So THAT’s What 'Thunderbolts*' Asterisk Means!

Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for ‘Thunderbolts*’Thunderbolts* stands out in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for many reasons. Its cast is made up of characters who fall squarely into the gray areas of morality, due to their pasts as mercenaries and black ops agents. It’s a film that mixes the pulse-pounding action of the Avengers films with the heartfelt chaos of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. But one of the biggest things that’s hanging over Thunderbolts* is the asterisk at the end of its title. What, exactly, did that mean? Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige did highlight the asterisk at CinemaCon 2024, saying that fans would have to see the film to figure out its meaning…and he was right, because it’s hiding a major spoiler.

The Asterisk in ’Thunderbolts*’ Has a Connection to the Comics

The Thunderbolts as the Dark Avengers — Image via Marvel Comics

Thunderbolts* finds Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh); her adoptive father Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour), aka the Red Guardian; Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan); John Walker (Wyatt Russell); and Ava Starr (Hannah John-Kamen), aka the Ghost joining forces to bring down Valentina de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). But what they didn’t count on was the presence of Robert “Bob” Reynolds (Lewis Pullman), a young man who becomes the abomination known as The Void. The marvelous misfits manage to save Bob from his darker impulses while coming to grips with their own past, and prepare to haul Valentina away…only to discover she’s formed a press conference to label them as “The New Avengers.” Even better is the fact that the end credits literally tear off the Thunderbolts* label to reveal a New Avengers logo.

This plot development actually has its roots in the comics, specifically the New Avengers and Dark Avengers titles written by Brian Michael Bendis. In New Avengers, the Avengers reformed after a devastating attack by the Scarlet Witch caused them to disband; the new roster included Luke Cage, Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman, Spider-Man, Wolverine and the Sentry in addition to Captain America and Iron Man. Dark Avengers would find Norman Osborn — aka the Green Goblin — disguising his team of Thunderbolts as the newest Avengers, including Bullseye. The original Thunderbolts also had an element of secrecy in their origin, as they were secretly villains disguised as heroes under Baron Zemo’s leadership. By hiding the reveal about the new Avengers, director Jake Schreier and screenwriters Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo manage to incorporate the secrecy from the comics into Thunderbolts*.

’Thunderbolts*’ Has a Heartfelt Reason for Its Team Name

Before they become the New Avengers, the Thunderbolts got their name in a very unexpected way. Alexei decides to dub the team the “Thunderbolts” after a soccer team Yelena joined when she was little. That team never won a game, but that fits into the overarching theme of Thunderbolts*: all of these characters are dealing with their own hangups, yet they work best as a team. Alexei even reminds Yelena of this, telling her that when she was in soccer, she chose the goalie position so that her teammates could depend on her if they needed to. In a movie that’s full of surprises, this is one of the best because of how genuinely heartfelt it is, and how it ties into the overarching themes of self-worth.

Once again, this mirrors the comics. The original Thunderbolts discovered that they actually liked being heroes, and decided to turn against Zemo. But the rest of the world, including Marvel’s other heroes, weren’t so sure that they were on the level. It took the aid of Hawkeye to help the Thunderbolts become a bona fide superhero team, and even then, they had to work through their own issues — which led to a battle with the Avengers and other superhero teams. The end credits scene hints at recapturing that energy, since it teases a conflict between the newly minted Avengers and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie).

The entire cast of Thunderbolts* is slated to return for Avengers: Doomsday. meaning that fans will get to see more of the New Avengers in action. And while Avengers: Doomsday‘s plot is locked up tighter than the vault the characters had to escape from early in the film, it’s safe to say that the new team will continue to be chaotically entertaining.

Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.