written by Guest Contributor Isabelle Hendrich
“We can’t do this. No one here is a hero.”
–Yelena, THUNDERBOLTS*
The facts
This article contains spoilers from the movie Thunderbolts*
Marvel’s Thunderbolts* released on May 2, 2025 to theatres. Three months later, the movie was released to Disney+ on August 27, 2025. Thunderbolts is rated PG-13 for its violence and language. Worldwide, the movie only grossed $382,426, 917, missing the mark of its desired $425 million to break even. This could be due to the film’s lack of major MCU characters, such as Tony Stark or Captain America. The movie contains several B-rated anti-heroes from other MCU films. Viewers most likely did not go see the movie in theaters due to confusion over whom the characters were and how they related to each other.
Marvel’s Misfits
In this action-packed film, a band of misfits join forces to stop a greater threat. These mavericks’ superpowers are limited compared to other characters that are standard in MCU movies. Three of the five only have super human strength. While one of these has a metal arm, he rarely uses it. The fourth character can move through walls, and the last one doesn’t have any powers at all except her skills as an assassin. In terms of visual effects, this film lacks visual pizzaz due to the limited amount of superpowers. However, the dialog makes up for more intense scenes, with several jokes and levity during the movie. For instance, at one point Bucky Barnes, the super strong congressman with a metal arm, pulls his arm out of the dishwasher to reattach it.
Revealed in the trailer, Bob, known as The Void, is the villain with Superman-type powers. Because of a medical experiment, known as the Sentry Project, Bob acquires said powers. The most unique and dangerous power he has is that he can wipe people out with the wave of his hand, turning them into a shadow. In reality, these people relive their worst memories for eternity. Due to this, Thunderbolts* feels almost like a psychological thriller, with each of the main characters reliving their own tragic memories again.
Dark before the LIght
The team of misfit anti-heros include Yelena Belova, John Walker, Bucky Barnes, Alexei Shostakov, and Ava Starr (the Ghost). Each has committed horrible acts in the past, branding them as the least likely saviors to join forces.
- Yelena, the sister of Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow), is a former assassin; Alexei Shostakov is her dad.
- Alexei is known as the Red Guardian, the Russian super soldier equivalent to Captain America.
- John Walker, also given the super soldier serum, was going to be the next Captain America. However, the Falcon claimed the shield for himself, becoming a (much more ethical) Captain America in Walker’s place.
- Ava Starr (Ghost) is from Ant-Man and the Wasp and can move through any object.
- Bucky Barnes is the man with the metal arm, super soldier strength, and former best friend of the original Captain America (Steve Rodgers).
In one way or another, the characters end up working for Valentino Allegra de Fontaine, CIA director and O.X.E. CEO. She attempts to kill Yelena, John Walker, and Ava in a vault since they are living evidence of her secret (and very illegal) missions. While Walker, Yelena, and Ava are fighting, a box tumbles open to reveal Bob, freshly awoken from his medically-induced wacky-experiment coma. Once introduced to the gang, Bob accidentally reveals the superpowers he unwittingly possesses. In a twist of fate, he accidently gives Yelena a vision of her worst memory: when she was forced betray her friend as a child assassin.
Bob is taken by Valentina to be turned into the Sentry, her personal superhero. Bob turns against Valentina and becomes Void, his alter-ego that arises from his lifelong struggle with mental conditions like depression. As The Void, Bob begins to turn the people of NYC into shadows, entrapping them in a world of their own memories.
Unconditional Love
“We are the Thunderbolts! . . . This team can be the heroes on the Wheaties Box with the little kiddie toy,” Alexei says in the trailer.
Alexei affectionately titles the band of misfit heroes the Thunderbolts after Yelena’s soccer team she joined when she was five. While Bob is destroying NYC, the team parts ways after a devastating defeat from Bob. Alexei follows Yelena to try to get the group of anti-heroes back together. Each member felt that due to their previous mistakes, they could not defeat The Void. All had been controlled and manipulated to kill, destroy, and harm others.
“We can’t do this. No one here is a hero,” Yelena says.
“Yelena, when I look at you, I don’t see your mistakes,” Alexie responds.
Jesus took our place on the cross for our sins. He died for us, so that Christians might one day live with God in heaven. Jesus sacrificed himself for the debt Christians can never repay. That’s why when God looks at Christians, His children, He does not see our mistakes. God only sees Jesus, His one and only Son, whom He loves unconditionally.
In the same way, Alexei looked at his daughter, Yelena, and did not see her mistakes. When Alexi looked at Yelena, he saw his five-year-old daughter whom he loved, regardless of what she had done. There is hope in Jesus. God loves us. It takes a leap of faith to trust in God. But His forgiveness and love is worth it.
Conclusion
Thunderbolts* concludes with each hero individually choosing to fight. Each chose to “bring light into the darkness” as Alexie said. When they chose to fight, each represented Christ, who is the only true light on this dark earth. Together, the team allowed Bob to take them into his void. All got turned into shadows. Yelena found Bob as himself after making her way through several different memories. As Bob tried to destroy himself, The Void, Yelena wrapped her arms around Bob and said, “I’m right here.” The whole team surrounds Bob, enabling him to finally relinquish the Void, his alter-ego.
The movie concludes with Bob being back to normal and the team attempting to obtain the copyrights to the name Avengers. “Avengerz, with a ‘Z’, there is no copyright” Alexei says during the post-credit scene.
Overall, Thunderbolts* (*The New Avengers) is unlike any other Marvel movie. While the characters do not fit the classic mold of a superhero, its redemptive story arch makes it worth the watch.
Bible Verse: 1 Peter 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed,” (ESV).
Isabelle Hendrich is a writer, creator, and journalist with a MBA in Marketing and a B.S. in Communications. Her publications include pieces in World magazine and Bryan College’s Triangle, where she served as Editor-in-Chief. Her hobbies include running half marathons, knitting, and being a cat-mom to her crazy Russian Blue-tabby mix, Nala.
Credits
Featured Image: Marvel.com, edited in Canva
Joy H. Books 
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