evilkneazle:

actuallyclintbarton:

dsudis:

So I’m rewatching Avengers tonight, and—especially in light of Cap 2—I was really struck by the moment on the helicarrier when Steve comes looking for Natasha and sees Clint out of restraints post-brainwashing. Steve is about to head into a war zone, this guy was Loki’s right hand ten minutes ago, and Steve’s reaction is:

a) to look to Natasha for her judgment on whether Clint can be trusted, and

b) when she gives him merely a nod, to immediately accept and trust her assessment and go into war with Clint not only at his back but flying the damn jet.

Just in case we were wondering exactly when Steve started trusting Natasha with his life.

Seriously though, like…

Try to imagine literally any other SHIELD agent convincing Bruce to come in, with just the right balance of truth.

Try to imagine Steve trusting Clint without her go-ahead.

Hell, try to imagine them being able to stop Clint AND clear out the brainwashing in a manner that didn’t kill or long-term incapacitate him.

Try to imagine the chaos of NOBODY ELSE in their much less-cohesive (and less powerful) group being able to go up to prod at the device keeping the portal open, given that they were all doing serious damage control.

Without Natasha, the Avengers don’t exist and the battle of New York is lost.

She is literally the lynchpin of the plot – without her, NONE of it works.

Now who’s fucking eye candy?

And if you think she’s just eye candy, you’re obviously HYDRA.

Yeah, Ward, I’m talking to you.