Spoiler Alert: This list contains spoilers for ‘Thunderbolts*’.With the massive release of the highly anticipated Marvel Studios’ latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thunderbolts*, exploding with success on the opening weekend, people have been enjoying discussions surrounding who the best characters in the film are. Described as a bunch of losers, outcasts, and terrible people, the cast of Thunderbolts* are actually pretty dang likable, in their own unique ways.
Whether they’ve been more prominent in the MCU as of late, or had one film and disappeared into obscurity immediately after, the main cast of Thunderbolts* makes the movie a super-fun ride, while still bringing a plethora of emotion at the same time. While the storytelling and visuals are phenomenal all-around, the cast is what brings the true heart and soul to this massive success for Marvel Studios.
7
Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine
Played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus
The major overarching antagonist of the movie, the woman who’s been pulling the strings behind the MCU as of late, is a character one loves to hate and hates to love. Many could consider Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) the “Nick Fury” (Samuel L. Jackson) for the Thunderbolts, aka The New Avengers, just really rotten and conniving.
…The woman who’s been pulling the strings behind the MCU as of late, is a character one loves to hate and hates to love.
She’s the one who unintentionally brought the team together by trying to get them to kill each other. She creates then screws over Bob (Lewis Pullman), aka Sentry, turning him into the major physical antagonist, The Void. Everything is pretty much her fault, and she truly cares for no one but herself. This makes the audience truly hate her by the end of the movie, but they also respect her for how cunning she is, being able to pull off everything.
6
Ghost (Ava Starr)
Played by Hannah John-Kamen
From the very start, Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) was a super cool idea/concept for a character. However, thanks to how Ant-Man and the Wasp was handled, Ghost did not get great treatment in the film and was horrendously underutilized. When she disappeared into obscurity at the end of the movie, many hoped that maybe she’d get some more content in the future. That, unfortunately, did not happen.
That is, until she got her major upgrade both in characterization and costume in Thunderbolts*. She’s the one to totally murder Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) in the first act and do Marvel Studios’ dirty work of removing her from the universe. Not to mention, she has some great character development out of that murder, and it plays a big part in her trying to be a better person. While Ava isn’t as utilized as the other Thunderbolts, she’s still a great, compelling character.
5
U.S. Agent (John Walker)
Played by Wyatt Russell
After his appearance in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell) did not receive a lot of great press from fans, with many considering him forgettable. Which was kind of the point. But the statement still stands. Not a lot of people loved John Walker before Thunderbolts*, and that doesn’t change for most of the film. When the movie picks up, Walker is just as bad of a dude as he was before, if not worse. He’s arrogant, self-centered, and a know-it-all.
But by the end of the movie, he has a great arc and really comes around. Director Jake Schreier does a great job of keeping those negative traits about the character while still making him change for the better. A turnaround for the character would have felt unnatural. But the way Walker is redeemed in this film makes him far more likable than he was before.
4
Sentry/The Void (Bob)
Played by Lewis Pullman
The newest addition to the MCU, Bob, is a shocking and profound character. Alongside Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bob is a cornerstone at the heart of the film. With his two hero/villain forms being physical representations of feeling good and depression and anxiety. This connected audiences to him deeply because of how relatable it makes him. Aside from that, though, he’s abundantly powerful.
However, his base form, the basic Bob, is extremely lovable.
It’s hard not to love a character who is genuinely one of the strongest there is. It makes them a total badass, and the same can easily be said about Bob. His form as The Void is horrifying, and Sentry is a good guy who could have taken Thanos one-on-one. However, his base form, the basic Bob, is extremely lovable. He just wants peace and is a pretty meek guy. This contrast to his other two personas is hilarious, and he’s an all-around adorable guy.
3
Bucky Barnes
Played by Sebastian Stan
The Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) found in Thunderbolts* is unlike any version of him that came before. Some gave the film a little flak for brushing off a lot of his past trauma when it came to the central plot, but that’s really not his place in the film. Bucky is finally in a better spot in life, and he serves as the shining hope to these rejects that they can turn around and be better. He represents a better future.
This makes him a great role model for the team in the movie. A lot of the love found for Bucky here is how much he was loved in previous films, passing over into this one. His charm and Sebastian Stan’s great performance are all present here, just as they have been for his entire MCU tenure. It’s pretty hard not to love Bucky Barnes, and that doesn’t change with Thunderbolts*.
2
Red Guardian (Alexei Shostakov)
Played by David Harbour
It’s pretty hard for the major comedic relief character in the story to not be absurdly lovable, and the comedic relief in Thunderbolts* definitely finds itself coming from Red Guardian (David Harbour) most of the time. He’s a bombastic and proud hero who desperately misses his day in the sun and wants a relationship with his daughter just as much, if not more. So he’s not just the comedic relief, he’s got a ton of heart and supplies Yelena’s arc perfectly.
The performance by David Harbour is perfect for a character like this and vastly different from roles he’s played in the past, like Hopper in Stranger Things. He’s a wonderful character who is a shining light in the movie, both through the laughter he brings and how sweet of a guy he is, at the end of the day. As loud and wild as he may be, he genuinely cares for people.
Black Widow
- Release Date
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July 9, 2021
- Runtime
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134 minutes
1
Yelena Belova
Played by Florence Pugh
Yelena Belova is, without a doubt, one of the most beloved characters post-Avengers: Endgame. While Bob’s character is right alongside her in it, Yelena’s character arc is the core heart of the movie. The message is directly bound to her. It’s relatable, compelling, and very emotional, which all applies to her, as well. Florence Pugh makes the character so complex and in-depth and the role would not be the same without her.
Her struggles are so raw and real, and that, paired with how charming and humorous she is, makes her such a great protagonist. She’s a badass, funny, and heartfelt character that is pretty impossible not to love, and that makes her the perfect face for The New Avengers in the face of the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. Her being one of the main faces of the MCU going forward is a great idea on Marvel Studios’ part.
Avengers: Doomsday
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Sue Storm / Invisible Woman
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Joseph Quinn
Johnny Storm / Human Torch
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Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Ben Grimm / The Thing
