When Hawkeye. After all, the two characters shared a lot of chemistry on screen when they first interacted in the original Avengers movie. Age Of Ultron, however, also introduced Clint Barton's wife Laura, and their children, as the story went on.
In the comics, the two are on-again-off-again lovers, with their romance lasting for over 50 years. Throughout this time, plenty of events have occurred to bring the superheroes together. However, some of these occurrences have also pushed them farther apart. Their fondness for each other marked the first time that they were close with anyone in the comics, predating other relationships that the two had later in numerous runs. Both Black Widow and Hawkeye are defined by their pain, and both found solace in one another during dire circumstances. When their backs are against the wall and they're fighting off swarms of enemies, they know that they can both depend on one another.
Updated on January 19th, 2022 by Amanda Bruce: While Marvel Cinematic Universe fans might not get to see a romantic relationship play out between Black Widow and Hawkeye on the big screen, there's a lot more to this duo than simply romance. They're frequent mission partners, Avengers teammates, and even, sometimes, enemies in Marvel comics. They have a lot of similar skills which allow them to work well together, but they also have very different philosophies when it comes to being a hero.
BLACK WIDOW AND HAWKEYE REGULARLY LEAVE THE AVENGERS BEHIND
Though MCU fans best know them as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who became of the Avengers, they don't spend all of their time with either team. In fact, both characters tend to go rogue on a pretty regular basis. Sometimes, Hawkeye walks away because he just wants a break, while other times, he ends up mentoring new heroes, like of the Thunderbolts or Kate Bishop.
For her part, Black Widow frequently finds herself pulled back into her past. She tends to take on missions solo when they involve the Red Room or old targets. They both understand the need for solo assignments, but back each other up when the situation calls for it.
THEY HAVE THE SAME MCU S.H.I.E.L.D. CLEARANCE LEVEL
While clearance levels and rankings fluctuate quite a bit in the comics, the same isn't true of what fans see in the MCU. Clearance levels rank from consultants (or a nonexistent Level) for the spy organization to the director (Level 10).
Because both Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton frequently work with Phil Coulson as their field commander, a detail revealed in the first season of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., they are both ranked at Level 7, the same as Agent Coulson, before the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. According to the television series, that would indicate they have a high enough clearance level to know Coulson is brought back to life after the events of the Avengers movie, but with the movies and TV arm of the MCU originally kept separate, that's never addressed.
THE MCU INITIALLY INTENDED TO EXPLORE THEIR FRIENDSHIP FURTHER
When Iron Man 2 was in development, rumors persisted that both Black Widow and Hawkeye were meant to appear in the movie, with multiple Marvel sources reaching out to different outlets. Ultimately, Hawkeye didn't make the cut, though he did have a cameo in Thor as his MCU debut.
Rumors also persisted that Hawkeye was set to appear on the run with Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Instead, it was Falcon who was introduced to the MCU there. If the original rumored plans had gone through, the audience would have been able to see a bit more of their friendship.
THEIR RELATIONSHIP WAS REPLACED IN THE MOVIES
It’s pretty strange that director Joss Whedon decided to match Bruce Banner and Black Widow together in Avengers: Age of Ultron, especially considering the other characters that Black Widow has been with in the comics. What’s even stranger, however, for long-time fans is that Hulk and Black Widow never got together in the comics.
Whedon is on record that he didn’t like the fact that Hawkeye and Black Widow couldn’t have a relationship without it getting romantic. Instead, he paired both Captain America and Hawkeye off with different partners, while Black Widow got together with the Hulk. “We don’t directly translate the comics to the films,” said director Joe Russo. “Why go see the films when you know how it’s going to end?”
NEITHER HAVE REAL SUPERPOWERS
While most Marvel heroes are defined by their mutant powers or are the results of experiments, Clint Barton grows bitter over the fact that Iron Man is just a normal person assisted by a bunch of high-tech gadgets. Convinced that he can do exactly what Tony Stark can, he tailors a purple costume that would make any Grimace cosplayer jealous and adds specially-fitted tips to his weapon.
Black Widow had some solid training in Russia's Red Room programmed, but she is also outfitted with an arsenal of high-tech gadgets and wrist-mounted energy blasters. Her life has been prolonged thanks to experimentation in the comics, but she's not a super-soldier on the same level as Captain America or Hulk. Both Hawkeye and Black Widow are efficient when it comes to performing martial arts and taking out baddies, but they lack anything that makes them necessarily "super."
THEY'VE BOTH DATED SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE
Natasha has dated several characters in the comics. Most notably, Natasha has been attached to Winter Soldier, Captain America, Daredevil, and Hercules. Hawkeye has also dated his fair share of characters, though some relationships have been harder for him than others.
For example, Hawkeye left the Avengers in a fit of jealousy after Scarlet Witch dumped him for Vision. However, in the Ultimates universe, he’s married to a woman named Laura and has three children, which is what inspired his MCU family. During the Hawkeye mini-series, he teams up with Mockingbird, and the duo are eventually married in Hawkeye #4. Their relationship is further developed in West Coast Avengers, leading up to her demise in Avengers #100.
THEY WERE ALMOST MARRIED
Natasha was previously married to Alexei Shostakov before she defected to the U.S. This happened when the Red Guardian faked his own ing to become a spy for sinister purposes. In the Ultimates universe, she allures Tony Stark in The Ultimates Vol. 2 #4.
She also dated Hawkeye for while. The two were actually engaged for a time before she broke up with him to pursue a career as a vigilante. The love affair has been an on and off again issue with Marvel fans, though it has never been explored in the MCU.
THEY ARE OKAY WITH BEING PLATONIC
During a personal chat with Mockingbird, Clint mentions his work relationship with Black Widow in Secret Avengers #3, saying, “Exes or not, we can work together. We’re professionals.” During Tales of Suspense #100-104, former Black Widow exes Hawkeye and Winter Soldier team up with Black Widow to rid the world of a bunch of Natasha clones, creating a buddy dynamic between the three despite the previous romantic tension.
The platonic relationship is emphasized in the MCU, where Clint has a family and Natasha is smitten with Bruce Banner. In the MCU, Clint and Natasha are extremely close friends.
THEY BOTH HAVE LENGTHY CRIMINAL HISTORIES
Following his Avengers affiliation, Hawkeye takes over the Thunderbolts from Baron Zemo and allows himself to get arrested in their place, permitting their crimes to be absolved under the eye of the law in Thunderbolts #50.
Natasha used to be a KGB agent and was a soldier for her country, where she committed numerous unforgivable acts. Similar to how Bucky Barnes was forgiven in Captain America: Civil War, Black Widow has also itted to being manipulated. However, this doesn't stop her from committing more evil deeds. Hawkeye and Black Widow were later convinced by Agent Coulson to adapt S.H.I.E.L.D. memory implants by using their “lengthy criminal records” against them in Secret Avengers #1. In the Ultimates universe, their paths get even darker; Natasha aids the Liberators in invading the U.S. and Clint rots in prison during the beginning of the series.
HAWKEYE'S ATTACKS AREN'T FATAL, BUT BLACK WIDOW'S ARE
Hawkeye was a normal man who was inspired by superheroes and was disgruntled by capitalist society. When Clint refused to serve S.H.I.E.L.D. during Secret Avengers #5, Nick Fury retorts that he has already taken out several enemy soldiers. Clint then responded that war combat was not the same thing as performing jobs of nefarious nature.
“First thing it says on my dating profile - I don’t [take the lives of others],” Hawkeye said in Secret Avengers #5. This was all changed in The Ultimates, however, where Hawkeye hit Black Widow with an arrow between her eyes for betraying the Avengers and taking out his family. While, for the most part, Clint refuses to take the lives of others, Black Widow does not follow the same code.
