Black Widow

**Natasha Romanoff** is a Russian spy and superhero, known as **Black Widow**.

## History

### Background

Natasha Romanoff is a Russian spy and assassin of the Red Room turned agent of SHIELD code-named, "Black Widow". Due to her extensive training in martial-arts and espionage, Natasha was one of SHIELD's top agents.

### The Avengers

Around 2011, Black Widow was part of the Avengers Initiative orchestrated by SHIELD director Nick Fury where Fury had her monitor the team for him. She participated in the Battle of New York, saving New York City from Loki and his army of Chitauri. Around 2015, she would have been a part of the Avengers saving Sokovia from the evil robot Ultron.

### Stark Expo France

At some point in time, Natasha was invited by Tony Stark to attend a Stark Expo in Paris. Thor was present at the expo along with superheroes Spider-Man and Thor, to entertain guests in Tony Stark's absence. Here, Tony Stark presented a new Arc Reactor created in collaboration with the nation of Wakanda to be more efficiently and powerfully built with the metal vibranium.

However, Loki began using his mind altering sceptre to manipulate the superheroes into fighting one-another so that he could steal the arc reactor. While Thor was initially able to overpower Loki, this turned out to be just the precursor to a larger attack from Red Skull and HYDRA who joined forces with Loki to trade the arc reactor with Red Skull's *Casket of Ancient Winters*. Red Skull gave Loki the casket, allowing the trickster to freeze and incapacitate all of the superheroes present.

Red Skull subsequently betrayed Loki, only for Black Widow to contact the superhero Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel showed up and was able to overcome the casket's power, before disintegrating Red Skull.

### Avengers Campus

In the November of 2016, Tony Stark opened the *Super Hero Academy* in an old SHIELD mobile base/bunker. Natasha attended the opening-day ceremonies alongside Captain America, Iron Man and Spider-Man. Widow proceeded to be an instructor of martial-arts at the school.

In 2019, Stark began developing *Avengers Campus California* with Black Widow as one of the Avengers members located at the outpost. On one incident, Natasha prevented the villainous Taskmaster from stealing a payload of Vibranium transported from Wakanda to the campus via Quinjet.

## Appearances

### A Touch of Disney

Before Avengers Campus opened, the construction walls had a Black Widow photo-op with her logo.

### Avengers Assemble: Flight Force

Natasha is in the database of Avengers members.

### Avengers Stunt Show

Black Widow is one of the main superheroes to be featured in this stunt-show, typically fighting Taskmaster.

### Avengers Training Initiative

Black Widow and Hawkeye appear to demonstrate combat to recruits.

### Marvel Super Hero Academy

Natasha is listed as teaching martial arts in the physical education curriculum. In *The Daily Bugle*, Robbie Robertson mentions her having attended the school's public opening. Her Black Widow symbol appears on one of the school's crests and her gauntlets on are display.

### Shawarma Palace

Black Widow's likeness is featured on a poster decorating this food-stand.

### Stark Expo: Make Way for a Better Tomorrow!

Black Widow is one of the heroes in this show.

## Trivia

* Like Hawkeye, the Black Widow of the comics originates as an Iron Man villain who later reformed and joined the Avengers.
* Black Widow's "Red Room" origin story used in the parks was a retcon of her original backstory in the comics created by infamously controversial comic-book writer, Devin Grayson.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2021/03/20/heres-every-photo-op-at-disney-california-adventures-new-event/