Looking Back Now, I Can’t Believe Thunderbolts* & Captain America: Brave New World Basically Have The Same Ending

Despite being largely different films, Thunderbolts* ends in a very similar way to the MCU’s previous 2025 theatrical release. The two films released in 2025 so far, Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*, have both been integral in setting up the next generation of MCU heroes. Brave New World, which was released in February, cemented Sam Wilson as the MCU’s new Captain America, while the recently released Thunderbolts* introduced a new superhero group entirely.

As the MCU prepares for the culmination of the Multiverse Saga with Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, now is the time for the studio to solidify the team that will go up against Doctor Doom. Both Brave New World and Thunderbolts* set up these heroes in their own ways as both films felt different tonally and story-wise. However, that makes the similarities that these two films have in their final act all the more fascinating, as it shows these heroes going through similar journeys despite their differences.

Captain America: Brave New World & Thunderbolts* Are Very Different Movies For The Most Part

The Two Films Feature Different Tones

Image of a split screen, Harrison Ford's Thaddeus Ross staring out the window on the left, Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson looking off in the distance on the right in Captain America Brave New World (2025)

Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* have been two of the MCU’s most grounded films in recent years. They both focus on what’s happening on Earth with human heroes, which is a big contrast to the usual intergalactic spectacle that the franchise usually features. Beyond that, though, the two 2025 films were largely different in tone. Brave New World was played as a political thriller similar to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, while Thunderbolts* leaned into the humor of a team of misfits similar to Guardians of the Galaxy.

The main characters in each film are in extremely different places at the start of their respective films. Sam is well-established as the new official Captain America at the start of Brave New World thanks to the development that the character got in The Falcon & The Winter Soldier. He is stepping up as a leader and trying to prove to himself that he can do the job. On the other hand, the Thunderbolts members were already so used to operating on their own that Thunderbolts* focused on finding their purpose within a team.

Thunderbolts* & Captain America: Brave New World’s Endings Are Remarkably Similar For Two Such Different Movies

The Antagonists Become Villains Against Their Will

The contrasting tones and stories of the two films have surprisingly similar endings. Both Brave New World and Thunderbolts* feature an antagonist who is taken advantage of by an outside force and forcibly turned into a villain. In Brave New World, President Ross may not have the best intentions, but he never intended to become the Red Hulk and cause such destruction. In Thunderbolts*, Bob signed up for a medical study without knowing that he’d eventually become Sentry and the Void. His insecurities were taken advantage of, which is what made him such an easily influenced individual.

With everything resolved, Sam ends the film ᴅᴇᴀᴅ set on reforming the Avengers, and the Thunderbolts are officially named the New Avengers.

The way that both films save their villains is by emotionally connecting with them. Sam talks President Ross out of his Red Hulk persona, while the Thunderbolts save Bob from the Void simply by being there for him. Both Sam and the Thunderbolts also respectively visit the external villain who was actually responsible for the chaos, as Sam confronts the Leader and the Thunderbolts confront Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. With everything resolved, Sam ends the film ᴅᴇᴀᴅ set on reforming the Avengers, and the Thunderbolts are officially named the New Avengers.

Why Thunderbolts* & Captain America: Brave New World Having Similar Endings Works

It’s All Leading Up To Avengers: Doomsday

Bob looking determined in his scrubs in Thunderbolts*

It’s not extremely obvious that these two films have such similar endings, but in the grand scheme of the MCU, it makes sense that they do. Brave New World and Thunderbolts* have premiered at a critical time for the franchise as every project counts in setting up Avengers: Doomsday. There hasn’t been an official Avengers team in the universe for quite some time now, so it’d make sense for multiple parties to try and take advantage of that by forming their own version of the hero group.

Having two grounded MCU projects released back to back ultimately worked because it kept audiences in the right headspace. Fans are so used to the usual superhero formula of the hero defeating an extraterrestrial villain that they sometimes forget how complex human conflict can be. Humans are put into vastly different scenarios in Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* respectively, but compᴀssion and understanding ultimately prevail as one of their biggest weapons.