The Taskmaster thread

[CadeSkywalker28]

So why use Taskmaster in the first place?

Let it be an evil Black Widow in a cool spider mask and it would fit the plot perfectly.

 

[CB Fan]

Spoiler

I have to imagine they originally wanted Taskmaster to be Iron Maiden but they found her name to be too close to Iron Man and worried the audience would expect a Tony Stark connection. So they switched the name to Taskmaster.

 

[The Caped Knight]

Spoiler

I have to imagine they originally wanted Taskmaster to be Iron Maiden but they found that name to be too close to Iron Man and suspected the audience would expect a Tony Stark connection. So they switched the name to Taskmaster.

B.I.N.G.O. pay this person immediately.

 

[Web-Head]

I didn't hate the movie. I liked it, but I was not OK with this. I get that wasn't what this movie was about and the point they were making with the character. I simply don't get wasting Taskmaster on such a gimmick, especially when the whole mimicking everyone's style thing was hardly even used beyond the first scene.

No I get it. After my second watch I disliked what they did with the character even less and I didn't mean to come across rude with my comment.

I have a feeling there's a few scenes that got cut from the movie

 

[BrollySupersj]

So I read all spoilers on Taskmaster. I wouldn't say I'm very upset, but more disappointed with how it turned out. I've been indifferent to the Black Widow movie for a while. But Taskmaster was the one thing I was eager to see. Eh, not for me.

 

[Mysteryman]

B.I.N.G.O. pay this person immediately.

Ooh, we are giving out MONEY? Can I have some?

 

[Flint Marko]

In the grand scheme of things Taskmaster is a fairly minor character. And the MCU does change up lots of things about minor and supporting characters. Feige seems more focused on the big picture elements.

Yeah I understand the backlash in the sense that if you were really psyched to see Taskmaster as he is in the comics this movie is gonna let you down, but the only thing I found actually disappointing is the costume. It’s looks significantly cooler in the comics.

 

[P Supreme]

Me being from the Bronx I wanted my borough name dropped at least u know u got cap from bkln and Spiderman from Queens I can't even get a C List villain from the BX?? I was gutted lol

 

[Limonade]

I don't mind the gender swap from Tony to Antonia. But the mind control aspect neutered the villain. I had thought Marvel had gone beyond using these types of villains as mere mindless Henchmen. I remember from the comics and animated show... that the character is quite boastful and had a particular personality. Also was a Mercenary for hire.

Marvel tho decided to use the most difficult and hard to pull off path... which is commendable. But pointless, as this version of Taskmaster added little than a Terminator trait and a minor redemptive angle for Natasha. The character itself left me disappointed... given other better takes of the character in other platforms.

 

[CB Fan]

B.I.N.G.O. pay this person immediately.

Lol it’s the only way this decision makes sense to me.

 

[Web-Head]

You know what I think might have actually worked better?

Spoiler

Ross is established very early on as hunting Natasha. What if he hired Taskmaster (mercenary for hire) to hunt down Natasha since she was a fugitive? You might have had change a couple of other small things plot wise but overall I think that might actually have worked better

 

[CB Fan]

I think perhaps

Spoiler

They could’ve stuck with it being Dreykov’s daughter but have her not be mind controlled, instead working with Dreykov of her own free will, and have a more cocky/manic personality. Like during the first fight and chase sequence she could’ve really been taunting and quipping without giving away her identity. Dropping hints that she’s from Natashas past but not saying who she is so that you still get that reveal at the end. That’s if they were dead set on it being Dreykovs daughter.

 

[WatchProtect]

I was expecting a lot worse, based off reactions. I'll say Taskmaster could have done more and been more but I'm actually very okay with what we got because

1. Drekov came across even more horrible because of it. He saw all of the girls the same even his daughter.

2. I definitely think Taskmaster can return in the Widow spin-offs as leading the new Red Room, with Melina and Aleksei (maybe more Winter Guard than Red Room, they all left together) kinda like how he became a trainer for the Avengers for awhile. Then we can still explore the memory loss aspect she could become more snarky

3. The Photographic reflexes part could still be there, we saw it was somewhat Techy but no one ever said anything about it being The mask or anything, we can learn that she had the ability as a child aswell and the suit was just intimidating and a way to keep her from being exposed to the chemical.

All in all, Taskmaster served the story beautifully, and there is tons of potential to bring her back and do a lot with the character, best part? She could even adopt the Masters last name. Antonia Masters. I'm sure I'm in the minority but even as a big Taskmaster fan none of the changes Bothered me. I'm excited to see the future for this new take

 

[AndrewGilkison]

I am fine with what they did with Taskmaster because it worked for the story they were telling. Drekov was the main villain of the film, and it was about Natasha's personal journey and her getting closure. Taskmaster being Drekov's daughter fit the movie and the story it was telling.

And who's to say they can't bring Taskmaster back in a more comic book accurate version in another story? Taskmaster doesn't have to be a one and done concept.

 

[Spidey_62]

I liked the movie, I don't like how it used Taskmaster to basically absolve Natasha of her bad deeds and get clean cut redemption for all of it. I like when characters have bad marks but this sorta just wipes it all away from her no worries, you never actually did anything that bad like you thought. It works as getting nice closure and rounding things out with a nice bow, I get it, it worked- I just think it wiped away some of the edge for Natasha's sins almost toooo cleanly if that makes sense.

 

[Web-Head]

I am fine with what they did with Taskmaster because it worked for the story they were telling. Drekov was the main villain of the film, and it was about Natasha's personal journey and her getting closure. Taskmaster being Drekov's daughter fit the movie and the story it was telling.

And who's to say they can't bring Taskmaster back in a more comic book accurate version in another story? Taskmaster doesn't have to be a one and done concept.

Couldn't agree more. I can understand why some would be disappointed in what they did with Taskmaster and more definitely could have been done but the first two encounters were actually pretty good.

 

[Detective Conan]

I am fine with what they did with Taskmaster because it worked for the story they were telling. Drekov was the main villain of the film, and it was about Natasha's personal journey and her getting closure. Taskmaster being Drekov's daughter fit the movie and the story it was telling.

And who's to say they can't bring Taskmaster back in a more comic book accurate version in another story? Taskmaster doesn't have to be a one and done concept.

These are basically my thoughts as well.

 

[WatchProtect]

Natasha Still willingly blew up a building with a child in it, along with what I imagine to be plenty more questionable killings, she is obviously dead now but that's still a pretty big stain.

I find it odd though how S.H.I.E.L.D kinda just went along with that, they're definitely no saints but I'm just gonna Headcannon that Hydra offered Dreykov a partnership and he declined and they used Widow as an opportunity to (try to) kill him.

 

[Dark Raven]

After seeing the opening credits I guessed that

Spoiler

Olga Kurylenko must be Taskmaster because she was the biggest name in the cast not to have any role assigned to her and hadn't even been advertised to be in this film. Also she hadn't shown up all that time. I guessed she was probably also Drekov's daughter who hadn't really died.

I do wish she wasn't mind controlled though because she was basically a drone. She should've been an assassin for hire with her own will and fully cognizant. Also wish that Olga Kurylenko wasn't all scarred in it as she's a beautiful woman.

They could've left her name out of the opening credits, or better still why suddenly have opening credits after all these Marvel films that don't have any?

 

[Mr. Peanut]

As someone who never even heard about the Taskmaster before hearing the name associated with this movie, I do wish they had simply given the character a new name and design, because it gets a bit tiresome hearing so many complaints about what is essentially an original character just because they happen to share a name and a few minor elements with a comic book character.

But that being said, since I have no existing attachment to Taskmaster, I think the character we were presented with in the film worked perfectly well for the story they were telling.

Spoiler

Natasha attempting to kill Dreykov's daughter as a means to an end is truly a dark thing in her past, which is refreshing since a lot of heroic characters go on about doing bad things in their past but the writers often lack the boldness to make it feel like they did something bad enough to really justify their angst. And bringing Antonia back as Taskmaster both emphasized how much of a monster Dreykov was and gave Natasha a satisfying way to try to attone for what she did. Plus I love how this plot point connected to Loki's line way back in the OG Avengers movie.

After seeing the opening credits I guessed that

Spoiler

Olga Kurylenko must be Taskmaster because she was the biggest name in the cast not to have any role assigned to her and hadn't even been advertised to be in this film. Also she hadn't shown up all that time. I guessed she was probably also Drekov's daughter who hadn't really died.

I do wish she wasn't mind controlled though because she was basically a drone. She should've been an assassin for hire with her own will and fully cognizant. Also wish that Olga Kurylenko wasn't all scarred in it as she's a beautiful woman.

They could've left her name out of the opening credits, or better still why suddenly have opening credits after all these Marvel films that don't have any?

This is one of the reasons why I'm glad I don't pay any attention to actors and barely know their names.

 

[Mysteryman]

After seeing the opening credits I guessed that

Spoiler

Olga Kurylenko must be Taskmaster because she was the biggest name in the cast not to have any role assigned to her and hadn't even been advertised to be in this film. Also she hadn't shown up all that time. I guessed she was probably also Drekov's daughter who hadn't really died.

I do wish she wasn't mind controlled though because she was basically a drone. She should've been an assassin for hire with her own will and fully cognizant. Also wish that Olga Kurylenko wasn't all scarred in it as she's a beautiful woman.

They could've left her name out of the opening credits, or better still why suddenly have opening credits after all these Marvel films that don't have any?

Thanks for the Spoiler Tags.

 

[chamber-music]

Taskmaster in this reminded me of Ghost from Ant-Man & The Wasp

Spoiler

Relentless damaged daughter of a villain that got blown up and then turned into a living weapon. Chases down the heroes for a mcguffin and at the movies climax the hero helps them find their humanity

 

[CadeSkywalker28]

Lets be honest. Thanos in IW was an exception, because in Endgame we got the classic "I will destroy everything!" and now we get a natural continuation of this in the form of Taskmaster. Just another bland villain.

 

[GREEN =w= DAY]

This was Taskmaster is name only. Honestly this was the weakest point in an otherwise good movie

 

[Mr. Peanut]

It's honestly best not to think of Taskmaster in this movie as Taskmaster and instead

Spoiler

just think of her as one of the many Black Widows under Dreykov's mind control, except this one happened to be his daughter and an exceptionally skilled fighter.

Like they literally could've just had a Black Widow in a generic black ski mask that was extra good at kicking ass and it would have been the same story.