In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Natasha Romanoff’s romantic history has been a bit complicated and strange. The only person that she’s been in a real relationship with was Bruce Banner, but most fans and critics found this relationship forced and out of place. In general, this relationship is not one that many people supported, and this is likely why the franchise tried to awkwardly write away their relationship in later films.
While Bruce and Natasha didn’t make a lot of sense, there are other people that would have been a good match for Black Widow in the MCU. Here are ten of them.
Okoye
While there are some pairings with Black Widow that are quite popular with fans in fan fiction, there are others that are rarer. The relationship between Natasha and Okoye might not be the most popular fanon pairing, but it isn’t unheard of. These two had an awesome moment of fighting together on the fields of Wakanda in Avengers: Infinity War and then clearly had at least somewhat of a casual friendship while they worked together after the snap. They are both serious, committed women who would have a lot of similar values.
Wanda Maximoff
Wanda Maximoff is another person that Black Widow would have a lot in common with. These two would know each other quite well as they trained and fought together as members of the Avengers. The fact that they both lived at times in the Avengers Compound would give them lots of time to interact and get to know one another. They both have rather tragic and complicated pasts, so they would be able to understand and support one another in the present.
Bucky Barnes
One thing that surprised many fans of the MCU was that Natasha was never paired with anyone that she dated in the comics. Bucky Barnes and Black Widow have an established relationship in Marvel comics and are a fairly popular ship. In the MCU, these two don’t interact that much.
However, they both are close friends with Steve Rogers and their intersecting pasts and troubled histories would make them an interesting pair. They could definitely help each other out in dealing with their pasts.
Maria Hill
In fandom, many popular pairings are LGBT couples. This isn’t that surprising given the fact that there isn’t any queer representation in the MCU so far, although there are supposed to be canon queer characters in upcoming films. Black Widow has been paired with many other women by fans who wish to see themselves represented in these characters. Natasha and Maria might have different backgrounds, but they are both intelligent, talented, and hardcore women who are dedicated to the cause. They could easily have gotten to know each other while working at SHIELD and become close that way.
Tony Stark
Of the common heterosexual Black Widow pairings in fandom, Tony and Natasha are fairly common. These two have some moments of flirtation in earlier films, but it seems clear that this was mostly an act on Natasha’s part. However, they do become teammates and friends on some level despite their differing personalities. They would challenge each other and have a rather dynamic relationship.
Pepper Potts
While Tony and Natasha might make a good couple, Pepper and Natasha would probably make a better one. This would be a great reversal of the moments when Pepper was jealous of Natasha. Instead, these two would make quite the power couple. They are both powerful women who don’t put up with a lot from the people around them. They could definitely get a lot done and respect each other greatly.
Sharon Carter
Sharon Carter is a female character from the MCU who didn’t get the screen time or character development that she deserved. She is an awesome character in her own right but was mostly given as a love interest to Steve Rogers and then sidelined. Sharon and Natasha have temperaments that would go well together. They both also have similar skill sets and would make quite the dynamic duo. The fact that they both are close friends with Steve would give them an avenue to get to know one another and become friends.
Sam Wilson
In fandom, the friendships between Natasha, Sam, Bucky, and Steve are affectionately referred to as the Barbershop Quartet. Many people like to explore the friendships between these four people as well as the possible romantic pairings.
Sam and Natasha both know each other well and are already friends. They could likely bond over the fact that they are both extremely loyal people and are always taking care of the other people around them.
Steve Rogers
One couple that seems like it could have worked rather well in the MCU is Steve and Natasha. While some people prefer the Steve/Bucky ship, Steve and Natasha are a rather popular heterosexual pairing. These two have a friendship that is rather well-developed for the MCU. They care deeply about each other and have a deep understanding of who the other is.
This friendship is extremely endearing, and it’s not hard to imagine how it could become more than a friendship. Steve is definitely one of the people that Black Widow is closest to in the MCU.
Clint Barton
Hawkeye and Black Widow are two characters that have a bit of a complicated history in both the comics and the films. While they did date at one point in the comics, they usually are dating other people. However, in the MCU, they do have some amount of chemistry and know each other very well. The MCU made them just friends, but this couple would make a lot more sense than the Hawkeye family storyline that was created instead.
