MCU Theory: Black Widow Sets Up Russia's Avengers

Black Widow could set up Russia's own version of the Avengers. The sadly-delayed Black Widow will launch Phase 4 of the MCU. At present, it's frankly unclear why Marvel Studios believe the time is right for Black Widow; although audiences have been asking for this movie since Scarlett Johansson made her debut in 2010's Iron Man 2, the timing seems bizarre. After all, Natasha Romanoff has just sacrificed herself to save the universe from Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, meaning this film actually steps back in time to before her death.

One possible clue, however, lies in the fact the MCU's Phase 4 appears focused on expanding the MCU in unusual and unexpected ways. It will introduce entirely new races of ancient aliens to the MCU, the Eternals; it will reveal the truth behind the Mandarin in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings; and it will reveal just how New Asgard and Wakanda relate to the world post-Endgame. Thus it's entirely possible Black Widow serves the same kind of purpose; only this time, the focus is upon Russia.

In the comics, the Avengers triggered a sort of superhuman arms race, with every nation on Earth rushing to put together its own team of super-soldiers. Competition was particularly fierce between the United States and Russia, with the latter establishing a team known as the Winter Guard who have played a prominent role in Jason Aaron's current Avengers run. Significantly, a couple of characters associated with the Winter Guard are already confirmed to appear in Black Widow, while others are rumored.

Red Guardian

The first — and most prominent — member of the Winter Guard is Red Guardian. In the comics, Alexei Shostakov was a Russian cosmonaut and national hero who was persuaded to fake his own death in order to undergo a harsh physical training regimen, transforming him into the Russian equivalent to Captain America. He was able to defeat several of the Avengers in battle, but was unable to beat the shield-slinging Avenger; an honorable man at heart, he refused to allow his Soviet masters to kill Captain America, and sacrificed himself saving Steve Rogers' life.

The MCU version of Red Guardian has evidently been switched up quite a bit. He's played by David Harbour, and according to the Stranger Things actor, he was intended to serve as a rallying force for Russia, just as Captain America did for the United States during World War II in Captain America: The First Avenger. "I think the great thing about Red Guardian is... he was the Captain America of his day for Russia," Harbour explained in an interview with TheWarp. "And he was the great hope of Russia, in a certain sense." While there's no evidence the MCU's Red Guardian ever crossed paths with Captain America, he worked closely with the Red Room, and considers Black Widow like a daughter (in the comics, he was her husband). Evidently, Red Guardian was ultimately seen to have failed Russia, and was imprisoned; Black Widow trailers clearly show Natasha leading a mission to break him out of some sort of advanced jail facility.

Yelena Belova's Black Widow Could Become Part Of The Winter Guard

Yelena Belova is the second Black Widow, and in the MCU she's played by Florence Pugh. In the comics, Yelena dedicated herself to Natasha's memory after her predecessor was believed dead, claiming the mantle of the Black Widow for herself. Pugh has insisted the MCU will take a different approach; the trailers may well have given a subtle hint, showing a scene apparently from the end of the film's third act in which Yelena is strapped to a table, about to undergo some sort of experimental process. In one comic book arc, Yelena was transformed into a Super-Adaptoid, a powerful being with the ability to mimic the powers of others; this may be being set up in this shot, which could even be part of the post-credits stinger given the singed outfit Yelena is wearing.

Yelena has no strong ties to the Russian Avengers equivalent in the comics, but Jason Aaron's run has seen the team taken over by another graduate from the Red Room — Red Widow. Marvel could quite easily have dedicated to conflate Yelena Belova's Black Widow and this other character.

Ursa Major

Meanwhile, there have been rumors Black Widow will also introduce Ursa Major. These really began when the world's tallest bodybuilder, Olivier Richters, revealed he had been recruited by Marvel for an unspecified role in the film. "Marvel was kind of my end goal," Richters observed excitedly. "Maybe knock on their door in a few years, first built a resume so I can show them what I can do. And now it is the first one on my resume... insane." It's reasonable to assume Richters has been recruited for a very specific role, and frankly there aren't that many Marvel characters who'd be appropriate for the Dutch Giant, who stands at a staggering 7ft 2in in height. Ursa Major is the only one connected with Russia at all; in the comics, he's a mutant born with the ability to transform into the form of a giant bear. The Russian government were fascinated by his powers, and had him placed in suspended animation at a high-tech facility, where they experimented upon him. The design of that lab — seen in 1992' Soviet Super Soldiers one-shot — is strikingly similar to one seen in the trailers for Black Widow.

Crimson Dynamo Could Easily Be Set Up Too

Marvel has already subtly set up Crimson Dynamo, Russia's answer to Iron Man. In Iron Man 2, Tony Stark insisted there was no reason to fear Iron Man technology, because other world powers were five or ten years away from perfecting anything remotely like it. It's unclear whether Iron Man 2 should be considered set in 2010 or 2011, but frankly that doesn't matter; after Avengers: Endgame's five-year time jump and the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home, the MCU's present day is now set in the year 2024. That means Russia has had plenty of time to perfect Crimson Dynamo armor; what's more, if the lab complex being raided by Scarlett Johansson really is Russia's answer to the super-soldier project, the armor may well make its appearance in Black Widow. It's worth noting that Hasbro's Black Widow wave of Marvel Legends figures features a massive Crimson Dynamo BAF (Build-a-Figure), in a design that's never been seen in the comics and would potentially fit rather well with the MCU.

It's actually quite striking how easy it would be for Marvel to introduce the Winter Guard. Of course, Black Widow is set in the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War, which means the world has just agreed to register its superhumans under the Sokovia Accords. It would hardly be a surprise for Black Widow audiences to learn that some governments are in breach of the Accords, conducting black book experiments to create their own Avengers equivalents. The time really is perfect for the Winter Guard.

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