Why Was Natasha the Only One Who Could Calm Hulk Down?
The old adage of a beauty being able to tame a beast seems to hold true, at least in movie yore. The relationship between Natasha Romanoff and Hulk in the MCU has been legendary in recent years for how she was able to tame his flame. It seems like a playbook taken right out of King Kong and how Ann Darrow (in the original 1933 film) was able to keep the ape calm.
From the outset, this is usually an old joke about the creature always having the hots for a beautiful woman. In the case of Natasha and Hulk, there might have been some of that at play. However, there seemed to be other elements going on there in Hulk trusting her.
Part of this may have involved having relatable backgrounds.
Bruce Banner and Natasha Romanoff
More than a few writers have analyzed Bruce and Natasha seeming to have a bit of a romantic thing for one another, even if was like an opposites attracting situation. One would assume then that because of this connection, Bruce’s personality manages to take over somewhat when Natasha found a special way to calm Hulk.
She was the only Avenger who could keep Hulk serene, something perhaps at the root of her and Bruce maybe having hidden romantic feelings. Although this would go against the idea Hulk completely usurps Bruce Banner’s body and thoughts as in Jekyll/Hyde.
Nevertheless, there may have been a deep change in Hulk’s head based on how he responded to Natasha.
Maybe Hulk also had the same romantic feelings for Natasha as Bruce does. This would take things back to the old classic trope of a beast being calmed through the presence of a woman.
Those romantic overtones were never acted upon, something necessary so it wouldn’t take away from the reported romantic history between Natasha and Hawkeye.
Both have backgrounds of struggle
Despite Bruce Banner and Natasha Romanoff coming from different backgrounds, their circumstances were one of overcoming the odds. After all, Natasha had to escape from her dark Russian/KGB roots to become an Avenger.
Banner had to learn to overcome his Hulk transformation, something he’s never been able to do completely.
In other words, they have pasts they couldn’t come to terms with, bringing an unlikely emotional connection. Hulk seemed to understand this when confronted by Natasha.
Giving Natasha this ability provided some comic relief with the others who clearly couldn’t control Hulk, outside of always thinking they could. As Reddit users noted recently, it’s always given fans laughs to see Thor attempt to calm Hulk and always get pummeled in the process.
The scene where Hulk throws Thor around like a rag doll in Ragnarok was a good example. To anyone else not a superhero, they would have been killed after a similar “Hulk smash” moment.
There won’t be any chance to reunite
With Hulk now being written out of any future movies of the Avengers (at least for now), there won’t be any more chances to see Natasha calm Hulk during chaotic scenes. Her famous biblical line of “The sun’s getting real low” became kind of a mantra as part of her Hulk calming technique.
Some have suggested it was maybe a hypnotic suggestion method she learned in the KGB rather than any real emotional/romantic understanding between the two.
No matter what was really going on between them in those moments, nobody else will probably be able to calm Hulk again if there’s ever a reunion. Unless the MCU continues on their path of death being relative and they bring Natasha back from the dead.
Only overwhelming popularity for upcoming Black Widow will likely determine that.
