History

Alexei took dangerous test pilot missions for the Russian government. These missions were twisted to how the Russian government wanted to portray them, and Alexei became known as a great hero. Alexei also married Natasha Romanova (Black Widow).

The KGB decided that the both of them would make excellent spies for them. Alexei was informed of this, and he was told not to make contact with anyone he knew, including his wife. Natasha was told that her husband died during an experiment.

So the KGB trained Alexei, him becoming the Red Guardian. He changed during his training years however, becoming ruthless, opposite to what he was when living with his wife.

The People's Republic of China had developed a machine called the psychotron, which would cause mass hallucinations. This could be used against the United States and Russia. Russia however, decided to help China in conquering. Interested, Russia sent General Yuri Brushov and Red Guardian in to the military base where they kept the weapon. Brushov was there to see a demonstration of the machine, while the Red Guardian was meant to protect him if anything happened.

The Black Widow along with Hawkeye and Hercules came to destroy the machine. Colonel Ling, the head of the Chinese military base captured Hawkeye and Hercules was lured into the psychotron. Red Guardian then revealed his identity and the Black Widow was horrified. The Avengers then came to the rescue and Red Guardian saw this as an opportunity to prove himself better than Captain America.

They both fought, but Captain America was standing on an electrical grid and Ling turned it on, letting Captain America fall. Meanwhile, the Black Widow climbed to the core of the psychotron and used her stun gun to destroy it causing fires in the compound. While Hercules was carrying Captain America out of there, Ling saw an oppturtunity to kill Captain America. The Red Guardian saw this as being cowardly, and shoved Ling aside. The laser ended up shooting gas pipes, which started chains of explosions in which the Avengers escaped, but not Ling and the Red Guardian.

Red Guardian II

The second Red Guardian was Dr. Tania Belinsky, a skilled neurosurgeon. Her first appearance was in Defenders #35. She would be considered a "Defender for a Day" as she participated in a few of their adventures until her transformation by the Presence.

It has been revealed that there is a new Red Guardian in the ranks of the Winter Guard, but no name has been revealed.