Scarlett Johansson Credits Black Widow's Survival to Inherent Female Strength

Black Widow had survived every encounter with enemies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe until she decided to go out on her own terms in Avengers: Endgame. Aside from the sacrifice she made to save everyone else, no foe -- super villain or otherwise -- was able to stop Marvel's super spy. As a lot of that strength and training will be explained when Black Widow arrives in theaters, Natasha Romanoff actress Scarlett Johansson has one way to explain the natural ability to survive embedded in her hero: "inherently female."

While Black Widow's physical skills (none of which line up with the likes of the enhanced super heroes around her like Captain America, Thor, or Captain Marvel) are impressive, Johansson credits her intellectual abilities for her survival. "I think this character's strength really lies in her vulnerability and her acceptance of that," she tells EW. "She has emotional intelligence that has allowed her to survive without any real superpowers. She's someone who is a problem-solver. She's a pragmatic person. I think a lot of those qualities are inherently female."

Female-driven super hero movies are slowly becoming more common, following the successes of Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman. While Black Widow is not being marketed boasting its claim as the first female super hero movie or the first standalone Marvel movie with a woman in the lead, Johansson does credit the shift in support and interest for female-driven content as to why the film is finally happening. "For anyone who said to me, 'Oh, this [Black Widow film] should've happened five or 10 years ago,' I'm like, it would not have been as substantial," she said. "We just would not have been able to do it. This film is happening now as a result of what's going on in the zeitgeist, and I think it's pretty cool."

Black Widow might be the final outing for Johansson as the character but the actress hopes the legacy of thee character lives on and continues to empower those who might see such a character in the future: "I hope that this film continues pushing that boundary, so that we can actually have more female superheroes who are inherently female, and aren't just Batman in heels or whatever."

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Black Widow hits theaters on May 1.