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Thunderbolts* Ending Explained: New Avengers, Sam Wilson Feud, and Fantastic Four Tease!

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After wrapping up the Multiverse Saga with Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home, some fans and critics have felt that Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) post-credits scenes don’t seem to lead anywhere. Previous endings, like hints about Kang the Conqueror or characters revealed as minor comic book figures, no longer feel crucial to the franchise as they once did. However, Thunderbolts is different. Its ending hints at a major change within the MCU that ties in with Captain America: Brave New World, while its post-credits scene previews some intriguing future developments for the MCU that should be addressed in upcoming films soon.

In the tradition of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films, Thunderbolts* includes two scenes after the credits. Unlike previous titles such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Captain Marvel, which featured their big comedic scene at the end, Thunderbolts* places the comedic one first. The post-credits scene, however, is substantial and sets up a significant future MCU project. This ending of Thunderbolts* signals important changes in the MCU’s direction as it approaches Avengers: Doomsday.

Meet the New Avengers…

But What Does That Mean For Sam Wilson’s Avengers?

Since the asterisk (*) was added to the title of the movie “Thunderbolts”, fans have been intrigued about its significance. The final scenes of the film unveil the truth – it is actually introducing The New Avengers, as after the credits roll, the Thunderbolts* title gives way to display the New Avengers logo. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the New Avengers are a last-minute move by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine aimed at salvaging her reputation following the Sentry incident. When the Thunderbolts arrive to apprehend her, they unexpectedly stumble upon a press conference where Valentina announces the formation of a new team of heroes – the New Avengers.

The team comprises Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes (also known as The Winter Soldier), The Red Guardian, U.S. Agent, Ghost, and Bob. However, the citizens of New York are unaware that this secret group was the malevolent force that came dangerously close to annihilating their city. To avoid impeachment and imprisonment, Valentina is fulfilling her commitment by providing Yelena Belova with a high-profile role in the public eye. Yet, the New Avengers now possess damaging information about Valentina, and she works under their supervision as a result.

Hang on for a moment. Aren’t we under the impression that at the end of “Captain America: Brave New World“, Sam Wilson and Joaquin Torres were discussing rebuilding The Avengers? So, how does this new Avengers team fit into that narrative?

Intriguingly, the scene following the credits takes us 14 months beyond the central narrative of Thunderbolts, where we find the New Avengers team functioning from the iconically rechristened Avengers Tower, now called The Watchtower. Their attire has been updated, complete with fresh Avengers emblems adorning their uniforms. Interestingly, it seems that Sam Wilson is taking legal action against The New Avengers, claiming copyright infringement over the name “The Avengers.” This post-credit sequence also subtly hints at a strained relationship between Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, as Bucky confides in Yelena that his attempts to resolve the matter with Sam have not been successful.

It appears that the public opinion seems to be against The New Avengers, as indicated by numerous memes and social media posts criticizing them. Although not directly mentioned in the movie, Thunderbolts seems to suggest that Sam Wilson has already gathered a new team of Avengers. However, we’ll only find out who is part of the team when Avengers: Doomsday comes out. In the meantime, here are some suggestions for who should be on The Avengers.

Two Avengers Teams

In the world of Marvel Comics, having multiple groups of Avengers isn’t a novel concept – we’ve seen teams like the West Coast Avengers, Captain America’s Secret Avengers, Iron Man’s New Avengers, and even the New Avengers. The Dark Avengers, however, were unique due to their origins in the “Dark Reign” storyline. Led by Norman Osborne, this version of the Avengers was a government-sanctioned team that openly operated outside the law.

It appears that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is striving towards a setup similar to the Dark Avengers from the comics, as the Thunderbolts team seems to share many characteristics with them, including transforming into an Avengers squad under government supervision. In contrast, Sam Wilson’s group will represent the traditional version of the Avengers.

In the closing scenes of “Thunderbolts,” hinted at in the post-credits sequence, there has been ongoing observation of a cosmic dilemma, possibly involving multiverse conflicts. The concluding moments depict worlds merging, suggesting that the Thunderbolts or New Avengers are on the verge of encountering Marvel’s upcoming superhero team.

Fantastic Four!

Yelena Belova displays an image of a space event taking place. In this scene, a spaceship is seen traversing the cosmos, and upon closer inspection, a massive ‘4’ appears, accompanied by the signature tune from The Fantastic Four: First Steps, audible in the background. This signifies that the Fantastic Four have now officially joined the Marvel Universe on screen.

In contrast to their fresh introduction in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), The Fantastic Four have built an iconic reputation among fans, making them widely recognized. Viewers of this sneak peek likely won’t need to search up who they are, especially since the upcoming trailer for Fantastic Four: First Steps is about to be screened prior to Thunderbolts*. These two MCU movies share a link, transitioning seamlessly into each other in a way that the MCU hasn’t achieved in one piece for quite some time.

*Note: The correct title of the movie should be Thunderbolts, not Thunderbolts*.

Furthermore, unlike previous Marvel Cinematic Universe post-credit teasers hinting at potential future projects, this announcement establishes not just one but two upcoming movies, with one scheduled for release within the next couple of months, and another slated for a release precisely one year from now.

Thunderbolts* Solves Marvel’s Post-Credits Scene Problem

In the course of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s timeline, many post-credit scenes were used to hint at upcoming projects. For instance, the post-credit scene in Iron Man 2 introduced Mjolnir, a teaser that was fulfilled the following summer with Thor. Phase 2 saw a slight change, as Thor: The Dark World foreshadowed Guardians of the Galaxy. Between these movies was Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which teased Avengers: Age of Ultron, a film that came out after Guardians of the Galaxy. Essentially, Marvel had a strategy that worked effectively, where excitement generated interest, creating an ongoing loop of fan eagerness.

After a while, however, Marvel abandoned this straightforward approach. Instead of unveiling significant surprises that may not bear fruit immediately, like Harry Styles as Eros in Eternals or Charlize Theron as Clea in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, fans are accustomed to. The post-credits scene for The Thunderbolts*, on the other hand, presents a unique twist. Unlike previous instances where the final big moment merely hints at characters we’re familiar with, it also previews two significant MCU projects. Furthermore, it subtly suggests some intriguing advancements in character development.

What we can expect to unfold is the state of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes’ friendship, whether Robert will assume the role of Sentry and potentially transform into The Void to combat Doctor Doom, the nature of Ghost and Ant-Man’s relationship, and how these two Avengers groups will collaborate and react to The Fantastic Four. These tantalizing hints are what Marvel enthusiasts can ponder over, eagerly awaiting (hopefully) some resolution in 20XX when Avengers: Doomsday hits the big screen.

Doomsday arrives in cinemas.

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2025-05-02 07:03

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