With the explosive finale of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier done and dusted, many fans are reminiscing over the series. Yet there is another pressing question of the minds of many fans. Just who was the mysterious woman that approached John Walker in the last few episodes?
Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine has a very long history in Marvel Comics, appearing as both hero and villain, she is a very dangerous person to cross. Not only does she have a storied history with Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D., but she has also worked for Hydra. In the espionage realm of the Marvel Universe, she can either be one's greatest ally or their worst nightmare.
5 Agent Of S.H.I.E.L.D.
First appearing in Strange Tales # 159 in 1967, Contessa Valentina was a quick-witted, strong, and capable agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Her backstory is draped in mystery with no one knowing what is truth or fiction. She was once seen as a European jet setter before she decided to change her life and help the world. This led to her joining S.H.I.E.L.D. and teaming up with Nick Fury on many occasions.
They took on numerous adversaries including Hydra and Yellow Claw. For many years she was seen as one of the top-secret agents in the world, and in the eyes of many, the Contessa even surpassed Nick Fury. She had an uncanny talent of always being one step ahead of her opponents and her allies. Her work was so valued that at one point in time she rose to the rank of Deputy Director and worked with Nick Fury to assemble a secret team of heroes.
4 Relationship With Nick Fury
Nick Fury is not a man known for opening his heart nor trusting anyone. In his years as both an agent and director of S.H.I.E.L.D., he has come to learn that everyone is against you until they prove otherwise. One reason for this mindset is his relationship with Contessa Valentina. Their work as a team was legendary, with many a foe suffering defeat due to their combined mental and physical strengths.
As time went on they fell in love and even moved in together. Suffice to say, two secret agents living together did not go well and the relationship became massively toxic. Jealousy and envy reared their ugly heads, with both parties being at fault for a variety of transgressions. Eventually, they decided to split up, although they have gotten back together a multitude of times since then. Currently, they are estranged due to several of Contessa Valentina's more questionable loyalties.
3 Femme Force
Due to her impressive skills in almost every area of the espionage world, Contessa Valentina was allowed to join an all-female elite team. This team first appeared in Captain America # 144 in 1971 and at the time was one of the few female-led teams in the entire Marvel Universe. She had many disputes with Sharon Carter over who was the true leader of the team. Despite that, the team led many successful missions with Contessa Valentina more than doing her part. Unlike many other spies, she managed to work well with most of the team and saw to it that the mission always went down the way she wanted it to.
The most notable battle the team engaged in was against both Hydra and the Red Skull. Combining their forces with Captain America, Nick Fury, and the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Femme Force played a crucial role in stopping the Red Skull's nefarious plans. Another key battle of theirs was against the robotic fifth Sleeper. These powerful robots were created by the Red Skull and could have taken down the US if not for the Femme Force.
2 Secret Invasion
The epic 2008 Marvel Comics event "Secret Invasion" shook the foundations of the universe to its core. Due to the destruction of their home planet, the remaining members of the Skrull race decided to take over Earth and infiltrated many of the most powerful organizations on the planet.
Naturally, this included S.H.I.E.L.D., The Avengers, S.W.O.R.D., Hydra, and the Hand. One of the first people the Skrulls replaced was Contessa Valentina, using her to gain entry into the highest levels of S.H.I.E.L.D. While Nick Fury did discover their plans and formed the Secret Warriors, he was not able to act until they made an attack on New York City. The real Contessa Valentina was held captive on a Skrull vessel for quite a while. Due to the upcoming Secret Invasion Disney+ series, one can only imagine the role Contessa Valentina will play in whatever the Skrulls are planning.
1 Agent Of Leviathan
Soon after her return to Earth, Contessa Valentina decided to not play games any longer. She revealed that her true allegiance lied with the Russian espionage organization known as Leviathan. This powerful and secret organization had been waiting in the wings for a long time. Since the beginning of her spy career, Contessa Valentina had been working to ensure the rise of Leviathan and its global domination.
The Contessa even joined Hydra and became Madame Hydra in order to steal their secrets. For many years she had some of the greatest spies of all time fooled. Nick Fury did not take this betrayal lightly and waged an all-out war against Leviathan, leading to a bloody and explosive battle.