Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Thunderbolts*.Jake Schreier’s Thunderbolts* quietly brings the MCU full circle by pulling off something the franchise hasn’t attempted with the Avengers in a decade. The MCU has dropped one of the biggest Multiverse Saga twists in the form of the New Avengers’ name change. Thunderbolts*‘ тιтular team defeats Sentry and the Void without harming Robert Reynolds. Though they foil Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s plans, Val makes an agreement with the Thunderbolts on the spot at the end of Thunderbolts*, introducing “the New Avengers”.
The New Avengers have big shoes to fill, as anti-heroes like Ghost and Red Guardian aren’t nearly as famous as world-class heroes like Iron Man and Thor. But due to Thunderbolts*‘ high quality and clever marketing, the New Avengers’ MCU future looks bright. The New Avengers have reclaimed Stark Tower and rival Captain America’s official Avengers in resources. Taking Thunderbolts*‘ post-credits scene into account, the New Avengers may also be the first Earth-616 characters to meet the Fantastic Four ahead of Avengers: Doomsday.
Thunderbolts* Reveals The New Avengers Have Been A Team For At Least Fourteen Months When Avengers: Doomsday Starts
The New Avengers Stick Together For Over A Year
After a brief mid-credits scene showing Red Guardian’s excitement over the New Avengers’ merch, Thunderbolts*‘ post-credits scene reveals the New Avengers are still a team fourteen months after the events of their team-up movie. Not only are Yelena’s New Avengers based on Val’s Watchtower, but they also sport new costumes and are disputing their brand’s copyright with Sam Wilson’s official Avengers. What’s more, the New Avengers have the technology they need to oversee world threats and track an ongoing “space crisis.”
Despite their initial friction and their differences with Val, the New Avengers have stayed together for over a year by the time they spot the Fantastic Four’s spaceship entering the Earth’s atmosphere. The New Avengers sport new costumes and hairstyles, and they’ve welcomed Bob as an honorary member of the team. Thanks to their emotional support, they have also helped Bob keep his Void alter ego at bay. Meanwhile, Sam Wilson probably recruited his Avengers off-screen.
The New Avengers’ Timeskip Already Lets Them Fill A Franchise Gap
The Original Avengers’ Last Real Mission Together Happened More Than Ten Years Before Thunderbolts*
Thunderbolts*‘ post-credits scene suggests the New Avengers have been a team for over fourteen months, uninterrupted. The last time the original Avengers were seen together was in Avengers: Endgame, where more than thirty-eight heroes joined forces to defeat Thanos. However, the Battle of Earth was a one-time reunion for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Before that, the last time the MCU showed the original Avengers fighting side by side was in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, as Hulk fled to outer space and Thor went on a quest after defeating Ultron. After Avengers: Age of Ultron, the Avengers broke up in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
When everything is added up, the Avengers likely spent no more than a year actually functioning as a team
Avengers: Age of Ultron opens with the Avengers wiping out the last remnants of Hydra. Considering that Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor were busy fighting their own battles without the support of other Avengers just one or two years before, the Avengers must have reunited less than one year before Avengers: Age of Ultron‘s opening scene. The Avengers took place within a week, and the Battle of Earth lasted a couple of hours. When everything is added up, the Avengers likely spent no more than a year actually functioning as a team.
The New Avengers May Already Be A Better Team Than Tony Stark And Steve Rogers’ Original Team
The New Avengers May Have A Stronger Bond Than The Original Team
While the original Avengers were technically a team for eleven years, much of that time was spent operating separately. Most of the Avengers’ shared screentime also focused on their battles, with only a handful of scenes focusing on their bond. Moments like the Avengers’ party in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Avengers’ brief mourning of Natasha Romanoff in Avengers: Endgame delved into the team’s relationship, but these scenes barely scratch the surface of each Avenger’s inner world.
The Thunderbolts dove into their deepest trauma together during their first mission. Each of the Thunderbolts got to know what made each of their teammates grow into the person they are, and they had to help each other overcome their fears and regrets in order to exit the Void. This shared experience may be what made them such a close-knit team and led them to stick together over a year after they first ᴀssembled. Even if the New Avengers don’t star in their own Thunderbolts* sequel, they’ll already have an advantage over Sam Wilson’s Avengers when they return in Avengers: Doomsday.
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Thunderbolts*
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
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Avengers: Doomsday
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day
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Avengers: Secret Wars
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