Steve Rogers and Thor are getting plenty of attention ahead of the release of Avengers: Doomsday. They're both original Avengers, after all, meaning they've saved the universe their fair share of times. But those two aren't Earth's only mighty heroes. The New Avengers have been keeping the public safe in their absence. And Yelena Belova, the leader of the motley crew, is filling in her sister's shoes nicely, even adopting her own Black Widow logo ahead of Doomsday.
The Doomsday marketing machine isn't slowing down. New teasers continue to drop that reveal new moments from the highly anticipated film. However, just as much can be gleaned from merchandise as from footage. A fresh batch of promotional art for Doomsday features great looks at many of the movie's characters, including Doctor Doom, Captain America, and Gambit (via Marvel Updates on X). Each features a graphic that connects to the character, such as a playing card behind Gambit and stars and stripes behind Cap.
Yelena's piece stands out, though, because it uses the red Black Widow logo long associated with Natasha Romanoff. Whether it was Natasha's solo movie poster or the costume she wore in battle in Avengers: Endgame, the spider-inspired symbol was never far away. But Yelena's story is different; she's struggled to settle on a heroic identity in the MCU.
In Thunderbolts*, Florence Pugh's spy decided she wanted to turn over a new leaf after years of mercenary work. Her newfound positive attitude led her to work with Bucky Barnes and Co. and save New York City from The Void. Leading the New Avengers was the next logical step for her, and she hit the ground running in her new role.
By the time Spider-Man: Brand New Day rolled around, Yelena was known as the new Black Widow, taking up her sister's mantle and offering to help those in need, like the titular hero, who was between a rock and a hard place with his telepath problem. Doomsday has yet to embrace that development, referring to Yelena only by her first name or by her full name on all merchandise.
The new Doomsday art, at the very least, acknowledges that Yelena has a code name, one she's proud of. But it could also be teasing an evolution for the former assassin. While her sister's title is great and an important part of the MCU's legacy, Yelena's comic book counterpart uses one that might fit her better.
Yelena Belova Could Become the White Widow in Avengers: Doomsday
The reintroduction of the Black Widow logo in the Avengers: Doomsday art makes it easy to overlook that the surrounding color is different. In the past, black has always accompanied the symbol. Now, it has a white background, which certainly doesn't seem accidental. While the color swap might reference Natasha Romanoff's white costume from Black Widow, it more likely points to Yelena Belova and her MCU future.
In the comics, Natasha and Yelena didn't grow up together or share any familial bond. They both were trained in the Red Room and sent out into the world to wreak havoc. But Yelena could never escape Natasha's shadow; Black Widow was just too good at what she did. So, instead of trying to copy her rival, Yelena decided to adopt her own persona: the White Widow.
The White Widow didn't do anyone else's bidding; she lived on her own terms. Of course, Yelena is on a very similar path in the MCU. Working for the Red Room defined her life for so long that she didn't know how to do anything else. Finding a group of like-minded individuals going through similar struggles made her realize she could want more for herself.
Now, as the leader of the New Avengers, Yelena is confident in herself and ready to face any challenge that comes her way, including a motivated Doctor Doom. At some point in Avengers: Doomsday, Yelena might realize the Black Widow name just doesn't fit her because she tackles problems differently than her sister would have. The White Widow title will be available to her and provide her with the boost she needs to finish whatever dangerous mission she's part of.
The remaining original Avengers are on their way out the door, with Doomsday and its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars, potentially serving as their swan song. Yelena's shift from Black Widow to White Widow would give her sister a final send-off alongside her old friends, finally closing the book on an era Marvel Studios must move away from if it wants continued success.
