NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
Marvel has been trying for years to find suitable replacements for the older major characters in the MCU. It wasn’t until Thunderbolts that they found a replacement for Black Widow. Yelena, not only is her sister’s replacement, but she’s much better.
In her first appearance in the MCU during Black Widow, we were introduced to her hand-to-hand combat style, which was similar to Natasha’s, but it was her wit that drew fans to her. Her appearance in Hawkeye pulled us in further as we felt her pain as she dealt with the death of her sister. But it was her leading role in Thunderbolts that truly sealed the deal for me.
When the cast of Thunderbots was announced, MCU heads were foaming at the mouth in hopes of a Florence Pugh announcement. We got it. But who exactly would we get? Would we get the warrior, the comedian, or the heartbroken woman we saw glimpses of in her early appearances?
What Yelena meant to Thunderbolts should have fans of the MCU rejoicing. She was everything we wanted and more. She provided the comedy that’s been missing since Phase 1. She provided the best hand-to-hand combat that’s been missing since the death of Black Widow. But most importantly, she gave fans someone we could root for. It was the raw emotion that she carried around the entire movie that gave us hope for a return to how things used to be.
Yelena is clearly the leader of the Thunderbolts, and with the Avengers in limbo, who’s to say that she can’t take the mantel as the leader? What has her standing out more than her sister is that Yelena has more of a human-like personality.
Natasha gave off robot-like vibes. She offered a few jokes here and there, but Yelena is more emotional. Natasha did some horrible things in her past, however, we never saw her get to pay for those prior sins like we have Yelena. She wants to be good. She wants a better life. She’s everything that Natasha never got a chance to be or she ran from.
Natasha jumped sides. One minute, she’s team Stark, then she’s team Rogers. Yelena, well, she’s team Yelena and makes no excuses about that. But still, she’s searching for a family to call her own. She willing to lay it all on the line the same way Natasha was but for different reasons.
One of the best jokes in the film was how the Thunderbots got their name. A youth soccer team. Might not be the best joke in the history of the MCU but the fact they all took to the name, shows the leadership.
With Thunderbots returning in Avengers: Doomsday, MCU fans will get to see more of Yelena. There is no more Tony Stark or Steve Rogers, hell, the Hulk is not even the same. The team is in need of someone who’s not afraid to take charge. She has all the qualities of the heroes we lost and the heart of her sister. But in the end, Yelena is one of a kind. And she just may be the best of the bunch as we head into the future of the MCU.
