Do we like them?

Do we like Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff)?

A character from Marvel Cinematic Universe (Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Black Widow) (2010–2021)

Our score: 8 out of 10. Yes, we'd back her. She has a dark past and a lot of red in her ledger, but she's loyal and brave, and she keeps trying to wipe that ledger clean.

Natasha Romanoff was trained from childhood in the Red Room, a Russian program that turned girls into KGB assassins. She is an expert spy and hand-to-hand fighter. We first meet her undercover in Iron Man 2. When Nick Fury starts the Avengers Initiative, she becomes a founding member of the team.

The score comes from her character. She's funny, sharp and guarded, and she's always trying to balance the books on a violent past. Her friendship with Clint Barton, the archer Hawkeye, shows how loyal she is. She's the one who talks, thinks and sneaks when the big guns can't. She isn't a saint, because she lies for a living, but she aims her talents at protecting people.

Her solo film fills the gap between Civil War and Infinity War. After the Sokovia Accords tear the Avengers apart, she becomes a fugitive. She reunites with her adopted family, including her sister Yelena Belova, and they work together to destroy General Dreykov's Black Widow program.

In Avengers: Endgame she and Clint travel back to Vormir to get the Soul Stone, which can only be won by giving up a loved one. They each insist on being the one to sacrifice themselves. She wins that argument and makes the ultimate sacrifice, which settles her redemption arc.