8 Powers Black Widow Still Hasn’t Used In 10 MCU Appearances

Though Black Widow has appeared throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, some very notable abilities are missing from the famed superhero franchise. Natasha Romanoff (known in the comics as Natasha Romanova) was depicted as a distinctly human hero throughout the MCU timeline. However, in Marvel Comics, Black Widow actually has a litany of abilities bestowed upon her during the experiments in the Red Room, with some other startling developments in 2023.

As seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Widow is imbued with enhanced agility and acrobatic skills, bolstered by expert marksmanship, tactical planning, and martial arts. These talents are also demonstrated by Natasha’s adopted sister, Yelena Belova, who has inherited the Black Widow mantle following Natasha’s death in Avengers: Endgame. As a result, Natasha’s missing and recently developed abilities could be adapted for Yelena’s Black Widow in the MCU’s future.

8 Black Widow Has An Advanced Healing Factor

See Black Widow (Vol. 3) #5

In the expansive realm of Marvel Comics, Black Widow emerges as a figure even more resilient than depicted throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the comic books, when Natasha Romanoff receives the Red Room’s equivalent of supersoldier serum as part of the Black Widow Ops Program, she gains an accelerated healing factor. Red Room geneticist, Dr. Kurdin, estimated that Black Widow possesses the ability to regenerate at a rate five times faster than that of an average human.

This enhancement grants Black Widow a unique advantage in the perilous world of espionage and combat, enabling her to recover swiftly from injuries that would incapacitate others. Though this aspect of her character remained unexplored in the movies, it presents a compelling prospect for future adaptations, particularly with Yelena Belova’s ascent as the new Black Widow in the MCU’s Thunderbolts. Incorporating Natasha’s accelerated healing factor could enrich Yelena’s narrative, adding an intriguing complication for her foes to overcome while honoring the legacy of her predecessor in thrilling and unexpected ways.

7 Black Widow Has An Enhanced Immune System

See Black Widow: Breakdown #2

Within the clandestine machinations of the Red Room and the Black Widow Ops program, Natasha Romanoff is laced with other biotechnological enhancements that have not appeared in the MCU. Among these enhancements includes an augmented immunity that transcends the boundaries of human resilience. Within Natasha’s veins are white blood cells fortified by intricate implants, rendering them not just efficient, but unparalleled in their ability to combat microbial invaders, foreign bodies, and other threats to her biological sanctum.

This enhancement endows Natasha with an immunity bordering on invulnerability, shielding her from the specter of infections, diseases, and physical disorders that plague ordinary mortals. This augmentation is depicted in the comics and is used to partly explain Black Widow’s longevity. However, its absence from the Marvel Cinematic Universe narrative streamlines Natasha’s portrayal, eschewing complexities that might detract from her character’s essence. It was also likely omitted because it requires additional exposition that wasn’t pertinent to the narratives. Nevertheless, it could be explored with Yelena’s Black Widow in the MCU’s future.

6 Black Widow Is Resistant To Aging

See Uncanny X-Men #268

In the intricate tapestry of Black Widow’s comic lore, Natasha Romanoff received another fascinating biotechnological enhancement: an extended lifespan and a slowed aging process. Within the Black Widow Ops program, Natasha Romanoff undergoes a transformation that grants her the longevity to traverse decades with seemingly unblemished youth. Unlike her cinematic counterpart, who ages gracefully within the confines of human biology, comic Natasha remains perpetually ensconced in the visage of youth despite being born in a bygone era. This augmentation imbues her with a timeless allure, accentuating the enigma that shrouds her character and the mystique that surrounds her exploits.

Yet, Black Widow’s longevity is not without its complexities. While Natasha’s appearance may defy the ravages of time, the burden of witnessing the passage of ages weighs heavily upon her soul. She becomes a sentinel of history, a witness to the ebb and flow of human folly and triumph, forever haunted by the specter of her own longevity. This stark perspective was not explored in the MCU, though it could have been used to explain her wisdom and often enlightened perspectives.

5 Black Widow Is A Skilled Hypnotist

See All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Hardcover, Volume 2

Another mesmerizing feature of Black Widow’s skill set in Marvel Comics is her proficiency as a hypnotist. Through a combination of various subtle techniques, Black Widow wields the power to influence minds with a precision that borders on the uncanny. Utilizing direct eye contact, hypnotic speech patterns, and a beguilingly soothing voice, Black Widow weaves a web of suggestion, penetrating the subconscious of her targets with finesse. With a deft touch, she implants thoughts, ideas, or post-hypnotic commands, manipulating the very fabric of their psyche.

In her Black Widow’s hands, memories can be reshaped, and personality traits can be subtly altered. While the MCU largely focused on Natasha’s physical prowess and tactical genius, hints of her hypnotic abilities surface in subtle moments, such as her calming influence on the Hulk and aiding him in regaining control as Bruce Banner. This tantalizing glimpse hints at a vast reservoir of untapped potential, waiting to be explored in future iterations, offering a tantalizing glimpse of Yelena’s potential development as the Black Widow.

4 Black Widow Has Enhanced Durability And Endurance

See Black Widow (Vol. 4) #5

Another side effect of the Red Room’s biotechnological enhancements is Black Widow’s enhanced durability and endurance. Throughout her storied history in the comics, Natasha Romanoff has weathered blows that would shatter lesser beings, her enhanced physiology rendering her impervious to the ravages of conventional injury. From the bone-crushing might of superhumans like Imus Champion to the searing heat of explosions, Black Widow stands as a bastion of resilience. Despite being shot, battered, and bruised, she persists, a testament to her unwavering determination and indomitable spirit.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this resilience is hinted at in less obvious yet notable ways, as Natasha endures tremendous punishment with a stoic resolve that belies her humanity. While never explicitly explained as an extension of her biotechnological enhancements, her ability to withstand extreme physical trauma and continue fighting is firmly established. However, these are often depicted as the result of her extraordinary agility, acrobatics, and determination. This could certainly explain how she can fight alongside superpowered beings with comparable might and efficacy.

3 Black Widow Can Produce Spider-Webs

See Venom (Vol. 5) #26-28

In a startling twist of fate, Black Widow finds herself entwined in the tendrils of a symbiote in Marvel Comics. In 2023, a symbiote spawned by the infamous Venom bonds with Natasha Romanoff. Through this, Black Widow inherits the formidable powers wielded by Venom and its progeny, bestowing upon her a newfound arsenal of abilities that rival even Spider-Man himself. Natasha can now summon forth organic webbing from her own body, akin to the famed Web-Slinger, enabling her to traverse vast distances with unparalleled agility and grace.

No longer bound by the constraints of gravity, she swings through the urban landscape with a fluidity and grace that defies belief, her movements a testament to the symbiotic fusion of human and alien. Though such a development has yet to grace the silver screen of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the potential for its exploration in future installments looms tantalizingly on the horizon. With the symbiote’s presence in the MCU established in the Spider-Man: No Way Home mid-credits scene, Yelena could encounter the alien lifeform and herself be transformed into the latest Black Widow incarnation.

2 Black Widow Can Crawl On Walls

See Venom (Vol. 5) #26-28

Black Widow’s bond with the alien symbiote yields another Spider-related power: wall-crawling. With the symbiote coursing through her veins, Natasha Romanoff defies gravity and effortlessly ascends vertical surfaces like Venom and Spider-Man. This newfound ability proves to be a game-changer in the world of tactical espionage, affording Natasha unprecedented access to previously inaccessible vantage points and hidden sanctuaries. Whether infiltrating enemy strongholds or navigating treacherous urban landscapes, the symbiote’s gift of wall-crawling elevates Black Widow to new heights of stealth and agility, enhancing her already formidable arsenal of skills.

Black Widow’s symbiote powers were not established in the comics until after Natasha Romanoff’s departure from the MCU. As a result, they were completely absent from the movie franchise. However, they could provide a dynamic update for Yelena in future installments. Should Yelena be bestowed Natasha’s symbiote’s powers, she could have a fun wall-crawling encounter with Spider-Man. Imagining the dynamic interplay between the acrobatic prowess of the wall-crawling duo opens the door to a world of thrilling team-ups and pulse-pounding potential adventures.

1 Black Widow Can Create Spiders And Crows

See Venom (Vol. 5) #26

In a chilling evolution of her symbiote abilities, Black Widow can harness the symbiote to spawn an army of tiny spiders and crows. Each of these is imbued with a singular purpose: to hunt down her enemies and consume their brains, extracting vital intel in a macabre display of predatory prowess. When the creatures return to her side, their grisly task complete, they merge back into the symbiotic mass, transferring the harvested knowledge to Natasha’s waiting mind.

This terrifying ability is yet to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, yet holds the potential for a nightmarish addition to its ongoing narrative. Should Yelena Belova, Natasha’s successor as the franchise’s Black Widow, find herself bonded with the symbiote left behind in No Way Home, the implications could be staggering. A lethal combination of skill and symbiote power, Yelena’s transformation into a predatory force of nature could become the MCU’s next cinematic fall from grace, much in the same way as Scarlet Witch’s descent into villainy was depicted in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.