Why Florence Pugh’s Yelena Is The Character To Carry The MCU Going Forward

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Since the release of Avengers: Endgame, fans have been wondering who will become the new leaders of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Tony Stark and Steve Rogers’ stories concluding in that film, there’s now an opportunity for a new hero to step forward and take the lead.

The MCU has many potential leaders, including popular heroes like Thor and Hulk, as well as newer characters like Black Panther and Spider-Man. But surprisingly, the best choice might be someone without superpowers: Yelena Belova. She quickly became a fan favorite and could be the perfect person to guide the MCU forward.

Yelena Has Been The Best Post-Endgame Addition To The MCU

Yelena first appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the 2021 film Black Widow. She’s presented as Natasha Romanoff’s sister and takes on the Black Widow mantle, much like Shuri became the new Black Panther and Kate Bishop became the new Hawkeye.

Although the Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen many strong new characters, Yelena stands out as one of the best. In just three appearances, she’s become a fan favorite, and for good reason. People connect with Yelena because of her complex past and the amazing performance by Florence Pugh, who brings a lot of charm to the role.

Yelena’s Character Is Fleshed Out In A Way Natasha Never Was

Yelena’s compelling history is a major reason fans connect with her. While many enjoyed Natasha Romanoff, a common critique of Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal was that the character lacked depth. Natasha often felt defined by her strength and charisma, but not much else.

It wasn’t until after her character’s death in Avengers: Endgame that she finally got her own movie. In contrast, we learned a lot about Yelena right away. Black Widow quickly makes her a character we root for, showing us her difficult childhood in the Red Room and the loss of her only family.

Yelena Belova, though initially presented as an enemy in Hawkeye, was a sympathetic character because her actions stemmed from a deep love for and grief over her sister. The Thunderbolts series further explored her personal challenges, specifically her struggles with depression. This focus on character depth – showing us why we should care about someone beyond their fighting abilities – is something the Marvel Cinematic Universe has done well with Yelena’s story.

Every Project With Yelena Has Made Us Care About Her More

Yelena Belova has appeared in three Marvel Cinematic Universe projects, and with each appearance, she’s become more relatable and sympathetic. Her history, explored in Black Widow, is particularly moving, especially the emotional scene where she reacts to Natasha’s comment about not being a true family.

Florence Pugh delivered a powerful emotional performance in Hawkeye, particularly in the scene where Yelena learns how Natasha died. But the show also gave us fantastic chemistry between Yelena and Kate Bishop – their scenes together were some of the most enjoyable in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, and fans are hoping to see them team up again.

I really think Yelena Belova is the heart of Thunderbolts, even though it’s an ensemble film. We experience the story through her eyes – she’s the one who really pushes things forward, and honestly, she feels like the true hero. The movie starts and ends with her, which tells you everything you need to know about who the story is really about!

Plus, there’s another powerfully emotional scene where Yelena opens up to her “father” about her struggles with depression. Historically, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has reserved moments like these for its biggest stars. The fact that Yelena has had such a scene in each of her appearances really highlights how important she’s become to the franchise.

Yelena Is Already A Proven Leader

Okay, I love Yelena and I’m totally here for her getting a bigger role in the MCU. But honestly, seeing her lead the Avengers feels a little strange to me. She’s amazing, but she doesn’t have superpowers or the same level of recognition as someone like Captain America or Iron Man. It’s funny though, because when you actually look at what’s been happening, she’s kind of already stepped into that leadership role already!

The recent conclusion of Thunderbolts revealed the team has effectively become the Avengers, though the public and Sam Wilson haven’t fully accepted that yet. Although she might not be the strongest, she’s emerged as the team’s leader, uniting everyone and maintaining the closest relationship with Bob, who possesses the most power.

Even though her unique skills could be a limitation, Sam Wilson is destined to become a leader of a new Avengers team, and he doesn’t rely on superpowers himself. This makes it quite possible that Yelena could also step up as an Avengers leader.

There Are Questions Surrounding Other Potential MCU Leaders

After Avengers: Endgame finished, everyone wondered who would become the new face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Spider-Man, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel seemed like obvious choices, as they each starred in movies that made over a billion dollars. But now, it’s not so clear if those characters will take the lead.

Spider-Man remains Marvel’s most popular hero, but it’s uncertain how many more movies Tom Holland wants to make as the character. The future of the Black Panther franchise became unstable after Chadwick Boseman’s death, and the second Captain Marvel film didn’t perform well at the box office.

I’ve been following the MCU for a while now, and it feels like things are shifting. While characters like Thor and Hulk are still around, Hulk hasn’t really been a main focus lately, and Chris Hemsworth has even talked about wanting to retire. That makes me think someone new is going to have to step up and lead the universe forward. I’m really hoping it’ll be a team like the Fantastic Four, or maybe we’ll finally see the X-Men join the fun. But honestly, I’d be thrilled if Yelena got a bigger role – she’s quickly become one of my favorite characters!

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2025-11-06 18:01