Warning: This post contains Black Widow spoilers.
Black Widow put the strength of Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) on display, but one character seemed to have the upper hand in some areas. After spending years in Ohio, posing as the young daughters of Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) and Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz), Natasha and Yelena ended up as candidates to train as assassins in the Red Room. While both women became Black Widows, Nat had a much different journey after escaping the control of the Soviet training program. Cate Shortland's Black Widow provided insight into Nat's dark past while justifying her decisions in joining S.H.I.E.L.D., and eventually, the Avengers.
Unfortunately for Nat's "sister," leaving behind her life as a KGB assassin spy controlled by General Dreykov (Ray Winstone) wasn't a viable option. Instead, Yelena was forced to remain fighting alongside her fellow Black Widow graduates while she dreamed about her former life in Ohio. Upon chasing down and killing a rogue Black Widow in Morocco, Yelena learned that she was the victim of a mind-control agent. With the use of a vial holding the Red Dust antidote, Yelena was able to take back control of her own mind, setting her on a mission alongside Nat to find Dreykov, destroy the Red Room, free the current Black Widows.
Before Nat and Yelena agreed to work together, the pair had a violent reunion in Budapest. After considering Nat her real sister, Yelena was understandably not too pleased about being left behind in life. It was also difficult for Yelena to learn about Nat trading in her assassin title to join S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. During their encounter, the reunion broke out into a one-on-one duel, which proved the two characters were quite evenly matched. This shouldn't have come as a surprise seeing as both were adequately trained as Black Widows, meaning they could go shot-for-shot throughout the apartment. After taking the fight through the apartment, Nat and Yelena were at a standstill, both being choked by the curtains until agreeing to a truce. Despite the even display of strength in Black Widow, it seemed as though Yelena might have an advantage in terms of power.
Before fighting Nat, Yelena was able to take down another Black Widow following a brief pursuit. Like Nat and the other women who trained in the Red Room, Yelena was shown to be skilled in various weaponry and hand-to-hand combat. Granted, whereas Nat displayed her signature acrobatic style of fighting, Yelena seemed to rely on her brute strength with direct attacks to her opponent. While both styles would have their advantages, Yelena could be deemed stronger with her method.
There was also evidence pointing to Yelena relying on her surroundings to get the upper hand on her opponent. She was quicker to grab objects around the apartment to use as weapons when battling her sister in Morocco. Yelena was also the one to steer the car in reverse so the broken passenger door would crash into the pursuing Widow on the motorcycle. Though she had a habit of coming prepared with her weapons and special utility vest, Yelena was extremely quick on her feet, making her a dangerous opponent.
Seeing as Nat was always an underrated character in her own right, the fact that Yelena has been made equally as strong, if not stronger, gives her a lot of potential beyond Black Widow. Aside from Yelena's presumed involvement in Hawkeye, it's unclear what the future holds for Pugh's MCU character. However, based on her first appearance, it's clear she can go toe-to-toe with any force if she's anything like her older sister. Yelena will never fully replace Natasha, but the character can surely carry on the Black Widow legacy.
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