{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Issue 125 - Black Widow (with Dr. Janina Scarlet)","description":" Intro Superhero Therapy - explanation by Dr. Scarlet Background (5:16) Natalia Alianovna \u201cNatasha\u201d Romanova created by Stan Lee, Don Rico, and Don Heck in Tales of Suspense #52 (April 1964) Young Natalia was trained and raised by the Red Room, a secret Soviet facility training assassins - she was sent to America to assassinate Anton Vanko, who had defected from Russia, but was defeated by Iron Man - then she enlisted Hawkeye\u2019s help in fighting him, but they were defeated as well - when Clint saved her, she began falling for him, and he helped her defect - she later joined the Avengers Began working for SHIELD, and then started a relationship with Daredevil while he was stationed in San Francisco Encounters Yelena Belova, another graduate of the Red Room, who wants to take Natasha out so she can inherit the Black Widow mantle - uses psychological manipulation to force Yelena to confront her own past Has a relationship with Bucky Barnes for a time, while he\u2019s working as the Winter Soldier Serves on the Secret Avengers under Captain America Killed during the Incursion event merging the mainstream and Ultimate Marvel universes, but resurrected after Molecule Man restores the damage done - only to be killed again, this time by Hydra-influenced Steve Rogers After her death, the Red Room cloned her, including her memories, and tasked her with taking out Hydra and SHIELD - the clone, calling herself Natasha Romanoff, instead eliminated the Red Room leadership and freed all the recruits Issues (7:49) Manipulation by the Red Room, and its repeated attempts to bring her back under their control, mean she\u2019s never free from her past Also constantly trying to redeem herself for her assassinations (16:05) Life of a spy\/secret agent means her identity is always in flux (22:53) Break (34:06) Plugs for BetterHelp, Sips Suds & Smokes, and Cullen Bunn Treatment (36:10) In-universe - Use Dr. Issues as a target, force her to face inequity Out of universe - Empty chair exercise to discuss feelings with people that have been wronged (39:02) Skit (46:21) DOC: Hello Natasha, I\u2019m Dr. Issues.  NATASHA: Good afternoon, Doctor. D: I\u2019m afraid we\u2019re going to have to go through a bit of an introductory period. Normally I get a file on my patients before I meet with them, but yours was almost entirely redacted. N: That\u2019s just how it is in my line of work. D: That\u2019s fair, but I\u2019ve worked with your colleagues before, and I\u2019ve never seen anything quite like this. It\u2019s like the whole thing was covered in black Sharpie. N: Some of my employers would kill both of us if they even knew I was speaking with you. Frankly this conversation is more dangerous than most. D: In that case I appreciate you speaking with me. And be sure to know I take all the necessary precautions for my own safety, as well as the confidentiality of my clients. N: No offense, doc, but that won\u2019t stop some of the more\u2026 unsavory characters I\u2019ve dealt with. They\u2019ve come at me in Avengers Mansion, I don\u2019t think this office will hold them. D: Sad to say, but I\u2019ve dealt with worse. So we\u2019ll deal with that threat if and when it comes. Let\u2019s get back to you. What can we accomplish today? N: Probably less than what I would want out of this. D: How so? N: This is going to be the type of scenario where I don\u2019t say names, I only give hints. If you are sharp enough to follow my lead, then maybe I can learn something from you.  D: Way more nebulous than I imagined. Usually when people do that, I think they\u2019re demonstrating paranoia.  N: Is it really paranoia when you know people are truly after you? D: But the fight, flight, or freeze phenomenon doesn\u2019t turn itself on and off like a switch if you\u2019ve exhausted yourself in that vigilant state for too long. Plus, it makes it difficult for anyone to get to know you. N: Thank you for stating the obvious. No, really, thank you. People don\u2019t understand that it\u2019s inherent in what I do. I didn\u2019t sign up for this life. I was bred for it. D: Maybe that\u2019s true, but N: *interrupting, clearly upset* No maybes about it! I can\u2019t say that much about such things but...think about how organized different agencies can be, especially under authoritarian rule. D: Got it. Sorry to cast any doubt to your experience. I\u2019m thankful that you\u2019re keeping the conversation on track. Is it fair to ask, then, how being so harshly molded at a young age influences you now? Any nightmares or flashbacks to those events? N: I\u2019ve learned to regulate my physiology just fine.  D: How about the emotional content, then?  N: I have all of the...expected emotions. D: Interesting choice of words. I\u2019m not familiar with what would be considered \u201cexpected\u201d because that\u2019s such a wide range. Anger? Sadness? Fear? N: *pause* All of it. D: Then you have lots of possibilities to work with N: More than that though. Relief, Joy, Pain...I know you\u2019re really a doctor because you just went for what\u2019s considered negative. But I\u2019m a lot stronger than you realize. I don\u2019t want a pity case here. In a way, you\u2019re only alive right now because I made that decision when I stepped into this office. D: *obtuse, missing the mark* Is that a veiled threat at me in some way to show superiority? I don\u2019t have a god complex. N: No, I meant it much simpler than that.  D: Hmmmm...You\u2019re so resolute about this, once again I have to take you at face value. And yet, that brings us back to the original point. How can I help you if the only thing on your mind is helping others besides yourself? N: I don\u2019t get such luxury. You seem to have this mindset that I\u2019m intentionally draining my life away, toiling at the behest of others and neglecting my needs. That\u2019s nonsense. I\u2019m alive because I see all of the angles. Too many times it\u2019s \u201ckill or be killed.\u201d But what about when you save someone? Save hundreds? How many times can I give an eye for an eye before we\u2019re all blind? D: That\u2019s noble beyond compare. I hear the pain that comes through too. Same with exhaustion. I\u2019m not asking you to change everything. I\u2019m asking if you want some part...ANY part, better. N: *sarcastic* So you want me to be a better killing machine? D: ...anything, but that. N: So you see my problem. Even when I\u2019m supposedly doing good in the world, it\u2019s typically because someone doing worse has been brought down.  D: Least Common Denominator. So how do we change the math? You know I won\u2019t help you with the one part of that equation you mentioned, so\u2026 N: You\u2019re not making the ultimate sinner into a saint...and I\u2019m not even religious. D: For one thing, I\u2019d hardly consider you the ultimate sinner. For another, we\u2019re not even going to get into that side of things.  N: That makes one of us. D: You...you really would go that far, huh?  N: When you\u2019ve seen what I\u2019ve seen and done what I\u2019ve done, there\u2019s not even a question about it.  D: Then no shame, no blame. There\u2019s only the way up. The next assignment. Clue me in your emotions, and I\u2019ll try to establish the right path to maximizing your efficacy in relating to people in a mutually beneficial way. N: Now you\u2019re trying to make it sound like I\u2019m a wallflower who's never dated. Come on! D: That\u2019s not what I\u2019m getting at, I mean *bullets hit glass* N: Bozhe moi. Get down! D: Yes ma\u2019am. N: *fires back* Who knew I was coming? D: No one outside of my assistant. N: That\u2019s one person too many. *pause* Did you see where the shot came from? D: No, I\u2019m kinda too busy doing my job. I thought you saw all the angles. N: This is why I didn\u2019t wanna come here in the first place. OK, you stick your head up and see if you spot any movement. D: HELL NO. I\u2019m not getting sniped so you can save the day again. N: *grunts* Fine. Do you have something you can use as a distraction? D: I have a paperweight on my desk. N: Gotta work with what we\u2019ve got. On the count of three, toss it to me. One\u2026 two\u2026 three! D: *grunts* *bullets fire* N: Do svidaniya, asshole. D: I.. I can\u2019t believe this. N: Really? You do what you do and you\u2019re surprised? D: No, I can\u2019t believe something like this happened and I don\u2019t have a pun prepared. N: You are a strange man.  D: Thanks. N: And yet, not the worst at your job. Perhaps I\u2019ll come back for another session. But if I do that, we\u2019re talking directly or not at all. Also, I\u2019d check your assistant\u2019s background. D: Consider it done. So, do you want to keep the paperweight? Consider it a memento. N: No thanks. I have enough stuff weighing me down, I don\u2019t need something else. D: Oh man, ANOTHER pun. You\u2019re good at this. N: See ya \u2018round, Doc. Ending (53:47) Recommended reading: Black Widow vol. 5 (the Edmondson\/Noto run), also Super Women Next episodes: Rogue, Dr. Doom, Jocasta Plugs for social References: Molecule Man episode - Anthony (7:05) Godfather III \u201cJust when I thought I was out, they pull me back in\u201d (NSFW) - Doc (9:15) Apple Podcasts: here Google Play: here Stitcher: here TuneIn: here iHeartRadio: here Spotify: here Twitter Facebook Patreon TeePublic Discord ","author_name":"Capes On the Couch - Where Comics Get Counseling","author_url":"https:\/\/www.capesonthecouch.com","html":"