After Thunderbolts*, This MCU Reunion Is Long Overdue

The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Thunderbolts* assembles an exciting new team of antiheroes, but one notable absence prompts the need for a future reunion of estranged family members. In Thunderbolts*, established morally gray characters Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), and John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell) converge amid the discovery of an immensely powerful being known as the Sentry (Lewis Pullman). Two of the Thunderbolts, Yelena and Alexei, were introduced in 2021’s Black Widow as the adoptive younger sister and father of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). Following their reconnection in Black Widow and Natasha’s death in Avengers: Endgame, Yelena and Alexei once again reunite after years without contact. Noticeably, Thunderbolts* omits the only other living member of their family.

Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz), the adoptive mother of Natasha and Yelena and former arranged partner of Alexei, neither appears, nor is mentioned, in Thunderbolts*. One can infer that the trio had gone their separate ways after regrouping to take down General Dreykov’s (Ray Winstone) Red Room in Black Widow, as Alexei is shown living a disheveled life by himself at the start of Thunderbolts*. Even though Melina’s involvement in Thunderbolts* was never an absolute necessity, the lack of any acknowledgement of her from Yelena and Alexei seems like a misstep. But, there’s still hope that a long-awaited family reunion could materialize in the future.

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Melina Vostokoff’s Absence From Thunderbolts* Means a Family Reunion Needs to Happen

Melina’s absence from Thunderbolts* doesn’t hurt the movie, but it does indicate that a Black Widow family reunion (sans Natasha, of course) is long overdue. Melina’s nonappearance could arguably stem from the already high number of main characters in Thunderbolts*, with three of them already originating from Black Widow. Plus, the MCU’s quintessential need for comedic relief flows much more easily through Red Guardian than it would Melina or any Thunderbolts* character. Given Thunderbolts*‘ revelation that Yelena and Alexei hadn’t spoken in the years since the events of Black Widow, it’s difficult to guess what Melina has been up to over the last decade or so. Perhaps Alexei and Melina shared some contact in the aftermath of their reconnection, or maybe, Natasha’s sacrificial death drove them apart. Either way, it’s impossible to know because Thunderbolts* completely neglects what could have been an intriguing point of conversation between Yelena and Alexei when they first meet in the film.

The resuscitation of Yelena’s bond with her estranged father in Thunderbolts* is beautifully heartwarming, but it also calls into question whether a similar development between her and Melina might also be in store at some point. So, after further fleshing out Yelena and Alexei’s arcs in Thunderbolts*, it would make a ton of sense for them to reunite with their only other living family member in the MCU’s near future.

Will the MCU Bring Melina Back for a Reunion With Yelena and Alexei?

As of now, it’s not known if or when Melina will return in the MCU. Yelena, Alexei, and the rest of the surviving Thunderbolts team members will take part in Avengers: Doomsday‘s story, though it’s hard to imagine there’s room for an addition to their ranks among Doomsday‘s enormous cast. Despite the lack of a clear opportunity to reunite the MCU’s Black Widow family, there is reason for optimism, as Pugh and Harbour recently addressed Melina’s Thunderbolts* absence and the possibility of her return in the future.

“We don’t know what happened to Melina,” Pugh told The Hollywood Reporter. Harbour echoed the same sentiment, but offered a glimmer of hope for Black Widow fans.

“I’ve talked to [Marvel] people about Melina, and I think there’s still very much potential for Melina,” Harbour said. “I do think that there’s potential for Melina’s reemergence in some kind of interesting way, and I would love to have her back in Alexei’s life. She would add such an interesting complexity.”

It’s true that the direction of Alexei and Yelena’s MCU stories would take an interesting turn with the reintroduction of Melina into their lives. As the de facto lead character of Thunderbolts*, Yelena’s arc has taken on a greater emotional depth, as the movie emphasizes the loneliness and emptiness she feels in the wake of losing Natasha. After gaining some support from Alexei, a revival of her relationship with her mother figure would add another fascinating layer to one of the MCU’s best characters.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.