Thunderbolts* Actually Improves on One of the MCU’s Most Controversial Endings

It’s fair to say that the Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn’t brought its A-game lately. The Multiverse Saga has been a mixed bag for Marvel Studios, and through no fault of its own, it had to swap Big Bads before one of the most ambitious comic book movies ever, Avengers: Doomsday, went into production. So, the MCU needs a win sooner rather than later, and it’s putting a lot of the pressure on a group of screw-ups, the Thunderbolts. And to the surprise of nearly everyone, they pull it off, shining in a heartfelt superhero movie with a lot to say about pushing forward during the rough times.

Pretty early on in Thunderbolts*, it becomes clear that one of the core themes is found family. No one chooses how they come into the world, but they do decide how they live in it and who they go on their journey with. Finding purpose in saving one another pushes the Thunderbolts to band together and stop Sentry from destroying New York in a climax that resembles one of the MCU’s most controversial.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Thunderbolts*

The Thunderbolts Save Each Other When Things Get Tough

Thunderbolts* isn’t the first movie about bad guys teaming, so there are familiar moments. Initially, Yelena, Walker, and Ghost can’t stand each other, and once they escape Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s trap, they plan never to cross paths again. However, with the help of their new ally Bob, they start to open up little by little and learn they have a lot in common. Yelena especially takes a liking to Bob after they bond over feeling like they’re going nowhere in life and are all alone. So, when Bob lands himself in some trouble, Yelena and the rest waste little time coming to his aid.

When the newly formed Thunderbolts arrive in New York to save Bob from Valentina, they hit a bit of a roadblock in the form of Sentry, Bob’s new hero alter-ego. Valentina got inside Bob’s head, and he believes he’s above his former allies. The team loses confidence pretty quickly, but once Yelena sees Bob embrace the darkness, she risks her life to save him by going inside The Void. While the rest of the group doesn’t understand at first, they eventually follow Yelena inside and unite to bring Bob back. It takes a lot of work as the group travels through Bob’s worst memories, and it looks like all is lost when Bob loses control and starts attacking his dark side. Fortunately, the rest of the team reassures him that he’s not alone, and everyone embraces in an emotional scene. But while it tugs at the heartstrings, it’s not all that different from another MCU ending that caught its fair share of flak.

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Thunderbolts* Takes Guardians of the Galaxy‘s Ending to the Next Level

There are very few problems with James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy movie, but one that sticks out is the ending to the first movie. After getting the best of Ronan the Accuser and crashing his ship, Star-Lord challenges him to a dance-off as the rest of the team prepares a weapon to knock the Power Stone out of his hammer. The gamble pays off, with Star-Lord being able to grab the Infinity Stone. He’s unable to contain the gem alone, however, so all of the Guardians join hands and use their newfound power to kill Ronan. It’s a bit of an anticlimactic ending for a villain in league with Thanos, and there have been plenty of conversations online since the movie’s release about how it falls a little flat.

The powers that be at Marvel Studios have clearly had their ears to the ground in the last decade because, while Thunderbolts* travels into similar territory, the build-up to The Void’s defeat feels stronger. Embracing unites the Thunderbolts as a team and allows everyone to start the healing process. And they come out the other side not only as the New Avengers, but as new people.

Thunderbolts* is in theaters now.

Did you see the parallels between the ending of Guardians of the Galaxy and Thunderbolts*? Which conclusion do you think works better? Let us know in the comments below!