Black Widow reveals why Natasha wears Yelena's vest in Infinity War

9 July 2021, 17:29

Marvel introduces the Black Widow family

By Katie Louise Smith

How did Natasha end up with Yelena's vest in Infinity War? Black Widow reveals the emotional meaning behind Natasha Romanoff's Infinity War costume.

Black Widow has finally been released in cinemas and on Disney+, and Marvel fans are about to find out what happens to Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff in her last MCU movie.

From Natasha's early life and her relationship with her Russian 'family' to the Red Room and everything in between, Black Widow promises an explosive ending for one of the MCU's most iconic heroes. The film also solves a much talked about mystery: How Natasha ended up with Yelena's vest in Infinity War.

When the first teaser was revealed featuring Yelena wearing the vest that Natasha wore during Infinity War, theories starting flying all over the shop. Does Yelena die? Did Nat and Yelena switch faces? Was it Yelena who was actually fighting alongside the Avengers in Infinity War?

As promised, Black Widow reveals exactly how Yelena's vest ended up in the possession of Natasha – and the reason behind it is actually really emotional.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Black Widow!

How did Black Widow get Yelena's vest?

The vest easter egg was already confirmed before Black Widow was released. Speaking about the significance of the vest, and what it means to both Natasha and Yelena, Scarlett Johansson told Screen Rant that it was a connection that Kevin Feige wanted to include.

“Well it actually is an important thing. It seems very superficial, but it actually is very unique, it’s a very meaningful thing. That’s totally a Kevin Feige thing. He loves all of that backstory stuff and things that connect characters to one another,” she said.

“When we designed it then, it was really just a different look for the character, but it’s fun how Kevin’s mind works in this — he’s like an imagineer in that way, where he thinks of all the little hidden things that people will give, things that are seemingly innocuous, some heart. It’s an heirloom, it becomes an heirloom in this unexpected, funny way.”

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Black Widow and the meaning behind Yelena's vest and Natasha's Infinity War costume.

So, let's start at the beginning: the origins of the vest. After Natasha and Yelena reunite, the two speak about the unique item of clothing during a car ride.

Yelena explains that the vest is the first thing she bought for herself after being released from the mind control of Dreykov's Red Room programme. She loves it because a) it's so cool and b) it has a lot of pockets. She even notes that she modified some of it herself. She's so damn proud of her little vest!

Yelena wears the vest over the top of her white suit during most of the movie's huge battle sequences. At the end of the film, as Natasha says goodbye to her Russian family, Yelena gives it to her sister as a parting gift because she remembered that Nat said she liked it. (“If you're leaving then I guess you should take this, I know how much you like it.”)

Two weeks after Natasha parts ways with Yelena, Alexei and Melina, Nat rocks up in her full Infinity War look with short blonde hair, a black suit and Yelena's vest. She then departs on a Quinjet and sets off to reunite with Steve Rogers and the rest of the Avengers team.

Natasha wearing Yelena's vest is ultimately a way of showing how important family is to both of the characters, particularly given their turbulent childhoods as two kids who were part of an undercover fake spy family and as products of the Red Room. After years apart, their sisterly bond is stronger than ever.

While Nat is seen wearing the vest in Infinity War and in the first part of Endgame before the 5 year time jump, it doesn't seem to reappear after that.

Viewers are yet to find out what happened to Yelena during the Blip (did she turn to dust, did she survive?), but with Florence Pugh's rumoured return in the Disney+ Hawkeye series, there's a possibility that the vest could make a comeback and end up back in the hands of its original owner.

Now there's an established meaning behind Nat and Yelena's shared vest, we're sure it's not the last we've seen of it. And it's definitely not the last we'll be crying over it either.

READ MORE: Marvel movies: How to watch all Avengers films in chronological order