The MCU replacement of Black Widow continues a heartbreaking Winter Soldier trend

The MCU replacement of Black Widow is set to be fully established in thunderbolts*But this will continue a heartbreaking trend that has plagued Bucky Barnes’ Winter Soldier for several years. Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff was a crucial part of the Infinity Saga, so she Avengers: Endgame Death and Final Farewell in her retrospective solo film, Black Widowhave left a noticeable void in the MCU. Marvel Studios has set the perfect replacement for the MCU’s Black Widow, however, and thunderbolts* May make this official.

Marvel Studios’ upcoming thunderbolts* The movie will bring together a number of reformed villains and anti-heroes from MCU history as a brand new superpowered team. Although she will not appear on the screen, thunderbolts* It will also mark the return of Scarlett Johansson to the MCU, as she is an executive producer on the Phase 5 movie. This supports a major theory that Marvel Studios’ new Black Widow will finally emerge thunderbolts*But while this is exciting, it also continues a devastating MCU trend.

Thunderbolts* could make Yelena Belova the new Black Widow of the MCU

Yelena Belova wears a Black Widow belt in Thunderbolts*

The perfect candidate to take over Natasha Romanoff’s Black Widow moniker is, of course, Yelena Belova. Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova debuted as another Black Widow assassin in the eponymous 2021 movie, and is introduced as a sister figure to Romanoff, so she’s primed to continue her fallen sister’s legacy. thunderbolts The first teaser trailer seems to have confirmed this evolution, as several eagle-eyed viewers, including @HailbisovaYelena Belova was spotted with the Red Room’s Black Widow symbol on her new costume’s belt buckle.

Natasha Romanoff has previously shown the Black Widow logo on her MCU costumes, depicting the hourglass shape that appears on the bodies of female Black Widow spiders. This reflects the equipment and acrobatic skills of the Black Widow Assassins, namely the hand-worn Black Widow Bait, which allows them to electrocute their enemies at close range. Since Yelena Belova was also a Black Widow Assassin, it makes sense that she would sport the icon and officially take over the mantleAlthough she can no longer deal with it.

Jelena taking on the Red Room logo is heartbreaking

Yelena Belova may not want to be associated with the Black Widows

In the first teaser trailer for thunderbolts*Yelena Belova expresses frustration about her life after being released from the Red Room’s mind control. This pushed her to continue doing contract work, this time for Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, but she hopes to explore her own path instead. The fact that Yelena would still use the Black Widow logo and moniker even after taking control of her own life is heartbreaking.and mirrors the overarching MCU story of another upcoming Thunderbolts member, Bucky Barnes’ Winter Soldier.

Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes has spent years trying to come to terms with and move on from his Winter Soldier identity After HYDRA’s conditioning is broken in Wakanda. This was an important storyline in The Falcon and the Winter SoldierThe title of which proved that Bucky could never escape the Winter Soldier moniker, despite perhaps wanting to shift to become the MCU’s White Wolf. It’s the same as Yelena Belova’s relationship to the Black Widow moniker, but this superhero title is actually perfect for the upcoming hero.

Why Elena’s official moniker would be so perfect

Becoming a black widow would be a sign of development for Yelena Belova

Although the Black Widow moniker has terrifying roots in the Red Room, Natasha Romanoff’s career as an Avenger named Black Widow transformed the title into a force for good. Yelena Belova adopted the moniker in thunderbolts* would ensure that she continues the themes established by Romanoff, and is the perfect way to pay homage to and honor her late sister. It’s also a natural evolution for Yelena – she’s already been referred to as a black widow assassin, but it would be fantastic to see her become The Black Widow, a good hero.

Beyond honoring Natasha Romanoff, Yelena Belova assuming the Black Widow moniker would also be a brilliant way to prove to the other members of the Thunderbolts team that they are united and defined by their past trauma. Each of them has been through hardships, and has left damage in their wake, and they should not ignore that when they set out to do good.But should respect it and use it to show how far they have come. Yelena Belova becomes the new Black Widow in thunderbolts* Would be a powerful statement and would be exciting for the future of the MCU.