Welcome to the Road To Infinity War Series! This is the fifth installment, as we go character by character. We will take a look at where we last left each key hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where they might show up next and what they could be up to.
So far we have taken a look at several of the original Avengers. That list includes Iron Man, Captain America, and The Incredible Hulk and Thor. Today we will be taking a closer look at the original team’s only female member, Natasha Romanoff, better known as Black Widow.
Marvel has three films this year, then one more in early 2018 before Avengers: Infinity War. There is a lot that can go down before we get the full wrath of Thanos. But where does Widow fall in the grand scheme of things right now, especially after turning her back on Tony in Captain America: Civil War? She is a lone wolf most of the time, but could she have joined up with any of the Avengers on the run?
To this point, we have gotten to see Natasha in a handful of films. From Iron Man 2 to two Captain America films as well as both Avengers films, Widow has played a key role in the MCU to this point. But with her current whereabouts up in the air, will her relevance continue? With all eyes looking towards Infinity War, only time will tell. So let’s see what Black Widow’s road to Infinity War will look like.
[Kenny]
Where we left her
Unlike many other Aveners, we really are not sure where Black Widow is right now. The last key scene we saw her in was during the major airport battle scene in Civil War. At the start of the fight, she was siding with team Iron Man. But late in the game, things changed.
Cap and Bucky were trying to escape to the Quinjet. They knew they needed to get to Zemo. But Black Panther was not about to let that happen. He would chase them before the trio came across Widow by the Quinjet. This is where Natasha flipped the script, keeping Panther away while letting the other two escape.
After that, it is anyone’s guess where she may have went. She is good at just disappearing and hiding out, as she has done just that before. But this time, she is a wanted woman. By turning her back on Team Tony, she essentially cemented herself as a fugitive, just like Cap and his team.
But where exactly did she go? Is she alone? Or is she hanging out with some fellow wanted Avengers? We will have to continue watching the MCU films to find out.
What will Natasha be up to before Avengers: Infinity War? Where does she fit into the big picture?
Where we sit now, there are four films before we reach Infinity War. The first of those is Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2. I can’t see Widow finding her way to space. So I think it’s a safe bet we do not see her this May, unless she showed up in a credit scene.
Spider-Man: Homecoming is a much more interesting option, however. Given the deal between Marvel and Sony, they will certainly do as much as they can to relate the film back to the MCU. Obviously, Iron Man is the big link. The technology used by the film’s baddies will also help show the connection. But do not rule out other Marvel cameos.
The question is, is Widow really the best option? The answer is likely no, unfortunately. We know Cap makes a minor cameo via a television screen at Peter’s school. Rhodey, being one of Tony’s right-hand men, is likely the next best guess. Even Vision is more likely to show up, as he is still a member of the Avengers. Remember, Widow turned her back on Tony last time we saw her.
That leads us to Thor: Ragnarok. Again, like Guardians, this one seems like a longshot. There is going to be a ton going on here, so making room for Widow seems like a stretch.
But the start of 2018 gives us some hope. That is when Black Panther will be hitting theaters. It just so happens that Widow and Panther had a handful of interactions in Civil War. That was likely done on purpose. That relationship has been established already.
And it just so happens that Panther is housing another wanted hero, Bucky. In one of the credit scenes we saw in Civil War, Bucky went to sleep in one of those fancy pods. Said pod was being kept in Wakanda. So if Black Panther is willing to open the door’s of his country to one, why not more?
I think this is the most likely spot Natasha shows up. In what capacity, that is where I’m clueless. My guess is that we will see a credit scene at some point this year to establish the fact that all of the wanted Avengers (Cap, Bucky, Ant-Man, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, Widow, and Hawkeye) are all hiding out in Wakanda.
This will not only help tease their presence in Black Panther but also keep a large group together leading into Infinity War. The heroes do not need to play a major role in the first film of 2018. But by teasing their presence, they can at least make a cameo at the end of the film.
This will help lead right into the big showdown with Thanos. So keep an eye out for Black Widow after the credits this year, as that is certainly the most likely way we see her before 2018.
So there you have it. With four films left before we reach Infinity War, there is plenty of things that could change. We have absolutely no clues as to which film Natasha will show up in next. It could be Spider-Man’s film, or maybe Black Panther’s. There are simply a ton of possibilities.
Where do you see Black Widow’s journey going over the course of the next handful of MCU films? Tell us in the comments!