Line #78 Comicbook/BlackWidow


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7	[[caption-width-right:350:International Woman of Mystery]]
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9	Black Widow (Natalia Romanova, aka Natasha Romanov) is a Creator/MarvelComics SuperHeroine. Introduced in MediaNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks in the pages of the AnthologyComic ''ComicBook/TalesOfSuspense'' #52 (April 1964), she has been a fixture in the Marvel universe ever since, graduating from a [[MediaNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks Bronze Age]] socially conscious solo feature and a co-lead in ''[[ComicBook/{{Daredevil}} Daredevil and the Black Widow]]'' to TheLeader of the ComicBook/{{Champions\|1975}}, and even ComicBook/TheAvengers for a time.
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11	Natasha began her career as a FemmeFataleSpy in the service of the Soviet Union, sent [[HoneyTrap to seduce]] famed American industrialist [[ComicBook/IronMan Tony Stark]], to which end she also manipulated the young ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}}. Hawkeye eventually [[HeelFaceTurn joined the side of good]], and eventually Natasha followed as well, beginning a long career as a SuperHero in the United States of America. She has no particularly enhanced physical abilities beyond [[TheAgeless suppressed aging]], relying instead on being an all-around awesome spy and martial artist.
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13	Bring her up in comics fandom and inevitably one of the first things to be mentioned is her numerous {{Love Interest}}s. Apart from the aforementioned Hawkeye, she has also, over the years, been romantically linked to ComicBook/{{Daredevil}} (even getting billed alongside him on the title for a while), [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHercules Hercules]] (while they were on the Champions), and ComicBook/BuckyBarnes.
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15	Black Widow has appeared quite often in other media, most notably in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, as portrayed by Creator/ScarlettJohansson. First introduced in 2010's ''Film/IronMan2'', she's since become a major recurring player within the franchise, appearing in a total of eight films including her own starring role in ''Film/{{Black Widow\|2021}}''. Other Black Widows have also appeared in the franchise, in ''Series/AgentCarter'' and ''Series/{{Hawkeye\|2021}}''.
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17	Please note that this page covers plot tropes in the ''Black Widow'' comics ''only''. For tropes pertaining to the character and his personality traits or those of his supporting characters, see the [[Characters/BlackWidow character sheet]].
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19	Please note that this page covers the ''Black Widow'' comics ''only''. For tropes pertaining to all ''Black Widow'' media, and a list of comic storylines and other works in the franchise, see [[Franchise/BlackWidow the franchise page]].
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22	!!''Black Widow'' provides examples of:
23	* AbortedDeclarationOfLove: In Mark Waid's ''Black Widow'' #8, Natasha meets up with [[ComicBook/BuckyBarnes the Winter Soldier]], [[spoiler:whom she [[AmnesiacLover doesn't remember her relationship with]]]]. Just before she leaves, he calls her back and is clearly about to tell her that he loves her, but tells her to stay warm and be careful instead.
24	* ActionGirl: In her first appearances as a villain, she was mainly just a [[HoneyTrap seduction agent]] who relied on incompetent minions to handle the violence, but over time she's been {{retcon}}ned into always having been a total badass.
25	* AdaptationalVillainy: She tends to get a lot of this, especially in other comics e.g in both ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'' and ''ComicBook/Marvel1602'' she’s an unapologetic villainess who cruelly betrays Iron Man and Daredevil respectively, even murdering Jarvis and Hawkeye’s family in the former. In ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' she seems like a case of this betraying Shield for Hydra [[spoiler: but it turns she was a FakeDefector in deep undercover for Nick Fury.]]
26	* AffirmativeActionLegacy: In the ''ComicBook/UltimateMarvel'' universe, Natasha has a successor in the form of Monica Chang, a young Chinese American woman who ends up taking over the Black Widow identity.
27	* AgentProvocateur: During her years as an agent for the Soviet Union, she was a UsefulNotes/ColdWar FemmeFataleSpy who worked against the USA to create political turmoil.
28	* AgentsDating: This is the crux of the relationship between the post-2005 version of ComicBook/BuckyBarnes and Black Widow. They go back to their time training in the Soviet Union in the 1950s.
29	* AllAmazonsWantHercules: One of her love interests is the TropeNamer himself whom she had a fling with during ''ComicBook/Champions1975''.
30	* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: With the big exception of ComicBook/{{Daredevil}} her love interests vary from well-intentioned anti-heroes like Hawkeye, Bucky and Iron Man to despots like Red Guardian as well as hedonistic loveable scoundrels like Hercules.
31	* AmazonianBeauty: She usually has an athletic build, but DependingOnTheArtist, her muscle tone can be very noticeable on her [[FormFittingWardrobe skintight]] catsuit, sometimes she even has [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/black_widow_2.png a six-pack]]. All while still remaining a HeadTurningBeauty.
32	* AmicableExes: She usually gets along well with all her former {{Love Interest}}s.
33	** She has a good working relationship with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} despite their past. They didn't date long, but they're still so close that the two have been jokingly referred to as each other's "Work Wife/Husband".
34	** With [[ComicBook/{{Daredevil}} Matt Murdock]]. The two get along great even after their relationship ended and Natasha has helped Matt a number of times.
35	** She also gets along well with Hercules whom she dated while they were on the ''ComicBook/Champions1975''.
36	** DependingOnTheWriter she can also be this with ComicBook/BuckyBarnes.
37	* AnalogyBackfire: In the opening issue of ''ComicBook/UltronForever'', Natasha and ComicBook/TheVision are talking about the latter's synthezoid nature, and he remarks he's no more programmed than Black Widow, to which she points out she spent her youth as a {{brainwashed}} assassin.
38	* AnimalMotifs: Spiders, natch.
39	** Her [[SuperWristGadget wrist gauntlets]] shoots an electric pulse are referred to as her "Widow's Bites".
40	** She [[RoofHopping travels the rooftops]] using [[GrapplingHookPistol grappling lines ejected from her gauntlets]] which she (usually) calls her "Widow's Web" or "Widow's Line".
41	** Though often forgotten these days, her costume is outfitted with suction cups which [[WallCrawl allow her to cling to walls, just like a spider]].
42	** In volume 5, she has a large network of safehouses across the globe, repeatedly referred to as a "web".
43	** Her SpyCatsuit generally includes an understated version of the motif, typically a small red hourglass symbol.
44	* AnimalThemedSuperbeing: Of the ''Animal Alias'' variety.
45	* AntiHero: Varies depending on the storyline. In some stories, she is depicted as a straight hero who shoots stun pellets from her gauntlets. In other stories, she's a cold-blooded killer. In still others, she's a mixture of both. And some adaptations make her an outright villain.
46	** For example, in one graphic novel, she tells two thugs that if they don't walk away from a confrontation with her, neither of them will walk ever again. She kills one of the men, and knocks the other unconscious. But she proceeds to ''break the unconscious man's spine'' to keep true to her word, greatly disturbing her companion. So in some respects, she's a hero for staying true to her word, but ... really?
47	** Very obvious in Avengers #11 under Hickman's pen. Natasha shoots and kills the men they've been distracted and [[ComicBook/SpiderWoman Jessica Drew]] (whose past work includes both SHIELD and HYDRA) is horrified, proclaiming Natasha's executions unnecessary.
48	** The [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU]] film version of the character states several times that she doesn't consider herself a hero, and claims one reason she is with SHIELD is to clean the "red from her ledger". As shown in [[Film/{{Black Widow\|2021}} her solo film]], some part of this comes from [[spoiler:being responsible for a bombing that was planned to take out the leader of the Red Room that turned her into the super-spy she is, but which inadvertently killed the target's young daughter instead.]] [[spoiler:Supposedly, at least...]]
49	* ArachnidAppearanceAndAttire: Black Widow carries this through with her weaponry and costume. Her SpyCatsuit is equipped with suction cups that allow her to WallCrawl and CeilingCling like a spider and variants of her costumes have included a spider logo or web motifs. Her weaponry is also has a name motif: Widow's Bite (Her wrist gauntlets that fire [[StaticStunGun paralyzing bullets]] reminiscent of a spider's venom), Widow's Line (Her wrist gauntlets [[GrapplingHookPistol grappling hook cables]] reminiscent of a spider's web) and the Widow's Kiss (Her wrist gauntlets fire an [[InstantSedation instant knock-out drug]] which is also reminiscent of a spider's venom).
50	* TheAtoner: One of the motivations for her becoming an Avenger is to atone for her past as a Soviet agent. Played up more in the [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU]] movies than in the comics.
51	* BadassNormal: Like Nick Fury, beyond her [[TheAgeless slowed aging]], most of her badassery is from training. Might cross into EmpoweredBadassNormal, DependingOnTheWriter.
52	* BadGuysDoTheDirtyWork: As a former villain, she's more open to performing morally ambiguous actions, having done quite a few questionable things for SHIELD or for the greater good.
53	* BattleCouple:
54	** First, when she worked together with ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} as a supervillain pair against Iron Man. This was reflected in Ultimate continuity and the movies with the two working together as SHIELD partners.
55	** Later, after her costume change and her stint as a New York solo heroine, she saved Daredevil's life and sparked a fairly long-lasting partnership and romantic relationship.
56	** In modern comics, she dated the newly returned ComicBook/BuckyBarnes, and fought alongside him in his capacity as Captain America and later, when he returned to the Winter Soldier identity.
57	* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Averted reasonably often in Natasha's case. She's had her nose broken at least once and has received her fair share of black eyes, facial cuts, and bloody noses in her line of work.
58	* BlackWidow: Natasha is actually a notable subversion: in the pages of the Avengers, it's revealed that her husband's [[FakingTheDead death was faked]] in order to manipulate her into becoming a spy for the Soviets. Later stories continued to play with this theme by introducing the concept of the Widow's Curse - all those who got close to her died (similar to ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}, although this was before the days of Elektra). The introduction of her ExpansionPackPast doubled down on this; she didn't kill her loved ones, she survived and outlived generations of them.
59	* {{Brainwashed}}: A lot of her training in the Red Room consisted of brainwashing her into being an effective and devoted Soviet operative. This included creating FakeMemories to better manipulate her, and she would get severe headaches if she started to notice contradictions in her past.
60	* BreakoutCharacter: Natasha has gone through this twice. First she was just a minor villainess of Iron Man before eventually becoming a recurring character and love interest of Hawkeye before pulling a HeelFaceTurn and becoming an Avenger. Then thanks to her prominence in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse played by Creator/ScarlettJohansson, Natasha has been catapulted into the Marvel A-List and has her own [[Film/BlackWidow2021 movie]], she’s even gotten her own [[Anime/AvengersConfidentialBlackWidowAndPunisher anime film]] where she’s similar to [[Franchise/LupinIII Fujiko Mine]].
61	* BuildingSwing: Natasha can do this thanks to [[GrapplingHookPistol grappling cables]] she fires from her [[SuperWristGadget gauntlets]]. Given she shares a spider motif with ComicBook/SpiderMan, it's likely her gauntlets were inspired by his web-shooters.
62	* CarCushion: In #2 of the 2014 series, the Widow dives off a skyscraper in Shanghai to avoid an assassin. After attempting to slow her fall, it eventually ends with her landing atop a car.
63	* CarnivalOfKillers ''Marvel Fanfare'' #10-#12 had Black Widow dealing with a GenderEqualEnsemble of six, internationally diverse assassins employed by the main villain. They were:
64	** N'kama, a South African Zulu warrior.
65	** Deadshot Darrance, an EgomaniacHunter who had switched from hunting big game to [[HuntingTheMostDangerousGame hunting humans for more profit]].
66	** The Iron Maiden, a former Russian agent who [[UnknownRival who had been living in the Black Widow’s shadow for years]].
67	** Laralie, an American rodeo performer who was [[KnowsTheRopes very good with a rope]].
68	** A Chinese female martial artist who went by the code name of Black Lotus.
69	** And Kono, a Japanese Sumo wrestler.
70	* TheCasanova (see also ReallyGetsAround, LauncherOfAThousandShips): Her famous love life has led her to be involved with a number of superhero suitors: Hawkeye, Daredevil, Iron Man, Hercules, and Bucky Barnes (as Captain America). In her original redemption arc, it was revealed that she was the widow of the Russian Captain America {{Expy}}, the Red Guardian.
71	* CharlesAtlasSuperpower: At times. It's DependingOnTheWriter how strong she actually is. PlayedWith, as like with Cap, the SuperSerum she took brought Natasha to the peak of human condition but prior to this her strength was solely due to her training.
72	* ChestInsignia: In the 80s and 90s, she wore a chest insignia of a Black Widow spider (along with a larger matching one on her back). Modern stylings of her costume generally prefer to put an hourglass on her belt instead.
73	* ChildSoldiers: In one version of her backstory, she was trained as a spy and assassin from a young age, although this was later altered so that she had fought in World War 2 as a child. Invoked by her ''MCU'' counterpart, who offhandedly mentions she began spying at somewhere around eight years old.
74	* CodeName: Black Widow, which was her codename as a Soviet agent and as a SuperHero.
75	* ColorAnimalCodename: A ZigZaggingTrope in the sense that the animal's name isn't 'widow', it's specifically the 'black widow' (spider), which incorporates the color black into it.
76	* ColorCharacter: ''Black'' Widow.
77	* ColorMotif: She's usually associated with red and black.
78	* CombatPragmatist: Natasha is ruthless in combat and will use any dirty tricks she can to get an advantage over her opponents.
79	* ConspicuousTrenchcoat: In her pre-Avenger days she would often wear a trenchcoat over her SpyCatsuit when walking in public, which only made her look slightly less conspicuous.
80	* ConsummateLiar: She's an expert liar, being able to fool even [[LivingLieDetector Daredevil]], who can't tell when she's lying since she can control her heartbeat so it never varies when she speaks.
81	* ConvenientMiscarriage: One of the effects of the Red Room's SuperSerum is to instantly cause a miscarriage in case she gets pregnant, since a pregnant spy would be an inconvenience. Ironically Natasha still manages to have a living child anyway through her genes being used to artificially engineer a baby boy.
82	* CrazyPrepared: As expected of a spy, Natasha often comes prepared to get herself out of seemingly hopeless situations.
83	* DanceBattler: She’s a superbly trained ballet dancer and that [[https://preview.redd.it/hu0bcx5z3av71.jpg?width=564&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5dc0df9dae693d61ffd505b729f4071dc53159ef grace in her movements]] comes out in her fighting.
84	* DarkActionGirl: She used to be a super spy for the Soviets and a villain for ''Iron-Man'' prior to doing her HeelFaceTurn.
85	* DarkAndTroubledPast: She suffered a lot during her time in Russia, being orphaned at a young age, enduring years of TrainingFromHell in the Red Room and doing all sorts of morally questionable acts as a Soviet spy.
86	* DarkIsNotEvil: Natasha wears a black SpyCatsuit, has an overall [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver red and black color motif]] and her moniker references an [[BlackWidow animal known for eating its mate]]. She did start out as a villain but has long since reformed.
87	* DamselOutOfDistress: While she's been a BadassInDistress a couple of time, she usually manages to escape some dangerous situations by herself thanks to her espionage skills. Not to mention that many times she lets herself be CapturedOnPurpose or is a PlayAlongPrisoner as [[DeliberatelyDistressedDamsel part of the plan]].
88	* DependingOnTheWriter: Natasha’s past has been rewritten an inordinate amount of time with different dates being given to her birth and different accounts for how exactly she ended up working for the KGB, the usual HandWave from Marvel is that the varying accounts of Natasha’s past are [[MultipleChoicePast intentionally vague and contradictory]] to reinforce her status as a spy.
89	* DistaffCounterpart: Her Widow gadgets were specifically made in order to make her a {{Evil\|Counterpart}} female counterpart for ComicBook/SpiderMan in the brief period of time she was a villain to him, as she was able to WallCrawl and BuildingSwing just like him. He even straight up called her a "Female version of himself". Their connection has been {{Downplayed}} over the years, as her espionage skills often have more focus over her spider motif gadgets.
90	* DistractedByTheSexy:
91	** Natasha is prone to ShowSomeLeg in order to take advantage when her mark ends up distracted by her sexiness.
92	** A RunningGag has Natasha needing to change outfits on the back of a car, while telling her chauffeur Ivan to "[[NoPeekingRequest Keep his eyes forward]]".
93	** An issue of ''X-Men: First Class'' detailing Natasha's first foray into [[SpyCatsuit catsuits]] had several concussed members of A.I.M. taking the time to discuss her, rather than their severe Natasha-inflicted injuries.
94	** In ''Daredevil 1998'' #64 a bunch of {{Mooks}} storm Matt's apartment, only to find it empty save for Natasha who's fresh from the shower in just a ModestyTowel and is pretending to be a French girl who doesn't speak English. They get distracted by the sight and as soon as their guards are down, she quickly kicks all of their asses, [[FullFrontalAssault while clad in just the towel]].
95	* TheDragAlong: How she joined the Avengers in the first place. They'd gone looking for Daredevil for help dealing with Magneto (who was using his powers to control most of the team), and she came with. Afterward, she opted to join them.
96	* DyeOrDie: She usually dyes her hair when going undercover, given her red hair is one of her most distinguishing features.
97	* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: Natasha originally had black hair and wore a much more flamboyant costume that included a mask, fishnets and a cape. Natasha would bring the costume back years later [[TheGadfly just to tease Tony Stark]] at the end of a mission in Russia in an issue of ''ComicBook/IronMan''.
98	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: When she was first introduced as a ComicBook/IronMan villain, she was a RedScare AgentProvocateur with no fighting abilities who relied on {{Mooks}} or a manipulated Hawkeye to be her muscle. It was later, around the time she pulled a HeelFaceTurn that she adopted her SpyCatsuit and SuperWristGadget that she became a proper ActionGirl, but she was later {{Retcon}}ned into having been a Soviet super-spy since the Cold War era, making her early non-action villain characterization inconsistent.
99	* EmpoweredBadassNormal: It's a case of DependingOnTheWriter how much the SuperSerum she took actually empowered her beyond [[TheAgeless slowing down her aging]]. At most, she's around the same strength level as ComicBook/CaptainAmerica. Currently, thanks to the events of ''ComicBook/{{Venom 2022}}'', Natasha is in possession of her very own symbiote, giving her the same abilities as everyone's favorite Lethal Protector and, by extension, everyone's favorite Friendly Neighborhood Wall-Crawler.
100	* ExpansionPackPast: There was originally nothing in her backstory to suggest that she was [[TheAgeless quasi-immortal]]. This only developed (confusingly) in order to keep a famous late 1980s team-up issue of ''ComicBook/UncannyXMen'' set in the 1940s that had her as a young girl meeting ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} and ComicBook/CaptainAmerica in continuity. This concept has had some rather large implications for the character’s background.
101	* EvenTheGirlsWantHer: At the very least, ComicBook/{{Mockingbird}} has a crush on her. Going from their internal monologue when they first met, it's not entirely one-sided. ComicBook/{{Rogue}} also thinks she's a good kisser.
102	* ExposedToTheElements: On at least two occasions she was seen wearing only her iconic SpyCatsuit in a cold snowy environment. Particularly ludicrous as one of those instances was showing a NavelDeepNeckline.
103	* FakeMemories: Her past as a ballerina was revealed to be a lie created by the Red Room. It turns out she was an orphan taken in by them and raised to be an assassin. The reason for the fake memories as a ballerina was to instill happy memories of Russia in her and thus make her feel more patriotic.
104	* FailedFutureForecast: This is why Natasha was {{Retcon}}ned into possessing [[OlderThanTheyLook slowed aging]]. Marvel wanted to keep her UsefulNotes/ColdWar ties and her back story as a Soviet super-spy without having to retroactively make her appear decades older.
105	* FamousNamedForeigner: Romanov/Romanova? Various writers have penned stories suggesting that she is a descendant of the Russian imperial family to justify the name, but it's not actually implausible for her to be both named Romanov/Romanova and not be related to the imperial family - during the imperial reforms, Russian serfs lacked surnames, so were given the surnames of their liege lords. In other words, Natasha could just as easily be the descendant of peasants who happened to live on land owned by the Romanovs.
106	* TheFashionista: She actually has some passion for a passion she doesn't often indulge and even attempted to become a fashion designer during the period of time she was Daredevil's partner.
107	* FemmeFatale: Check the codename. Though tempered by the conservative era of comics in which she debuted, the trope looms over her background, but it's only one of many skills she has.
108	* FieryRedhead: Though she is usually calm, she is still a rather aggressive fighter.
109	* FightsLikeANormal: Black Widow's powers are [[TheAgeless slowed aging]] and an unusually [[IdealIllnessImmunity powerful immune system against diseases and sickness]]. In battle, she relies on her martial arts, cunning, and weapons.
110	* FirstNameBasis: Has this on both sides with ComicBook/BuckyBarnes, to demonstrate their intimacy. She's one of the few people who regularly called him "James" while he's similarly one of the few to call Natasha by her real name, "Natalia".
111	* FriendlyNeighborhoodSpider: {{Invoked\|Trope}}. She also has a [[AnimalThemedSuperbeing spider inspiration]] as ComicBook/SpiderMan but with a different scenario and origins (a BadassNormal FemmeFataleSpy instead of a superpowered being), being part of ComicBook/TheAvengers as well ComicBook/{{SHIELD}}, even when she's not so nice as Spidey. This is now played straight as she now has access to an offspring of Venom's, whom she's named "Widow".
112	* FormFittingWardrobe: Her SpyCatsuit is usually extremely skintight, which is used to highlight her curves.
113	* GambitPileup: When Natasha stops the hijacking of a NASA space shuttle she and the agent in charge of the hijacking keep one-upping the other after they reveal a part of their scheme to the other, each explaining how it "changes the game". First, she reveals that she is working with the CIA and has been impersonating the man's partner. The man, commenting that that changes the game, explains that he has just detonated the explosive in his partner's head, probably killing a few of his interrogators. Widow, saying that that changes the game, explains that she is still going to take this man in for questioning, though now she will make sure to hurt him while doing so. The hijacker, [[OverlyLongGag after commenting that that changes the game]], explains that he is now crashing the shuttle to stop her. After that the game stops changing and Widow just beats the tar out of the man, but you have to wonder what game they started with and what they were playing when they finished.
114	* GeniusBruiser: Having been given TrainingFromHell to peak human levels and a SuperSerum, Natasha is a deadly combatant but she's highly tactical as well as an expert hacker, weapons expert, a master of disguise and fluent in multiple languages. In earlier comics, Natasha actually [[GuileHero focused on outsmarting her foes]], until {{Xenafication}} kicked in and she balanced smarts with ass-kicking.
115	* GoodHairEvilHair: Natasha had a bob cut when she started out as a villain.
116	* GoodIsNotNice[=/=]GoodIsNotSoft: Varies {{depending on the writer}} and the venue. The comic book version is more likely to be the former (while occasionally crossing the line into AntiHero territory, again depending on the writer and storyline - see the WhatTheHellHero entry below), whereas the ''MCU'' version so far seems firmly in the latter category (she's everybody's buddy, has a crush on Dr. Banner, is great with kids, but if you're a HYDRA mook, you're dead).
117	* GoodParents: Despite Natasha’s laundry list of crimes and morally dubious actions and her horrific past, she is a surprisingly [[https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTqzfhQ97SkjE9uCicuQd_0IxYTvaSz06CPew&usqp=CAU affectionate mother]] to her genetically born son Stevie (despite his birth being orchestrated by supervilllains) as seen in her 2020 miniseries. Although as much as her mother skills are a positive, in Natasha’s profession it’s only a liability with Stevie being a target for her foes and a distraction that can impede her judgement. Which is why she ultimately has her allies send Stevie and his father James into hiding and makes Clint and Bucky promise to never tell her where they are, since she can’t trust herself not to find them again.
118	* GuileHero: Natasha is just as good at outsmarting her enemies as she is at outfighting them.
119	* GrapplingHookPistol: Her SuperWristGadget is equipped with the "Widow's Line", a 100-foot spring-loaded cable that functions as a grappling hook with a retractable line, which allows her to [[BuildingSwing swing along rooftops]].
120	* GratuitousRussian: DependingOnTheWriter she will sometimes throw in a Russian word or phrase in the middle of her dialogue, such as using "Spasibo" to thank Iron Man. She also has a tendency to call people "comrade" when pissed off.
121	* HeadTurningBeauty: She's known for being one of the most gorgeous female characters in Creator/MarvelComics and is a LustObject to many characters because of it. This is helped by Red Room's SuperSerum she took, which has their subject effortlessly retain their good looks. Her hair never falls out and always remains shiny, her skin cannot be damaged by wind or sun and always remains healthy.
122	* HealingFactor: {{Downplayed\|Trope}}, the Red Room's SuperSerum makes her heal her wounds five times faster than a normal human being, but it will not regenerate lost limbs, organs or body parts.
123	* HeelFaceTurn: Started out on the wrong side of the law as a Russian spy before switching sides and eventually joining the Avengers. Notably, in the Ultimate Universe, [[spoiler:the ''opposite'' happens]]!
124	* HeroicSeductress: While on the side of the angels, Natasha still uses sex to obtain information at times.
125	* HiddenWeapons: After having been captured and disarmed, Natasha revealed she actually has a small bow concealed in her back, behind a patch of fake skin, which she uses to escape.
126	* HomePornMovie:
127	** ''A+X'' #13 has ComicBook/EmmaFrost requesting Natasha's help to take down a blackmailer who has uncovered a sex tape from Emma's past before she joined the ''ComicBook/XMen''.
128	** In the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel continuity, a videotaped tryst with of her Tony Stark goes public.
129	* HoneyTrap: Black Widow originally got her start as an ComicBook/IronMan villain, sent by the Soviets to seduce him in order to learn his secrets. This was pretty much her MO as a villain, and likely how she originally [[MeaningfulName got her name]], before pulling a HeelFaceTurn and joining S.H.I.E.L.D. and become more of an ActionGirl, though she does work as a HeroicSeductress when necessary.
130	* IconicSequelCharacter: Black Widow is one of the most well-known Avengers, but she was originally an ComicBook/IronMan villain and she didn't become an official Avenger until issue #111.
131	* IconicOutfit: Her black SpyCatsuit is her most well-known attire.
132	* IdealIllnessImmunity: The Red Room's SuperSerum augmented her immune system making her immune to diseases and making her body heal faster from injuries than a normal person.
133	* ImpossiblyCoolWeapon: Her "Widow's Bite" wrist gauntlets, which shoot out energy blasts.
134	* ImprobableAimingSkills: While not used as often as the likes of ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} or ComicBook/{{Deadshot}}, Natasha has occasionally displayed incredible marksmanship. She once shot out Hawkeye's bowstring while he was in the middle of firing causing him to miss his target.
135	* ImprovisedWeapon: Part of being a master spy is being able to turn anything in her surrounding as a potential weapon. For example, in Issue #2 of the Kelly Thompson series, Natasha uses her necklace as a weapon when fighting off some alley thugs.
136	* InstantSedation: The "Widow's Kiss" is an aerosol instant knock-out drug that can be fired from her SuperWristGadget. When used it appears to be purplish pink fumes that can knock out a person for more than twenty hours.
137	* InterruptedBath: In an issue of ''Marvel Fanfare'' she had a square of goons break into her apartment as she was showering. She manages to avoid a DeadlyBath by [[KillTheLights turning off the lights]] and making a dive for her costume, [[ChangingClothesIsAFreeAction quickly putting it on]] quite the goons scrambled in the dark and by the time they got the lights back on she was already fully quitted out (if still dripping wet) and made short work of them.
138	* KarmaHoudini: Natasha has never really had any backlash from her initial manipulation of Clint (she started dating him in order to set him against Iron Man) and they're still friends.
139	* KickingAssInAllHerFinery: PlayedWith in an issue of ''Black Widow'', which sees Natasha and ComicBook/{{X 23}} raiding a hotel and casino, while dressed to the nines. Laura makes a point of ditching her heels and earrings before the shooting starts, though she's still wearing a very nice top and pants that wouldn't be the most practical to fight in.
140	* KickChick: Natasha often utilises her powerful legs in combat, in her first solo comic in ''Marvel Fanfare'' she kills a man by snapping his neck with one strong kick.
141	* KilledOffForReal:
142	** In the ComicBook/UltimateMarvel universe, [[spoiler:she was killed by Hawkeye because she killed his whole family]].
143	** In the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, [[spoiler:she sacrifices herself in ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' to allow the Avengers to claim the Soul Stone]].
144	* KindHeartedCatLover: Natasha doesn't exactly admit to this, at first. In the 2014 series, a black cat keeps showing up at her apartment. Nat eventually warms to the animal, naming it "Liho".
145	* LegacyCharacter:
146	** Recent stories introduced a rival Black Widow from Russia, Yelena Belova. Various stories have played with the idea of Natasha coming from a group of multiple Black Widow trainees.
147	** In Ultimate continuity, Monica Chang and Jessica Drew both take up the Black Widow codename after Natasha Romanov.
148	** Marvel's predecessor, Timely Comics, published stories starring a character named the Black Widow in the 30s, although they share little in common beyond the name.
149	** Done explicitly in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, with the film ''Film/{{Black Widow\|2021}}'' revolving around the training facility that molds dozens of young girls into Black Widows. And even years before that, it was shown that [[spoiler:a predecessor Black Widow was active in the 1940s as a major enemy in ''Series/AgentCarter'']].
150	* LighterAndSofter: Waid & Samnee's run of the character seems to be heading in this direction, much like how they reinvented Daredevil into more of a swashbuckling figure after years of darker tones with the character.
151	* LiteralManEater: PlayedForLaughs in one of the gag comics in Marvel's ''ComicBook/WhatIf Vol. 1 #34''; using the suggestion "What if ComicBook/SpiderMan had married the ComicBook/BlackWidow?" as its basis, it consists of a single panel with [[BlackComedyCannibalism Black Widow picking her teeth with a bone]] and emitting a BurpOfFinality, whilst Spider-man's emptied costume and a few scattered human bones make his fate evident.
152	* LongLived: Despite [[OlderThanTheyLook looking like she's in her late twenties]], she was actually born in 1928, but she took the Sovier version of Captain America's SuperSerum that slows down her aging as part of the Black Widow Program.
153	* LostInCharacter: In a 1970s ''Marvel Team-Up'' story, a combination of psychological conditioning and PTSD left Natasha mentally "stuck" in her cover identity as mousy schoolteacher Nancy Rushman. ComicBook/SpiderMan was forced to protect her from Hydra assassins while she was all but helpless in that persona, but she eventually snapped out of it in a couple of issues.
154	* LoveMakesYouEvil: Natasha's [[TheMentor mentor]] Ivan Petrovich had unrequited feelings for her for almost as long as he knew her, despite her only seeing him as a friend and father figure. Eventually, this caused him to snap and concoct a plan in which he [[FakingTheDead faked his death]], unleashed nanobots that targeted everyone Natasha knew and cared for including her former lovers, transferred his brain into a cyborg body and intended to unleash nuclear devastation upon the world. Natasha [[KillTheOnesYouLove was forced to kill him]] to put an end to his evil plot and as a result, lost her oldest and dearest friend.
155	* MaleMightFemaleFinesse: ComicBook/BuckyBarnes and Natasha had this dynamic as a BattleCouple. Bucky had a cybernetic arm and used guns and his shield whereas Natasha was an [[SheFu acrobatic fighter]] with a SuperWristGadget.
156	* MagicSkirt: Natasha and [[ComicBook/ValkyrieMarvelComics Valkyrie]] both [[https://2.bp.blogspot.com/3GSxtZkB-6up5hfV4DeOU0NujFonVy1RNNdwoJI-qQxPHj28y58FLjW7JPy3SOvftEqk3U9AsGXh=s1600 demonstrate this]] in the first issue of ''ComicBook/SecretAvengers'', doing an impressive amount of SheFu against a troop of armed guards in short cocktail dresses without flashing their underwear.
157	* MamaBear: In her 2020 miniseries Natasha becomes a mother thanks to Hydra kidnapping her and using her genes to genetically engineer a baby boy named Stevie, whom in spite of the circumstances of his birth she genuinely loves even after her housewife brainwashing wears off. Any foes within in a square mile radius of her son will die... ''no hyperbole''. This was extensively shown when a group of assassins attacked her house and the TranquilFury she delivers to Hydra after they tried to blow Stevie and James (his father) up.
158	* MasterActor: Especially when going undercover, she can swap roles on the fly to adapt to the situation, being able to switch from TheStoic to TheCharmer in seconds, depending on who she's talking to.
159	* MasterOfDisguise: Natasha is one, being able to pass unnoticed in almost any crowd without any serious effort, despite her [[HeadTurningBeauty stunning good looks]] and global fame as an Avenger.
160	* MovieSuperheroesWearBlack: Inverted/played with; in ''Film/IronMan2'', her SpyCatsuit was made dark blue, rather than black like the comics, to make it look more like a SHIELD outfit. Then ''Film/{{The Avengers\|2012}}'' and ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'', her suit is black, but also redesigned to look more like tactical gear than a simple catsuit.
161	* MsFanservice: Under the pen of certain artists, she's drawn with the MostCommonSuperPower and ImpossibleHourglassFigure with a lot of MaleGaze, all of that while wearing a [[SensualSpandex skin-tight black catsuit]]. Several of her stories have at least one {{fanservice}} scene.
162	** During her appearances in ''Amazing Adventures'' she was constantly seen undressing or putting on her SpyCatsuit, with most panels using ShouldersUpNudity but a few showing more skin. She also had an infamous ShowerScene with only GodivaHair covering her breasts.
163	** During a ''Marvel Fanfare'' story, in order to escape a cell, she stripped and tore down her SpyCatsuit to make a BedsheetLadder, and made herself a [[ImprovisedClothes tiny makeshift bikini with what remained of her catsuit]], which she wore for the rest of the story.
164	** In ''ComicBook/IronMan'' #269 her entire introduction is a long gratuitous {{fanservice}} sequence showing her morning routine. It starts in her apartment where she SleepsInTheNude under a ModestyBedsheet but suddenly wakes up in a CatapultNightmare in a panel with ToplessnessFromTheBack and {{Sideboob}}. She then gets up and gets dressed (SceneryCensor blocking any nudity) and goes for a [[WorkoutFanservice morning workout routine]], with [[MaleGaze several close-up shots of her body]] as she exercises and ''then'' she goes to have a ShowerScene to wash away the sweat (CensorSteam covering her) and goes back to her room in a tiny bathrobe that barely covers her legs and exposes a ton of cleavage. All while the narration boxes keep telling the viewer just how gorgeous she is.
165	** The ''Black Widow: The Coldest War'' graphic novel features several scenes with her in a state of undress, such as changing clothes, a ShowerOfAngst and a {{flashback}} sex scene with her husband Alexei.
166	* MundaneUtility: She once used her "Widow's Line" just to pick up the phone.
167	* MurderousThighs: She has choked or {{Neck Snap}}ped quite a few people with her legs, to the point it became her SignatureMove in the [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU]] adaptation.
168	* NavelDeepNeckline: Several of her costumes expose a fair deal of cleavage, sometimes down to her stomach, especially in the early 2010s.
169	* NoodleIncident:
170	** Recent depictions of Black Widow have occasionally made reference to a past action from her assassin days that continues to haunt her. In the comics, it's the fact she once destroyed a hospital during a mission, killing many innocents inside, including children. The first ''Avengers'' movie also references the hospital, among other acts, for which the film version of Natalia is shown to be TheAtoner.
171	** Another one from the ''Avengers'' movie that fans latched onto is the vague reference to "Budapest". Though the exact nature of what the incident is wasn't discussed beyond the fact that she and Clint "remember Budapest very differently", but ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' has an extended scene where its revealed to have been one of the many atrocities she committed and regrets. It's finally discussed in full in [[Film/{{Black Widow\|2021}} her own movie]], as [[spoiler:she intentionally led a young girl to her death in order to get to her target]].
172	* OlderHeroVsYoungerVillain: Has this dynamic with Yelena Belova. Natasha is around 80 years old thanks to the serum that slowed down her aging and is far more experienced than the younger Yelena. Natasha even sometimes refers to Yelena as "little one".
173	* OlderThanTheyLook: Thanks to a mysterious Soviet chemical, she's around 80 years old and still looks fabulous.
174	* OldFriend: With ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}, given they're both TheAgeless a ''Wolverine: Origins'' story reveals they both worked together back in the Cold War years and he even helped her train in martial arts.
175	* {{Omniglot}}: She proficient in every major language spoken in Earth.
176	* OvertOperative: Natasha has been a member of two very public superhero teams ([[ComicBook/Champions1975 the Champions]] and ComicBook/TheAvengers), wears a very distinct SpyCatsuit (which doesn't come with a mask) and has a tendency to reveal who she is on her missions (assuming the people she's interacting with aren't already aware of who she is). She has been the subject of at least two nationwide manhunts and a limited series by Devin Grayson features a scene that shows a gossip magazine with Natasha and ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}'s break up on the cover - even her love life is a matter of public knowledge.
177	* ParentalSubstitute: Natasha was raised and mentored by Ivan Petrovich after he rescued her as an orphan, and even after her HeelFaceTurn he served as her chauffeur while she was on missions with Daredevil or The Champions. But he secretly actually harbored romantic feelings for her, which [[LoveMakesYouEvil eventually drove him to betray her]] to become a {{Cyborg}} villain.
178	* PinPullingTeeth: Natasha does this in ''ComicBook/SecretAvengers'' #31 as she tosses a grenade into the engine of a plane, her other arm being occupied in clinging to the outside of the plane.
179	* PoorlyDisguisedPilot ''Amazing ComicBook/SpiderMan'' #86 was meant to set up the short-lived ''Black Widow'' solo series that appeared in ''Amazing Adventures''.
180	* PrettyInMink: To play up her Russian FemmeFatale look, she has worn some flattering furs, from a brown mink stole in her very first appearance in ''Iron Man'', and [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/black_widow_proper_look.jpg a white mink coat and hat]], over a [[FormFittingWardrobe slinky purple dress]], in a mid-90s issue.
181	* ProfessionalKiller: The majority of her work as a FemmeFataleSpy has been assassinations, and even after her HeelFaceTurn she still works as an assassin for SHIELD from time to time.
182	* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Mandrill had Natasha and other women completely under his control using his powers. Making them love him. Natasha was forced to give out Daredevil’s secret identity. But it wasn't the only thing she gave Mandrill.
183	* ReadyForLovemaking: She's fond of sneaking into the quarters of her paramours to surprise them in a seductive manner. It doesn't work on Matt though, since he can hear and smell her in his bed long before he walks in the room.
184	* RealLifeSuperpowers: Her beauty, intelligence, and fighting skills are legendary.
185	* ReallyGetsAround: She has been accused of this time and again, though the actual number is not that large, and is mostly done for missions and obtaining intel. Also notable that her many conquests include such notorious womanizers as Iron Man, Hercules, Daredevil, and Hawkeye, as well as Bucky Barnes, the fifth Captain America.
186	* RedIsHeroic: She began to use red as part of her ColorMotif along with black after her HeelFaceTurn.
187	* {{Retcon}}: Started out with black hair and was only "revealed" as actually a redhead in her ASM #86 makeover.
188	* RoguesGallery: Damon Dran, Iron Maiden, Ex-husband Red Guardian, ex-mentor Ivan Petrovich, rival red room member Yelena Belova, Snapdragon, Mandrill, Recluse, Viper, Weeping Lion, Imus Champion, Black Lotus, and Bullseye.
189	* RoofHopping: She's able to keep up with the likes of Daredevil and Spider-man by using a combination of her acrobatic skills and GrapplingHookPistol to BuildingSwing.
190	* SensualSlavs: She is a Russian FemmeFatale. Certain writers really play up the Russian-ness in combination with sensuality and take it to some really stereotypical and creepy places! Rule of thumb: if she's being written with a Russian accent, she's usually being written as {{fanservice}}.
191	* SexGoddess: As a trained expert in the field of seduction, she's ''very'' proficient at pleasuring others and has been regarded as a skilled lover by past paramours. She's even been blessed by a literal sex godesss such as Amora the Enchantress.
192	* SheFu: Natasha is a skilled acrobat and gymnast and frequently incorporates those skills in her fighting style, such as performing many flips and cartwheels.
193	* SinisterSilhouettes: She's presented as [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/black_widow_silhouette.jpg an intimidating silhouette]] on the cover of ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #86 where she first debuted her SpyCatsuit costume and fought Spidey.
194	* SneakySpider: She is named for the famous spider and [[AnimalThemedSuperbeing has weaponry themed around it]]. She fittingly started out a manipulative FemmeFataleSpy.
195	* SpyCatsuit: Her "hero" outfit is a black, full-body catsuit. It's made of an advanced synthetic stretch fabric that is highly resistant to damage, such as blunt attacks, [[BulletProofVest small arms fire]] and high temperatures. It also has microscopic suction cups on it that allow her to [[WallCrawl scale walls]] and [[CeilingCling cling to ceilings]], much like a spider.
196	* StartingANewLife: Weaponized against Black Widow in the 2020 Thompson-headed series. A cabal of her villains places a mind-wiped Nat in a challenging and fulfilling architectural career while being married to an intelligent good looking man who was put through mutual brainwashing with her to ensure they genuinely know and love each other. Their nuclear family is completed with a toddler cooked up from their genetics in a UterineReplicator during the whole process. In short her life is idyllic, why would she try to leave it even if her real memories are resurfacing?
197	* StaticStunGun: Her wrist gauntlets fire electric shocks called the "Widow's Bite."
198	* StealthExpert: One of her skills is how to sneak around, usually being TheSneakyGuy of TheTeam. She's able to infiltrate high-security places either unseen or unnoticed, either via pure stealth or [[MasterOfDisguise using disguises]]. She once manages to sneak up on Tony's bedroom, even though his house has one of the best securities in the world.
199	* TheStoic: DependingOnTheWriter, she can have a demeanor of chilly professionalism.
200	* StockForeignName: "Natasha" is a stock female name for Russian's.
201	* StrongAndSkilled: Natasha spent many years going through TrainingFromHell in the Red Room to become a ProfessionalKiller and super spy trained in many forms of combat, long before she got a SuperSerum which made her strong enough to snap a man's neck with one kick. She also frequently fights super-powered beings, and once ripped off a lizard man's tail and used it as a weapon.
202	* SuperheroPackingHeat: Given she's an EmpoweredBadassNormal SuperHero, she often resorts to firearms for combat.
203	* SuperheroesWearTights: She wears her SpyCatsuit outfit when she's doing her SuperHero work.
204	* SuperReflexes: She has enhanced superhuman reflexes that allow her to DodgeTheBullet at a medium range.
205	* SuperSoldier: Received a mysterious formula from her Soviet masters that was shown to slow her aging. Some writers have implied that it also was responsible for placing her in peak human condition or gave vague enhancements to her strength and speed.
206	* SuperWristGadget: Natasha's gauntlets can [[GrapplingHookPistol fire grappling hooks]], [[TranquillizerDart knock-out drugs]], [[StaticStunGun stun gun charges]], [[HandBlasts explosives]], and {{Tracking Device}}s. They were inspired by [[ComicBook/SpiderMan Spidey's]] web-shooters InUniverse (and doubtless out of universe as well).
207	* SympathyForTheDevil: A one-shot story by Jim Starlin has Natasha and Daredevil going up against a SerialKiller named Rose who has murdered at ''least'' 40 {{telepath\|y}}s. When Rose captures Natasha, it is revealed that Rose is a telepath herself and that as a child she was sexually abused by her father while her mother refused to believe her. Eventually, Rose's mother was killed by her father which caused Rose to snap and use her powers to make him commit suicide. When she discovered other telepaths existed she began a killing spree because she "wanted to be special". Despite the depravity of Rose's crimes, the fact that one of her victims was an old friend of Natasha's and that Natasha herself kills Rose, the Russian spy cannot help but shed tears over how a little girl was twisted and broken into becoming such a monster. That Rose was sharing her memories with Natasha telepathically might have contributed to Natasha's reaction.
208	* ThrillSeeker: She often enjoys the thrill of being in action, and the first time she donned her iconic SpyCatsuit and fought Spider-Man it was purely because she was bored of her civilian life.
209	* TooKinkyToTorture: She once ended up BoundAndGagged after ComicBook/{{Deadpool}} captured the Secret Avengers. After freeing her, Deadpool remarked that she seemed to be enjoying herself while tied up. Widow's response? "[[CovertPervert A little, yes.]]"
210	* UnderestimatingBadassery: Natasha runs into this from time to time. There are adversaries who dismiss her for being a woman, lacking in superpowers or who just don't think the Black Widow was anything other than a UsefulNotes/ColdWar myth. In issue 3 of ''Black Widow and the Marvel Girls'' she says that she prefers when people underestimate her and fears that anyone knowing her full potential robs her of a disadvantage.
211	* UnderhandedHero: Even as a SuperHero, deception and manipulation are still some of her most valuable skills and she isn't above using many of the dirty tricks she used as a FemmeFataleSpy.
212	* UnknownRival: The Iron Maiden (Melina Vostokoff) was a Russian agent who has been living in the Black Widow's shadow for years, which caused Melina to hold a grudge against the clueless Natasha.
213	* WhatTheHellHero:
214	** Natasha gets one from ComicBook/SpiderWoman after she executes five people in Avengers #11 [[spoiler:who were all mass-murdering terrorists and/or criminals, but still..]].
215	--> '''Jessica''': Unnecessary! ''Unnecessary''!
216	** Yelena Belova gave one to Natasha in Greg Rucka and Devin Grayson's ''Black Widow'' miniseries. The story has Natasha subject herself and Yelena to MagicPlasticSurgery to make them look like each other and frame Yelena for Natasha's (false) murder. While the secondary plan involved capturing Yelena's corrupt superior, Natasha's true goal was to make Yelena see how cruel and harsh the life of an espionage agent was. Yelena is furious with Natasha's mind games but given that she eventually did retire from the spy life (for a while at least) it seems the plan did work.
217	* WorkingTheSameCase: A common scenario for having her teaming up with different heroes, given her espionage skills can have her working on a vast array of villains anywhere in the world. In the "Death of the Dream" storyline in ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' she said this word for word upon learning she, ComicBook/TheFalcon and ComicBook/{{Agent 13}} are all looking for [[ComicBook/BuckyBarnes the Winter Soldier]], but for vastly different reasons.
218	* WithMyHandsTied: After a CarnivalOfKillers managed to tie her up, they start squabbling over what to do with them. Natasha takes advantage of their distraction to start kicking their asses with just her untied legs.
219	* WorkoutFanservice:
220	** ''Iron Man'' #269 has a sequence of Natasha working out in her apartment and [[MaleGaze both the art and narration]] bring attention to her toned body. And she even ends the sequence by having a ShowerScene.
221	** In ''ComicBook/MightyAvengers'' #2 introduces Natasha in a scene of her training in the SHIELD Helicarrier, with the panels [[MaleGaze giving focus to her rear]] and legs several times.
222	* {{Xenafication}}: Natasha originally was just a FemmeFataleSpy whose main weapon [[HoneyTrap was seduction]] and let other people do the fighting for her. When she [[HeelFaceTurn switched]] to the good side it was [[{{Retcon}} retroactively made apparent]] that Natasha was always combat-trained due to the TrainingFromHell she got in the Black Widow program along with a SuperSerum that made her OneWomanArmy super-assassin capable breaking a man's neck [[KickChick with one kick]]. The ComicBook/UltimateMarvel and [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU]] versions ditch all her early characterization and make Nat an ActionGirl from the start, though she’s still [[HeroicSeductress very skilled at seducing]].

Context Comicbook / BlackWidow