Unveiled: The Shocking Secret Behind the ‘Thunderbolts*’ Asterisk and Team Name!

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For several months, two major enigmas have been surrounding the launch of Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts. The first puzzle was about why the team chose the name “Thunderbolts,” and the second was regarding the asterisk in the title. At long last, we now have the solutions to these questions! Fortunately, the movie provides us with these answers. (It’s great when a film solves its minor mysteries during the movie itself instead of prolonging them for sequels.) Let’s delve into both questions right away!

Why Is the Team the “Thunderbolts?”

Funny enough, contrary to what you might expect from comics, this group’s name isn’t connected to General-turned-President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, as portrayed by Harrison Ford in Captain America: Brave New World. The movie barely mentions the climax of that storyline where Ross transformed into Red Hulk. Initially, it seemed like there could be a reference based on a trailer, but unfortunately, the final film doesn’t hint at “The Thunderbolts” or President Ross.

It turns out that Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), who is one of the main characters in the movie, used to play on a poorly performing soccer team called the Thunderbolts when she was younger. Her father, Alexei (David Harbour), was the coach for this team. In the beginning of the film, Yelena casually mentions this seemingly insignificant detail to her fellow mercenaries. Later, John Walker (Wyatt Russell) makes a light-hearted remark when Alexei asks if they have a team name. “Yes, it’s the Thunderbolts,” Walker says, causing Alexei to laugh.

Though the characters weren’t fully on board with this team name, Alexei frequently shouted it out and it seemed like a decent temporary label until…

Why Is the Asterisk in the Thunderbolts* Title?

Initially, we guessed that this team’s true identity would be unveiled as a fun surprise for Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and Marvel Comics fans, much like many people online did for some time. Our assumptions were based on the asterisk (*), which hinted at the real name. However, among our theories, it turned out that the New Avengers was the actual team name by the end of the movie, not the Thunderbolts.

Following the finale where our potential heroes rescued Bob (Lewis Pullman) from his Void, thereby saving New York, the team was preparing to arrest Val (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) for her wrongdoings. However, Val, always ready to seize opportunities, had already arranged a press conference. To everyone’s surprise, she used this platform to announce that these events were part of her grand scheme and that they would be the new version of the Avengers. Interestingly, Val had already purchased and renovated the original Avengers Tower, which explains her claim. It all fits together quite logically.

Understanding fully that her team might testify against her, leaving her in a difficult position, Yelena quietly communicates “This implies we have control over you,” which, considering the alternative of facing imprisonment for sedition, seems more appealing to Val.

As a cinephile, I must say that the entire film seemed like an intricate setup for the upcoming New Avengers squad. However, this new team appears to be at odds with Sam Wilson’s existing band of heroes, who are eager to claim the iconic Avengers name. But let’s save that discussion for another time.

Kyle Anderson serves as the Senior Editor at TopMob, where he presents the weekly podcast Laser Focus that explores various aspects of pop culture in depth. His movie and television critiques are available for reading here. You can keep up with him on Letterboxd.

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2025-05-02 05:02