The latest trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home promises a ton of villains for Spider-Man to deal with. The Black Cat is not one of them, at least, not so far. But she likely isn't too far away in the MCU, and comic book fans know there is a lot for the movies to explore in the fun and complex relationship between Spider-Man and Black Cat.
Spider-Man and Black Cat have been friends, enemies, and lovers - often all at once - in the time since her debut in The Amazing Spider-Man #194 in 1979. She's since become an integral part of Spider-Man's comic book world, meaning that Felicia Hardy and all the trouble she causes Peter Parker are inevitable in the MCU.
She's Faked Her Own Death ... More Than Once
Most fans know the core relationship between Black Cat and Spider-Man is a game of cat and mouse, with Spider-Man often chasing the iconic cat burglar. But in the comics, their relationship goes to extreme lengths, which include Black Cat faking her death on numerous occasions. The first time is at the end of her very first encounter with him, in The Amazing Spider-Man #195.
She doesn't wait too long to reveal that she actually is still alive, thanks mostly to her undeniable attraction to Spider-Man. But then she pulls the same stunt again in The Amazing Spider-Man #227, after the two team up to take on the Maggia criminal organization
They Actually Dated
Most Marvel fans probably know Black Cat is one of Spider-Man's love interests in the comics, but they may not know the two actually dated. The relationship begins not long after Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #74 when Peter Parker reveals his true identity to Felicia Hardy. It's one of his most significant relationships, though it didn't last long.
Peter Parker actually had deep feelings for Felicia and trusted her with his life and she's actually the first person he deliberately revealed his identity to. But he ultimately broke up with Black Cat, to her shock and sadness.
Black Cat Is Only Interested In Spider-Man
The main reason for the breakup is that Black Cat was only really ever interested in Spider-Man. Her surface attraction to the costumed web-slinger never matured into actual feelings for the man beneath the mask. Peter knew that and fought it, but in the end, couldn't overcome the fact that Black Cat always wanted to play.
This isn't the end of things between them, though. The two would continue to drift in and out of each other's lives, but so far, their wants and needs have yet to align perfectly in the same moment.
Bad Luck
Felicia Hardy originally had no superpowers at all, but their romance actually leads her to seek superpowers after she nearly dies at the hands of Doctor Octopus. Black Cat turns to the Kingpin, who through a series of experiments, provides her the ability to affect probability. In effect, she causes people bad luck.
These powers become her primary defense in the comics after, making it even harder for Spider-Man and other characters to ever prevent her from going on her infamous crime sprees in New York City and elsewhere in the world.
Curse Of The Black Cat
The Black Cat is a Spider-Man villain who hasn't fought him in a movie yet, but she could appear in No Way Home, thanks to a comic book connection to Doctor Strange. When her probability powers put a 'hex' on Spider-Man, he turned to Strange for help.
Doctor Strange discovered that Spider-Man's aura had been changed, leading him to have unusual accidents. While it's unlikely, it's possible that Black Cat emerges in the MCU through some of the mystical events of No Way Home.
She Has Attacked Mary Jane
Despite her preference for Spider-Man over Peter Parker, that didn't stop Black Cat from clawing out her territory. She aggressively confronted Mary Jane Watson in the comics, with their most extreme encounter coming in The Amazing Spider-Man #331.
Black Cat returns from overseas after a long time away and finds out Peter Parker married Mary Jane while she was gone. This sends her over the edge, leading to one of Felicia's true moments of villainy in the comics.
She's Jealous
Black Cat's campaign to end the marriage between Spider-Man and Mary Jane didn't end there. She also began dating Flash Thompson, Peter Parker's rival going back to high school, in an attempt to make him jealous. While it was somewhat successful, it ultimately backfired.
Black Cat actually developed feelings for Flash. He rebukes them, and she discovers how cruel her own motivations were. Flash only dated her to because she was once Spider-Man's love interest, and Flash idolized Spider-Man almost as much she did.
Ultimate Shock
One of the best alternate versions of Black Cat is from the Ultimate Comics universe of Earth-1610. She also has one of the best reactions to Spider-Man's true identity. When Felicia Hardy finds out Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker, she throws up all over him.
Her visceral reaction is mostly a result of her thinking Spider-Man is much older. She had admired him from afar for some time, and the shock of finding out he was just a teenage boy resulted in one of the funniest - and messiest - moments in their relationship.
Erased Memories
One of the darkest Spider-Man comic book stories is One More Day, where Peter Parker trades his marriage with Mary Jane to save the life of Aunt May. The marriage is erased from existence, leading everyone's memories of it being erased, including Black Cat. This leads to an effective reset of the relationship between Black Cat and Spider-Man.
The two reignite their romance in The Amazing Spider-Man #606, beginning a passionate affair that is unfettered by any memory of his marriage. The relationship has since fallen into the same patterns as before, though.
What If..?
With the introduction of the multiverse in the MCU, it's possible different variants of Black Cat appear on the screen. One of the most intriguing comes of What If? #4, where Black Cat proved how significant her relationship with Spider-Man is. After Spider-Man dies at the hands of the alien symbiote that would become Venom, Black Cat destroys the alien.
Her love for Spider-Man drives her to make a deal with Kingpin that gains her a weapon that can kill the symbiote. In exchange, she has to remain in his employ for the rest of her life, a terrible loss of freedom for the carefree Felicia Hardy.