The first trailer for Marvel’s Black Widow contains some connections and references to Avengers: Endgame, despite this being a prequel since Natasha Romanoff died in the latest Avengers movie. Set for release in May, 2020, Black Widow will see Scarlet Johansson reprise her role as the title character, and be joined by MCU newcomers Florence Pugh (as Yelena Belova), David Harbour (playing Red Guardian), and Rachel Weisz (as Melina).

Directed by Cate Shortland with a script from Jac Schaeffer, Black Widow is the character’s first outing since her Avengers: Endgame death. In that movie, of course, Black Widow and Hawkeye battled on Vormir to be the one who sacrificed themselves in order to retrieve the Soul Stone and help undo the Snap and defeat Thanos. Natasha “won”, leading to Black Widow’s Endgame death. The movie made it clear that she couldn’t be brought back, despite others returning.

The Black Widow movie has a way around that by being set before Avengers: Endgame - but it’s still using it in the marketing. The first Black Widow trailer opens with a familiar line of dialogue from Natasha, who says: “I used to have nothing. But then I got this job, this family. But nothing lasts forever.” That line is taken straight from a conversation Nat has with Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame, as they reflect on those they’ve lost and attempt to move on. There, it’s a poignant moment about what they’ve lost, but it’s used here as a reminder that Black Widow doesn’t have an MCU future of her own.

The Black Widow trailer then doubles-down on the references to Avengers: Endgame at the very end, with a shot of Natasha performing a skydive. Although there’s a very different context to this moment, and we know for a fact she survives it, it’s nonetheless difficult to get away from the visual similarities of her final moments in Endgame, when she leapt to her death on Vormir. Both occasions, apart from the visual parallels, also highlight just what Black Widow is willing to do as a hero, regardless of personal risk or cost, which is a theme that is particularly pertinent after the events of Avengers: Endgame.

Marvel took something of an unusual step in making Black Widow, a prequel featuring a dead character, the first movie of the MCU’s Phase 4, but the way it ties itself to Avengers: Endgame gives a greater understanding of that decision. Not only does it closely link what happened in Avengers: Endgame, despite being in the future, to Natasha’s past, but it can allow this movie a means of better setting up Black Widow’s sacrifice in that movie and further cementing her MCU legacy as a true hero.

More: Black Widow Trailer Breakdown: 23 Story Details & Secrets You Missed

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