Black Widow Hints at Russian Version of Iron Man Living In the MCU

During an emotional beat in Marvel Studios' latest film, Black Widow, Yelena Belova has a chat with Alexei Shostakov aka, The Red Guardian, Russia's answer to Captain America.

Alexei spends much of the film reminiscing his glory days as the KGB's own super soldier, telling tall tales of the time he fought Steve Rogers. But there's another side to Shostakov: He and Melina Vostokoff posed as parents in suburban Ohio to a young Natasha and Yelena during an undercover mission.

At one point during their aforementioned conversation, Yelena says the following to Alexei:

"The only thing you care about are your stupid glory days as the Crimson Dynamo and no one wants to hear about it."

YELENA'S CRIMSON DYNAMO REFERENCE EXPLAINED

The Crimson Dynamo is well known to many comics fans as a notable villain of none other than Tony Stark/Iron Man. The character wears an Iron Man-esque suit of armor and has also been on the roster of Winter Guard, a sort of Russian Avengers-equivalent.

DOES A CLASSIC IRON MAN NEMESIS ALREADY EXIST IN THE MCU?

Given that Yelena likely mockingly calls Alexei by the name Crimson Dynamo, it's very probable that the character already exists in the MCU and served alongside Red Guardian at one point. 

Does this confirm that the Winter Guard was a full-fledged team in the Marvel Cinematic Universe at one point? It's a bit too early to tell.

It's worth noting that there have been no less than eleven characters to take on the mantle of Crimson Dynamo in the comics (One such incarnation was Anton Vanko, a character originally seen in the opening minutes of 2012's Iron Man 2, although he bore no relation to Dynamo.) So, if the version that Shostakov potentially fought alongside in the past as killed in action, there are several other Crimson Dynamos that could take his place.

Many fans have speculated that one of Marvel Studios' upcoming Disney+ series, Armor Wars will feature the debut of Crimson Dynamo into the MCU. After all, it deals with James Rhodes dealing with Stark Industries tech that has fallen into the wrong hands, and Dynamo did play a part of the original Armor Wars run in the comics.

Whatever the case may be, fans will have to stay tuned to the MCU to see where this character eventually pops up.