Black Widow could be alive and well in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and not dead, as had previously been believed. According to a new theory doing the rounds online, it is being suggested that the character that died in Avengers: Endgame wasn’t Natasha Romanoff, but her ‘sister’, Yelena Belova.
Yelena will be introduced into the MCU for the first time in the upcoming solo Black Widow film, and the theory, shared on Reddit, suggests that she used technology that has been established in the series to take on Natasha’s appearance. Photostatic Veils were introduced in the MCU in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and have been regularly used in the Agents of SHIELD television series.
The events of Black Widow take place between the events of Captain America: The Winter Solder and Captain America: Civil War, thereby making the film a prequel of sorts. Natasha was killed off in Avengers: Endgame, along with Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark.
It has been rumoured that Stark might also make a cameo appearance in Black Widow. The film was slated for release in April, but was pushed back indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Yelena will be played by Oscar-nominee Florence Pugh. It has been teased by the film’s trailers that both ‘sisters’ grew up and trained to be Black Widows together. The theory suggests that in Avengers: Infinity War, to acquire the Soul Stone, one was required to sacrifice the soul of someone they loves. Which is why Thanos sacrificed his daughter, Gamora. But in Endgame, the rule was changed to simply a soul for a soul, which would ostensibly allow Yelena to fool Red Skull, keeper of the stone.
Black Widow was introduced in the MCU in 2010’s Iron Man 2. She is played by Scarlett Johansson.
