Natasha Romanoff (aka “Black Widow”), is a curious character in the MCU. She has a complicated past, with a “ledger” dripping with blood.
It’s a past she wants to forget, but it relentlessly haunts her until she confronts it head-on in the standalone movie, Black Widow.
Interestingly, she has also proven to be one of the more compassionate heroes and the one who sacrificed her life for the fate of the world in Endgame.
Even more thought provoking is her constant association with Catholic imagery.
*Note, there are some SPOILERS for Black Widow about half-way down the page.
This is first shown in the movie Avengers (2012), where she is in an intense interrogation scene. For some odd reason the camera pans to a pile of old religious icons, including an icon to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a clearly Catholic icon.
Likely the images were there to add to the “ambience” of the scene, but it’s an interesting choice by whomever was decorating the set that day.
Then in Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Widow is seen giving comfort to a grieving Captain America in a beautiful church (which was filmed at Peach Tree Christian Church in Atlanta — This Protestant church was originally inspired by St Mary’s Abbey in Melrose, Scotland).
Behind her is a stained glass window of the Nativity, with the Blessed Mother clearly in view.
Then in a post-credits scene of Black Widow, her grave is crowded by a number of personal affects, including a large variety of Catholic holy cards!
Is Black Widow Catholic?
Based on her back-story, Black Widow was likely raised an atheist in Soviet Russia. This is echoed in the comics, but interestingly, she is seen going to confession to a priest in Marvel Knights #1.
The priest is supposed to be an Eastern Orthodox priest, but he is shown in a Roman Catholic confessional!
In any case, Black widow isn’t perfect by any means, but it appears that there is something innate to her character that draws her close to Catholic symbolism.
This also proves Voyage writer Matthew Heffron’s point on Why comic book artists rely on Catholic symbols to portray religion.
She may not be a saint, but she does appear to be a sinner who seeks forgiveness for her past life, willing to sacrifice her own life to atone for them and save others.
Philip Kosloski
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