The MCU's Infinity Saga is one of the biggest cinematic achievements ever. Over twenty-three movies, Marvel manages to delight and amaze audiences with their strong storytelling and exciting action scenes. And most major characters are well cast and develop nicely over time.
However, the MCU doesn't treat every hero equally. One of the few criticisms of the Universe's first three phases is that Black Widow (aka Natasha Romanoff) doesn't get as much attention as some of her heroic allies. After all, Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor all have multiple solo movies, whereas Black Widow is still waiting for her first to be released. Although, it's not like Marvel has completely ignored Romanoff either, as the character is involved in eight movies. But out of all her appearances, which is the most important?
8 Captain Marvel (2019)
The Captain Marvel movie serves as a nice way to introduce the titular character to the MCU before she appears in Endgame. Her link to the following Avengers title is established during a mid-credits scene. In it, a few of Earth's Mightiest Heroes (including Black Widow) are examining Nick Fury's pager when Captain Marvel shows up.
Black Widow doesn't have a lot to do in the brief scene, and she certainly has nothing to do with the rest of the movie. Instead, Carol Danvers and Nick Fury have to deal with the war between the Kree and the Skrulls themselves.
7 Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Infinity War includes many of the MCU'S main players, including The Avengers, The Guardians Of The Galaxy, and the people of Wakanda. As a result, everyone can't receive significant focus. Black Widow, for instance, is more of a supporting player in the movie. Of course, she takes part in a few stylish action scenes, but her role in the main plot is minimal.
It's actually Thanos who gets the most screen time in the movie as he attempts to gather every Infinity Stone. As for the heroes, Iron Man, Gamora, and Thor all play big parts in trying to stop the Tyrant and his forces.
6 Avengers: Age Of Ultron (2015)
One of the most controversial uses of Natasha Romanoff comes in Avengers: Age Of Ultron. While she has plenty of scenes, they mostly revolve around a heavy-handed romance with Bruce Banner.
Other than that, she doesn't involve herself too much in the main narrative. Yes, she helps stop one of Marvel's strongest villains, Ultron, and save Sokovia. But she's not there for plenty of the main things that happen, such as the supernatural twins joining the team and the creation of Vision. The movie is a lot more about Iron Man than it is Black Widow.
5 Iron Man 2 (2010)
Natasha Romanoff is first introduced in Iron Man 2 as a notary public before being hired as Tony Stark's personal assistant. Of course, she is actually working undercover for S.H.I.E.L.D and keeping an eye on Stark as well as assessing his potential for the Avengers Initiative.
Not long after her real identity is revealed, she helps Iron Man stop Ivan Vanko's evil plans. The story doesn't revolve around her, but she's a pretty important part of it. After all, she's the one who relinquishes Vanko's control of Rhodes' suit before the final battle.
4 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
In Captain America: Civil War, The Avengers are issued the Sokovia Accords that aim to govern the heroes. The document, along with the alleged actions of Bucky, divides the team. Some of them join Captain America, and the others side with Iron Man.
Most characters choose their team easily, except for Black Widow. She struggles with her decision to align with Stark, which helps the heroine stand out. And at the end of the classic airport fight, she has a big moment regarding her team choice that impacts the rest of the movie.
3 The Avengers (2012)
If anyone was going to be given less focus in the first Avengers, it was going to be Black Widow or Hawkeye. The other members of the main team had already had solo movies, so they were more established.
However, Black Widow is very important because she's one of the few characters who knows about everything that's happening. So, she spends the early part of the movie explaining things to her less knowledgeable allies and the audience. Later, she proves her significance once again when not only does she take part in the Battle of New York, but she's the one who physically stops the invaders.
2 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
After Endgame's five-year time jump, Black Widow's role in the Avengers grows. She serves as the leader of the group as she organizes the remaining members. Also, during act one, she begins her arc that revolves around her great friendship with Clint Barton as she tries to track him down.
Eventually, she finds her long-time friend, and the two participate in the time heist that leads to Thanos' defeat. For good reasons, her part in the adventure ends dramatically when gathering the Soul Stone. However, even though she doesn't fight in the final battle, her role in the entire movie is significant.
1 Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
The closest thing to a Black Widow movie that the MCU has released is Captain America: The Winter Soldier. In it, Romanoff joins Steve Rodgers on his mission to uncover some of S.H.I.E.L.D's questionable secrets. She's there for virtually the entire adventure and plays a big part in the climactic moments.
Because of Rodgers' close connection with The Winter Soldier, Widow doesn't have as much personal stake in the whole thing as the titular characters. Therefore, it's still more Captain America's movie than it is hers. Yet, there's no denying that without Romanoff, the adventure would be very different and wouldn't be among the best MCU movies to date.