Thunderbolts Ending Explained: How Marvel’s Florence Pugh and Sebastian Star Starrer Anti-Hero Team Became New Avengers

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The Marvel movie Thunderbolts appears to be a chaotic alliance of anti-hero characters initially, but the finale presents an intriguing twist. Although the film feels like a fun road trip featuring Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), and Bob (Lewis Pullman), it takes a more somber turn in the third act. In the climax, these seemingly anti-heroic figures are surprisingly transformed into The New Avengers instead.

In the closing scenes, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (portrayed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) decides to hold an unscheduled press conference. She acknowledges their efforts in saving New York City and declares, “The Thunderbolts cease to exist; they are now known as The New Avengers.” This unexpected revelation also answers the question mark in the film’s title and leaves many intriguing dilemmas for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to tackle in the future.

The narrative changes when Valentina prepares Bob for his role as ‘Sentry’, a potent new hero she aims to manage. Her aid (Geraldine Viswanathan) expresses concerns about Bob’s history of trauma and addiction issues, which could make him unpredictable. Nevertheless, Valentina persists in her plans, according to Collider.

The situation deteriorates dramatically when a kill switch is activated, not for the purpose of halting Bob, but rather to rouse his ominous secondary self, The Void. As The Void assumes control, he initiates a transformation of individuals into shadows and casts New York into darkness. With courage, the Thunderbolts venture into the realm of shadow to rescue Bob from his own grasp.

Within the emptiness, Yelena encounters distressing recollections that aid Bob in dealing with his past wounds. Reflected likenesses of Bob’s abusive father and a caricature of himself dressed as a chicken (symbolizing his most difficult times) materialize. However, bolstered by their companionship, Bob takes a stand against these apparitions.

In my personal journey, I found myself teetering on the brink, with the Abyss nearly claiming victory, feeding off my remorse and apprehensions. But my newly-found companions reminded me of my inner resilience. Yelena, one of them, whispered, “You’re not alone anymore.” In the end, I chose the path of light, and the Abyss was vanquished.

Following their successful defense of the city, the team intends to prosecute Valentina. However, they’re taken aback when instead, she elevates them to public champions. Thus, The Thunderbolts have been formally recognized as The New Avengers.

This unexpected turn raises significant queries about Avengers: Endgame. How will Captain America, portrayed by Anthony Mackie, and Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth, respond? Will this group be able to tackle greater perils jointly? Whatever follows, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has ventured into uncharted territory with audacity.

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2025-05-02 09:37