Marvel has just revealed the real reason Black Widow is now the world's most wanted. The Black Widow movie is set in the immediate aftermath of Captain America: Civil War, and it sees Natasha Romanoff on the run from the world's authorities. Although Black Widow initially signed up to the Sokovia Accords, she switched sides during the infamous Airport Battle and helped Steve Rogers and the Winter Soldier escape. Tony Stark gave her fair warning he'd reported her actions, and she was forced to flee before she was arrested and imprisoned in the Raft.
Ironically, although Black Widow is a super-spy, she wound up more vulnerable than any of the other Avengers. Steve Rogers found a useful ally in Black Panther and had soon broken his allies out of the Raft, but Natasha had no reason to suspect Captain America was secretly working with Wakanda. The Black Widow trailers have suggested Thunderbolt Ross and his forces soon wound up on Natasha's trail, forcing her to turn to her original "family" of ex Black Widows.
Marvel Comics tend to publish official "Prelude" comics to every movie, and this week saw the release of Black Widow Prelude #2. It's essentially a recap of Black Widow's MCU history to date, with Thunderbolt Ross attempting to persuade the World Security Council to prioritize Natasha Romanoff as a target. During the conversation, Ross hints at the real reason he wants Black Widow; he thinks he can use her to get to Nick Fury. "She was also allied with Nick Fury under some very dubious circumstances," Ross hints. "In case you haven't noticed, since Romanoff went before Congress and blew SHIELD apart, Fury's dropped off the map."
Ross' comment is particularly interesting because Fury faked his own death in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and worked in secret as an independent operative for the next few years. It's reasonable to assume Ross learned Fury was still alive after Avengers: Age of Ultron, when Fury commanded a fully-staffed Helicarrier into the Battle of Sokovia in order to rescue civilians; there will have been too many eye-witness accounts of Fury's presence, and certainly War Machine knew Fury was in charge. Rhodey is a loyal soldier who respects the chain of command and would have no doubt mentioned Fury in his debrief.
This, in turn, helps explain Ross' antagonistic attitude towards the Avengers. The fall of SHIELD in Captain America: The Winter Soldier was one of the most significant events in the history of the MCU, and Ross has good reason to doubt the Avengers' accounts. What's more, he's understandably concerned a loose cannon with the knowledge, experience, and resources of Nick Fury is out there doing his own thing. Ross presumably believes there's a link between Fury and the Avengers, and views the Helicarrier at the Battle of Sokovia as evidence. He'll consider Natasha Romanoff, one of Fury's best, to be the obvious connection. In Ross' view, bringing in Black Widow could potentially reveal a major international conspiracy - making Natasha a far more significant priority than even Steve Rogers.
Black Widow Prelude #1 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.
