For today, I figured I’d consider some of my favorite ships (romantic or otherwise) from the Avengers. (Needless to say, you’ll see Darcy a lot.)

Clint/Darcy – my main Avengers pairing…this one enthralls me even though (as far as we know) the two of them have never met. Darcy (see my full opinion here) is a fantastic character while Clint is a snarky, sarcastic character with a sharp, dark edge to him. (I love his couple of lines in Thor which give such insight to his character, plus his first couple of comments to Fury in Avengers. The comment on the Tesseract being a door – thus able to open from both sides – and Fury’s surprise showcase Clint’s ability to put facts together…he is not just a sniper with a weapon. He’s got a brain. The two of them have so much potential together. They are among the most underestimated characters in the fandom, and that makes them dangerous to their enemies/detractors. Clint is a protector and someone who wants to do the right thing even if he has to disobey orders to do so. Darcy is a caretaker and will put her own safety/needs aside to help another. I see them balancing each other out. They take care of each other…she won’t let him hide his hurts while he will step in to prevent someone from taking advantage of her.

Natasha/Steve – I like these two because they’ve got an interesting mix of shared and opposite characteristics. Both of them have histories that are longer and more complex than their compatriots (Thor’s possibly excluded depending on your view of ‘complex’). They’ve both got gaps to overcome – Steve in reference to the time he spent in hibernation and Natasha in the memory/personality gaps left by the Red Room. On the other hand, they are opposites. Steve is the ‘good guy’ – he’s always wanted to do the right thing for the right reasons and this is reflected in the effects of the super serum. He’s the stereotypical boy scout. Natasha is the ‘reformed bad girl’ – assassin, spy, seductress, killer turned around and now fighting the good fight. I enjoy the potentially volatile mix…I can see Steve confusing Natasha by accepting her abilities while desiring to defend her. Natasha would be one of the few who could keep up with Steve on an all-out attack and be his support in the shadowy world that he cannot walk in.

Pepper/Tony – Yin and Yang…I don’t have a lot to say on these two. They simply balance each other. His fire to her water…his air to her earth…he is brilliant, quick, and vivid…she is grounded, methodical, and shaded. She gives him a foundation from which to fly while he gives her visions on which to dream.

Jane/Thor – I just enjoy these two. Jane’s brilliance and Thor’s dynamism…is willing to support Jane’s dreams while Jane has faith in Thor’s honesty and heroism. Both of them seem to be looking beyond, wanting more. They are not satisfied with the status quo. (This could be either good or bad actually.) Together they can look further, reach farther, and dream bigger…because each provides the other with truths they never knew before.

Bruce/Natasha – This one escaped me until I rewatched the movie and really took in the scene where Bruce meets the team in NYC. The looks exchanged between them made me start thinking…you know…maybe… Once my imagination got engaged, that was that. Both of them have these volatile, dangerous sides that they handle in their own way. Natasha uses strict discipline and control while Bruce seeks to calm and understand. Both are driven to help others. Both seek to atone for errors, both real and imagined. Both consider themselves monsters unfit for human companionship and neither understand the friendships others offer.

Bucky/Darcy – This one is new for me, but it echoes many of the same themes as Clint/Darcy. With Bucky, however, there is an even darker edge. While Clint is an assassin and a soldier, Bucky has walked darker paths and has a more fractured psyche. In this case, Darcy is like light that fills the space between Bucky’s shadows. There would be a more desperate quality to Bucky’s choice of Darcy…more like a lifeline that keeps him tethered in the here and now. It would be a bit more obsessive as well. These two give off a darker note as he tries to overcome horrors and she tries to accept knowing she will never fully understand.

Darcy&Clint&Natasha – These three just push my buttons. Clint and Natasha with all their dark cynicism coming face to face with Darcy and all her light optimism. They don’t get it, but they can’t withstand it either. She’s just going to bowl them over.

Darcy&Phil&Spies (2 or 3 if you include Bucky) – To put this one as simply as possible, Darcy is the campfire, Phil the encampment, and the others are coming to them for safety from the darkness.

Clint&Darcy&Phil – These three are potentially hysterical. You’ve got all of Clint’s snark, Darcy’s sarcasm, and Phil’s dry wit. If written properly, these three could be the true backbone of the team considering their strengths – Clint’s gift at watching over folks, Darcy’s gift at taking care of folks, and Phil’s gift at handling anything and everything.

Clint & Natasha – I can’t see them as a pairing because they are too much alike to me. All those shadows and dark edges would either drown them or leave them bleeding. To me, they are almost like twins…friends or siblings who might bicker between themselves, but they will always present a united front to the rest of the world. They operate on the same wavelength and protect each other to whatever extent possible – including protecting each other’s world. By that I mean – Natasha would risk everything to protect Clint’s significant other and/or children and vice versa. Anything that Natasha considers precious would be under Clint’s shield and the reverse would also hold true. They share a lifeline – even though their partnership is not romantic (to me), they will not truly live if anything happened to the other.

Tony & Bruce – Science bros! They have such potential for a ridiculously intelligent comedic duo.

Thor & Darcy – Thor needs more than just fighting buddies and a ladylove, and I think Darcy would make a fantastic little sister for him. He’s got a need to be a brother, and Loki is not cooperating with all of his fraternal urges, but I can see Darcy letting him be as much a brother as he wants to be while still picking her moments to be the ‘bratty little sister’.

Jane & Darcy – Again, I see a sibling relationship here. Jane is the studious older sister and Darcy is her half-adoring, half-annoying little sister. Darcy will always back Jane up, but she’s not above poking fun at her at the same time.