Natasha Romanoff

real Name Natalia Alianovna Romanoff[1] Alias(es) Natasha Romanoff[2] Codenames Black Widow[3] Derivatives Nat[3] Organizational Names Natalia Alianovna Romanova[4] In-Universe Media Quack (with Quake)[5] Undercover Aliases Natalie Rushman[2] Laura Matthers[6] Zsuzsanna Maza[7] Rufina Zueva (Руфина Зуева)[8] Nicole Rowley[9] Tatiana Sokolova[10] Alion Vans[10] Irina Zlataryova[11] Marya Konn[11] Audrey[12] Hawley[1] Fanny Longbottom[13] Melina Vostokoff[13] Species Human Citizenship Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet (formerly) Flag of Russia Russian (formerly) Flag of United States of America American Gender Female Date of Birth December 3,[14] 1984[1] Date of Death August 2014 (time-traveled from October 16, 2023)[15][16] Blipped No[17] Clearance Level 7 (formerly) Title(s) Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (formerly) Notary Public (undercover; formerly) Affiliation Red Room (formerly) Black widow seal Black Widows (formerly) KGB RB KGB (formerly) S.H.I.E.L.D. Profile S.H.I.E.L.D. (formerly) S.H.I.E.L.D. STRIKE STRIKE Team: Delta (formerly) Hammer Icon Hammer Industries (formerly; undercover) Stark Industries - Infobox Logo Stark Industries (formerly; undercover) Avengers Logo Avengers

Natalia Alianovna Romanoff was born on December 3, 1984[13][1] in Volgograd, Soviet Union.[18] As an infant, she was deemed by the Red Room to possess genetic potential, and was purchased from her birth family. However, Romanoff's mother was not in agreement and proceeded to search for her, until General Dreykov had her killed to prevent the Red Room Program's existence from being revealed.[13] Romanoff was brought up within the Red Room Academy, where she endured both an education and indoctrination into the world of spy-craft.[19] Romanoff became the star pupil in in this strict training environment.[20] As part of her training, she was taught to compartmentalize her feelings. As she grew up within the Red Room program, she heard stories about the legendary Captain America.

Personality "I'm realizing it's impossible to ever know who you really are. I mean, to me, you're a turncoat assassin, but then you go and save the world when the world wants to lock you up. It's simply impossible to know whose side you're on." ―Thaddeus Ross to Natasha Romanoff[src] The entirety of Romanoff's character was hard to distinguish based on how she tricked and lied to people for a living. She was capable of convincingly portraying friendly and flirtatious, timid, vulnerable, and scared. For the most part, she was a level-headed, strong-willed, and independent woman. Romanoff normally maintained a controlled, almost emotionless persona to keep whatever she was thinking a secret unless she was around people she absolutely trusts. Although she was more than willing to rush into deadly battle and other unnerving missions for S.H.I.E.L.D., she was not completely fearless, as she was visibly frightened of Hulk. However, she was no longer afraid of him due to falling in love with Bruce Banner.

Though a very serious agent, Romanoff was by no means stuffy and has a sarcastic sense of humor, which mostly surfaces when she was with Captain America or Hawkeye, both of whom she was comfortable around. Romanoff was very smart and loyal which was displayed when she made good on the debts she owed Barton and Rogers (saving the former from Loki's mind control and trying to protect the latter during a highway assault). While tough and at times ruthless, she was still a good person and can be quite heroic in her own right. These qualities are usually brought out by her other Avengers, mainly her missions with Steve Rogers. And no matter how injured she was in battle, Romanoff will go out her way to make sure bystanders are out of harm's way (keeping several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents away when Banner was transforming into Hulk, helping Hawkeye evacuate civilians when the Chitauri attacked Manhattan, and risking her life to make sure innocent people weren't shot by the Winter Soldier when he was chasing her). Her close loyalty to both Rogers and Barton was shown in the Avengers Civil War, as she was willing to aid their faction despite being forced to go on the run from the United Nations afterward. As a result of her childhood, she considered the Avengers her family, being desperate to keep them together when the Sokovia Accords were due to be signed and was affected when Tony Stark denounced her as a friend and made it clear he would not help her in the future. She was further shocked and saddened when Barton following the loss of his family became more ruthless and violent when she encountered him in Tokyo.

Romanoff was also very close with Clint Barton's family, especially with his and Laura Barton's only daughter, Lila, being the only member of Avengers who knew of their existence. Romanoff was genuinely affectionate with the child, hugging her the moment they reunited and sweetly commended the little girl on the drawing she made. They originally named their youngest child after Romanoff before them discovering that it was, in fact, a boy, thus naming him Nathaniel instead, with Romanoff humorously referring to the unborn child as a "traitor." This was further proven in Vormir where she refused to let Clint sacrifice himself, knowing how much he meant to his family and vice-versa, and sacrificed herself instead because she believed she had less to lose.

Romanoff was sterilized as a rite-of-passage for her graduation from the training she underwent in the Red Room under the supervision of Madame B. This event deeply affected her, as she regretfully told Banner of the so-called advantages of the procedure.

Despite her lifestyle of espionage and operating within the shadows, Romanoff's adaptability influenced her opinions on the Sokovia Accords. Realizing the difference between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers with many of their activities seen in the light of day amongst the public, Romanoff wanted to appease public opinions by signing and also that she didn't want conflict with her close friends and teammates like Barton and Rogers. This care for Captain America eventually caused Romanoff to betray Stark's team and assist their escape so they could clear Barnes' name, eventually becoming a fugitive because of this.

Despite her harsh and traumatic upbringing, Romanoff retained a kind, caring and compassionate side of her, with Melina Vostokoff expressing surprise at how she was able to keep her heart after all she had been through. For years, she harbored deep resentment and guilt towards herself due to the damage she had caused during her time in the Red Room and S.H.I.E.L.D, and spend most of her life attempting to make up for her actions. This was most evident when she freed Taskmaster from Dreykov's control, and tearfully apologized to her adoptive sister Yelena Belova for not coming back for her.