Warning: This article contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*.Marvel’s Thunderbolts* reveals its closest-guarded secrets after a long marketing campaign that successfully kept major MCU spoilers under wraps. Jake Schreier’s Thunderbolts* culminates the MCU’s Phase 5 and begins a new chapter in the lives of multiple characters. With the exception of Lewis Pullman’s Bob and Geraldine Viswanathan’s Mel, every major character in the Thunderbolts* cast has a history fighting heroes or villains. Thanks to Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s egocentric desire to create a new superhero team, the Thunderbolts ᴀssemble for the first time in the MCU.

Unlike many previous MCU projects, Thunderbolts*‘ biggest reveals were never spoiled in its marketing. Details such as the meaning behind the Thunderbolts* asterisk, the reason why Taskmaster never appears unmasked in the trailers, Sentry’s comic-accurate costume, and the Thunderbolts’ approach to defeating the Void remained a complete mystery until Thunderbolts*‘ release. While Thunderbolts* doesn’t feature spoilers as groundbreaking as previous Multiverse Saga movies like ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine and Spider-Man: No Way Home, it does deliver some unexpected twists.

Everyone Who Dies In Thunderbolts*

Thunderbolts* Only Kills Off One Major MCU Character

Olga Kurylenko’s Antonia Dreykov a.k.a. Taskmaster was conspicuously absent from Thunderbolts*‘ trailers and promotional material, leading to speculation about her possible death early on in the movie. However, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s control over the whole team put every member in danger from the start. In fact, Val’s original plan is to manipulate Yelena Belova, US Agent, Ghost, and Taskmaster into eliminating each other. Nevertheless, Thunderbolts* ends with a single major casualty, as even Bob a.k.a. Sentry survives and joins the Thunderbolts.

Thunderbolts* Kills Off Taskmaster Early On

Rather unsurprisingly, Taskmaster dies almost as soon as she returns. Yelena Belova, John Walker, and Ava Starr realize Val’s mission is a trap, but not before Ghost shoots Taskmaster in the head. Olga Kurylenko’s Antonia Dreykov unmasks for a split second, pulls off a few impressive fight moves that overshadow those of her fellow anti-heroes, and survives some intense blows. Yet, Taskmaster lowers her guard for an instant and Ghost takes the opportunity to shoot her point-blank in the head. To add insult to injury, Ghost and John Walker steal Taskmaster’s weapons and flee the vault with Yelena and Bob before everything inside is burnt to ashes.

The Void’s Victims Don’t Die For Good

Sentry spares the Thunderbolts despite Val’s orders, but the Void awakens and casts an enormous shadow over Manhattan. As seen in the Thunderbolts* trailers, the Void first appears to turn dozens of New York citizens into shadows. However, the Thunderbolts soon realize that Bob’s victims are sent inside the Void, where they’re all forced to relive their most traumatic experiences. Yelena Belova dives deep into her darkest memories, including her first mission as a Black Widow and her Red Room training, and the rest of the Thunderbolts go after her.

Yelena guides Bob out of his safe zone and back into the real world until the Void fights back. The Thunderbolts arrive to help them, but they come across the Void personified. Bob punches the Void, allowing it to consume him. Yelena understands the Void wants Bob to give in, and she hugs Bob. The Thunderbolts follow suit. Thanks to their emotional support, the Void disappears, and everyone is able to come out unscathed, including Bob.

Thunderbolts* Movie Cameos Explained

Thunderbolts*’ Only Cameos Appear In Its Post-Credits Scene

Breaking a seventeen-year-old Marvel trend, Thunderbolts* doesn’t feature any cameo. Thunderbolts*‘ plot focuses almost entirely on the тιтular team, Val, and Bob. Thunderbolts* introduces Wendell Pierce as Congressman Gary, who wants to impeach Val; as well as Geraldine Viswanathan as Val’s ᴀssistant Mel. Other than them, there are few other standout minor characters in the movie. In Thunderbolts*‘ post-credits scene, the team discovers an incoming spaceship in the Earth’s atmosphere, and Yelena spots a “4” emblem on the ship as The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ score signals the multiversal heroes’ arrival.

Biggest Spoilers And Reveals In Thunderbolts*

The Thunderbolts And Val Flip Each Other’s Plans At The End Of The Team’s First Mission

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine intends to kill the Thunderbolts before they get together, and she intends to keep searching for the best test subject for her Sentry project. When the Thunderbolts ᴀssemble and Bob turns out to be the only successful test subject, Val orders Bob to wipe out the Thunderbolts. The Thunderbolts control Bob and agree to capture Val, but Val quickly pivots and presents the Thunderbolts as her official team of Avengers, pretending she recruited them herself. The creation of the MCU’s New Avengers changes the game for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

The Thunderbolts Officially Become The New Avengers

When Val announces the Thunderbolts to the press, she unveils their official team name, chosen by Val herself: the New Avengers. Val’s announcement contradicts her initial statements. At the beginning of Thunderbolts*, Val defends herself in court, arguing the Avengers won’t return to save the world, which is why she works on alternatives like the Sentry program. Once she realizes that the Thunderbolts are a better replacement for the Avengers than her all-in-one Sentry project, Val takes credit for the team’s creation and rebrands them as the New Avengers.

Thunderbolts*‘ credits sequence drops a few hints at the New Avengers’ future. Brief sH๏τs of magazine covers, articles, and news stories reveal the world reacts negatively, or skeptically at best, to the New Avengers’ announcement. Despite being met with distrust, the New Avengers get their own merchandise, including cereal boxes like the one Red Guardian recommends to a woman in a store during Thunderbolts*‘ mid-credits scene.

Bob Is No Longer Sentry (Sort Of)

Bob doesn’t remember what happens inside the Void after the Thunderbolts bring him out of it. The press also doesn’t recognize Bob as the superhero-turned-supervillain who submerges almost all of New York in darkness. In Thunderbolts*‘ post-credits scene, Bob hangs out with the New Avengers, but confirms that he can’t use his Sentry powers, as he can’t power up without reawakening the Void. This line of dialog reveals a key detail about Avengers: Doomsday‘s plot and the New Avengers’ next MCU appearances. Since Bob won’t risk using his powers, Sentry won’t be the heroes’ go-to solution to every battle in the future.

The Fantastic Four Join The MCU

Thunderbolts*‘ post-credits scene reveals that, fourteen months after the New Avengers’ creation, Earth is experiencing a crisis in its orbital space. Right when Yelena Belova checks the situation with help from the New Avengers’ technology, the team receives a warning about a rapidly approaching ship, which sports the Fantastic Four’s emblem. How and why the Fantastic Four end up in the MCU’s main timeline is revealed in full in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, but it’s clear that Thunderbolts*‘ post-credits scene prepares Marvel’s First Family for the events of Avengers: Doomsday.

Sam Wilson’s Avengers Sue Val’s New Avengers For Copyright Infringement

In Thunderbolts*‘ post-credits scene, Yelena Belova and Bucky Barnes reveal that Sam Wilson is suing them for copyright infringement over the use of the “Avengers” name. Bucky reveals that Sam Wilson doesn’t want to collaborate with the New Avengers, as he’s upset over Val’s creation of a bootleg Avengers team. This detail hints at future tension between Val and Sam Wilson’s teams in Avengers: Doomsday. Sam and Bucky seem to be on good terms in Captain America: Brave New World, but Bucky’s new alliance with Val in Thunderbolts* seems to create a divide between them.

Upcoming MCU Movies

• 
  

  
  

  Thunderbolts*

  Release Date

  
  May 2, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

  Powered by

  
  

  
  Expand
  Collapse
  

• 
  

  
  

  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

  Release Date

  
  July 25, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

  Powered by

  
  

  
  Expand
  Collapse
  

• 
  

  
  

  Avengers: Doomsday

  Release Date

  
  May 1, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

  Powered by

  
  

  
  Expand
  Collapse
  

• 
  

  
  

  Spider-Man: Brand New Day

  Release Date

  
  July 31, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

  Powered by

  
  

  
  Expand
  Collapse
  

• 
  

  
  

  Avengers: Secret Wars

  Release Date

  
  May 7, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

  Powered by

  
  

  
  Expand
  Collapse