Marvel’s Thunderbolts* Asterisk Explained: What’s the Team’s Real Name?

Once Marvel Studios started rolling out the marketing campaign for Thunderbolts*, fans were quick to notice the addition of a suspicious asterisk to the ensemble movie’s title. Almost immediately, fans began to speculate, trying to guess the meaning of the asterisk and wondering if the Thunderbolts would change their name in the movie. The cast of Thunderbolts* also helped to stoke the flames of curiosity, making cryptic comments about the importance of what seemed like a minor detail. With the movie finally hitting theaters, we can confirm that the asterisk indeed represents a name change, and the reason why Marvel Studios tried to keep this secret guarded is that the Thunderbolts’ new title is a massive deal for the MCU continuity.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Thunderbolts*

In Thunderbolts*, Yelena (Florence Pugh), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) are forced to join forces after Valentina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) sends them to kill each other. For the past years in MCU continuity, the trio had worked in black ops for the CIA director. This means Valentina sees them as evidence she needs to dispose of once Congress starts investigating her dirty deeds. Along the way, they find Bob (Lewis Pullman), a mysterious man who doesn’t remember how he ended up in one of Valentina’s secret compounds. As expected, there’s a lot of bickering when these highly different people start working, including Yelena mocking John’s background by sharing a meaningless story of her childhood soccer team, the Thunderbolts.

[RELATED: Comics Starter Pack: A Beginner’s Guide to the MCU’s Thunderbolts*]

As the story unfolds, Red Guardian (David Harbour) joins the fold, excited about the idea that his daughter is following in Natasha Romanoff’s (Scarlett Johansson) footsteps and building her own superpowered team. Bucky (Sebastian Stan), now a congressman, is also pulled into the mess to stop Valentina from using Bob, the fruit of an illegal human experiment, to remain in power. While they grow closer together at each turn of the tortuous road they follow, the team is never officially formed until Thunderbolts* third act. Therefore, the name “Thunderbolts” is only a running joke until Yelena’s crew is formally introduced to the entire world as the New Avengers.

How the Thunderbolts Become the New Avengers in the MCU?

As the director of the CIA, Valentina used her power and influence to set up medical laboratories in poor countries, where human experimentation could unfold hidden from watchful eyes. Her goal was to create a new superhero, the Sentry, who could become Earth’s mightiest defender — not coincidentally aligned with the U.S. interests and submissive to Valentina’s command. The only survivor of these experiments is Bob, a deeply traumatized bipolar man with a history of family violence, drug abuse, and sudden shifts in personality. Valentina doesn’t really care about the risks. As soon as she discovers Bob, she sets up a media circus to show the world how her new hero can easily dispatch a group of enhanced criminals: Yelena and her newfound friends.

As expected, things go incredibly wrong. Bob’s darkest personality, the Void, takes over and unleashes destruction all over New York City. The Thunderbolts, knowing there’s no one around to keep people safe, put their lives on the line to save civilians, being cheered by the crowds. Valentina witnesses this unexpected development and devises a new plan to save her skin. Once the Thunderbolts subdue the Void and put Bob back in control, Valentina lures the new heroes to a press conference where she hastily introduces them as the New Avengers, the fruit of all her hard work that the Congress tried to destroy.

The Thunderbolts, under the scrutiny of the public eye, decide to accept their new title and roll along with Valentina’s lie. After all, becoming officially the New Avengers gives them a clean slate and the opportunity to do something meaningful with their lives. However, as Yelena kindly tells Valentina, they own her now, as Valentina’s crimes will only remain hidden if she lowers her head and supports the New Avengers in everything they need. That’s how Avengers Tower, which Valentina bought, becomes the Watchtower, the headquarters of the New Avengers from where they watch over Earth, fighting the fights no one else can.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

What did you think of the Thunderbolts becoming the New Avengers in the MCU? Join the discussion in the comments.