The characters featured in the MCU’s Thunderbolts* have put on some impressive displays of their power in the franchise. Ahead of the release of Thunderbolts*, the movie’s selection of characters promises to make the movie an exciting and action-packed Marvel story. The heroes, villains, and anti-heroes set to make up the team have already impressed in their previous MCU appearances, with the majority of the movie’s characters making at least one previous appearance.
As such, most of the cast of Thunderbolts* have already offered at least a reasonable display of their abilities within the MCU. The characters of the team have each served as powerful or otherwise impressive figures in their previous appearances, boasting astonishing strength, reflexes, intelligence, or combat instincts. With that in mind, here are the 10 most impressive displays of power in the MCU from the characters of Marvel’s Thunderbolts*.
10
Taskmaster Besting Black Widow In A Fight
Black Widow (2021)
Taskmaster made her MCU debut in the cast of Black Widow in 2021, entering the franchise with a memorable scene in which she fought Natasha Romanoff. The first battle between the pair served as a powerful introduction for Taskmaster, with the villain ambushing Black Widow in a remote location. She proceeded to best the founding Avenger in a one-on-one fight, though Natasha was able to escape.
What makes Taskmaster’s introduction so impressive is that it makes it clear that her abilities will only see her grow more powerful. The villain’s ability to adapt and mimic the combat tactics of Black Widow was evident from the start, but it was also her planning and execution of the attack that impressed. Considering Romanoff was trained as a Black Widow and by SHIELD as an Avenger, Taskmaster being able to get the better of her was an impressive display.
9
Yelena Belova Taking Out A Pursuer With A Car Door
Black Widow (2021)
Almost immediately after her introduction, Yelena Belova became one of the MCU’s most exciting post-Endgame characters. Introduced as Natasha Romanoff’s sister, Yelena went on to prove herself a worthy successor to the mantle of Black Widow in the MCU, demonstrating her combat prowess as well as her capacity to offer comic relief. Black Widow’s chase scene is a great example of the former, as it shows Yelena executing an impressively accurate piece move.
Yelena’s instincts and her aim are enough to even impress Natasha, making it one of the Thunderbolts* character’s greatest displays of power.
While being chased by one of Dreykov’s agents, Yelena forces Natasha to begin driving in reverse, then opens the door of their car and kicks it clean off the vehicle. This sends it flying backwards, taking out their pursuer and their motorcycle in a swift piece of improvised combat. Yelena’s instincts and her aim are enough to even impress Natasha, making it one of the Thunderbolts* character’s greatest displays of power.
8
Ghost Kicking Ant-Man Through Several Walls
Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018)
Introduced into the MCU as the main antagonist of 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp, Ava Starr – A.K.A. Ghost – was swiftly established as a formidable foe for the hero. Ghost features in many scenes that showcase her clever use of her intangibility, but one of her most impressive feats doesn’t appear to directly use her superpower at all. After being confronted by Ant-Man, Ghost responds by kicking him, sending him flying backwards through multiple walls.
Ghost being able to hit the hero so hard without warning is a clear display of power. It’s one of the few examples of Ghost’s raw strength in the MCU, as her other fight scenes lean heavily on the villain using her phasing power to gain the upper hand over her opponents. Even so, taking down an Avenger so easily remains one of Ghost’s most impressive MCU moments ahead of her Thunderbolts* appearance.
7
Bucky Barnes Pulling Open The Locked Door Of An Armored Vehicle
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
As he was introduced in Phase 1 of the MCU, Bucky Barnes is one of the longest-standing MCU characters to make up the cast of Thunderbolts*. That time has seen the MCU’s Bucky make many impressive displays of power, both from his time as the villainous Winter Soldier and in his appearances following his redemption arc. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier saw Bucky established as a true MCU hero, including a moment showcasing his physical strength.
After Karli Morgenthau and her Flag Smashers lock innocents inside an armored vehicle, Bucky attempts to free them. Unable to open the door due to a highly sophisticated lock, Bucky tears it open using his vibranium arm. Tearing apart a vehicle designed to withstand literal explosions is an incredible display of strength, as well as highlighting Bucky’s dedication to being a hero.
6
Red Guardian Breaking Through The Winter Soldier’s Conditioning
What If…? season 3, episode 3 (2024)
After being introduced in Black Widow, Red Guardian returned in What If…? season 3, which then saw one of his best displays of power so far in the MCU. Alexei Shostakov had previously been established as the Soviet answer to Captain America, and What If…? showed him operating at the height of his abilities. However, his impressive display of power did not relate specifically to his abilities as a super-soldier.
Encountering the Winter Soldier, Red Guardian set about breaking through his programming. He is able to do so relatively quicly, especially in comparison to Bucky’s childhood friend Steve Rogers. Being able to appeal to Bucky’s humanity and help him shrug off Hydra’s conditioning is an impressive display, and one that evidences that the MCU’s Red Guardian is not a character to be underestimated ahead of his Thunderbolts* return.
5
Taskmaster Defeating Red Guardian
Black Widow (2021)
Black Widow included several excellent action sequences, including one in its climactic scenes between Red Guardian and Taskmaster. Although the aging and unfit super-soldier was displayed as being somewhat rusty in his combat abilities, he was still an enhanced human capable of impressive strength and speed. However, the fight scene actually serves to prove how powerful Taskmaster is, not Red Guardian.
Despite her opponent’s super-soldier enhancements, Taskmaster is able to defeat Red Guardian with relative ease. Considering her strength and speed should realistically be far inferior, it’s a clear indication of how powerful Taskmaster’s abilities can be when used to their full extent. Being able to easily defeat a hero who should have had her at a clear disadvantage was a powerful moment for Taskmaster, and an impressive display of her abilities in the MCU.
4
Bucky Barnes Blocking Bullets With His Arm
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
Bucky Barnes’ time as Hydra’s Winter Soldier gave him a mᴀssive power boost, albeit at the cost of becoming an unwitting villain. Captain America: The Winter Soldier sees him sent on multiple rampaging missions, including one in which he battles SHIELD forces. Storming his way through a SHIELD base, Bucky approaches a team surrounding an aircraft. They shoot at him, and he casually stops the bullets using his vibranium arm.
As well as being an incredibly cool moment, it’s a display of just how powerful Bucky can be in the MCU. Despite the relatively small surface area of his arm, Bucky is capable of placing it in a position to stop bullets, demonstrating his incredible reactions and instincts. The subsequent murder of the agents who fired at him might be one of his most brutal villain moments, but it’s a scene that establishes him as one of the coolest and most impressive characters in the MCU.
3
Ghost Stealing The Shrunken Lab From A Moving Vehicle
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Ghost’s quantum phasing abilities might be ill-defined within the wider context of the MCU, but she has put on some impressive displays of power. Few are as graceful and astonishing as her careful and disciplined pursuit of Hank Pym in Ant-Man and the Wasp, in which she attempts to recover Pym’s shrunken lab. The scene sees Ghost phase through a speeding van, materialize inside, lift the lab, and phase back out all in the span of mere seconds.
The careful discipline required to use her abilities in such a measured manner is staggering. The speed of Ghost’s reactions and the accuracy of her phasing is truly impressive in almost every sense, and it firmly establishes her as a nigh-unstoppable villain within the movie. It’s a display of intelligence, training, and reflexes that stands out as one of Ghost’s best MCU moments.
2
Bucky Barnes Flipping Over A Moving Vehicle
Thunderbolts* (2025)
Perhaps Bucky Barnes’ most powerful MCU moment actually comes in the Super Bowl trailer for Thunderbolts*, helping to hype his appearance ahead of the film’s release. The trailer sees the Thunderbolts being pursued by military vehicles, only for Bucky to come to their rescue. After attacking the convoy, Bucky takes out multiple vehicles before grabbing hold of a trailing cable attached to the final truck. Even with the vehicle speeding away from him, Bucky uses his strength to flip the van.
The scene as depicted in the trailer is undeniably one of the character’s best ever MCU moments. Seeing Bucky so easily stop the military forces before casually flipping the final truck with raw strength is a major feat for the character. Even considering his history of incredible moments in the franchise, the Thunderbolts* trailer might just be his most impressive yet.
1
US Agent Lifting A Truck To Safety
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
Though John Walker was depicted as something of an antagonist in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the MCU TV show actually made him a complex and fascinating character in the end. One of his final moments in the show comes during his climactic battle Karli Morgenthau, with the Flag Smasher distracting him with a dangling truck full of innocents. Instead of pursuing the villain, Walker chooses to grab hold of the vehicle, pulling it back to safety using his super-soldier strength.
It’s a display of power on par with Steve Rogers pulling a helicopter out of the sky, although it’s far more poignant. It’s a moment that cements Walker’s heroic potential, despite his previous choices. Even regardless of the deeper meaning for the character’s story, though, it’s still a hugely impressive display of power, and one that makes his upcoming appearance in Thunderbolts* even more exciting.
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Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday
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May 1, 2026
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day
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July 31, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
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May 7, 2027
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