Despite being released in 2021 (two years after Avengers: Endgame) Black Widow was set before the events of Captain America: Civil War. But it went further back into the MCU's past than that. The film opens with a flashback to 1995, showing Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova as children. The sequence is easily one of the most harrowing scenes in the entire franchise. But beneath its powerful dramatic effect, there is an unmistakable period inaccuracy—at least, if you know what you're looking at.
Since the moment I caught it, I have never—not once—been able to ignore it. In the sequence, Alexei and Melina go on the run alongside their "daughters," Natasha and Yelena, from S.H.I.E.L.D. Throughout the chase and its aftermath, Yelena is seen carrying a stuffed pony. Eventually, the family gets to Cuba, where the girls are taken away to be put into the Red Room.
Before this, though, Yelena says goodbye to Melina, and the shot gives a clear view of the plushie. It is Twilight Sparkle, from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
*Takes deep breath.* Listen, fellow geeks, I know this sounds petty. I know it sounds insignificant. I get all of that, okay? But the timeline inconsistency this little plushie presents just stuck with me. You see, the My Little Pony brand came into existence in 1981. Thus, it makes sense that Yelena would have a piece of merchandise from the franchise... the thing is, it should not be that specific pony.
Twilight Sparkle was introduced in 2010's My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series, a reboot of the franchise that proved to be remarkably successful, ending in 2019, after nine seasons. Returning to the topic at hand, Twilight was specifically created by Lauren Faust for the series. This means that Yelena had the Twilight Sparkle plushie a whole 15 years before the character ever came into existence.
Not only that, the toy was a representation of Twilight's alicorn form, which she did not morph into until Season 3, Episode 13, "Magical Mystery Cure," which aired in 2013. That, in turn, means the toy was actually at least 18 years away from being produced. Further adding to my focus on this mistake is the fact that the toy looks fairly modern, which breaks up the somewhat period aesthetic of the mid-'90s.
It's important to state, this detail isn't, in any way, major. It does not diminish my enjoyment of the film in the slightest. The only reason I can't get it out of my mind is because of the idea that, in a film that so carefully crafted the feel of the '90s, such an important detail slipped by. Now, any time I rewatch the film, my eyes immediately stop focusing on what's happening on screen, and instead zero in on Twilight Sparkle.
I suppose it's fitting. From a certain perspective, the Mane 6 are basically superheroes, so it makes sense for them to be featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even if the reference did come about as a continuity mistake.
Black Widow and Thunderbolts* are streaming on Disney+.
Did you catch this continuity error in Black Widow?