Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Captain America: Brave New WorldThe endings of Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* may be connected, if a villain wishes to play his cards right after the events of his latest MCU show. Captain America: Brave New World‘s ending leaves Thaddeus Ross impeached and imprisoned in the Raft alongside Samuel Sterns, Falcon recovering from his injuries, Isaiah Bradley free of all charges, and the world saved from a war over adamantium. Captain America: Brave New World‘s post-credits scene also teases Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars‘ multiversal conflict through the Leader’s ominous acknowledgment of “others” out there wanting to protect their own worlds.
Meanwhile, the Thunderbolts* trailers have teased the Thunderbolts’ first encounter, manipulated by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Sentry’s MCU introduction is a highlight of Thunderbolts*‘ promotional material, with Lewis Pullman’s Robert Reynolds’ powered-up form threatening to leave many casualties on his path. Taking into account Sentry’s unparalleled power and the mystery around the asterisk in the Thunderbolts* тιтle, theories about multiple Thunderbolts*‘ character deaths abound. One of the most prominent theories is the death of most or all of the Thunderbolts, paving the way for a new team with the same name or a brand-new anti-hero group like the Dark Avengers.
Captain America: Brave New World May Have Just Given Baron Zemo His Own Thunderbolts Team
Baron Zemo Just Received Two Jailmates In The Raft
At the end of Captain America: Brave New World, Captain America visits Thaddeus Ross and Samuel Sterns in the Raft, where both Gamma mutates will be held under maximum security measures. Since 2016, only a few MCU characters have pᴀssed briefly through the Raft’s cells, and only Luke Cage and Jessica Jones revisited the prison to send a couple of superpowered criminals there. Captain America: Brave New World brings the Raft back nine years after Captain America: Civil War introduced it, finally expanding its supervillain roster.
If the Thunderbolts don’t make it in their fight against Sentry in Thunderbolts*, Zemo could replace Val’s team with his own anti-hero squad created directly in the Raft
Baron Zemo called an immediate hit on the remaining Flag Smashers from inside the Raft in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s finale. If Zemo can pull off such a feat inside the Earth’s highest-security prison, he certainly could communicate with or gain access to other cells inside the Raft. If the Thunderbolts don’t make it in their fight against Sentry in Thunderbolts*, Zemo could replace Val’s team with his own anti-hero squad created directly in the Raft. As a bonus, both Red Hulk and the Leader are central members of Baron Zemo’s Red Thunderbolts team in the comics.
Baron Zemo’s Thunderbolts Would Honor The Anti-Hero Team’s Roots
Baron Zemo’s MCU Thunderbolts Could Be Way More Similar To The Original Comic Book Team
One of the biggest differences between the MCU’s Thunderbolts and their comic book counterparts is their founder. Whereas Valentina Allegra de Fontaine creates the team to further her personal interests, Marvel Comics’ Baron Zemo establishes the Thunderbolts as a cover for the Masters of Evil in an attempt to replace the Avengers. Zemo’s original Thunderbolts end up redeeming themselves genuinely, and many other anti-heroes with a wide array of abilities and backgrounds go through their ranks to do the same.
If Daniel Brühl’s Baron Zemo recruits Red Hulk and the Leader into his Thunderbolts replacement team inside the Raft, Zemo’s potential MCU Thunderbolts would have much more to redeem themselves for than Val’s team. Thaddeus Ross and Samuel Sterns created the Abomination and pushed international governments to the brink of war in Captain America: Brave New World, whereas most of Val’s Thunderbolts committed crimes that the public didn’t see. In fact, only US Agent had a public controversy, and Bucky Barnes has already become a popular Avenger.
Baron Zemo’s Anti-Hero Team Could Fix A Thunderbolts* Criticism
Zemo’s MCU Thunderbolts Can Be A Much More Varied Team Than Val’s
If Baron Zemo takes advantage of his new prison mates’ arrival and chooses to ᴀssemble a new anti-hero team, Zemo’s Thunderbolts would have much more varied abilities than Val’s. Not counting Sentry, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s MCU Thunderbolts are composed of three Super Soldiers, one Black Widow, a serum-less soldier with mimicry abilities, and a stealth operative with Quantum energy-induced phasing powers. With just two potential members on his team, Baron Zemo’s Thunderbolts may already be composed of a regular human strategist, a genius-level Gamma mutate, and a Hulk.
In the source material, Baron Zemo’s original Thunderbolts line-up includes the giant Atlas, the tech-savvy Techno, screaming Songbird (rumored to be Geraldine Viswanathan’s mystery Thunderbolts* character), and the armored Mach-1. Later on, Thaddeus Ross’ own Thunderbolts team includes ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool, Ghost Rider, Venom, Elektra, the Leader, and himself as the Red Hulk. After Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*, Marvel could merge Baron Zemo and Thaddeus Ross’ Thunderbolts line-ups to create the ultimate MCU anti-hero team.
