Every Thunderbolt’s Tragic Past, Ranked Worst to Gut-Punching in the MCU

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*

In a long-awaited assembly, the Thunderbolts debut as an unprecedentedly melancholic group of superheroes, with each member harboring a more sorrowful backstory than the next, in the grand finale of the Multiverse Saga’s cinematic universe. Unlike previous hero teams we’ve seen before, these individuals have particularly heavy burdens to carry.

Beyond what’s already been mentioned, it seems this team is marked by a fierce competitive nature, often leading to debates about who had the toughest childhood and background. Right from the start, when Yelena Belova, Ava Starr, John Walker, and Bob Reynolds joined forces to break free from OXE Group’s secret storage unit, they began to share their hardest life experiences. However, it’s clear that some members of this team have endured more hardships than others.

7. Alexei Shostakov AKA Red Guardian

At the base of the stack, it’s evident that Alexei Shostakov has experienced the least difficult history. In reality, Alexei was revered in Russia when he was bestowed with a counterfeit version of the super-soldier serum, turning him into the Red Guardian. As the legendary figure of the Soviet Union, Alexei served as a guardian and hero to his compatriots. Nevertheless, it seemed that he faced a decline in status following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, during which Alexei criticized the Russian Government.

A heartrending aspect of Alexei’s past involved being deceptively given a new family and sent to America undercover, where he was tasked with spying on organizations such as SHIELD. Although Alexei understood the nature of his mission, he developed sincere bonds with the young girls entrusted to him. When it came time for him to relinquish them to the Red Room, it seems to have dealt a significant blow to his spirit and left him yearning for something more.

6. John Walker AKA US Agent

Across the USSR and the USA, John Walker enjoyed a similar status as a national hero. Prior to his military service, he was a well-regarded high school athlete who commanded respect and admiration from his peers. His extraordinary impact on those around him eventually led to him being bestowed with an exceptional honor: becoming the new Captain America, officially backed by the government.

It appears that, contrary to expectations, John had been concealing certain aspects of his past. This included the truth behind his cowardice, for which he was surprisingly honored with medals. John’s emotions – resentment, fury, and irritation – were so intense that when he broke the law to use the super-soldier serum, it fueled his uncontrolled rage, causing him to commit a cold-blooded murder of an innocent man who had nothing to do with his ally’s demise. Unfortunately for John, any misfortunes in his life are self-inflicted, positioning him towards the bottom of the hierarchy.

5. Bob Reynolds AKA Sentry

The course of Bob Reynolds’ life took a drastic shift due to the traumatic experiences he endured in his childhood. His father was abusive, while his mother perceived him more as an issue than a child in need of care. When Bob attempted to shield his mother from his father’s abuse, she criticized him instead, leaving him feeling both powerless and valueless. As he matured, he resorted to drugs as a means to dull the emotional pain he was experiencing.

As a film enthusiast, I found myself escaping my own turmoil by journeying across Asia. My past had left me scarred with mental illness, but in this strange land, I stumbled upon an intriguing medical study – a glimmer of hope to transform my fate. Eager for change, I threw myself into the experiment, unaware that it would turn me into a guinea pig, discarded once they believed I had perished under their scrutiny. Miraculously, I lived through the ordeal, only to discover that these experiments had bestowed upon me an extraordinary resilience, making me virtually indestructible.

4. Antonia Dreykov AKA Taskmaster

Antonia Dreykov’s past is intricate. Raised by her father, General Dreykov, who is widely regarded as a horrific individual, he nevertheless showed kindness, gentleness, and affection towards his daughter. During her childhood, she went to school and kept a tight bond with her father. However, when Natasha Romanoff attempted to kill Dreykov, Antonia was there during the explosion and sustained most of the injury from the blast, which left her deeply scarred.

Though General Dreykov held a deep affection for his daughter, he now felt revulsion towards her looks. In an attempt to alleviate her suffering and suppress all other emotions, he fitted her with a chip. This device also allowed him to exercise control over her. From then on, Antonia transformed into the Taskmaster and was dispatched to the Red Room, where she would lead the other assassins under her command.

3. Ava Starr AKA Ghost

Ava Starr’s dad, Elihas Starr, was once a fellow scientist of Hank Pym, but was abruptly dismissed from the scientific community. Consequently, he persisted in his research independently, disregarding potential dangers. Regrettably, this decision culminated in a catastrophic lab explosion that claimed both his life and that of his wife, leaving Ava with the power to phase in and out of the Quantum Realm. Due to her unstable condition, she was unable to be physically touched or carried by others, which led to isolation. This seclusion continued when she was placed in an orphanage, where her health only deteriorated further.

Luckily, Bill Foster discovered Ava’s condition and welcomed her into his care, assisting her in managing her condition to some degree. Unfortunately, Bill’s involvement with SHIELD turned Ava into a valuable asset, who was deployed on sensitive missions by the organization. Despite promises of aid and healing, it was all a deception; Ava was being exploited without consent and no genuine help was provided.

2. Yelena Belova AKA Black Widow

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Yelena’s tale is among the saddest. At only three years old, she was tasked with pretending to be Alexei Shostakov and Melina Vostokoff’s daughter, believing them to be her real family, including her elder sister Natasha. Unfortunately, once the mission ended, Yelena was subjected to harsh treatment and rigorous training within the Red Room, transforming her into a formidable Black Widow assassin.

In the course of her training as an assassin, Yelena found herself compelled to carry out tasks like murdering individuals and deceiving her friends into perilous situations, all in a bid to demonstrate her proficiency and worthiness for the role. Despite excelling in these skills, she was granted assignments instead of penalties, yet this success brought her immense distress and revulsion towards her own actions. Yelena harbored a fervent wish that her supposed sister, Natasha, would liberate her from her life as a Black Widow. However, it wasn’t until she grew older that she would be reunited with Natasha and rekindle their relationship with her surrogate father, Alexei.

1. Bucky Barnes AKA Winter Soldier

Indeed, contrary to some stories, I wasn’t a child abductee or a witness to my parents’ untimely demise. But let me tell you, Bucky Barnes has known more hardship and sorrow than most characters living on this planet. Born in New York City in 1917, Bucky seemed to have had a fairly positive upbringing, forging a strong bond with the boy who would one day be Captain America, Steve Rogers.

When World War II erupted, both of us yearned to serve our country. It was Bucky who was drafted into the military, earning the rank of Sergeant, probably because of his seniority among the new recruits.

During the course of a mission, Bucky was captured together with numerous members of the 107th Infantry Regiment. Remarkably, it would be his old comrade Steve who effected their rescue behind enemy lines. After spending some time serving alongside Steve in a special task force called The Howling Commandos, Bucky tragically fell to his death. Miraculously, he didn’t pass away but was captured by HYDRA instead. In the hands of HYDRA, Barnes underwent transformation into a super-soldier assassin known as the Winter Soldier. For over 100 years, Barnes was manipulated to carry out HYDRA’s dirty work. Eventually, Steve stepped in once more to save his friend, leading to Bucky’s appearance in Thunderbolts.

2025-05-04 23:46