Winter Widow

"A long time ago, Natalia Romanova made me remember what it was to feel human."

- Bucky, Captain America #27

Winter Widow is the het ship between Natasha Romanoff and Bucky Barnes from the Marvel and Marvel Cinematic Universe fandoms.

Earth-616
"It's where Natasha was raised... where she earned the rank of Black Widow. And where, in the late 1950s, she met me. Back when neither she nor I knew exactly who I was."

- Bucky, 616.

While under the control of the Soviets, Bucky helped train Natasha at the Red Room Academy, and they fell in love. He often snuck into her room sleeping quarters to see her. Their relationship began to break down his Winter Soldier programming. As a result, they were forcibly separated from each other, and Bucky was put back into cryostasis.

Fifty years later, they were reunited and rekindled their romance. Eventually Natasha was captured and her memories were altered. Bucky is able to rescue her and retrieve her old memories, but the ones of their relationship were erased.

There are many variations of Natasha's training in the Red Room with Bucky. In some stories, they work in the field together as partners (which is where their relationship grows) and some, it doesn’t. In the most common variations, Bucky trains Natasha in the Red Room. At first, Natasha gets raised in the Red Room as a Black Widow, and in the late 1950's she meets one of her trainers, the Winter Soldier.It was here that Natasha, (who went by Natalia at the time) and Bucky formed a beautiful and deep relationship. They showed each other that they were more than just weapons for a country, and realized that they were able to live free lives. There was nothing shallow or forced about their romance, and Bucky said that Natasha had touched something inside him beneath all the programming, making him feel human again. Evidentially they got caught and were both punished. Bucky got separated from Natasha and had his entire relationship with her wiped away. And at some point, Natasha gets recruited by Hawkeye, who helps her break her psychological conditioning at the time, and joins SHIELD. "The story of Black Widow and the Winter Soldier is a tragic one. It revolves around two people who were taken at vulnerable times in their lives and were unwillingly sculpted into villians. Their lives (especially Natasha’s) revolved around lying, deception, memory-wiping, and false memories. As soon as these two try to get the other person to remember who they are and what they mean to each other, they are taken away again. A character is forced to watch the person they love not know who they are as their entire past is washed away by the people who created them. Throughout a majority of their stories, they are constantly trying to gain independence, will, and freedom and only the other can relate to the horror that’s been their lives."

Captain America (2005)
Back in the Red Room, Bucky trained Natasha and eventually the two fell in love and started a secret relationship. Even though Natasha had told Bucky they would kill him if they found out, he said that he didn't care. The two were separated for 50 years after they were caught, and were forced apart. Years later, Bucky meets Natasha again as he's retrieving Steve Rogers' shield. As they were fighting, Bucky remembered how she made him feel human during a time where he wasn't supposed to feel anything, and he thought that fighting her now was a punishment. When Bucky defeats her, he apologizes to Natasha and takes the shield. After Natasha gets back to SHIELD HQ, she recalls her and Bucky's time together as lovers. Some time later after Bucky gets recruited by Tony Stark, the two finally have a moment to catch up with each other and decide to talk. When Natasha asks Bucky if he remembers their time together, he replies that he remembered everything about their time in the Red Room, and she was the one good thing in all of it. Before leaving, Natasha kisses Bucky and tells him she hasn't forgotten either. When Bucky took the mantle of Captain America, he struggled with the weight of responsibility, feeling that he wasn't a worthy successor due to his past as a killer. But Natasha helped Bucky find himself again, making him feel human once more, and the two rekindled their romance.

After a mission as Cap, when Bucky comes home, Natasha is there alongside all the Avengers celebrating his birthday. She takes his hand and leads him towards the cake and Bucky happily laughs alongside her.

Captain America: Reborn
Nick Fury informs Natasha and Bucky about the Red Skull's devices being stored on HAMMER's base ship, and tells them that if they're really going, he'll make sure the surveillance camera's are looped for fifteen minutes. When they infiltrate HAMMER's Helcarrier the two fight against HAMMER agents together. Meanwhile, Sharon tells Hank Pym and Vision about her killing Steve (while under the Red Skull's mind control), and how she thinks he can still be alive. Whilst searching, Bucky senses that something is wrong and warns Natasha, however before the two could get out, they encounter Ares and Venom (Dark Avengers) alongside more HAMMER agents. As they're fighting, Natasha tells Bucky to grab a flying car and go while she holds them off. Bucky responds that he wasn't leaving her, and while Natasha argues that someone needs to warn the others that Norman Osborn has the device, he tells her they'd do it together.

At the end of the comic when Steve Rogers is brought back to life and the Avengers finally defeat the Red Skull, Natasha and Bucky reunite on the battlefield alongside Steve and Sharon.

Black Widow: Name Of The Rose
Natasha Romanoff is Black Widow. A former Russian spy, and now apart of the Avengers. When someone tries to go after and try to kill Natasha, and successfully manages to injure her almost beyond recovery, she is found by ordinary citizens and is taken to the hospital. As the doctors try their best to heal her, Bucky races to Natasha's side only to be stopped by Logan (Wolverine) and Tony Stark, who- much to his chagrin- don't know what happened to her. After the recovery is over with, despite being very injured, Natasha goes out to investigate who her attacker is and what they know about her hidden past. Meanwhile amongst the Avengers, Natasha is framed as a mole. Bucky, as well as the other Avengers, don't believe it for one second and argue that Natasha would never betray the team.

When Nat and Bucky meet up again, Nat was surprised that he found her. Bucky tells Nat that he's not surprised she was collecting info on their friends, but he knew she would never sell them out. Natasha doesn't tell Bucky the whole truth about her situation, but despite that however, Bucky still offers his help and tells Natasha that he still want's to be there for her. Natasha caresses his face, telling him that he was a good man. After discussing their plan, the two kiss and part ways. Later when Imus meets up with Natasha, he taunts her relationship with Bucky and only manages to evade her knife when Bucky stops her.

At the end of the comic when Natasha defeats Imus and finally has the chance to put her past behind her, Bucky calls Natasha and tells her to be careful. Before she hangs up, Natasha tells him she loves him.

Brubaker's Winter Soldier (2013)
During an earthquake that shook San Francisco, Leo Novokov, a Russian sleeper agent, was awoken. He was awoke from his stasis with no recollection of where he was or what mission he was on. Slowly he began looking for clues, secret messages hidden in daily newspapers from his handler but instead he found that his long dead comrade, the Winter Soldier, was now a celebrated American hero. Jealous of Bucky's new life, Novokov begins hunting him down, starting with anyone with a known association to him. With SHIELD aware of his activities, Bucky and Natasha begin to follow his breadcrumbs of dead bodies. They find that Novokov has also kidnapped a defected Russian scientist, Professor Rodchenko, whose one job within Department X was to reprogram Russian agents, to turn them into what ever soldier the they needed them to be. As Natasha and Bucky get closer to Novokov, he sets a trap – a trap to kidnap Natasha. The amount of love Bucky and Natasha have for each other was shown when the great, abiding heartbreak of Bucky's life happened because he refused to hurt Natasha. Towards the end of the comics, Natasha was taken and had her memories of Bucky permanently wiped. When he rescues her, she breaks his heart when she has no memory of him or their deep love for one another. While it would be painful, her memories of him and their life together could have been restored, just as Steve once did for him. However, Bucky refused to do that to the love of his life. The reason they understood each other better than anyone else was because of their shared past of having their minds tampered with over and over again. Out of respect for her and his unwillingness to ever put her through that again, to violate her mind, even if it was for a good reason, he instead chose to let Natasha continue on without him, no matter how much it broke him.

"I try to imagine my life without her and all I see is pain… And heartbreak. But at least I’ll be the only one feeling it. I take solace in that thought… And hold on to it for as long as I can. But it won’t be long enough."

- Bucky; The Winter Soldier (2013)

1872
"Bucky was my husband."

- Natasha; 1872.

In 1872 (which is an alternate universe in the Wild West), Natasha and Bucky were revealed to be married, however, Bucky gets assassinated by Wilson Fisk. Although Fisk assassinated him, Bucky's death was made to look as if Fisk had no involvement in it. Natasha was furious at Steve Rogers when he protected Red Wolf, and told him that had he protected Bucky the same way, she would not be a Widow right now. After Steve's death, upon realizing that Fisk was the one who killed Bucky, Natasha works alongside Red Wolf to take him down for good. Natasha keeps him in her house to prevent him from being seen, and the two make a plan to save the town alongside Bruce Banner. When Red Wolf and Natasha make a plan on how to kill Fisk, Natasha decides to put a bullet in his eye. At the end of the comic, she kills Fisk and avenges Bucky. Saving the town alongside Tony Stark and Red Wolf.

Marvel Cinematic Universe
"I know how much Barnes means to you. I really do."

- Natasha to Steve.

The Winter Soldier attacked and shot Natasha while she was escorting a nuclear engineer out of Iran. She searched for him after the incident, but found nothing. Five years later, she fought against the Winter Soldier in Washington DC, alongside Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson. He shot her a second time. She fought the Winter Soldier a third time two years later at the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre Building in Berlin. As he strangled her, she asked him to at least recognize her. During the Civil War, Natasha recruits Black Panther to Stark's team, hoping this will keep Black Panther accountable and prevent him from killing the Winter Soldier. When T'Challa tries to go after Bucky, Natasha stops him and gives Bucky enough time to escape.

"I said I'd help you find him. Not catch him. There's a difference."

- Natasha to T'Challa; Civil War. In Black Widow, When Natasha talks to Melina, she reveals information about Hydra's scientists and the Winter Soldier project.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

 * Natasha tells Steve that she'd encountered the Winter Soldier once before, and he'd shot her.
 * As he's hunting her down, Bucky says in Russian about Natasha: "Она y меня." which means "I have her."

Captain America: Civil War

 * Natasha and Bucky fight while he's under brainwashing. She asks him to recognize her.
 * Bucky takes Natasha's gun in Siberia. He keeps it, as seen in Avengers: Infinity War, and tells Rocket Racoon that it's not for sale.

Comics

 * Bucky tells Natasha he remembers everything in the Red Room, and she was the only good thing in all of it.
 * In Captain America (2005), Natasha throws Bucky a birthday party and bakes him a cake.
 * Bucky considers fighting Natasha a punishment.
 * In Captain America (2005) Nat thinks back to her and Bucky's time in the Red Room as lovers.
 * Bucky says that no one could ever understand him but Natasha.
 * In Black Widow #10, Natasha calls Bucky by his full name (James Buchanan Barnes) and tells him she loves him.
 * Bucky says about Natasha that he was a soldier with no home until she gave him one.
 * Natasha calls Bucky "Darling" and "Sweetheart" and many other pet names in Russian/English.
 * In Captain America & Bucky: The Life of Bucky Barnes by Ed Brubaker, Bucky brings Natasha to meet his sister Becca in an Alzheimer’s home feat. Becca tells Natasha that she seems like a good woman and asks him to take care of her brother.
 * When Bucky wakes up in the infirmary after "dying" Natasha kisses his hand.
 * Bucky and Natasha both have motorcycles in the comics, and ride with each other.
 * In Captain America (2005), Natasha called Bucky "мили мой" which stands for "My Dear."

Quotes

 * Winter Widow/Quotes

Behind the Scenes
"They fight beautifully together."

- Anthony Russo about Bucky and Natasha.

"No matter what I do I keep ending up in between Black Widow's legs. It's a.. pretty tough job."

- Sebastian Stan.

"We’re just scratching the surface in terms of their (Bucky and Natasha’s) ties per se."

- Sebastian Stan; AMC Interview - Captain America The Winter Soldier.

"Did you know they are a couple?"

- Scarlett Johansson on Bucky and Natasha (Winter Soldier: Behind The Scenes)

"Hey, listen, I could talk about the Black Widow all you want! That’s an amazing story line I would love for that to happen."

- Sebastian Stan on Bucky and Natasha's romance.

"And you know, Black Widow is obviously always going to have a soft spot in my heart."

- Sebastian Stan on his favorite Marvel productions in 2021-2022.

Fanon
As the ship is comic-canon, many fans would like it to be in the MCU as well. Otherwise, fans like the ship because of their involvement in the Red Room, as well as the way their personalities interact. Natasha is portrayed as stoic and Bucky is portrayed as a man not to be crossed. Many fans love the ship because of their history throughout the comics, and the mutual love and understanding they hold for each other.

Fans speculate about one of Natasha's lines in Civil War. She and Bucky fight against each other while he is in Winter Soldier mode. As he is strangling her, she says to him, "You could at least recognize me." Fans usually interpret this to mean that Bucky helped train Natasha in the Red Room as he did in the comics. Fans who have also read the comics make posts on why the ship is amazingly written, and why Natasha and Bucky should be together for the long haul.

Some fans who don't like Winter Widow often use their age gap in the comics as an argument on why it's "problematic." In Avengers: Endgame, Natasha was 39 and Bucky was somewhere in his late-thirties, and chronologically 102. In the comics however, Natasha was born in 1928 and Bucky was born in 1925. Technically speaking, Bucky is three years older than her. However, Bucky died and was brought back to life when he was nineteen (almost twenty) and was put into cryofreeze a bit after that for nine years. When Nat and Bucky first met and started dating in 1956 (Source: Black Widow: Deadly Origin), Natasha had lived all of those years and was thus either 27-28 while Bucky was either 21-22 (physically), and chronologically 29. Fans argue that while there is an age gap between them, they are both consenting adults. In some other versions, they're both roughly around the same age. Bucky’s a little bit older, but both have gained long life and durability from their super serum doses.

Fans still hope for the ship to become canon in the MCU to this day. Many fans think that because the MCU opened up the Multiverse now, Bucky and Natasha still have a chance together. One of the biggest fan-theories surrounding the ship in the MCU is that Yelena and Bucky will perhaps meet each other sometime soon, and Yelena helps him remember Natasha.

Winter Widow is the second most written ship for Natasha, and the fourth most written for Bucky. In the Marvel (Works) tag it is the number one most popular written ship. In the Marvel (616) works, Winter Widow is the fourth most written romantic ship. It is Natasha's third most popular ship and Bucky's second most popular.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Bucky/Natasha (Avengers Movies) tag on FanFiction.net
 * Bucky/Natasha (Marvel Comics) tag on FanFiction.net
 * Bucky/Natasha (Avengers Cartoon) tag on FanFiction.net
 * Bucky/Natasha (Avengers Cartoon) tag on FanFiction.net

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TWITTER

Trivia

 * Natasha is one of the few people to call Bucky by his first name, James.
 * On Earth-555326 Natasha's son is named after Bucky.
 * Sebastian Stan took multiple photos with fans who were cosplaying as Black Widow.
 * Amanda Carlson gave Sebastian a BuckyNat mug to which he responded with "God, I hope soon."
 * During MCMCON Sebastian said that the person he wanted to see Bucky in a relationship with was Natasha.
 * Sebastian hugged a fan who was wearing a "BuckyNat Rise!!" T-shirt during CCXP2018.
 * Sebastian signed a BuckyNat fanart with "We Will Do This" when a fan asked him if BuckyNat was going to make it into the MCU.
 * Through the comics (and from the creators) of the Winter Soldier and Black Widow, It was said that Clint could never understand Natasha as much as Bucky. And that Steve could never understand Bucky more than Natasha.
 * Mark Waid, a DC and Marvel comic book writer, left a positive comment on a Bucky/Natasha fan art.
 * Chris Samnee, one of the Black Widow comic artists and creators, is a BuckyNat supporter and has drawn the couple multiple times.
 * Marvel's official Marvel Unlimited Twitter told fans to vote on a poll on who the Avengers' Valentines would be. For Natasha, Bucky won the poll against Clint Barton.

Variations

 * Cap Quartet refers to the ship between Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Bucky and Natasha
 * StuckyNat refers to the ship between Steve Rogers, Bucky, and Natasha
 * WinterIronWidow refers to the ship between Tony Stark, Bucky and Natasha
 * WinterWidowHawk refers to the ship between Clint Barton, Bucky and Natasha