Thunderboltscould give Yelena Belova a massive, horrific power upgrade from a dark Marvel Comics storyline if this MCU movie theory is to be believed.ThunderboltsMCU storywill see the titular team come together for the first time, assembled by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to fight a threat to Earth in the absence of the Avengers. Thevillain ofThunderbolts*is expected to be Sentry, who, despite mostly being an overpowered Marvel hero, has a darker side named The Void that was teased in the film’s various trailers.
InThunderboltsensemble cast, Sentry/The Void is expected to be played by Lewis Pullman. Thanks to the character’s two halves, Pullman’s Bob will likely be both an ally and a hindrance to the team, with Yelena, Bucky, and their allies trying to stop him when he becomes the latter. However, Sentry’s immense strength means the mostly underpoweredteam members ofThunderboltswill have a tough time doing so. That is unless a major theory aboutThunderbolts*comes true and gives Yelena a significant power upgrade that has a harrowing past in Marvel Comics.
Since the marketing forThunderboltsbegan, Marvel has not exactly hidden that Yelena Belova will likely be the lead of the film. While it is being pitched as a team movie,Yelena is likely going to be the central focus ofThunderboltsfor many reasons. For one, Florence Pugh is an immensely popular and talented actor, meaning it makes sense for Marvel to position her as the lead of the film. Even when other cast members or the film’s director have promotedThunderbolts*, they have singled out Pugh and her performance as a main selling point of the movie.
I’m Relieved That The Thunderbolts* Director’s Recent Comments Confirm Marvel Is Embracing The MCU’s Best Post-Endgame Character
Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier’s recent comments about one Phase 4 MCU character suggest they have a prominent future after this film.
Moreover, Yelena is one of Marvel’s best new characters post-Avengers: Endgame.Many, myself included, have wanted to see much more of Yelena since her debut inBlack Widow, withThunderboltsgiving us that chance. With Yelena as the film’s focus, she will likely be integral to stopping whatever threat the Thunderbolts face. If the hints are true and Sentry/The Void is the film’s main villain, Yelena will be important in overcoming him in a way that befits her status asThunderboltsmain character.
Yelena Did Get A Major Power Upgrade From Sentry In The Comics
Yelena Has Once Fought Fire With Fire
Naturally, though, the main question will be how someone with no powers like Yelena will overcome one of the most powerful beings in Marvel Comics. No matter how capable Yelena is, the gulf in power is stark. However, one Marvel Comics storyline could answer this. In one storyline in the mid-2000s, Yelena worked for A.I.M., who turned her into a Super-Adaptoid, a being capable of mimicking and using the powers of anyone on Earth. Yelena was used by A.I.M. as a weapon to fight the Avengers, leading her to come into conflict with Sentry.
Using Sentry’s abilities - and those of several other Avengers - Yelena almost succeeded in taking down the team…
Using the Super-Adaptoid’s abilities, Yelena siphoned the powers of both Sentry and his darker side, The Void. Using Sentry’s abilities - and those of several other Avengers - Yelena almost succeeded in taking down the team before succumbing to The Void’s madness. A.I.M. then disabled her, turning Yelena’s story into a truly horrifying one given she had no real control over her actions. Nonetheless, the power upgrade given to Yelena via her abilities was huge, with one theory claiming this is howThunderbolts*depicts her defeating The Void.
The MCU Has Set A Backdrop For A Version Of Yelena’s Power Upgrade
A Lesser-Ranked MCU Story Could Make This Theory Come True
When thinking about how Yelena’s power upgrade that could see her go toe-to-toe with Sentry could be applied to the MCU andThunderbolts*, one story comes to mind. The story is one of thelower-ranked MCU TV shows:Secret Invasion.Secret Invasion’s reception aside, it teased some intriguing plot points such as the Harvest, a collection of superhero DNA from across the MCU that could allow Super Skrulls to emulate their abilities. In a way,the MCU’s concept of Super Skrulls was very similar to Marvel Comics' concept of Super-Adaptoids.
Although it is unlikely forThunderboltsto tie toSecret Invasionand the Harvest, the MCU has at least teased a way for powers to be inherited. This theory could lead to the Harvest having been perfected so that anyone can siphon powers rather than just Skrulls, potentially allowing Yelena a way to do the same to Sentry as she does in Marvel Comics and combat him inThunderbolts. While the theory sounds farfetched, it is certainly possible and could allow a big upgrade of Yelena’s powers from the source material to come to fruition in the MCU.
