women making the world more equitable for all, preserving dignity and unquestionable rights. That is the world I want to see.” Taking a role in the Marvel franchise and using it to send such an important message out to the world is what I love and want to see. Okoye’s character could not have been more perfect than to be played by Gurira because she takes her passion for women’s equality and shows it in her role.
My favorite scene of all time in the Avengers films occurs in “Endgame” when multiple female superheroes come together to defeat Thanos’ army. Marvel makes a clear vision that no matter who you are and where you came from, you can be a superhero.