Black Cat

* Black Cat
* Felicia Hardy

*Looking for another article with the name Black Cat? Check out the Black Cat disambiguation page.*
**Felicia Hardy** is the daughter of a business woman and a world renowned thief. After Felicia was given the Super Soldier Serum, she was transformed into a super soldier. Felicia then took the name **Black Cat** and became a criminal. However, Black Cat later changed her ways and became an ally to Spider-Man.

## History

### Later life

#### Damsel in distress

As a young adult Felicia started going to Empire State University where she began dating Flash Thompson. However, she started to develop feelings for Peter Parker. When Felicia hosted a charity ball for the Hardy Foundation, J. Jonah Jameson assigned Peter Parker to photograph the ball for the Daily Bugle. During the ball Felicia began to dance with Peter much to the annoyance of Flash Thompson. The ball was soon attacked by the Black Widow Spider Slayer. After this Peter got his Aunt May to safety. The day after Spider-Man defeated the Black Widow, Peter returned to J. Jonah Jameson's apartment where Felicia scolded him for abandoning her when the Black Widow attacked the party.

Sometime later Felicia forgave Peter for abandoning her and decided to go on a date with him. As Peter arrived at the Hardy mansion she was kidnapped by Doctor Octopus. When the F.B.I. arrived they questioned Peter but did not believe his story about a man with four mechanical arms. However, when Anastasia Hardy arrived she saw the signature on the ransom note was that of Otto Octavius and revealed to the F.B.I. that he used to work for her and that he must want revenge because the Hardy Foundation quite funding his scientific research. When Doctor Octopus contacted the Daily Bugle he told J. Jonah Jameson to deliver the ransom himself. Spider-Man followed Jameson and then fought Doctor Octopus but failed to stop him. Doctor Octopus then took Jameson hostage and demanded twice the ransom. Once again Doctor Octopus contacted the Daily Bugle and Peter then delivered the ransom himself to an abandoned rocket assembly plant. Peter was eventually able to change into his Spider-Man costume and confronted Doctor Octopus. However, during their fight Spider-Man accidentally activated a test rocket engine right above Felicia's head that began a countdown. Spider-man was eventually able to defeat Doctor Octopus and save Felicia and Jameson before the rocket engine could burn them alive.

#### Dating Michael Morbius

When Felicia first met Michael Morbius she believed he was very strange. However, one night while leaving the Coffee Bean a mugger grabbed her purse and ran off. Morbius just so happened to walk by at that moment and was able to get the purse back and return it to Felicia. After this Felicia began to fall for Morbius and started to date him.

Sometime later Felicia discovered that Morbius had a secret laboratory on the ESU campus and went there to visit him. As they talked Morbius revealed that the reason he came to America and started going to ESU was because he wanted to find a cure for a strange disease that was afflicting his hometown in Europe. When Felicia heard this, she saw how much of a caring person he was and began to fall in love with him. Sometime later Morbius was in a Neogenic accident and was turned into a vampire. Morbius then fought Spider-Man and after turning back into a human he was rushed to the hospital. That day Felicia went to visit Morbius in the hospital. However, as night fell Morbius turned into a vampire and flew out of his window. As Felicia entered the hospital room, she noticed that Morbius was missing and believed Spider-Man was responsible for his disappearance. Felicia then contacted the police who began to hunt Spider-Man.

Morbius later stole the Neogenic Recombinator from Empire State University and planned to use it to turn everyone in New York City into vampires. Spider-Man knew that Felicia would be the first person Morbius would want to turn into a vampire, so he went to her apartment to keep an eye on her. However, while Spider-Man was distracted Morbius went into Felicia's apartment. At that time Felicia was asleep. As Morbius called out her name she woke up but was terrified to see Morbius as a vampire. Morbius then abducted Felicia and took her to an abandoned cargo ship. Spider-Man followed then and was soon joined by Blade and Terri Lee. After a brief fight with Spider-Man and Blade, Morbius realized he needed help fighting them, so he went into the cargo ship and was about to turn Felicia into a vampire with the Neogenic Recombinator. However, Felicia told Morbius that the man she fell in love with wanted to stop a plague and all the pain and suffering it caused but he was now a plague on humanity. Morbius then agreed to find someone that could help him be turned back to a human. At that moment Blade and Spider-Man broke into the ship and the Neogenic Recombinator was accidentally activated. As the Recombinator's beam moved closer to Felicia, Morbius jumped in front of the beam to prevent Felicia from turning into a vampire. However, the Neogenic Recombinator completely merged Morbius' body with bat DNA which turned him into a giant bat creature. As Morbius flew away Felicia asked Spider-Man what happened to Morbius. As Spider-Man examined the Neogenic Recombinator he told Felicia that Morbius' DNA was totally merged with that of a vampire bat and that he would never be human again. Felicia was saddened by this and cried because she lost the love of her life.

#### Feelings for Spider-Man

Eventually Anastasia Hardy was kidnapped by the Green Goblin and Spider-Man was able to save her.

After saving Anastasia, Felicia gave a not to Peter and asked him to give it to Spider-Man.

Later that night Peter, as Spider-Man, arrived at Felicia's apartment. Felicia then thanked Spider-Man for saving her mother. Felicia then pulled Spider-Man's mask up above his nose and kissed him. However, Spider-Man quickly pulled away and told Felicia that he could not have a girlfriend because it would put her in danger.

#### Jason Macendale

Felicia later met a man named Jason Philips who was donating money to the Hardy Foundation Science Center. The two of them began to date.

During one of their dates Felicia and Jason went to the Coney Island Carnival. After Jason won a carnival game he received a toy spider. This frustrated Jason because for one night he didn't want some kind of spider coming between him and Felicia. Felicia told Jason that she couldn't help the way he felt about Spider-Man. However, Felicia soon realized that she needed to start paying more attention to Jason Philips.

After some time, Jason asked Felicia to marry him which she accepted.

Eventually Felicia and Jason had their engagement party. Peter attended the party with Mary Jane Watson. As Peter witnessed Norman Osborn and Wilson Fisk step outside to talk Peter quickly changed into his Spider-Man costume and eavesdropped on their conversation. Spider-Man learned that the Hobgoblin was once again working for Kingpin and he was planning to rob the city's gold repository. However, Kingpin did not trust Hobgoblin and wanted to learn from Osborn who he really was. As soon as Kingpin and Norman walked away Spider-Man jumped down to the mansion's balcony where he was spotted by Felicia Hardy. Felicia asked Spider-Man if he was there to congratulate her on her engagement or if he was there to profess his feelings to her. However, Spider-Man thought to himself that he couldn't have one girlfriend as Peter Parker then another as Spider-Man and told Felicia that he was happy for her.

Later that night Felicia began looking through Jason's study thinking of ways to redecorate. While doing this Felicia accidentally discovered a secret room housing several goblin weapons. Felicia then turned around and saw the Hobgoblin standing behind her. Hobgoblin then removed his mask revealing himself to be Felicia's fiancé, Jason Philips. Jason revealed to Felicia that his real name was actually Jason Philip Macendale and that everything he owned was all from crime. Felicia became scared and said that she couldn't marry him. However, Jason threatened to kill Felicia unless she married him. Just before Jason could harm Felicia, the Green Goblin arrived and took Felicia and Jason hostage and brough them to OsCorp.

After arriving at OsCorp, Green Goblin suspended both Felicia and Jason above a vat of acid and started to lower them into it. However, Spider-Man quickly arrived and was able to save Felicia and Jason. Spider-Man also briefly fought Green Goblin, but he was able to get away. With them safe Felicia asked Jason why he turned to crime. Jason explained that he had nothing to begin with and everything he owned was due to crime. Jason even explained that it was his wealth that drew Felicia to him. Felicia then asked Jason if he actually loved her. Jason answered that he loved Felicia's wealth and beauty to which Felicia replied that that wasn't love.

As the police arrived and arrested Jason, Felicia began to cry and confessed to Spider-Man that she was like a black cat, every time she fell in love, she always gets her heart broken. As Felicia continued to cry Spider-Man comforted her.

## Powers and equipment

### Powers

After Felicia Hardy became a super soldier, her entire body was enhanced to the peak of human perfection. She was now as strong and fast as a world class athlete. Herbert Landon was also able to alter the formula so that Felicia could transform her body into a muscular frame as Black Cat and into the small framed body that she had as Felicia Hardy. Black Cat also has a cat like agility.

### Equipment

Black Cat has a grapple hook she uses to swing from building to building.

Black Cat's gloves can release a knockout gas.

## In the comics

Felicia Hardy's father, Walter Hardy pretended to be a traveling salesman, but was a world renowned cat burglar who, before his arrest, encouraged her to never settle for second best.

As a freshman at Empire State University, Felicia went to a party and was nearly raped by a drunk student in a bathroom, when she was saved by another student, named Ryan. Felicia and Ryan became good friends. However, Ryan wanted their relationship to become physical. When Felicia refused Ryan (the man that saved her from being raped) raped her.

Hating the idea of being a victim Felicia decided that she would murder Ryan. Felicia then put aside her studies and began to learn various forms of martial arts and acrobatics. After months of training Felicia set out to find Ryan and kill him. However, Ryan had been killed in a drunk driving accident. Furious that she was denied a chance for revenge Felicia decided to follow in her fathers footsteps and became a thief.

Felicia then adopted the identity of the Black Cat and decided to break her father out of prison.

The night she attempted to do this she was confronted by Spider-Man. Despite them meeting as enemies Black Cat felt that he could be the only man she could trust (other then her father) and fell in love with him.

Upon learning that that Kingpin controlled a very powerful detonator (and that the Owl wanted to steal it to hold New York City hostage, and that Doctor Octopus wanted to steal it to destroy the city) Black Cat stole the detonator from Kingpin to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. She then gave the detonator to Spider-Man and became the target of Doctor Octopus' revenge. Even though Spider-Man was able to tear off Doc Ock's mechanical arms, Ock was still able to mentally control the arms and used them to capture Black Cat. Doc Ock then ordered his men to shoot Black Cat which they did. Spider-Man was barley able to get Black Cat to the hospital in time. However, the doctors were able to save her. During this time Spider-Man realized how much Black Cat meant to him. When Black Cat recovered she and Spider-Man began a relationship.

Sometime later Black Cat was captured by the Kingpin and his scientist imbued her with an ability to cause bad luck. However, her new power began to affect Spider-Man which was the Kingpin's plan all along. Black Cat then decided to break up with Spider-Man to protect him from her jinx. However, Spider-Man broke up with her first. When Spider-Man learned of her bad luck powers he asked Doctor Strange to remove it which he did. However, the removal of her jinx ability somehow caused Black Cat to gain increased strength, agility, balance, enhanced vision, and retractable claws.

In the comics Black Cat was never a Super Soldier or a wealthy business woman. This was original to Spider-Man: The Animated Series.

## Appearances

### **As Felicia Hardy**

* The Spider Slayer
* Return of the Spider Slayer
* Doctor Octopus: Armed and Dangerous
* The Sting of the Scorpion
* Kraven the Hunter
* The Alien Costume, Part I
* The Insidious Six
* Battle of the Insidious Six
* Morbius
* Enter the Punisher
* Blade, the Vampire Hunter
* The Immortal Vampire
* Shriek of the Vulture
* Make a Wish (Mentioned only)
* Enter the Green Goblin
* Rocket Racer
* Framed
* The Spot
* Goblin War!
* The Cat

## Trivia

* Megan Ward was originally cast as Felicia Hardy but had to drop out of Spider-Man: The Animated Series.

* After Megan Ward left the role Anne-Marie Johnson was almost cast as Black Cat. Johnson and Jennifer Hale were the two finalist for the role. The role of Black Cat ended up going to Jennifer Hale. Anne-Marie Johnson was later cast as Mousie and Angela in Spider-Man: The Animated Series.

* John Semper felt that most of the women in the Spider-Man comics were two-dimensional and that there were not many strong women in Spider-Man lore until the 1980s. Because of this Semper gave Mary Jane, Aunt May, and Felicia Hardy more personality and made them stronger and independent.
* Felicia Hardy fills the roll usually filled by Gwen Stacy. The reason John Semper Jr. used Felicia Hardy in Spider-Man: The Animated Series instead of Gwen Stacy was because Semper did not want to introduce a character he knew was just going to have to kill off. However, an alternate reality version of Gwen Stacy did appear in the series finale, Spider-Wars, Chapter II: Farewell, Spider-Man.
* Before Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Black Cat was a really obscure character. However, in more recent years Black Cat has become more popular. John Semper Jr. has stated that he believes that Black Cat's appearances on Spider-Man: The Animated Series is what made her a much more popular character.

## References

1. ↑ John Semper Jr. at *Facebook*
2. ↑ John Semper Jr. at *Facebook*
3. ↑ Spider-Man: The Animated Series Trivia at *Internet Movie Database*