"Know Your superheroes" series : Black Widow

BLACK WIDOW 

Alter ego of: Natasha Romanoff (aka Natalie Rushman) 

Played by: Scarlett Johansson

First appeared on TV: "The Marvel Super Heroes" animated show, 1966

First appeared in movies: Supporting role in "Iron Man 2" (2010) 

First appeared in comics: As an enemy of Iron Man in "Tales of Suspense," April 1964 

Appearance : She wears a black jumpsuit based from the comics. She wears wrist blasters, has red hair and green eyes.


Who and what: One of a series of women, all using the same code name, who were trained from childhood in Soviet-era Russia as assassins with expertise in weapons, martial arts and the techniques of spycraft. She has been an enemy of various of the Avengers over the years, but in the incarnation presented in this film she's on the side of good. She is romantically linked with Hawkeye, who has also been (or been perceived to be) on both sides of the law

S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Natasha Romanoff (Natalia "Natasha" Alianovna Romanova), a.k.a. Black Widow, is one of the world's greatest spies and is quite possibly the world's most skilled assassin. Armed with an extensive arsenal of specialized weapons like widow stings and cluster bombs, as well as a vast repertoire of martial arts skills, Romanoff's unique talents makes her one of director Fury's top agents and an integral part in assembling The Avengers.

She seems to have a dark history in the films, as Loki mentioned that her ledger was "covered in red." At some point in time Hawk eye had been ordered to kill her, but instead offered her a new life working for S.H.I.E.L.D.