director Nick Fury is presumed killed,[volume&issueneeded] and deputy director Maria Hill incapacitated,[volume&issueneeded] so Natasha assumes temporary command of S.H.I.E.L.D. Natalia Alianovna "Natasha" Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, was one of the most talented spies and assassins in the entire world and a founding member of the Avengers. [95] Madeline Catalano of MovieWeb ranked Black Widow 4th in their "Toughest Female Superheroes" list. She had made frequent guest appearances in Daredevil since the late 1970s. As she leaves, her mind transitions to Cold War Russia, where a young Natasha (here called Natalia) speaks with two Russian functionaries in the infamous "Red Room". [volume&issueneeded] Despite recruitment endeavors, however, this vigilante group folded shortly after she and her teammate Dagger fought an army of renegade S.H.I.E.L.D. If this is the last time we get to see Johansson mete out justice to her assailants with gymnastic velocity, it's an apt send-off. They are attacked by the Winter Soldier and Romanoff is shot through the shoulder but survives. [volume&issueneeded], Shortly after the Scarlet Witch's insanity seemingly killed Hawkeye and again disbanded the Avengers, Natasha, weary of espionage and adventure, travelled to Arizona but was targeted. Upon Nick Fury's request, she begins freelancing as an agent of the international espionage group S.H.I.E.L.D. Natalia Alianovna "Natasha" Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, was a former high-ranking agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Next she shoots Marina's cat. in Ohio, the family escape to Cuba where they rendezvous with their boss, General Dreykov, who has Romanoff and Belova put through the Red Room for further training to become assassins. And he has a score to settle with Milesand with all of New York City! [57], At the start of the "Heroic Age," Natasha is recruited by Steve Rogers into a new black-ops wing of the Avengers dubbed the Secret Avengers. She wears no costume during her first few appearances but simply evening wear and a veil. These 195+ Marvel Female Characters Are Truly Heroic", "84 Avengers Members Ranked From Worst To Best", "Here Are the Toughest Female Superheroes, Ranked", "The top 30 female superheroes of all time", "Best female superheroes ranked - from Captain Marvel to Wonder Woman", "Marvel: 14 Best Villains Turned Heroes, Ranked", "Ranking The 50 Most Important Superheroes Ever", "The 50 Most Important Superheroes, Ranked", "Wizard's top 200 characters. In 2009, Romanoff was sent on a mission to Odessa to protect a scientist, but was confronted by the Winter Soldier. - Page 2", "The Greatest Black Widow Stories Ever Told! At the Avengers Tower, Romanoff attends the celebratory party and witnesses Ultrons first attack. As Romanoff unknowingly drives off with the antidote, she is attacked by Taskmaster. [66] Flipping to the present, Black Widow is saving as many people as she can, but she quickly flashbacks to Havana. She uses a combination of techniques such as direct eye contact, hypnotic speech patterns and a soothing voice to influence a subjects' mind, planting thoughts, ideas or post-hypnotic commands, or even affecting memories and personality traits. Romanoff learns that General Dreykov is still alive, and that the Red Room is still active. The MCU version also showed a brief romance with Bruce Banner in Age of Ultron, also hinted at in later films. Announces Avengers 4 Return", "Black Widow Heads to Japan in Avengers 4 Set Photos", "BLACK WIDOW Movie: Scarlett Johansson and Kevin Feige Have Discussed a Series of Films", "Feige: Black Widow's Past to be Explored in Avengers 2 and Possible Solo Film", "Screenwriter Nicole Perlman gives us the scoop on Guardians, Marvel, and more! [85], Laura Bradley of Vanity Fair included Black Widow in their "Stan Lees Most Iconic Characters" list. [9], In October 2015, it was announced that Mark Waid and Chris Samnee would be launching a new Black Widow series for 2016 as part of Marvel's post-Secret Wars relaunch. After an attempt on Fury's life, Rogers becomes a fugitive hunted by S.T.R.I.K.E., and meets with Romanoff. In December 2024, Belova visits Romanoff's grave in Ohio to pay her respects, before being assigned by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to assassinate Barton, who De Fontaine deems responsible for Romanoff's death.[80]. Black Widow appears in the 2013 Secret Avengers series by Nick Spencer and Luke Ross. I voiced Black Widow (and someone else but I can't remember who)", "All the Confirmed Characters in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3", "Square Enix gives us our first look at Marvel's Avengers", "Marvel Future Revolution Black Widow build, skills, specialisations, outfits, and more", "YA author Margaret Stohl helps create new Marvel superhero in 'Black Widow: Forever Red', "Voice Of Black Widow / Yelena Belova Marvel Universe | Behind The Voice Actors", "New Images Reveal The Superheroines Of 'Marvel Universe Live! Vanko sacrificed himself to save Iron Man, killing Turgenov in the process, using an unstable experimental laser light pistol. Before letting Natasha go, the officer announces she has one additional task before her mission is over: Marina has become too much enamored with her civilian guise, and is now a security risk. Later after meeting with one of the Russian officers from the Red Room to report her progress, she detonated a car bomb outside their home when the first attempt did not make them "nearly desperate enough". In Budapest, with Barton's help, Romanoff rigs a bomb in an attempt to kill Dreykov, seemingly killing his daughter Antonia in the process. 's database so that Romanoff can leak classified information, exposing Hydra to the public. [5], Scarlett Johansson on finishing her role as Romanoff, By the events of Infinity War, Johansson said that Romanoff's situation following Captain America: Civil War has been "a dark time. [47] She later rejoins him and Falcon for the final confrontation with the Red Skull, helping to rescue Sharon Carter. [90] Jesse Schedeen of IGN included Black Widow in their "Marvel's Femme Fatales" list, writing, "Whatever happens, at least it can be said that Natasha's life still hasn't become boring after all these years,"[91] and ranked her 42nd in their "Top 50 Avengers" list,[92] and 74th in their "Top 100 Comic Book Heroes" list. Black Widow (Natalia Alianovna "Natasha" Romanova; Russian: "" )[1] is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. ", "Lions Gate press release (March 2, 2004)", "IGN.com (June 5, 2006): "The Word on Black Widow", "Another 'Iron Man 2' Deal: Scarlett Johannson To Replace Emily Blunt As Black Widow For Lousy Lowball Money", "Marvel-ous Star Wattage: Actors Assemble For Comic-Con Panel Including 'The Avengers', 'Captain America', & 'Thor, "Five Actresses Testing For 'Captain America 2' Role; Black Widow Might Drop By As Well", "Scarlett Johansson flaunts curves in new magazine photo shoot, reveals details on 'The Avengers' sequel", "Captain America: Civil War Directors: Black Widow Will Be Back, More", "Daniel Bruhl To Play Villain In 'Captain America: Civill War', "Avengers: Infinity War Black Panther Actor Starts Filming", "One of Captain Marvel's post-credits scenes is great news for Avengers: Endgame", "Robert Downey Jr. ", "The Comics Creators Thanked In Black Widow And Who They Missed", "John Romita, Sr. Interview - Comic Book Artist #6 - TwoMorrows Publishing", "Marvel Comics Solicitations for April 2010", "NYCC: Spencer's "Secret Avengers" are the Newest Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. [99] Rob Bricken of Gizmodo ranked Black Widow 13th in their "Every Member Of The Avengers" list, saying, "She's been one of the most venerable Avengers. [18] In another flashback, set in the fictional island of Madripoor in 1941, Petrovich helps Captain America and the mutant Logan, who would later become the Canadian super-agent and costumed hero Wolverine, to rescue Natasha from Nazis.[19]. We're the two members of this avenging group who are skilled warriors we have no superpowers. [2] When the Red Room saw a genetic potential in Natasha, she was sold to them. [83], Romanoff's final film appearance in the MCU garnered mixed reviews. [68] While Hawkeye assembles a strike force of Hercules and Quicksilver to find the Cosmic Cube fragments, Black Widow sets off to kill Rogers herself reasoning that even if Rick's theory is true, the man Rogers was would prefer to die than be used in this manner. Give them a problem and they'll have different ways of approaching it. The child who would become Natasha Romanoff is born in Stalingrad to a mother who is forced to give her over to the Soviet government. Club ranked Black Widow 10th in their "100 Best Marvel Characters" list. Natasha Romanoff was born on December 3, 1984, in the Soviet Union, and was trained as a KGB spy in a secretive academy called the Red Room which involved training as a ballerina as a cover,[77] as well as the eventual sterilization of the students. She is also a skilled hypnotist. While Loki is held prisoner on a S.H.I.E.L.D. This May, Miles Morales swings into his darkest battle yet in CARNAGE REIGNS! She and Bucky have restarted their relationship. ", "Scarlett Johansson Dishes on 'Top Chef' and Porn", "Avengers: Age Of Ultron Scarlett Johansson Talks Black Widow's Greatest Power", "How 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' will hide Scarlett Johansson's pregnancy", "Captain America: Civil War trailer breakdown", "Captain America: Civil War star Scarlett Johansson on the scrutiny of Black Widow", "Captain America: Civil War Scarlett Johansson Teases Her Role In Captain America: Civil War", "Behind the scenes of Avengers: Infinity War as new heroes unite and others will end page 3", "Avengers: Endgame directors defend controversial Black Widow scene", "Scarlett Johansson's 'Avengers' Workout: How to Get a Black Widow Body", "Spider-Women, Captain Marvel & Harley Quinn: Females Fly In The Face Of Old Hollywood Perceptions", "Disney's Live-Action 'Peter Pan' Movie Finds Its Wendy and Peter (Exclusive)", "Why Black Widow's sterilization scene in 'Age of Ultron' is astonishing", "Film review: four stars for 'exciting' Black Widow", "MCU: 5 Times Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow Was Accurate To Comics (& 5 Times She Wasn't)", "How Avengers: Endgame Failed Black Widow", "Scarlett Johansson in Marvel's 'Black Widow': Film Review", "Black Widow: the least Avenger-like movie in the series", "Teen Choice Awards 2010: First Round of Nominees Announced", "And Your 2010 Scream Awards Winners Are", "Inception, Let Me In, Tron, and The Walkind Dead Top the 2011 Saturn Award Nominations", "Teen Choice Awards 2012: Nominees and Winners (Complete List)", "Nickelodeon Unveils 2013 Kids' Choice Awards Nominees", "People's Choice Awards 2013: The Complete Winners List", "2013 MTV Movie Awards winners and nominees complete list", "Teen Choice Awards 2014 Nominees Revealed! Barton sacrifices himself after being overwhelmed by Ultron's sentries, and the upload fails when Zola reveals that Ultron was no longer in their universe. Following the fallout related to the Sokovia Accords, Romanoff became a fugitive and eventually reunited with her adopted family, including sister Yelena Belova, and they worked together to destroy General Dreykov's Black Widow program. Natasha assures them of her competency and leaves. Natasha Romanoff was raised as a spy, and she has spent her entire life in that profession - which means that she excels at keeping personal details to herself. "[37] In April 2015, Johansson spoke more on the possibility of a solo Black Widow film, seeing the potential to explore the different "layers" of her depicted in the different films so far, but also stating that "right now I think this character is used well in this part of the universe". A former KGB agent, Natasha Alianovna Romanova, better known as Natasha Romanoff or Black Widow, was trained by the top-secret Soviet brainwashing and training program, the Red Room, to become the . In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Screenwriter Christopher Markus said that Black Widow was a "great contrast" to Captain America, describing her as "incredibly modern, not very reverent, and just very straightforward whereas Steve is, you know a man from the 40s. There they fight against the alien race called the Chitauri and ultimately defeat Loki. [86] She has mastered several martial arts such as jiu jitsu, aikido,[87] boxing,[87] judo,[88][87] karate,[88][87] savate,[87] ninjutsu,[89] various styles of kung fu and kenpo, as well as the Russian martial art sambo. [119] Natasha later appears a member of Shang-Chi's Red Dragons,[120] and is mentioned as a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. Captain America: The Winter Soldier established that Romanoff was born in 1984 and Black Widow's prologue introduced young Natasha (Ever Anderson) in 1995 when she was 11 years old. This left Hayter "heartbroken", but he hoped the film would be made "some day". 1978).[6]. Which of Black Widow's costumes is YOUR favorite? She is a founding member of the Avengers . Natasha and her then Red Room partner Marina are trying to help a family defect. [13], Romanova next starred in another solo miniseries titled Black Widow: Homecoming (Nov. 2004April 2005), also under the Marvel Knights imprint and written by science fiction novelist Richard K. Morgan, with art initially by Bill Sienkiewicz and later by Sienkiewicz over Goran Parlov layouts. [14] In March 2009, Scarlett Johansson signed on to play Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, with her deal including options for multiple films. She and the others then witness Danvers return with the Benatar, bringing Stark and Nebula. It would have to be the best version that movie could possibly be. A revised, retconned origin establishes her as being raised from very early childhood by the U.S.S.R.'s "Black Widow Ops" program, rather than solely by Ivan Petrovitch. Her family was well-paid off, but Natasha's mother never stopped looking for her, which got her killed by General Dreykov's men, Natasha was told that she was abandoned as an infant. Black Widow and the Marvel Girls was an all-ages, four-issue series that chronicled her adventures with various women of the Marvel Universe, including Storm, She-Hulk, the Enchantress, and Spider-Woman.