The villainous Taskmaster may be a small part of the Black Widow marketing for now, but those who don’t know him from Marvel Comics should make no mistake: his movie debut may demonstrate exactly why he’s one of Marvel’s most badass bad guys. Assuming the movie version of Taskmaster lives up to his comic book power set.

The skull-faced Taskmaster first appeared in 1980’s The Avengers #195 as a mysterious mercenary, demonstrating the uncanny ability to mimic the physical movements of anyone he witnesses. Taskmaster’s mimicry makes him a deadly opponent for Black Widow in particular, since Natasha largely relies on hand-to-hand combat, which Taskmaster will undoubtedly be able to counter. But his comic book track record makes him an obvious asset to a web of franchises like the MCU.

One of the more interesting elements about Taskmaster is how the mysteries surrounding the character carry over into the MCU. Case in point: no one knows quite who is playing him in the Black Widow. His name doesn’t appear on the IMBD page, leaving fans to spin theories of their own. While there is some merit to those who suspect Taskmaster means Hawkeye will appear in Black Widow - Taskmaster assumed Hawkeye’s identity in the Dark Avengers storyline - it seems unlikely, mainly because it undermines everything that makes Taskmaster an interesting villain. Sure, Clint Barton is an accomplished fighter… but he’s nowhere as skilled as Taskmaster.

Another key factor is how prolific the character is throughout the Marvel Universe. As a masked mercenary, he has connections to dozens of other characters, both hero and villain. In addition to the Avengers, the Taskmaster has crossed swords with dozens of heroes, including Spider-Man, Daredevil and the Punisher. His work as a hired gun has also lead to numerous run-ins with Deadpool as both ally and enemy. The character even started training superheroes in the aftermath of Civil War, when he worked as Camp Hammond’s drill instructor during the Fifty-Star Initiative.

Given Taskmaster’s gun-for-hire status and amoral compass, it’s easy to see how he could appear in several MCU outings - assuming, of course, he survives his initial encounter with Natasha and company. Taskmaster could provide Marvel with an easy way of tying films together appearance to appearance. He could also be an easy way for the MCU to tie itself closer to its upcoming Disney Plus properties like Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye, since Taskmaster’s depiction certainly wouldn’t require much in the way of special effects.

Taskmaster’s connection with Deadpool could also lend itself to creating a unique supporting cast for the Merc with a Mouth’s third outing - and first MCU flick. Taskmaster could himself be an interesting frenemy for Wade Wilson to contend with, especially given his ability to imitate and counter Deadpool’s normally frenetic swordplay. The rumors of a Dark Avengers film possibly being in the works somewhere down the line. In the Dark Reign storyline, Taskmaster assumed Hawkeye’s identity when Norman Osborn unveiled his own public Avengers time. Deadpool had a bone to pick with Osborn, who had taken the credit for one of Deadpool’s past assignments. Wade trolled Osborn until the HAMMER director dispatched Taskmaster to kill him, leading to a hilarious showdown that would fit right into a Deadpool flick.

With Thanos dead and Loki MIA after Endgame, the Taskmaster seen in Black Widow could fit the bill for a different breed of reoccurring baddie - a working merc. Like the Vulture introduced in Spider-Man: Homecoming, the Taskmaster is only looking as far as his next job. Combined with his terrifying appearance and formidable power set, the Taskmaster could make an intriguing fixture in the MCU for years to come. Assuming the movies get the comics right, of course.

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