“Avengers- Age Of Ultron”: Vulnerability of the Black Widow

Editor’s Note:  If you have not seen Avengers: Age Of Ultron yet, do not read this post.  Superfan Lady S was kind enough to let us publish her thoughts about the ‘relationships’ formed and tested with the Avengers in the newest film.  Tally is an actress, stuntwoman, cosplayer, and all around awesome lady.  But really, if you don’t want key things spoiled from Avengers, DO NOT READ PAST THIS POINT, and instead check out our Secret Of The Booze Avengers playlist:

By Lady S

People are upset that Natasha was “ooc”(out of character) in Avengers: Age Of Ultron based on her relationship with Bruce Banner. Well, allow me to address that for you. I was lucky in that I actually had a while to ease into the Brutasha relationship (by reading spoilers from last year). I didn’t like it at first (since I fell in love with her with the comics, so obviously I’m all BuckyNat!), but that scene at the bar where she explains why he’s so special to her just totally got me.

This isn’t a comics Nat. This is MCU, so she’s going to be a little different.

With her background and childhood that was bred for nothing but violence, of course she’d fall in love with the man who just wants peace and to stay away from fighting. I thought it was perfect for the character who’s trying to wipe red from her ledger. The bedroom scene was interesting, though. I didn’t really care for how persistent she was at first, but then I realized that Bruce wants her, too.

I hear people saying that she was reduced to a pining girl and that it was a one sided relationship. She was too pushy, etc. They clearly weren’t looking at Bruce at all! He wants love in life so badly and she knows that he’s scared. She’s the fighter in the relationship and she’s willing to fight for him. Plus, her background speech about the Red Room gave me chills. it was perfect, and yes, she would think of herself as a monster. It’s not because she can’t have kids, though. She’s saying it’s was because she was bred to kill, not to perpetuate life. That’s been her whole meaning of existence. She does think she’s a monster and she needs someone like Bruce. This Natasha is a different version than we’re used to.

We saw her all HBIC (Head Bitch In Charge) in charge in Iron Man 2, which we see in all of her comics. We saw her need to help those who were wronged in Avengers (I’m talking about Clint and Selvig: the people who will blame themselves for what they did, but she stood up for them). That’s a big comic book side of her, too. And in Captain America 2, we got to see her a little more at ease and her playful side. When she’s comfortable with someone, like Steve, that’s a side we know pretty well, too, even if it’s more rare.

But in Avengers 2, we get to see a side we aren’t used to from her: vulnerable. Her memories from the Red Room haunt her. She has legit PTSD and Wanda triggered that and we get to watch her live with it in this movie. What people don’t understand is, women are allowed to be vulnerable. Strong women are allowed to be vulnerable. She’s seeking comfort in this movie from the only other person she thinks will understand and based on all the evidence for her character I’ve seen in previous movies, she was PERFECTLY in character. Now that all being said, my hopes for her next appearance is that she’s learning to fight on without him. She needed his comfort in this movie, but in the next I want to see her learn to face her past on her own, fight her demons, and triumph without anyone else’s help. After all, she is her own woman. First, last, always.