The latest MCU movie, Thunderbolts*, includes one of the most brutal character debuts in the entire franchise, and I love it. In fact, I think the brutality of their introduction is largely to thank for the positive reactions.

Sadly, despite Thunderbolts* earning rave reviews, it did not fare so well at the box office. The reasons for Thunderbolts*’ modest box office results are debatable, although the fact that it stars such lesser-known characters as Red Guardian and Ghost might have had a large part to play.

This is also despite Marvel Studios unveiling the “real” тιтle for the movie, The New Avengers​​​​​. The end of Thunderbolts* saw the тιтular team being granted their new тιтle and setting up shop in the old Avengers Tower. Now, they are at loggerheads with Sam Wilson and his team of Avengers.

Still, despite mostly comprising lesser-known antiheroes who “just punch and shoot,” the New Avengers boast one particularly powerful member. The implications of their arrival are pretty vast, and the brutal way in which they were introduced fills me with excitement about their return to the MCU.

The MCU Has Had Plenty Of Striking Villain Debuts Over The Years

The MCU Boasts Some Incredible Villains

The MCU is pretty reliable when it comes to introducing villains. With so many MCU villains following Stan Lee’s golden rule, these debuts are often followed by particularly compelling arcs, with sympathetic villains being the standard. Some of the best and most memorable villain debuts include:

• The Winter Soldier attacks Cap and his team in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
• Hela destroys Mjolnir in Thor: Ragnarok.
• Killmonger stages a museum heist in Black Panther.
• Thanos beats Hulk in Avengers: Infinity War.
• Gorr kills a god in Thor: Love and Thunder.

These strong opening scenes typically occur in some of the MCU’s greatest offerings. This demonstrates that a solid villain, complete with a stunning debut, can significantly contribute to the overall critical success of an MCU movie.

Although Thunderbolts* might not have earned as much as Thor: Ragnarok, it sits comfortably alongside it among the MCU’s best-rated movies. While the charismatic leading cast and excellent writing helped, it’s impossible to ignore the introduction of the MCU’s latest and most terrifying villain, the Void.

Thunderbolts*’s Debut Of The Void Might Just Win The Compeтιтion For The MCU’s Most Brutal Debut

The Void Is Introduced By Turning A Young Girl Into A Shadow

The Void’s MCU debut was particularly striking in its brutality. The Void wrests control of Bob Reynolds’ body and proceeds to unleash his powers on New York after a kill-switch implant ostensibly killed Sentry. These powers entail banishing victims to a realm of “shame rooms,” where they are condemned to living out their worst, most shameful memories.

Before this was revealed, however, the implication was that the Void was outright killing people. Not only that, but one of his first victims was a child who was sharing a moment with Red Guardian after he rescued her.

While the child might have been the most innocent, the Void proceeds to cause pandemonium as he banishes legions of innocent New Yorkers. Furthermore, while he does not outright kill his victims, they are nonetheless subjected to a terrible fate. This debut was intensified by Thunderbolts*’ darker tones.

Thunderbolts*’s Tone Helps Make The Void’s Debut So Intense

Playful Moments Contrast Darker Ones

Thunderbolts* treads a fine line between irreverence and intensity. While the movie centers on mental health and the main cast being down on their luck, the likes of Red Guardian help to keep the tone light. It provides a contrast that only helps to strengthen both aspects of Thunderbolts*.

This intensity is exemplified by Red Guardian’s tender moment with the young girl. The tonal one-eighty helped to make it one of the most shocking moments in the MCU. Throughout Thunderbolts*, playful moments are juxtaposed with intense moments like this that help to make it a particularly unique MCU installment.

Bob Reynolds is himself a prime example. While the decidedly meek Bob provides plenty of fun and humorous moments, the character is a far cry from the Void. The sequence in which he lets loose and pummels the Void feels particularly gut-wrenching when the shame room that featured him as a sign-spinning chicken helped to humanize him further.

The Void’s MCU Debut Being So Intense Makes Avengers: Doomsday Even More Exciting

Lewis Pullman Is Confirmed For Avengers: Doomsday

This ultimately paints a good picture for Avengers: Doomsday. Lewis Pullman is among the confirmed actors to be starring in Avengers: Doomsday, where he will be portraying Bob Reynolds. Now that Bob is a member of the New Avengers, the team is looking to keep his Sentry persona subdued to avoid risking the arrival of the Void once more.

Nevertheless, I imagine the Void will make an appearance regardless and possibly give all superhero teams in Avengers: Doomsday cause for concern. After all, it would make little sense for Bob to be involved without also bringing Sentry back, especially if the heroes of Avengers: Doomsday need to pull out all the stops against Doom.

Reintroducing the Void after Thunderbolts* can only help to make the movie even more compelling. I feel like we haven’t seen everything the Void is capable of, given that the character is far more murderous in Marvel Comics than what was adapted for the big screen, and his involvement could shift the power dynamic substantially.