With the release of Black Widow in 2021, Marvel introduced Yelena Belova as a new Black Widow trained in the Red Room program. Played by Florence Pugh, Yelena becomes an ally to Natasha Romanoff and hints at taking on the Black Widow mantle following Natasha’s death in Avengers: Endgame. This has led many fans to wonder – is Yelena Belova the new Black Widow? There are several key facts to consider when evaluating whether Yelena could take on this role.
Yelena’s Background
Like Natasha, Yelena was trained in the Red Room as a young girl to become an elite assassin and spy. She endured harsh conditions and mind control techniques to strip away her humanity and mold her into a ruthless killer. Yelena was designed to be Natasha’s successor, matching and possibly exceeding her skills.
Yelena’s Abilities
Yelena has demonstrated similar abilities to Natasha’s skillset:
- Expert hand-to-hand combatant
- Skilled with firearms and improvised weapons
- Advanced tradecraft for deception and infiltration
- Highly intelligent and strategic thinker
- Peak athleticism and conditioning
- Slowed aging and enhanced physiology from Red Room treatments
- Stealth and camouflage capabilities
With her ruthless background and combat abilities, Yelena could certainly take over as the new Black Widow from a skills perspective.
Yelena’s Relationship with Natasha
Despite being designed to surpass Natasha, Yelena ultimatelyviewed her as a sister and cared for her deeply. After breaking free from the mind control of the Red Room, Yelena allied with Natasha against their shared enemies.
Natasha sacrificed her life so that Yelena could survive, further bonding them. With Natasha gone, Yelena could carry on her memory and legacy by becoming the next Black Widow. She has the personal motivation of honoring her departed sister in this way.
Yelena’s Path in the MCU
In Black Widow’s post-credits scene, Yelena visits Natasha’s grave and is approached by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Val recruits Yelena to target Clint Barton, who she incorrectly blames for Natasha’s death. This puts Yelena on a path of vengeance, seemingly setting up her story arc.
In the Hawkeye series, Yelena indeed attempts to kill Clint but ultimately learns the truth of Natasha’s sacrifice. The two grief-stricken widows come to an understanding and reconciliation. With vengeance no longer driving her, Yelena’s path seems open to take up Natasha’s work as Black Widow.
The Future Black Widow Mantle
With Yelena’s background, abilities, and personal motivations, many signs point to her carrying on Natasha’s legacy. Actor Florence Pugh has hinted in interviews that she’s signed on for future MCU appearances as Yelena.
While Marvel has not officially announced Yelena as the next Black Widow, they’ve clearly invested in the character and set her up to fill that role. It would allow the iconic Black Widow identity to continue. Yelena taking up Natasha’s mantle would be a fitting continuation of the first female Avenger’s legacy.
Yelena’s Contrast to Natasha
While Yelena is positioned to succeed Natasha, the two Widows have key contrasts that may play into future stories:
| Natasha Romanoff | Yelena Belova |
|---|---|
| Started as a villain/antagonist | Introduced as a protagonist/ally |
| Found family with the Avengers | Lost her surrogate family |
| Self-serious and brooding | Snarky sense of humor |
| No confirmed romantic connections | May pursue romance with Red Guardian or others |
These differences leave room for Yelena to make the role her own if she steps in as the new Black Widow. The mantle could be redefined through her distinct personality and life experiences.
Conclusion
Given Yelena Belova’s proven abilities, personal motivations, and positioning within the MCU, there is a strong likelihood she will take over the Black Widow mantle in some capacity. But as an individual distinct from Natasha Romanoff, she will likely make the role her own if she does indeed become the next Black Widow. Yelena becoming the new Black Widow would honor Natasha’s legacy while exploring new storytelling possibilities.
Other Contenders as Black Widow
While Yelena Belova has the inside track to be the next Black Widow, some other possibilities exist:
Ayo
As a fierce Wakandan warrior, Ayo (Florence Kasumba) could obtain Black Widow technology and training from Wakanda’s espionage division. This would complement her combat skills with covert ops abilities. However, Ayo currently has a role in the Dora Milaje and may be too closely tied to Wakanda to take on the Black Widow mantle.
Sharon Carter
Former agent Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) has the spy and military background to follow in her aunt Peggy Carter’s footsteps. Sharon could go rogue from the government like Natasha did and use the Black Widow identity while working solo. But some fans may object to Sharon taking the mantle after her apparent heel turn in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Sylvie
An alternate Loki variant, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) became an accomplished fighter and agent of the TVA. With her illusion powers and shifting loyalties, she could obtain the Widow gear and name as part of an agenda to take down Kang. It’s an unlikely option, but her skills and moral ambiguity make it plausible.
Mockingbird
While not introduced yet in the MCU, SHIELD agent Bobbi Morse aka Mockingbird has a comics history as a top martial artist and spy. As Hawkeye’s ex-wife, she has links to connect her to the current Avengers. Mockingbird taking on the Widow mantle would tie the TV show character into the films.
Someone New
Marvel could opt to introduce another new character uniquely suited to carry on Natasha’s work and legacy. After a decade playing the role, Scarlett Johansson’s shoes are large to fill, so a brand new character may give the most creative freedom. Their origin story could mirror Natasha’s recruitment from villainy into heroism.
Why the Black Widow Mantle Matters
Regardless of who carries it forward, the identity of Black Widow represents key ideas that resonate powerfully for fans:
- Redemption – Natasha went from a villain to hero, proving people can change.
- Atonement – She used her skills to make amends for past misdeeds.
- Sacrifice – Natasha gave her life for the greater good.
- Perseverance – As an ordinary human, she held her own alongside superheroes.
- Inspiration – Black Widow empowers women and girls to be strong, smart, and brave.
These core values and attributes are likely to live on through whoever next takes up the title of Black Widow. The iconic spy’s legacy will continue, reminding us of the importance of courage, loyalty, and redemption.
Yelena Belova’s Uncertain Future
Despite the strong likelihood of Yelena Belova becoming the MCU’s next Black Widow, some uncertainties cloud her future:
- How will she process grief over Natasha’s death?
- Will she feel pulled between honoring Natasha’s legacy and forging her own path?
- How will she get along with the new generation of Avengers like Kate Bishop?
- What new enemies or battles will test her abilities?
- Could revelations about her past change her allegiances?
Yelena’s storyarc as the potential next Black Widow remains a blank slate. While her eventual turn as Black Widow seems probable, the road there promises to be unpredictable and emotionally impactful.
The Future of the Black Widow
The Black Widow has become one of Marvel’s most popular heroines due to Scarlett Johansson’s charismatic and layered performance. As Yelena Belova appears next in line to adopt the mantle, here is what fans may see from the spy in future installments:
Solo Film
A sequel or spinoff solo film starring Yelena could firmly establish her version of Black Widow. Florence Pugh’s praised performance makes a compelling case. Exploring more of Yelena’s backstory through flashbacks would build emotional investment.
Team-Ups
Pairing Yelena’s Black Widow with allies like Hawkeye, Falcon, Winter Soldier or the new heroes of the MCU would showcase fun character dynamics. As the sly straight-woman, her humor could play off more eccentric teammates.
Spy Thriller
With Black Widow’s skillset, a grounded spy story aesthetic suits the character perfectly. A globetrotting mission taking Yelena from Moscow to Prague to Tokyo would highlight the super-spy tropes that defined Natasha’s films like The Winter Soldier.
Dark Past
The Red Room trauma inflicted on both Widows is rich territory to explore via flashbacks. Horrific mind manipulation experiments and assassin training shaped them as both victims and killers. Confronting this darkness could build the empathy factor.
Villain Redemption
If Yelena went rogue and served as an antagonist for a time, her eventual redemption and return to heroism would carry on Natasha’s arc. This descent into darkness before finding the light again provides great drama.
Conclusion
Yelena Belova’s positioning in the MCU makes her the natural successor to adopt Natasha Romanoff’s iconic Black Widow identity. She has the ideal background and skillset while also offering plenty of contrasts to chart a fresh path. While Yelena’s emergence as the next Black Widow is highly likely, many exciting story possibilities lay ahead. The legacy of Marvel’s original super-spy will endure through this complex, capable new heroine.