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In my latest analysis, I’ve found an additional explanation for why the Thunderbolts team received their title prior to the movie’s climactic twist, making them the New Avengers. It’s hard to believe I didn’t catch it earlier, even though it carries a significant emotional impact. The final scene of Thunderbolts subtly hints at the significance of the asterisk in its title, and elevates the team from being the Thunderbolts to the New Avengers in one of the most shocking plot twists in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in recent times.

Though the Thunderbolts held onto their title in the MCU timeline for only about 2 real-world hours and perhaps not much longer within the universe, this doesn’t diminish the significance of their original name within the franchise. In fact, the origin story of the Thunderbolts provides a welcome dose of humor to the movie’s narrative, while also connecting with the character arcs. Consequently, seeing the team retain the title throughout most of the film, and how it ultimately becomes a semi-permanent name, carries an especially poignant emotional weight from a particular viewpoint.

The MCU’s Backstory For The Thunderbolts Team Name Initially Seems Like A Fun If Silly Joke

In the Marvel movie “Thunderbolts,” Red Guardian plays a significant role in providing comic relief, which seems crucial for balancing the film’s emotional storyline. Initially, it appears that Alexei adopts the Thunderbolts name as a joke to explain their acquisition of the comic group’s moniker. However, it turns out that the Thunderbolts name is derived from Yelena’s childhood football team, the West Chesapeake Bay Thunderbolts, a team she played for during her undercover spy days with Alexei.

When Red Guardian collects the team following their escape from the OXE facility where they narrowly avoided a massacre, John Walker playfully remarks that they are now called the Thunderbolts. This name is humorous because at this stage, the characters show no signs of forming a genuine team, and it’s a nod to Yelena’s earlier mention of a football team with a poor track record, having never won a game. However, Alexei seems oblivious to Walker’s sarcasm or simply doesn’t catch it, and he enthusiastically refers to the group as the Thunderbolts throughout most of the story.

Despite the team members being hesitant due to the awkward association with a youth soccer team notorious for an on-field accident, Alexei’s persistent suggestion that they adopt the name Thunderbolts provides a humorous undertone throughout, and more importantly, paves the way for the shocking revelation in Thunderbolts* where they transform into the New Avengers in the climax. Yet, considering Alexei and Yelena’s character development and backstories within the MCU and Thunderbolts*, this recurring joke may hold a symbolic or thematic significance as well.

Red Guardian Trying To Cement Thunderbolts Name For The Team Looks Different After Thinking About He & Yelena’s Arcs

Despite the fact that Alexei and Yelena were undercover during their time with the West Chesapeake Bay Thunderbolts soccer team being a significant plot point, it may be overshadowed by their poor performance on the field and an unusual incident involving one player’s bathroom habits. However, the movie clearly emphasizes that Alexei was the coach of the team and this covert operation is an essential part of the storyline.

When Alexei mentions the original Thunderbolts to Yelena, he implies that it was one of the rare instances when he felt she was genuinely happy – despite her being a child spy in the Red Room’s control, and despite their apparent losing streak during their games. Therefore, his enthusiasm for the name and stubbornness in using it as the team’s official title carries a deeply poignant undertone, suggesting that he is trying to rekindle Yelena’s happiness and purpose once again.

It appears that this situation resonates more personally with Alexei as well. While Red Guardian laments the past due to his heroic feats, he also shows genuine sorrow over Natasha’s death and the pain of not being able to talk about it with Yelena, which strained their relationship. Additionally, he regrets not being there for Yelena during her hard times. All these feelings might be why he clings to the Thunderbolts name, as it symbolizes a time that held happier memories for him.

The Tragic Alternate Meanings Behind The Thunderbolts Name Makes Red Guardian & Yelena Becoming New Avengers More Emotional

At the start of the movie Thunderbolts, Alexei’s enthusiasm about the group transforming into a genuine superhero team is comically portrayed due to the questionable pasts of some members and their initial disinterest in the idea, except for Red Guardian. Nevertheless, his optimism ultimately proves fruitful as the Thunderbolts story concludes, although at the cost of abandoning the Thunderbolts name altogether. Instead, they adopt the title “New Avengers” bestowed upon them by Valentina in the climax of the film’s narrative, providing a satisfying resolution to this particular plotline.

As a movie reviewer, I must confess that the latest Avengers installment, “Avengers: Doomsday,” presents a unique twist for the New Avengers. Not only do they grapple with fresh obstacles within the film itself – such as their ongoing legal battle over the use of the Avengers name, hinted at in the Thunderbolts post-credits scenes – but these difficulties also serve to fulfill the dreams of characters like Alexei and Yelena.

The transformation from a team named after an obscure kids’ soccer group to one of the MCU’s most iconic hero teams infuses their individual arcs with an added layer of significance, making it all the more poignant in retrospect – even if it seems oddly fitting at times.

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2025-05-29 23:09