Appearing in "The Ties That Bind: Part 3"
Featured Characters:
- Natalie Grey (Main story and recap)
Supporting Characters:
- James, Natalie's fiancé
- Hawkeye (Clint Barton)
- Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes) (Main story and recap)
- Black Widow / Helen (Yelena Belova)
Antagonists:
- Viper/Madame Hydra (Ophelia Sarkissian)
- Arcade
- Weeping Lion (First full appearance)
- Snapdragon (Sheoke Sanada)
- Red Guardian (Alexei Shostakov) (Main story and recap)
- Hired thugs
Other Characters:
- Stevie, Natalie's son
- Houdini (Mentioned) (Topical Reference)
- The Red Room (Only in recap)
- Avengers (Only in recap)
- Iron Man (Tony Stark) (Only in recap)
- Captain America (Steve Rogers) (Only in recap)
- Spider-Man (Peter Parker) (Only in recap)
- Mockingbird (Bobbi Morse) (Only in recap)
- Daredevil (Matt Murdock) (Only in recap)
- Captain America (Steve Rogers-61311) (Only in recap)
- Elektra Natchios (Only in recap)
- Ivan Petrovich (Only in recap)
- God (Yahweh) (Invoked)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth (Main story and recap)
- United States (Main story and recap)
- California (Main story and recap)
- Sausalito
- Black Widow's Villa
- San Francisco (Main story and recap)
- Elena Hughes Bridal (First appearance)
- Sausalito
- New York (Only in recap)
- New York City (Only in recap)
- Manhattan (Only in recap)
- New York City (Only in recap)
- Washington, D.C. (Only in recap)
- National Mall (Only in recap)
- Capitol Building (Only in recap)
- National Mall (Only in recap)
- Arcade's control room
- California (Main story and recap)
- Russia (Only in recap)
- Moscow (Only in recap)
- Red Room Academy (Only in recap)
- Moscow (Only in recap)
- United States (Main story and recap)
- Hell (Invoked)
- Paradise (Mentioned)
Items:
- Hawkeye's Suit
- Winter Soldier's Bionic Arm
- Black Widow's Gauntlets (Main story and recap)
- Daredevil's Suit (Only in recap)
Vehicles:
- Black Widow's motorcycle
Synopsis for "The Ties That Bind: Part 3"
As Natalie goes about her happy life, her forgotten friends continue to observe from afar. While Clint is reticent about removing her from the good life she has, Bucky remains convinced they need to given an obvious supervillain manipulation. However, Yelena warns Bucky against it, as Natasha's mind is the issue given they don't know if she was made into "Natalie" or chose to become her. Another concern is the her baby, Stevie, with DNA tests proving he is her son despite the timeline being impossible given her four month absence. Undercover as the babysitter, Yelena continues as "Helen" who "surreptitiously" of Natalie's observers. Meeting Natalie "by chance" shopping for a wedding dress, Helen greets her and their conversation leads to Natalie feeling happy but thinking something is wrong. Helen alleviates her worries, helping her with continue with dress hunting.
Elsewhere, Viper is infuriated that her partners had to appear for a meeting, which shouldn't have happened with Black Widow still successfully under her reconditioning. With Weeping Lion admitting to summoning them, they felt it time Black Widow died, despite Viper's and the group's opposition. With Black Widow happy and out of the spy game, everyone present had the freedom to continue their own agendas, with Alexi reminding Weeping Lion of their agreement to such participation. But it was too late, as Weeping Lion already sent an assassination squad to her home in ambush. The Weeping Lion refused to allow Natasha to have a paradise for her final days. A frightened Viper stares at her monitors in the realization that Weeping Lion's thirst for vengeance has killed them all.
Arriving home, Natalie senses something amiss but remains calm and focused, uncertain as to why she is that way. With the sight of a blood stain, her instincts kick in as she massacres the assassins that ambush her. With one pinned, he orders the hostage takers to kill James and Stevie. She retrieves the homemade bomb she previously made before using makeshift weapons to breach the room and kill the hostage taker with the bomb. Happy to see James and Stevie safe, Natalie was caught unawares by the electrocution dart on her neck, knocking her out. Her real memories come flooding back to her as her family worry for her; Viper warns she will kill Weeping Lion should Black Widow not die.
Solicit Synopsis
WHITE…WIDOW?!
Nobody who knows Natasha Romanoff would have imagined THIS when hearing the words “White Widow,” but nothing about this new Nat is what anyone could have imagined. It’s no surprise that she’s looking sublime in white, but who’s the lucky groom? And is this a match for love…or death?