Warning: This post contains Black Widow spoilers.
Black Widow sets up the introduction of Red Guardian's superteam, the Winter Guard, to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The first movie of Phase 4 finally gives Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff a solo movie, and it does so by also bringing plenty of new characters to the MCU. Her Russian spy family, which includes Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour), and Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz), plays a crucial role in Black Widow. All of them are characters lifted from Marvel's vast comic book history and are likely to make future appearances in the MCU.
There has been plenty of talk aboutBlack Widow's ending leaves the door wide open for his story to continue in multiple ways.
This might be the first time most of the world is getting to know Red Guardian, but the character has a long history in Marvel's comics. There is a lot of room for his story to progress, whether that includes further helping Yelena or even taking on the Ronin costume at some point. However, Marvel Studios already planted the seeds for Red Guardian to get his own superteam and Russia's version of the Avengers with a few Black Widow Easter eggs for the Winter Guard.
Winter Guard: Red Guardian's Comic Team Explained
The Russian equivalent of the Avengers known as the Winter Guard has been part of Marvel Comics since 1998. Kurt Busiek and Sean Chen created the group for Iron Man #9 as heroes Iron Man attempts to recruit in his fight against the Mandarin. This original version of the team included Steel Guardian, Vanguard, Sibercat, Darkstar, Vostok, Fantasma, and Powersurge. These Winter Guard were the foundation for a group of government-sponsored Russian heroes who always fight with the Motherland in mind. Josef Petkus, the fourth Red Guardian, was the leader and was known as Steel Guardian at this time. Black Widow's version of Red Guardian does not connect to the Winter Guard in the comics, but the mantle is a recurring part of the lineup, including Nikolai Krylenko, who was known as Vanguard when the team formed.
The Winter Guard's roster has changed throughout the years to include multiple versions of Red Guardian, Darkstar, and Crimson Dynamo. The team has also included other Secret Invasion, and encountering various Avengers throughout the years.
Black Widow References Two Winter Guard
With a roster of characters as varied as the Winter Guard, Black Widow managed to reference two characters who are traditionally fighting alongside a version of Red Guardian and other Russian heroes. The first reference comes when Alexei is still in prison and showing off Red Guardian's super strength through arm wrestling. The other inmates pose no threat to Alexei, no matter how big or small they are, but he takes it a step further when a massive gentleman named Ursa, played by Olivier Richters, a.k.a. The Dutch Giant, sits down. Red Guardian snaps Ursa's wrist to show his dominance over the 7'2 giant and calls him "the great bear" as he walks away in pain. This confirms that Ursa is meant to be Ursa Major, a mutant in the comics who turns into a bear who is a frequent member of the Winter Guard.
The second Winter Guard member to be referenced in Black Widow is Crimson Dynamo. There have been multiple people to take on this mantle in the comics, with Dimitri Bukharin the original, Galina Nemirovskaya briefly taking the position, and Boris Vadim also having a short-lived stint. Crimson Dynamo is effectively Russia's answer to Iron Man. The character is mentioned as part of a Yelena joke in Black Widow. She jokingly says Alexei's superhero name was Crimson Dynamo, but he corrects her almost immediately. This likely suggests that Crimson Dynamo is another Russian hero who previously or currently exists in the MCU.
Red Guardian's Superteam Hasn't Formed Yet In The MCU
Despite these references to Winter Guard team in Black Widow, the movie does not mention the superteam. It also does not make it appear as though the Winter Guard previously formed or are currently active during the movie's events. Alexei acts as though he is Russia's best and only superhero, and it is clear that he preferred to operate on his own and be the center of attention when he was in his prime. Red Guardian's origin also hinders the chance of him having time to be part of Russia's Avengers. And based on Alexei's interaction with Ursa, if there is a history between them, it seems to be an unspoken one that ended badly.
How The Winter Guard Can Appear In The Future
Now that Black Widow has teased the existence of other Winter Guard characters, the team could be part of the MCU's future plans. The movie doesn't reveal what will happen next to Red Guardian, but his time rekindling relationships with his "family" could push him to form a team of his own. Yelena could be a member of this squad in theory, but she might be too busy with the Dark Avengers or Thunderbolts instead. This might be a place for Taskmaster or Melina to return instead, with Melina having the ability to become Iron Maiden in response to the team's activities. Ursa Major and Crimson Dynamo can also be founding of the team after their teases.
As for where and when the Winter Guard can the MCU, those logistical questions are up for debate. The overwhelmingly positive response to David Harbour's performance as Red Guardian could push Marvel Studios to make a Winter Guard Disney+ show. If Marvel Studios makes Black Widow 2, the movie could be the perfect place for them to appear and give Yelena more backup on her next mission. With Phase 4 of the MCU continuing to move these stories outside of the United States, establishing a superteam in Russia that seems like a lesser version of the Avengers could be a fun decision. Now audiences will have to wait and see if Black Widow's Winter Guard setup is paid off or if these references will be nothing more than Easter eggs.
