The team lineup for Marvel's upcoming Thunderbolts movie has been revealed, and the addition of Red Guardian teases that the film may finally pay off a Black Widow setup. Thunderbolts will mark the second MCU appearance of Red Guardian, with the Russian Super Soldier making his debut as an undercover spy in America in Black Widow. Although he hasn't appeared much, the Red Guardian has a lot of history, and Thunderbolts has the potential to expand on one of the character's traits in Black Widow.
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Alexei Shostakov is the father in an American family unit that is actually a front for a Russian espionage mission, with Natasha Romanoff, Yelena Belova, and Melina Vostokoff also being a part of the team. After the family was split up in 1995, the MCU Red Guardian was absent in the lives of Natasha and Yelena, with him only reappearing when the two attempted to break him out of prison in 1996. Although he had been working as the Red Guardian up until the dissolution of the Soviet Union, he once again took up the mantle after breaking out of prison, allowing him to relive the glory days of being the Soviet Super Soldier.
Throughout Black Widow, Red Guardian makes several references to a fight he had with Captain America in the 1980s – which clearly isn't true, considering Steve Rogers was still frozen at that time. Although this grand brawl clearly never happened, Thunderbolts is finally making this patriotic pummeling between the MCU Red Guardian and Captain America a possibility. Thunderbolts releases soon after Captain America: New World Order, and considering that the Winter Soldier will be in both films, the two movies have some strong connection that could be utilized. Now that Sam Wilson has taken up the Captain America mantle, there is a serious possibility that Red Guardian could finally have his long-awaited fight with Captain America, paying off the running joke in Black Widow.
Who Would Win In A Fight Between Captain America & Red Guardian?
Although Steve Rogers would undoubtedly beat Red Guardian in a fight, a fight between Sam Wilson and Red Guardian would be far more interesting. Captain America has all the training and military experience of his predecessor, but he doesn't have the super soldier serum to aid him – something that Red Guardian does. While Red Guardian definitely has Captain America beat when it comes to strength, Captain America's Falcon wings give him one big advantage: flight. Sam could easily stay out of Red Guardian's range, and his use of technology and ballistics would make pretty easy work of Alexei, regardless of the serum. Captain America has also already taken down several super soldiers in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and defeating Red Guardian should be no different.
While Red Guardian would probably still lose, having him fight Captain America in Thunderbolts would be the perfect way to pay off the Black Widow setup. Red Guardian constantly brags about having beaten Captain America in a fictitious fight, but he may finally have the chance to take on the hero in Thunderbolts. Black Widow teased a fight between Red Guardian and Captain America, and it could finally happen in Thunderbolts – even if it's unlikely to go how the Red Guardian imagined it might.