Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Thunderbolts*.cast of Thunderbolts* showing that.
Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova, David Harbour's Red Guardian, and Olga Kurylenko's Taskmaster all return from Black Widow, with only two of them making it to the Thunderbolts* sequel could make even better.
Yelena Belova Was Directionless At The Start Of Thunderbolts*
The MCU Character Has Had A Rough Life
Thunderbolts* is a different kind of MCU movie. Sure, it does present the same kind of intense action sequences we have come to expect from the franchise and Marvel's traditional brand of humor. However, I was surprised by how the movie's main focus is on mental health, depression, and self-discovery. Thunderbolts* is deeper than I expected it to be, and since Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova was its main character, she gets a lot of interesting development throughout the film.
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Yelena starts Thunderbolts* in a really dark place. We got a snippet of her reaction to Natasha's death in Black Widow's post-credits scene. Her anger was then directed at Hawkeye, but when she realized Clint Barton was not to blame in Disney+'s Hawkeye series, Yelena did not have an objective to work towards anymore. Yelena is directionless at the start of Thunderbolts*, burying herself in Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's assignments to try not to focus on Natasha's death. Yelena's dark past in the Red Room and the things she had to do also haunt her throughout the film.
Florence Pugh’s Yelena Is Now The Leader Of The New Avengers
The Thunderbolts Become One Of The MCU's Avengers Teams
I fell in love with the Thunderbolts over the course of the film and found myself wanting to see them take on a larger role in the MCU. To my surprise, Valentina would introduce the team as The New Avengers to the world. That was quite the reveal, as I had expected the film's asterisk to mean the team's name would change from Thunderbolts to the Dark Avengers, which happened in the comics. However, the MCU's idea was even better for Yelena and her team.
Thunderbolts* Cast Member |
Character |
|---|---|
Sebastian Stan |
James "Bucky" Barnes, A.K.A. The Winter Soldier |
Florence Pugh |
Yelena Belova, A.K.A. Black Widow |
Wyatt Russell |
John Walker, A.K.A. US Agent |
David Harbour |
Alexei Shostakov, A.K.A. Red Guardian |
Hannah John-Kamen |
Ava Starr, A.K.A. Ghost |
Olga Kurylenko |
Antonia Dreykov, A.K.A. Taskmaster |
Julia Louis-Dreyfus |
Contessa Valentina Allegra De Fontaine |
Lewis Pullman |
Bob (Sentry/The Void) |
Geraldine Viswanathan |
Mel |
Thunderbolts*'s post-credits scene then had a time jump to see the team operating as The New Avengers. All the characters looked great and more well-adjusted to their lives and superhero roles. The heroes are also operating out of the original Avengers Tower, since Valentina had bought it and she is now under their thumb, which Yelena let her know at the end of the movie. Yelena is not only in the same team that Natasha was a part of, but she is The New Avengers' leader, honoring her sister beautifully.
I’m Delighted That Yelena Is Honoring Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow By Following In Her Footsteps
Florence Pugh's Marvel Hero Honors Her Sister's Legacy In A Major Way
During her time in the MCU, Black Widow made it clear that she had many regrets over her time as an assassin for the Red Room. She mentioned all the red in her ledger and how being a hero for SHIELD and the Avengers served as her way of atoning for her sins. At the start of Thunderbolts*, Yelena Belova told Valentina that she wanted a more front-facing role, trying to honor her sister's memory by becoming a superhero.
Well, she is now following in the footsteps of Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow. Before the Thunderbolts band together and save Bob from the Void, Yelena tells her father, Red Guardian, that she feels incredibly alone. She then finds a family in the Thunderbolts, which gives her the same kind of comfort that Nat had with Chris Evans' Captain America and the rest of the Avengers. Yelena honors Natasha's memory as a leader and an Avenger, which could become even better if she takes on the Black Widow moniker after Thunderbolts*.
Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
- May 2, 2025
- Runtime
- 127 minutes
- Director
- Jake Schreier
- Writers
- Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo
- Producers
- Kevin Feige
Cast
Yelena Belova
Bucky Barnes
- Franchise(s)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
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