9 Biggest MCU Phase 6 Storylines Thunderbolts* Sets Up

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Thunderbolts*.Thunderbolts* changes the game for the Marvel Cinematic Universe in major ways, and it sets up exciting storylines to be played out during Phase 6. The Multiverse Saga has seen an elevated number of projects, which beats those in the Infinity Saga by a wide margin. Some of the MCU’s best movies have been released in the past few years, but a considerable amount of Marvel releases in Phases 4 and 5 have been divisive.

Thunderbolts*‘s shocking ending and the Marvel movie’s post-credits scene shake up the franchise to its core. After months of teasing it, the MCU finally revealed what the film’s asterisk meant, and the explanation was perfect. With two upcoming Avengers movies, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and more projects on the way, the MCU’s Multiverse Saga should have a thrilling lineup of reveals over the next couple of years. Here are the storylines Thunderbolts* sets up for the MCU’s Phase 6:

9

Did Daredevil, Spider-Man, And Other NYC Heroes Get Affected By The Void?

Thunderbolts* Only Focused On The Team’s Reaction To The Event

Recently, Disney+’s Daredevil: Born Again brought a major change for the MCU’s version of New York City. Vincent D’Onofrio’s Mayor Fisk took over the city, outlawing all vigilantes. Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, Tony Dalton’s Swordsman, and more vigilantes currently operate out of New York, and fans criticized how heroes like Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and the rest of the Defenders from the Netflix Marvel shows did not appear to help Daredevil.

Now, Thunderbolts* comes up with an even bigger event that would undoubtedly affect most, if not all, of the heroes who operate in the MCU’s New York. With The Void sending heroes and civilians into its shadowy shame rooms to relive their darkest memories, Marvel has the chance to show how Spider-Man, Daredevil, and others were affected. Daredevil: Born Again season 2 and Spider-Man: Brand New Day could answer the question.

8

Sam’s Avengers And The New Avengers Fight For The Team’s Trademark

The MCU Now Has Two Avengers Teams After Years With None

Captain America: Brave New World ended with Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson set on creating a new Avengers team. However, his plans now conflict with Thunderbolts*‘s major reveal. The film’s asterisk was hiding a name change, with Marvel Studios officially revealing that the Thunderbolts are The New Avengers. The Marvel movie had a time jump to show the team adjusting to its new role.

Every MCU Avengers Movie
Movie	Release Date
The Avengers	2012
Avengers: Age of Ultron	2015
Avengers: Infinity War	2018
Avengers: Endgame	2019
Avengers: Doomsday	2026
Avengers: Secret Wars	2027

Thunderbolts* teased that both Avengers teams could have beef in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday. In Thunderbolts*‘s post-credits scene, it was revealed that Captain America was going the legal way to fight The New Avengers’ claim to their name. With both superhero teams fighting for the Avengers trademark and the two squads set to appear in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday, that conflict will be picked up again.

7

Sam Wilson And Bucky Barnes’ Friendship Might Suffer

The Heroes Are In The Middle Of The Avengers Trademark Battle

With Captain America’s Avengers and The New Avengers fighting for the right to continue as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, one of the MCU’s longest-running friendships could take a turn for the worse. In the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene, Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes is asked to talk to Mackie’s Sam Wilson about the trademark. However, he already did, and Sam did not budge.

Since Bucky was the one to put The New Avengers together to go after Valentina Alleagra de Fontaine and Sam is the MCU’s Captain America, both of them have key roles in their respective Avengers teams. If The New Avengers do not step down, which all signs suggest is their plan, then Bucky and Sam could grow estranged.

6

The New Avengers Will Be The First MCU Heroes To Meet The Fantastic Four

Thunderbolts* Surprisingly Introduced Marvel’s First Family Before The Team’s Film

While seeing the Thunderbolts as The New Avengers in the original Avengers Tower was exciting, the biggest reveal of the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene was the fact that the Fantastic Four have seemingly arrived in the MCU. Theoretically, it could be Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom in the spaceship, but with the team set to arrive in July’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps, it is more likely that the heroes are onboard.

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With The New Avengers catching wind of the Fantastic Four’s ship, they will check it out. As such, unless the Fantastic Four get stopped by a cosmic hero like Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel in the time it takes for The New Avengers to get to their ship, then the former Thunderbolts will be the first to meet them, setting up a major hero interaction for Avengers: Doomsday.

5

The Fantastic Four’s Earth Will Likely Be Destroyed

Galactus Is A Formidable Villain For The Fantastic Four Movie

If the Fantastic Four have arrived in the MCU, like Thunderbolts* shows, then that means that they have left their world behind. While there could be another reason for that, the main theory about The Fantastic Four: First Steps is that Ralph Ineson’s Galactus will devour the team’s world. That theory has been helped by the MCU movie’s trailers.

The first major storyline Thunderbolts* sets up for the MCU’s Phase 6 will be concluded by the end of the Fantastic Four film.

Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards outright claims in one of them that he does not know if they can stop Galactus. Destroying the Fantastic Four’s world is the easiest way to get them to join the main MCU Earth. The first major storyline Thunderbolts* sets up for the MCU’s Phase 6 will be concluded by the end of the Fantastic Four film.

4

Mel Is Covertly Teased To Be A Bigger Marvel Character

Thunderbolts* Might Have Snuck In A Character Connected To The Team In The Comics

Geraldine Viswanathan’s Mel was Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s ᴀssistant in Thunderbolts*. With Val now forced to work for The New Avengers, Mel is free to find a new path for herself in the MCU. While the film does not focus on it, Thunderbolts* could have already revealed what that future could look like. The answer comes from two Thunderbolts* Easter eggs.

The name of Viswanathan’s character, Mel, could be short for Melissa Gold, who is Songbird, one of the original members of the Thunderbolts in the comics. Adding to the theory is the fact that Mel wears a bird necklace throughout the film. Since she helped Bucky in the movie, Mel could return in a possible Thunderbolts* sequel or Avengers: Doomsday, gaining her comic book powers.

3

Will Valentina Allegra De Fontaine Stay Under The New Avengers’ Thumb?

The Contessa Is Not A Character To Stay Down For Long

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine was the one who brought the Thunderbolts together, in a way. She previously hired most of the teams for hits and then had the anti-heroes kill one another, which they chose not to do. By the end of the film, instead of being imprisoned, Valentina introduces the Thunderbolts to the world as The New Avengers.

Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova then tells Valentina that they own her, meaning The New Avengers can get access to all the resources she has in exchange for her not going to prison. However, Valentina has shown that she is a dark character who has no issues going against heroes and what is morally right. She would not want to stay under their thumb, so an alliance with Doctor Doom or someone else could be on the horizon.

2

Bob Is Trying To Keep The Void Under Control

One Of The MCU’s Most Powerful Heroes Is Not Active

Thunderbolts* showed how powerful Lewis Pullman’s Sentry is. The character could easily take on the entire Marvel team without breaking a sweat. If Sentry wanted to, he could have killed them. However, Bob has a moral code and is not a bad guy. That said, his dark side, the Void, is as powerful as Sentry but has no limits.

Sentry is said to be more powerful than all the Avengers rolled into one.

Pullman is confirmed to return in Avengers: Doomsday alongside most of the Thunderbolts* cast. With Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom and presumably other multiversal threats, the heroes will need all the help they can get. Thunderbolts*‘s post-credits scene revealed Bob is not active as Sentry out of fear that the Void will take over. That could happen in Avengers: Doomsday, or Sentry could be the hero the rest need to save the day.

1

Incursions May Have Already Started

The MCU Is Dealing With Strange Events In Space

Another event that the MCU sets up in the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene is related to the cosmic side of the franchise. The New Avengers know about a space crisis that has been going on due to some anomalies. While the film does not outright state it, that description sounds a lot like the start of incursions.

An incursion is the collision between multiple Earths, and it should be crucial to one or both of the MCU’s next Avengers movies. With the Fantastic Four going from their universe to the main MCU, they could lead to a new incursion that gets things up and running at the start of Avengers: Doomsday. Either way, the movie should explain what Thunderbolts*‘s teased space crisis means.