Black Widow Movie Theory: Taskmaster’s REAL Identity

What is Taskmaster's true identity in the upcoming Black Widow movie? After literal years of speculation and behind-the-scenes discussion, a solo movie for Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow is almost upon us, and is set to dive into Natasha's murky past and origins. Of course, the OG Avenger and SHIELD operative tragically died in the process of retrieving the Soul Stone in Avengers: Endgame, meaning Natasha's fate is sealed, and her new film is set in the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War, rather than forming the next chronological chapter in the MCU.

While Natasha's ending may not be a mystery in Black Widow, that shortfall is compensated by arguably the most mysterious and secretive MCU villain yet: Taskmaster. Clad in black and permanently masked, the Black Widow trailers and official images have shown Taskmaster mimicking the fighting styles of Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Panther and more of Natasha's pals at Avengers HQ. No actor or actress has officially been announced as portraying Taskmaster, and their hybrid style of fighting has led to rampant speculation as to their identity, as well as their relationship to Natasha.

Given the scant information proffered by Marvel thus far and details gleaned from the comic books, here's why Taskmaster's true identity could be a hero-hating SHIELD agent in the Black Widow movie.

Who Taskmaster Definitely ISN'T In Black Widow

By deliberately obscuring who Taskmaster is in Black Widow, even going so far as to not reveal who's playing them, Marvel are deliberately creating an aura of intrigue around the villain's identity, leaving 2 possible solutions. Either Taskmaster is a character fans know and love from previous MCU movies, and this is why the actor hasn't been announced, or Taskmaster's actor has already been included in Black Widow's cast under a different name, and the secrecy is being built purely to protect that twist. Before digging into who could be Taskmaster in Black Widow, a few figures can be demonstrably ruled out of contention.

Given the sudden appearance of Natasha's Russian Red Room family, it's only natural that some would suspect these newcomers. David Harbour plays Alexei Shostakov, the Red Guardian, in Black Widow and some fans have the Stranger Things actor down as a potential Taskmaster. This seems unlikely, firstly because the Black Widow trailer references Alexei putting on weight, and that doesn't appear to apply to Taskmaster, and furthermore, Red Guardian and Taskmaster are seen going head to head in trailer footage, so barring a highly convoluted ruse, the two characters cannot be the same. This reasoning can't be applied to Florence Pugh's Yelena. The fellow Black Widow is seen matching Natasha in combat and the two sisters clearly have a volatile relationship. However, just as Red Guardian's frame doesn't match Taskmaster's, the same can be said for Pugh, with the actress' slight frame not consistent with Black Widow's villain.

Rachel Weisz's Melina has, for many, been the frontrunner in the Taskmaster stakes due to her character's scant backstory and icy demeanor. Alas, this popular theory has been disproved by footage that shows Melina fighting alongside Red Guardian against Taskmaster. Another popular theory suggests the villain could be a clone of a Red Room graduate, possibly even of Natasha herself. In this sense, Weisz, Harbour and Pugh could all be playing Taskmaster, but only as a copy of their actual characters.

Even though Taskmaster copies the Avengers in style, the figure behind the mask almost certainly won't be one of the famous team. Some have speculated Clint Barton or Steve Rogers could be the baddie, but Black Widow is unlikely to do anything that'll change the emphasis of the Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame films. Again, a clone copy is possible, but Taskmaster almost certainly won't be a rogue Avenger.

O.T. Fagbenle Probably Plays Black Widow's Taskmaster

Taskmaster's real identity is most likely Rick Mason, the Black Widow character played by O.T. Fagbenle. While most of the primary cast are accounted for, Fagbenle's role remains suspiciously vague, and his character has been deliberately hidden by Black Widow's trailers and marketing, suggesting there's more to Mason than Marvel are currently letting on. It's almost inconceivable that Marvel would cast a new actor for Taskmaster and not announce them at all prior to release, so the villain's real identity surely has to be on the existing list under a false guise, and Fagbenle best fits this description.

The character outline provided for Mason also might vaguely allude to the origins of Taskmaster's comic book character. In Marvel's original tales, Taskmaster spends some time working for the U.S. government in the aftermath of Civil War, opposing the Secret Avengers. Since Black Widow also takes place shortly after the Civil War arc, Taskmaster could be working for the same employer on the big screen. Meanwhile, Rick Mason is described as a former SHIELD operative, which would also give him a potential link to the White House. If Mason and Taskmaster were one and the same, this would be a way of honoring the origins of the character, while still fitting his existence into the wider MCU.

Adding fuel to this theory, Fagbenle himself used hashtags of his own character's name and "TM" while promoting Black Widow on his Twitter account. This might be nothing more than a Marvel-sanctioned red herring to throw fans off the scent, but it may also be a Tom Holland-sized spoiler as to who Fagbenle is actually playing in Black Widow.

Taskmaster's Past With Black Widow: How Does He Know Her?

Scarlett Johansson Natasha Romanoff Black Widow movie

One major clue towards unmasking Taskmaster's true identity is his obvious grudge against Natasha. Black Widow's trailers prove that the latest MCU offering isn't just another case of an Avenger saving the world from a dastardly villain, Taskmaster's feud with Natasha is deeply personal on both sides, but the exact nature of their connection remains a mystery. One confirmed detail is that Taskmaster is the figure currently in charge of the Red Room training facility where Natasha and her family honed their deadly craft. This fits neatly into Rick Mason being Taskmaster, since he and Natasha were once SHIELD allies.

MCU fans already know that Natasha was trained in Russia before Clint Barton managed to recruit her into SHIELD instead, but her indoctrination into the U.S. government's employ was likely not the responsibility of Hawkeye alone, and Rick Mason could have been a key figure in helping Natasha adapt to life as an agent of SHIELD. This would explain how he gains intimate knowledge of the Red Room, and is able to take command of the facility in Black Widow. Further movie rumors suggest that Rick and Natasha developed some level of romantic connection during this period too, which would sharpen their professional differences. In the present day, of course, Mason hasn't been seen or referenced in the MCU, implying he may have fallen foul of SHIELD since Natasha's early days in the organization and gone off-grid, possibly under the Taskmaster persona.

What Does Taskmaster Want In Black Widow?

Assuming that Taskmaster is Rick Mason, a disgruntled former (or present) member of SHIELD with romantic feelings for Nat still burning deep inside, his motivations could be numerous. On one hand, taking control of the Red Room is a personal attack on Natasha's history, while also an effective method of building a highly-trained anti-SHIELD army to take revenge on the organization. However, Taskmaster's motivations are also deeply tied into the other Avengers, since he appears to be copying their moves. In the Marvel comic books, Taskmaster fought by copying the techniques of his opponents, and claimed anything the Avengers could do, he could do better.

It's possible that Rick would be jealous that Natasha became an Avenger and left him behind, but his beef with her and SHIELD could be more directly related to superheroes as a whole. If Taskmaster is determined to prove he can outdo the Avengers, perhaps his goal is to prove that SHIELD doesn't need to rely on super-powered heroes over its regular operatives. This kind of outlook would fit with the post-Civil War landscape of the MCU, and would bring Taskmaster's Secret Avengers comic feud back into focus. The difference in ideology could be the root of his problem with both SHIELD and Natasha in Black Widow, after the woman he loved sided with the superheroes he hates. If Taskmaster/Mason can use the Red Room to prove training and hard work trumps innate superpowers, he could purge SHIELD of the Avengers and prove Natasha was wrong in the process.

More: Black Widow Theory: Natasha Is Completing The Avengers' Civil War Mission