by Never thought I’d see the day an actual Thunderbolts movie would premier. It’s been talked about, speculated on, and provided some impressive fan concept art as early as the premier of Civil War in 2016. So it’s safe to say this colorful clash of personalities has captured the interests of audiences for quite some time. Now with multiple trailers released and the line up officially revealed, fan interest in the team and hype for the film has exploded. Naturally leading to wanting to know more about this morally ambiguous team of heroes. So today at Happy Hobbyists we’re breaking down the team and their history and just how things might play out in the MCU.
-Origins
Now, comparatively, the Thunderbolts don’t have all too complicated a dynamic. It essentially boils down to one of three things: a group of villains pretending to be heroes, a group of villains and anti-heroes seeking redemption, or a black ops team of morally ambiguous supers who work begrudgingly for the government. Now, from the trailers we have, it appears that the film will be taking cues from the second concept while implementing elements from the black ops concept. There have been many iterations of the team over the years with each of them differing in members and dynamics. The first instance of the Thunderbolts in comics was being led by Baron Zemo disguised as a new hero named Citizen V after the apparent destruction of both the Avengers and Fantastic Four. So while Zemo had plans for his dastardly new Masters of Evil, many on his team actually began enjoying this new role of heroism, which led to complications in his plans.
-Evolution
Over the years, the Thunderbolts have gone through multiple iterations and terms of leadership, but the core idea of moral redemption and heroism remains consistent. Ultimately it was the very lie that Zemo propositioned that undid him, sometimes doing good makes you feel good. The Thunderbolts have been presented as a sort of underdog team where they have to battle upwards to meet their goals, whatever they may be. A lot of the time, it is the quest for self betterment that manifests itself whenever the team is formed. Whether it be for changing their lives for the better or just learning how to be less selfish, the Thunderbolts have been fan favorites for years for comic readers.
–MCU Interpretation
So now that we established just who they are in the comics, just where is the film going with this? Well as mentioned before, the core of the Thunderbolts is an underdog story for redemption. Which it appears the film will be taking into account. With much of the lineup being previously established characters that have had morally ambiguous pasts. For them, this team may be their chance to become better people and redeem themselves for past actions and inaction. However, where things differ is that this Thunderbolts team is made up of only established anti-hero and morally grey characters whose stories can be expanded upon. So while many would’ve preferred the characters of Atlas, Zemo, and other classic Thunderbolt adjacent characters, it could’ve alienated a lot of their audience and confuse newcomers. So while the differences between the comics and film are surface level, it appears they are taking great care to retain the core of the team.
-The Lineup
So we have a team of 6, technically 7, members who have had a passing history with the mcu and the team in the comics, but just who are they?
- Bucky Barnes: The Winter Soldier
First premiering way back in Phase One of the MCU in Captain America: The First Avenger, Bucky Barnes has had a tumultuous journey in the MCU. A former Hydra assassin turned hero, Bucky has been traveling the path to redemption for quite some time now and now we see the ultimate cultivation of that character arc with him leading those similar to him down a better path. With him taking the leadership role in the team, it’ll be interesting to see how far he’s come and just how far he’s willing to go for his team.
- Yelena Belova: Black Widow
Taking up the mantle left behind by her adoptive sister, Yelena returns to the films after her revenge quest against Hawkeye took a turn for the better. While this interpretation of Yelena heavily differs from her comic counterpart, it’s mostly for the better. Creating a far more sympathetic and relatable character that had quickly become a fan favorite in recent years. Continuing the themes of redemption that the Thunderbolts team is known for, Yelena could very well have joined begrudgingly only to realize that this her shot at redeeming herself for her time in the Red Room.
- John Walker: U.S. Agent
A morally complicated character who was set up to be the next Captain America, had suffered a damaged psyche due to years of service and an unfortunate cocktail of an imperfect super soldier serum and the death of his best friend Lemar, Battlestar. It’s safe to say that John has an upward battle to fight. While the last time we saw him he was in a relatively better place, the trailers show him still trying to recover from his wounds being honorably discharged, he may have taken a darker turn after falling into the influence of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. He may be seeking to recover his reputation and return himself to some sort of honor through the Thunderbolts.
- Alexei Shostakov: Red Guardian
A Cold War era Soviet super soldier, Alexei Shostakov differs quite a bit from his comic counterpart. Usually a leader of the Winter Guard, the Russian answer to the mostly US based Avengers, the comic Alexei is usually portrayed as a stern soldier and leader through and through. The MCU takes a very different approach to the character. A washed up patriot who seeks lost glory, Alexei seeks to be something important again and his enthusiasm for the newly formed Thunderbolts shows a desperation and a new way to reclaim that lost glory. While his history with the Winter Guard in the MCU is lightly implied, with a prisoner known as Ursa Major having a rivalry with Alexei, they are unconfirmed to be anywhere in the MCU. His history with the Thunderbolts in the comics is non-existent, making him an odd choice for the team in the film. Although what was established in Black Widow does give him an opening into the team.
- Ava Starr: Ghost
Last seen in the critically “acclaimed” film Ant-Man and the Wasp, Ghost was a woman fighting against the clock in desperate search for a cure to her quantum energy entanglements that could phase her out of existence. With the end of the film implying that the Pyms would help cure her condition, the events after the film and having no mention of her past that, leaves her in a difficult spot. Having little to nothing in common with her comic counterpart (who is male in the comics), the writers could very well take her in any direction that would best suit whatever story the film writers could cook-up. From what we know about her though she may be finding a way to make up for past mistakes while still seeking a way to stabilize her abilities.
- Antonia Dreykov: Taskmaster
Having nothing to do with Tony Masters, the Taskmaster most well known in the comics, she’s a blank canvas that the writers can turn into anything. However, judging from the trailers, she may not make it past the first act. Many fans are speculating an early death for Antonia, likely by the hands of The Void or some black ops mission gone wrong. Still, judging from where she was left off in Black Widow, she may seek redemption after her brainwashed assassinations during her time in the Red Room. So her recruitment into the Thunderbolts makes sense, even past her particular abilities in combat mimicry.
- Robert “Bob” Reynolds: The Sentry/The Void (kinda)
Finally we have Bob, so called Earth’s Mightiest Hero by Valentena in the trailers. The Sentry has a convoluted history in the comics that will be interesting to see how they adapt it into the film. Essentially a lost hero from Marvel’s golden age, supposedly predating the Fantastic Four, his power far exceeds many of the heavy hitters in the Marvel Universe, on par or exceeding the strength levels of both Hulk and Thor, and fighting Galactus to a standstill. His powers know nearly no limit only minimized by his mental state and willpower. Suffering from different mental health crises and a dark entity manifested from his psyche, the Sentry has the power to either pull the world into a new Golden Age or tear everyone and everything down as his dark counterpart, the Void. It’ll be interesting how they adapt a character like this into the MCU and what his history within the world will be. Especially now with the Avengers disbanded and the other heroes operating as independent agents. It’s no delusion to say that the Thunderbolts have their work cutout for them.
-Final Thoughts
With the Avengers gone and only having a band of misfits tolerating each other to defend the world, Thunderbolts is shaping up to be an action packed and emotional film with themes of redemption, heroism, and identity. Can the “punch and shoot” team be enough to stop Marvel’s answer to Superman? Or will there be another element to the film that the trailers have neglected to show us? With the film only a month away at the time of this article, speculation runs wild with every new piece of information and scene in the promos. Regardless, the history of the Thunderbolts and the complicated character of The Sentry and The Void will finally reach a more mainstream audience that will be sure to delight newcomers and veterans alike. From all of us here at Happy Hobbyist, happy hobbying!
