The truth of Natalia's origins are known only to her, and she doesn't like to share. There are various versions, and she's heard quite a few- from a peasant and orphan, farmer's girl- to the missing daughter and last of the line of the former ruling Czars of Russia- the Romanovas.
Whatever the truth may be, as a child, she lost her home in a fire. Her mother threw her from a window to a trusted family friend, a Russian Soldier. With her parents gone, he took her under his wing and kept her safe. That is, until the Hand kidnapped her and took her to Madripoor with the intention of sacrificing her and bringing their Master Assassin. Fortunately, she was saved. Unfortunately, her fate was sealed. The Russian Soldier took her to the Red Room Camp and there everything changed.
She was programmed, reprogrammed and built into the perfect assassin. Here, she received a variant of the serum used on Captain America that helps make her the 'Super Spy' she is today. Frozen in time and aging extremely slowly- she looks much today like she did the day she received it.
Several decades are spent in the service of Mother Russia, unfailingly a cold Assassin and Spy to do their bidding. She had several masters throughout the years, but always served her homeland. It was early into this service that the Spectre's Curse dampened her abilities. While her exceptional dexterity, reflexes, strength, etc, were hindered, most of her other learned skills allowed her to get by. Thankfully, her aging was still slowed, though there were subtle changes over the years.
One particular assignment however led her to drag a certain young man into her web to manipulate and use him for her goal. Surprisingly to her, however, she felt an emotion she didn't think was possible at this point.
Being compromised, and refusing to rid the asset, her Masters were none too happy. She was captured and forced into three days of torture before she was rescued. She still bears the scars on her back though they are hard to see with how she heals. Disavowed and on the run- she had to make a choice. At first, she did what she had to and disappeared from the hospital she was taken from. Only to turn up a couple of months later once the heat had died down to make a bid for SHIELD.
Here starts her often back and forth with Hawkeye- her partner. While he was accepted, she (publicly) was not. Branded a traitor and on the run, she betrayed him and went back to Russia to infiltrate for Fury. The truth that she was actually accepted and sent immediately on mission wasn't uncovered until later when she had to fight to clear her name and climb her way back into standing to return to SHIELD.
Now, she serves Nick Fury loyally, and is quite comfortable with 'anything'. Expert infiltrator and seductress, Assassin and shadow. Five years into her service with SHIELD (five years ago), the Spectre's curse was lifted. With her abilities full force once again, she is a force to be reckoned with. Now, another five years later, in more recent news, she has joined the Justice League.
Independent
Black Widow works best on her own, as she is the only one she has to worry about. While she is capable of working in a team, if she must, she prefers only her partner. Someone she can trust to work on his own as much as her, but accomplish the mission together. Even amongst others, she generally has a mission of her own.
Ruthless
She is comfortable with anything- which is why Fury puts her on many of the missions she does. Things that others would be uncomfortable with or unable to handle. She is a cold Assassin and will do whatever is necessary to get the job done.
Cagey
She is a loner by trade and personality and because of this, she is very closed off. She doesn't trust easy, she doesn't invite people into her personal life, her home, or even give them of an idea of how armed she really is at all times. Even in civilian attire. Those that win her trust win a strong loyalty, but this is a feat hard won. Betray that trust and it will never be won back. Her list of friends is short, but those are the ones she keeps close to heart that she really cares about.
Challenging
She works hard and challenges herself and she expects the same of any that wish to go against her. She won't hold back. Kiddy gloves get you killed in the field so don't expect it from her in training or otherwise.
Egalitarian
A socialist, and perhaps somewhat surprising, she may have a slight Robin Hood mindset in a sense. Redistribute the wealth of the rich to the poverty-striken and low-end of the scale. A friend of the underdogs and bane of the powerful.
Motivation
In any good fight, there is dirty work to be done and why mess the hands of the Heroes? Let the shadow take care of it. She doesn't look for praise or recognition, she is more than happy working in the shadows so that the real Heroes can do their work and help the peace.
Goals
She is a workaholic, and that is putting it lightly. A few days downtime between missions and she starts to get antsy. Vacations? Yeah right. But she works this hard for the bigger picture. Each a small piece of the grander puzzle for the good of all.
Red Room Training
Starting as a child, she was put through harsh extensive training that programmed and molded her into the spy she is. This is where she also received a variant of the Super Soldier Serum so widely known to have been used on Captain America. She can move faster, stronger (upwards to 600lbs), better durability and stamina. She heals a bit faster, but not super-fast. Cuts will heal quicker, she will spend less time in the hospital and on her feet faster. Her scars fade a lot faster and are harder to see. She also ages extremely slow. Because of her training, she also has strong willpower. She can withstand interrogation and brainwashing from most sources. Very few left alive that know how to push her buttons.
Metabolism
An added effect of the serum is that she has a high tolerance to alochol, toxins and poisons. This includes medicines such as painkillers, etc. It takes a large volume of any to truly effect her, but it is possible. This also makes it nearly impossible for her to be put out for any kind of surgery if she were to be severely wounded. The way she metabolizes medicine, painkillers wouldn't work and she would feel everything.
Suit
Her suit is specially made for her particular abilities and for protection. A black catsuit it is reinforced synthetic stretch fabric for maximum agility and movement that has additional augmentation to make it resistant to damage. She can handle small arms fire with little damage and high temperatures, but she has no protection against anything armor-piercing. Her suit has also been equipped with microscopic suction cups that allow her to scale walls and ceilings like her namesake.
Weaponry
While the Widow has access to SHIELD's arsenal of various weapons and accessories- she has her own personal arsenal. Her gloves and cuffs are her Black Widow's Gauntlets- the belt around her waist having additional trinkets and items. The gauntlets alone can be charged to add an additional kick to an attack to knock out a full grown man or hold on to electrocute to death. Her belt holds various small discs, knockout gas pellets, toxins, poisons, zip-cord, light plastic explosives, etc. She also carries twin handguns.
SHIELD
She has a strong trust with Fury, and this on top of her high level clearance in SHIELD allows her access to all the fun toys. The latest technologies, new identities and covers to weaponry and hoverjets. While she has her own caches across the world of black boxes and saferooms- if she can't get it herself, she can likely get it through SHIELD.
Resources
Being alive for as long as she has has allowed her to save money and let it mature. She has multiple bank accounts under various names across the world in split sums. Never keep all your assets in one place. While she is not Tony Stark rich, she wants for nothing and lives comfortable.
Contacts
With her work throughout the years and subsequent time with SHIELD thus far- she knows a lot of people. While she goes by many names across the world, she knows 'people' in all kinds of places from legitimate to the underworld that most wouldn't venture. A large informational infastructure that she can tap into when necessary.
Acrobatics
Her agility and dexterity allows her for some unnatural and superhuman feats. She can dance gracefully, from ballroom, swing, club, ballet- you name it. She can leap from railing to railing, wall to wall, building to building and land safely; and with grace.
Espionage
She is the Super Spy. She can take a cover and maintain it to its fullest extent to however long it takes to succeed. One mission led her to being temporarily married to the mark until they got what they needed. She can just as easily infiltrate buildings, even through complex security systems, leaving little to no trace. She lives and breaths deception, and she can recognize when she is being lied to.
Fighting
She has mastered various martial art styles, though her own personal style is a mudded mix to suit the needs of the current moment. She is very quick and acrobatic when she fights, using the person's own body as well as environment against them to take them down. Her unnatural speed and agility is quite a boon even against larger foes.
Escapology and Stealth
She is most comfortable in the shadows and can easily remain hidden for hours if need be and remain undetected. She moves silent when she moves and is seen when she wants to be. Those that have tried to capture the Widow have also learned that she is a hard one to tie down. Literally. Handcuffs, chains, etc, are child's play. If your even lucky enough to get your hands on her in the first place.
Seduction
She is very much her namesake and has no problem using that to her advantage. She has seduced a number of her victims to their deaths and knows how to manipulate her marks to get what she needs.
Hacking
There are few systems in the world that the Widow can't hack into. Some are more of a pain than others, but doable if she has the time. Stark's systems is one that would take longer, SHIELD as well, but neither impossible. She keeps up to date with all the latest tech and systems to stay on top of the curve.
Languages
Throughout the years she has learned various languages in various countries. Russian, English, German, French, Mandarin, Cantonese, Italian. Most others she can handle well enough in conversation to get by, and most she can speak with an accent when needed to add to a cover story. Even while working with SHIELD, her general accent is a general American accent, any hint of Russian inflection hidden.
Distrusted
Throughout the years, she has changed sides more than once, and even when on mission, she has to make it entirely believable that she has turned traitor or betrayed. Because of this, even some of her fellow Agents in SHIELD don't trust her. Her kind of dirty work does not make friends and leads to a lot of mistrust- even among comrades.
Enemies
She has a lot (Read: LOT) of enemies. They could be the descendants of someone she killed brutally, people in high and low places- Governments, underground movements and black markets, mobs or cartels… Travelling means looking over your shoulder and this can come back to bite at the most inopportune times.
The Red Room
Being programmed, deprogrammed and reprogrammed- there are things she doesn't know for sure and things that others know that she doesn't. The Red Room is long gone, but there are those still around that 'know'. The influence is still there, in the shadows, and it can come back to bite at any time.
Red in Her Ledger
She has committed a lot of crimes- from being a certified war criminal from WW2 to the Cold War, fugitive in multiple countries and enemies on a list longer that she can count; it is a good thing the real laundry list isn't up for grabs. Even the small portion of it known is dripping red.
Identity
There are a lot of things she doesn't know thanks to the red room- What is her real name? Where did she really come from? How old is she? Does she have family? She goes by Natalia, or Natasha- Romanova or Romanoff. She is as much of a ghost to anyone else as she is to herself.
Pregnancy
Because of the effects of the serum, the Widow is unable to become pregnant and bear children. She is completely unfertile.
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