The Red Guardian

Alexei Shostakov, also known as the Red Guardian, is a Marvel Cinematic Universe character portrayed by David Harbour, appearing in Black Widow and Thunderbolts. He is a Russian super-soldier, the Soviet counterpart to Captain America, and the adoptive father of Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova, having posed as their father during a Cold War-era undercover mission. He is a former Soviet Armed Forces officer who was later imprisoned but freed by his "daughters" to help fight the Black Widow program. The Red Guardian (Alexei Shostakov) is a proud, boastful, yet deeply loyal and compassionate Russian super-soldier, often portrayed as a comedic, older figure with a fondness for his glory days fighting Captain America, masking underlying insecurities and guilt, especially regarding his "family" (Melina, Natasha, Yelena) and Soviet past, acting as a patriotic, anti-capitalist hero who values family bonds.