10 MCU Characters Who Could Join The Thunderbolts* (*New Avengers)
Thunderbolts*, rebranded to The New Avengers, seems like a difficult marriage of motley vigilantes at best, unlike the MCU’s traditional Avengers. However, the team now holds a special place in the future of the MCU as the post-credits scene suggests. The team will soon team up with the Fantastic Four and other superheroes in the battle against the cosmic big bads of the Sacred Universe, including Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday, making them a vital part of MCU Phases 6 and 7.
As the new home for the MCU’s growing list of orphaned superheroes, reformed villains, and anti-heroes, The Thunderbolts are likely to grow and become just as big, if not bigger, than The Avengers. As for who will join the ranks of these New Avengers, here is a list of offbeat MCU characters that would be perfect additions.
Power Broker (Sharon Carter)
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Thunderbolts* ends with Valentina Allegra de Fontaine in charge, but no one wants her as the team’s government handler anymore, which means the New Avengers might need a new government liaison soon. Sharon Carter hit her greatest heights as an S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and in the CIA. Most importantly, when disgraced from her time with the good guys, she still thrived as a criminal mastermind, becoming the Power Broker in Madripoor. Having thrived on both sides of the law, she has proved capable of leading a team of superheroes operating in the gray area where she thrives.
Being the great niece of the creator of S.H.I.E.L.D. Sharon Carter has a natural connection to global espionage that rivals Nick Fury himself. Her official pardon in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier also makes her a reliable connection to the US government if she were to become the team’s handler. She was last seen planning on selling government secrets to the highest bidder, but a redemption arc for her is not off the table. Besides, making her the leader of the New Avengers will bring the full advantage of the Power Broker to the Thunderbolts, which is a lot more useful than anything de Fontaine could bring.
Bullseye (Benjamin Poindexter)
In the third season of Daredevil, Benjamin Poindexter was revealed as Bullseye, pointing at a future where the disgraced FBI agent embraces his villainous role. In Daredevil: Born Again, Poindexter is still on his villainous path, killing Foggy Nelson and then shooting Matt Murdock while on a mission to kill Fisk. However, there is a whole new side of the character from the comics that fans are yet to see in the MCU. Bullyeye is not fully evil as his history in the army and the FBI proves that he is capable of being a hero.
Poindexter also suffers from borderline personality disorder, which explains his psychopathic tendencies, but under the right guidance, the illness can be managed. His troubled childhood and struggles with mental illness liken him to Sentry and the other antiheroes that have already joined Thunderbolts, making him the perfect candidate for the team. His talent as a marksman also makes him an invaluable asset to the team. While the MCU hasn’t adopted his redemption arc yet, the character is already part of the team in the comics, so nothing stops Wilson Bethel’s character from joining the New Avengers in the future.
Baron Zemo (Helmut J. Zemo)
This is one of the biggest misses in Marvel’s Thunderbolts*. The character is the true founder of the titular team in the comics, albeit on a villainous mission and Baron Zemo is one of the most anticipated characters in the MCU since his appearance in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Unfortunately, he naturally hates superheroes, especially Captain America and the Avengers, so his integration will take some serious convincing.
However, a deeper backstory revealed that he blamed the team for his parents’ deaths and the destruction of his country, which means he is not irredeemable if he gets the right guidance and a team that understands his trauma. That is where the New Avengers could come in. His scientific skills could easily turn him into the team’s Richard Reeds, not to mention his leadership abilities would be invaluable to the ragtag group.
Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
Ghost Rider is another character whose MCU debut is still in limbo despite immense popularity thanks to the enduring fame of Nicolas Cage’s time in the role. The Thunderbolts have already been established as the best home for morally ambiguous heroes like Ghost Rider, so Cage’s Johnny Blaze or Gabriel Luna’s Robbie Reyes would fit into the team perfectly. However, Johnny Blaze and his bike feel like a better fit for the Thunderbolts’ aesthetics.
With the Spirit of Vengeance still controlling him, Blaze only seeks to punish, so even misbehaving members of the team might not be spared from his wrath. Ghost Rider could, therefore, become Thunderbolts’ internal affairs manager, which is important, considering the volatile nature of some of the team members. Most importantly, his relentless pursuit of justice could see him utilize his thirst by taking down the worst of the worst in the Sacred Universe if he joins the team.
Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff)
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Despite her public fallout with Disney and subsequent rumors suggesting that her MCU career was over, Scarlett Johansson hasn’t given up on Marvel. She appears as an executive producer of Thunderbolts* with more projects bound to follow, thanks to her $40 million legal settlement with Disney, which includes a clause for her to continue working with the company in the future.
As an original Avenger, Natasha Romanoff remains one of the MCU’s most nostalgic characters in the franchise, and the prospect of teaming up with her sister, Yelena Belova, would make the New Avengers legendary. Johansson’s original character may be dead, but that doesn’t mean that all variants of her character within the multiverse are also dead, so her return with the Thunderbolts is not off the books.
Luke Cage
Sentry may be one of the strongest beings in the multiverse, but Thunderbolts could always use better leadership and more superhuman strength, which are Luke Cage’s best traits. Mike Colter’s long-awaited return as Luke Cage didn’t happen in Daredevil: Born Again, but it hasn’t been ruled out yet. Cage is also one of the most important members of the Thunderbolts in the comics so if any of the Defenders is to be included in the team, he is a prime candidate.
Cage is uncompromising morally, making him a balanced addition to the team, which is why he is their recruiter in the comics. As far as street-level battles are concerned, Cage is also an indestructible resource for the team. He is the surest path for the Thunderbolts to earn public acceptance, as is the case in the comics.
Hawkeye (Kate Bishop)
Thunderbolts could also use a few superheroes without troubled minds who are just out to help people, and none of them could be better than their own Hawkeye-level tactician, just like the Avengers did. Before discovering that the Trucksuits were behind her mother’s death, Kate Bishop had her fair share of confrontations with Yelena Belova. Now that the latter is leading a team of superheroes, Bishop would do well to join her.
Under Belova’s guidance, Hawkeye will learn about a whole other side of darkness away from the usual gang wars she is used to, allowing her to utilize her full potential as Hawkeye. She was last seen in the MCU being recruited by Kamala Khan to the Young Avengers. With the MCU seemingly delaying the adoption of the Young Avengers, Hawkeye’s talents could be put to better use helping Thunderbolts quash global threats.
Deadpool (Wade Wilson)
Ryan Reynolds hasn’t ruled out his return to the MCU as Deadpool, and while he hasn’t been included in the Avengers: Doomsday cast list, it doesn’t mean he can’t join Yelena Belova in the Thunderbolts in the future. After Deadpool & Wolverine brought Wade Wilson into the MCU, his next chapter will have to be a bigger mission, which means a bigger team.
The Merc with a Mouth already fits perfectly into the tone of the Thunderbolts, and is already a member of the team in the comics. Nothing would feel out of place for Ryan Reynolds’ character. Besides being absolutely annoying, Wilson is the agent of chaos that the Thunderbolts desperately need. Deadpool doesn’t care much about rules either, making him a natural addition to the team.
Man Thing (Dr. Theodore “Ted” Sallis)
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Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier already had Man Thing in mind when he proposed the film’s cast to Marvel. Unfortunately, the character’s future is still in limbo after Schreier’s proposal was abandoned during development. Man Thing is still a natural misfit with immense power that hasn’t been exploited in the MCU.
Played by Conan Stevens, the character was last seen making new friends, including Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal) in Werewolf by Night, suggesting that he is willing to join the world of superheroes. Having spent most of his life in isolation, his disturbed past makes him the perfect candidate to join the New Avengers, not to mention the powers he wields.
Red Hulk (Thaddeus Ross)
Marvel already started Thadeus Ross’s (Harrison Ford) redemption arc in Captain America: Brave New World. He is also incarcerated in the Raft alongside prospective Thunderbolts like Baron Zemo, so his journey into this superhero team wouldn’t be a difficult one. Ross will clearly do anything to prove to the American people and his daughter that he is not a monster.
Besides, Red Hulk is already a member of the Thunderbolts in Marvel Now, so his joining the team in the MCU isn’t far-fetched. With the leadership abilities that General Thadeus Ross has already displayed, there is no doubt that he would be a valuable addition to the team. Red Hulk is also one of the most powerful beings in the MCU, which means the team would be near invincible when fighting alongside him.
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