After watching Thunderbolts in theaters, viewers are likely pondering over several queries, ranging from interpreting the movie’s ending to deciphering the implications of its post-credits scene for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While these topics hold significance, there’s another question that remains unanswered by Thunderbolts – a question that has been lingering since the film ended. Although saving New York City from Sentry was critical, it would be satisfying to finally have some clarity on this matter.
WARNING: Spoilers below for Thunderbolts*
In the movie Thunderbolts, we primarily focus on two key characters: Yelena Belova (played by Florence Pugh) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). Yelena serves as our main protagonist, with her story unfolding from start to finish. Meanwhile, Bucky is the longest-serving character in the MCU within Thunderbolts, making him the most familiar face for viewers upon theater entry, much like Iron Man and Captain America in the Avengers team. However, it’s not explicitly shown who leads the Thunderbolts in this film, leaving us to wonder if it’s Yelena or Bucky. Who do you think takes charge of the Thunderbolts?
Who Is the Leader of the Thunderbolts?
The story of Thunderbolts unfolds as Yelena finds herself discontented with her existence. She’s immersed herself in work, accepting mercenary tasks from Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (portrayed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Her routine consists of work, returning home, drinking, and anticipating the next task. However, things take a turn when Yelena is assigned a mission that pits her against John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko). This assignment marks the beginning of Yelena’s life gaining purpose. One aspect of this transformation stems from assisting Bob (Lewis Pullman) in overcoming his inner turmoil. Yelena identifies with Bob, as she too battles similar internal struggles. Interestingly, each member of the Thunderbolts is attempting to break free from their past.
Among all characters, none embodies redemption more than Bucky Barnes, formerly known as the Winter Soldier. Brainwashed into being a Hydra sleeper agent, he committed heinous acts such as murdering Tony Stark’s parents. However, his closest friend, Steve Rogers, never wavered in his belief in Bucky’s goodness. With assistance from the Wakandans, Bucky successfully broke free from his mind control. Later, it was disclosed that Bucky has transitioned into a Congressman role. Now, he teams up with the Thunderbolts to bring down Valentina, who has been orchestrating them for her ambition to assume a position akin to Nick Fury, controlling the puppet strings.
Indeed, this newly formed group of misfits hasn’t had much time to establish a clear chain of command yet. The ending scene doesn’t clarify whether Yelena or Bucky is in charge, but given her exceptional performance in the Thunderbolts, Yelena appears to be an ideal choice. However, it’s important to consider that Bucky has over a century of experience compared to Yelena. They seem to complement each other well, with Bucky guiding Yelena from within the Watchtower, the old Avengers Tower.
In a potential perfect scenario, Yelena and Bucky will join forces to command the Thunderbolts, which could be more accurately phrased as leading the New Avengers. As hinted in the final scenes of Thunderbolts, Valentina introduces them to the media as the New Avengers. Fast forward 14 months, the post-credits scene reveals they’ve taken over the old Avengers Tower with a freshly designed Avengers insignia adorning its walls.
Yelena and Bucky’s leadership abilities will be challenged when the Fantastic Four, who have come from space, make an appearance. The specifics of how their last adventure in The Fantastic Four: First Steps leads to them arriving in the MCU in a spaceship remains unclear, but all the heroes, including Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, will reunite in Avengers: Doomsday to confront him.
Thunderbolts* is in theaters now.
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2025-05-03 05:12