Over the past few weeks, the official Marvel’s Avengers Twitter account has introduced and detailed each of the individual Avengers. Content has included Iron Man’s Unibeam attack, the Hulk’s Joe Fixit costume, and new Captain America footage. The latest offering is a look into Black Widow’s past, as well as an interview with the superspy’s voice and mo-cap actor Laura Bailey. The in-depth look at Black Widow also reveals some of the character’s story.
In the first demo shown of Marvel’s Avengers, a disaster known as A-Day occurs. According to new information about Black Widow, the character goes through a transition not unlike her role in the Avengers Infinity War and Avengers Endgame films. After A-Day, Black Widow “slips back into the shadows.” Her failure on A-Day “leaves her wracked with guilt, returning to the life of a lone-wolf spy.” This is where Black Widow’s story will pick up after the tutorial chapter.
In Bailey’s interview, she provides further insight into the Black Widow character in Marvel’s Avengers. According to Bailey, Marvel’s Avengers will be “tackling elements of Black Widow’s leadership abilities.” This is an aspect of Black Widow’s character that she describes as having been downplayed when the Avengers are together. “Despite her struggles to fill Cap’s shoes, in many ways Widow leads by example,” says Bailey, adding that Black Widow isn’t, “even aware of how good she is in that role.”
As for Black Widow’s abilities, lead combat design Vince Napoli provides some insight in that front. Black Widow’s design is based around “creating and exploiting enemy vulnerabilities.” She’s got a grapple ability that allows her to quickly pull herself toward and interrupt an enemy that’s particularly effective, especially when used alongside her ranged gunfire abilities. She’s also able to go invisible, befitting her nature as a superspy. And then her Assault Heroic ability, the Widow’s Bite, allows her to fire a blast of “electrical energy” at her target.
Black Widow is one of five Avengers revealed for Marvel’s Avengers so far. Between her, Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, and Captain America, Marvel’s Avengers could build a whole game around just that team. Of course, Marvel’s Avengers has much larger plans. Ant-Man has already been revealed to be in the game and Ms. Marvel has been teased. It’s clear that Crystal Dynamics has very big plans for Marvel’s Avengers, and it’s just a matter of time until these other heroes are introduced, too.
Marvel’s Avengers releases May 15, 2020 on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
