Top 10 Times Black Widow Went Beast Mode
#10: Prevailing Over Pirates
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014) After pirates take a S.H.I.E.L.D. ship hostage, Natasha, Cap, and a crew of agents are sent to rescue them. She doesn't hesitate to fight armed enemies by herself. Natasha knocks out pirates with martial arts, fires at foes in midair, and uses her signature Black Widow’s Bite to get the job done. She even improvises by using a pipe as a weapon at one point. The Avenger takes down a group of pirates so quickly that she has time to complete a secondary mission. While Cap and the other agents were definitely useful, are we sure Natasha couldn't have defeated all the pirates by herself?
#9: Besting Multiple Avengers
“Captain America: Civil War” (2016) Although there's admittedly a lot going on during the airport fight in “Civil War,” Natasha’s accomplishments in the conflict should not be overlooked. She's able to overpower Ant-Man at his regular size and defeat him when he's small. Black Widow’s also able to turn the tables on Hawkeye in a one-on-one matchup. And after taking a hard hit from Scarlet Witch, she accomplishes her most impressive feat by keeping Black Panther from catching up with Bucky and Cap. Throughout the course of one action scene, Natasha got the better of at least three Avengers. But this wasn’t the first time she took a fellow hero down.
#8: Beating a Brainwashed Hawkeye
“The Avengers” (2012) A few minutes after narrowly being crushed by a rampaging Hulk, Natasha is forced to fight her armed and brainwashed friend Hawkeye. She expertly uses the environment to avoid his arrows until she can disarm him. Once the two Avengers are on equal ground, Natasha relies on her fists to do the talking. Not only does she defeat Hawkeye in a fight, but she manages to break his brainwashing with a hard blow to the head. It was already incredible to see her beat a skilled hero. But the fact that she was able to take down her friend moments after a near-death experience showed her emotional strength as well.
#7: Getting to the Tesseract
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“The Avengers” (2012) Black Widow decides to make her way to the Tesseract during the insane battle of New York. Instead of asking Tony for a lift, she has Captain America throw her into the air with the help of his shield and hitches a ride on one of the Chitauri chariots. Natasha forces an alien to glide where she leads while avoiding gunfire and Loki himself. Her insanely dangerous yet courageous actions allow her to make an epic flip to the location of the tesseract and close the Chitauri space portal. Without her initiative, the Avengers may have not been able to close the portal so quickly. They’re lucky Natasha went beast mode when she headed into the Battle of New York.
#6: Deceiving & Defeating a Hydra Leader
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014) Alexander Pierce thought he won when he held the World Security Council at gunpoint. Unfortunately for him, one of the people he was holding hostage was Black Widow in disguise. She makes quick work of all the armed enemies in the room before preparing to leak Hydra’s secrets. It’s then that Pierce reveals the last trick he has up his sleeve: a device pinned to Natasha that could have fatal consequences if he activates it. The only way she can turn the tables is by shocking herself with her own weapon. Although it definitely stung, it was still an incredibly cool scene. Not only is she good at going undercover, but she's tough enough to take the weapons she dishes out.
#5: Surviving the Winter Soldier’s Pursuit
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014) Knowing the Winter Soldier was a relentless man who had enhanced strength and speed, Natasha knew she couldn't beat him in a straight-out fight. So, she uses all of her skills to constantly outwit the assassin. Natasha first puts him on notice by shooting his goggles. And after luring him into a trap, she temporarily disables his arm with the Black Widow's Bite. Although Cap jumps in after she gets shot, Natasha still manages to get one last explosive hit off. This was one of the few occasions where she’s not completely victorious in battle. But considering the Winter Soldier could go toe-to-toe with Captain America, the way she outwitted the assassin was definitely a win.
#4: Breaking Out of an Interrogation
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“The Avengers” (2012) When we first see Natasha in “The Avengers,” it looks like she's on the wrong side of an interrogation. But as soon as she discovers Hawkeye is in danger, she jumps into action. It doesn't matter that she's tied down to a chair. In fact, Natasha turns the piece of furniture into a dangerous weapon against her captors while Coulson patiently waits on hold. Before the thugs realize what happened, two are unconscious and one is left dangling upside down on a chain. Knowing Natasha was in control of the interrogation the entire time was badass. This scene was a great reintroduction to her character before she went on to accomplish even greater things in the MCU.
#3: Making the Ultimate Sacrifice
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“Avengers: Endgame” (2019) Clint and Natasha were forced to make an impossible choice. One of them would have to sacrifice their life so the other could take the Soul Stone and bring countless souls back to life. When both of them volunteer, they fight each other to determine who will make the sacrifice. Although Clint sends an explosive arrow at Natasha, she turns the tables at the very last second and saves her friend’s life. A few moments later, she surrenders her life for the Soul Stone. The last opponent Natasha triumphed over was a close friend and Avenger. Her tragic victory, the weight of her decision, and the immense courage it took to sacrifice herself all deserve recognition.
#2: Stopping Crossbones & His Men
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“Captain America: Civil War” (2016) The fact that Black Widow starts a fight by throwing a motorcycle at her enemies gives you a clue at how awesome this action scene is. She displays her insane combat skills once again by taking down armed men left and right. And when Natasha is thrown into a confined space with a grenade, she uses quick thinking to survive. Minutes after nearly being blown up, she pursues and beats up a duo of bad guys until one of them reveals they have a biological weapon. Natasha’s quick enough to shoot one of them and catch the weapon before it hits the ground. She was an absolute force of nature on this mission. Thanks to Natasha’s many skills, the Avengers stopped another potential disaster. Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Taking Happy Down to the Mat, “Iron Man 2” (2010) Happy Didn’t Know Who (or What) Hit Him Getting Loki to Reveal His Plan, “The Avengers” (2012) Natasha Tricked the God of Mischief Taking Out Hydra Soldiers, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015) They Should’ve Surrendered Earlier Fighting Corvus Glaive, “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018) Black Widow Wounds a Member of the Black Order Battling Proxima Midnight, “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018) Natasha Fights Alongside Okoye & Scarlet Witch to End the Alien
#1: Walking All Over a Hallway of Hammer Security
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“Iron Man 2” (2010) Once Natasha finds out Whiplash is controlling drones and War Machine at Hammer Industries, she makes her way there to stop her. The hallway of goons in her way is not an issue for her at all. Between her aerial martial arts skills and varied arsenal of weapons, they didn't stand a chance. What makes this fantastic action sequence stand above the rest is that she doesn't get hit once during the entire sequence. She is literally and figuratively untouchable throughout the scene. And if that wasn't enough, she also makes sure Rhodey regains control of the War Machine suit. By activating her beast mode in Hammer Industries, Black Widow created one of the most iconic action scenes in the entire MCU.
