Finally, after all these years, Black Widow is getting her own movie. Natasha Romanoff has worked her way into our hearts for the best part of a decade and, with Scarlett Johansson’s character no longer in the land of the living, Marvel have decided to give her what seems to be one last outing in order to flesh out her arc and tell the story of how she came to be one of the most dangerous people on the planet.
So, with that in mind, we’re now going to take a look at her 10 best bits throughout her time in the MCU.
The Hallway Fight
Natasha Romanoff may be Black Widow’s name - but that wasn’t always the case. When fans are first introduced to the character in Iron Man 2 she goes under the name of Natalie Rushman, working as Tony Stark’s personal assistant. However, it’s later revealed that she’s actually a super agent and she demonstrates her prowess during an adrenaline-fueled hallway fight scene at Hammer industries.
The way she defeats her enemies, many of which have guns, is marvelous to watch. And it showed right from the very start that, despite her small frame, she’s not somebody to be trifled with. It also puts Happy Hogan, who is battling enemies of his own (and struggling), to shame.
The Chair Scene
After not appearing for a while, Black Widow makes her return for 2012’s The Avengers. She seems in a spot of bother when we first see her, though, with the agent under interrogation and strapped to a chair. You see no way out of the situation for her, given how she’s surrounded and unable to defend herself.
But then she springs into action, producing a sensational response to leave her captors stunned and walk away with her life intact. To this day, the fighting she demonstrates during this moment gets our pulses racing, and it laid the groundwork for what would turn out to be a sensational blockbuster.
Fighting Hawkeye
Your first impressions of Natasha Romanoff are that she’s a cold agent, one who wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger on anybody she deems to be a threat. However, the first Avengers shows a softer side her character when Hawkeye, who is being controlled by Loki’s scepter, attempts to take her down.
She’s clearly reluctant to hurt Clint Barton and, at this point, we don’t know why. Making Scarlett Johansson’s character softer was a risky move, but one that worked with this scene showing just how much the duo mean to each other. Any romantic suggestions were way off the mark, however.
On The Run
As they attempt to prevent Hydra from infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D and throwing the world into disarray in the process, Black Widow and Captain America go on the run during 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier. However, despite their best attempts to get off the grid, Hydra agents soon track them to a shopping mall.
This is where we see a funnier, more flirtatious side to Natasha. She kisses Cap in an attempt to blend in to the crowd, noting that kissing in public makes people feel uncomfortable. And that’s funnier is how she also mocks Cap by asking him if she’s the first girl he’s kissed since being encased in ice all those years ago. It’s a rare moment of comedy in an otherwise dark movie.
Shutting Down Hydra
Captain America: The Winter Soldier should really have been named Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Black Widow, because Natasha Romanoff is involved in the bulk of the key moments throughout the movie. And, at the end, it’s her who has the honor of defeating Hydra by releasing all information on S.H.I.E.L.D agents to the public.
She is unflinching as she sits in Congress and has no issues with doing the deed, despite knowing that many of her own secrets will be out in the world for the public to see. It’s a gesture that speaks volumes, once again showing that Natasha is willing to do anything to ensure the good guys prevail.
The Sun’s Getting Real Low
We’re still devastated that Natasha Romanoff and Bruce Banner were never able to shack up and get together, mainly because of the fact they always seem to have an obstacle in their way. However, their feelings for each other are made evident throughout Avengers: Age Of Ultron - and one scene in particular.
We are, of course, referring to when she entices Banner out of his Hulkish state. She speaks to him as if to a lover, taking his big green hand in her own. It’s all too much for Bruce, who ends up transforming. Rewatching the scene now, knowing they’ll now never get the relationship they want, is genuinely heartbreaking.
Choosing A Side
It’s all-out war in Civil War as Tony Stark and Steve Rogers’ feud sees the heroes forced to take sides. However, split right down the middle is Natasha Romanoff who, though she backs Tony, believes Steve must have a reason for protecting old friend Bucky Barnes so much.
Black Panther appears set to ruin Cap and Bucky’s plans to escape Berlin airport, which sets the scene of a huge battle between the two squads of heroes. But Black Widow touchingly comes to the duo’s rescue. It’s a lovely scene because it shows that, two years on from the events of the Winter Soldier, she still has Steve Rogers’ back.
Girl Power
Black Widow isn’t a prominent character in Avengers: Infinity War. She certainly doesn’t get the same sort of screen time and dialogue afforded to the likes of Captain America, Iron Man and Thor. However, despite that, she still features in one of the blockbuster’s best scenes.
And that’s when Natasha Romanoff, Okoye and Wanda Maximoff all team up to defeat child of Thanos Proxima Midnight. It’s great to see the strong females teaming up and sends the message that they’re just as strong as their male counterparts, despite them often getting much of the spotlight.
Keeping The Team Together
The first hour of Avengers: Endgame is a sob-fest, and Black Widow is perhaps the character most impacted by Thanos’ cruel decision to snap half of the universe into oblivion during Avengers: Infinity War.
However, she shows remarkable strength and courage by replacing Tony Stark as head of the Avengers. War Machine, Rocket, Captain Marvel and Okoye all report to her and it’s evident that, five years on, she’s still struggling to cope. And that’s what makes her sacrifice all the most significant later in the movie.
The Sacrifice
Yes, it’s a tear-jerker. Yes, we’d have rather lost another member of the Avengers team instead. Yes, it means that Natasha Romanoff was never given a proper funeral like Tony Stark.
But the decision to have Black Widow be the one to give her life in return for the Soul Stone on Vormir is fitting and right. She’s a selfless human being and, as we’ve already mentioned, willing to do whatever it takes. It’s also emotional that she dies so that Clint Barton, who feels he deserves to face punishment for his actions, can see his family again. She never had a family of her own - and his mean the world to her.
