Avengers: Age Of Ultron Primer – Black Widow
By Steve Lam
Black Widow’s Time at Red Room Academy
Black Widow’s history was retconned in Black Widow #1 – #6 (November 2004 – April 2005) where Natasha Romanoff learns about her past at Red Room Academy — the facility which brainwashed and trained 26 female orphans, including her, to be operatives in the Soviet Union’s Black Widow Ops Program.
Also learning that her memories of being a ballerina were implanted, she discovers that her high stamina, skills, strength, and long and youthful lifespan were due to her being bio-technologically and psycho-technologically enhanced. Further investigation reveals that Red Room is still operational and known in modern times as 2R.
In The Avengers #29 – #30 (June 1966 – July 1966), Black Widow is captured by Red Room and brainwashed into allying herself with Swordsman and Power Man in a bid to kill the Avengers. She soon fights off the effects of the brainwashing and rejoins the Avengers in defeating Swordsman and Power Man.
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