The *Thunderbolts* Post-Credit Scenes Explained: Two Shocking Twists That Set Up The New Avengers And *Avengers: Doomsday*

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The highly anticipated Marvel film, Thunderbolts*, which hit theaters on May 2, 2025, has delivered not one, but two crucial post-credit scenes that fundamentally reshape the Marvel Cinematic Universe's future, directly setting the stage for the massive crossover event, Avengers: Doomsday. These scenes move far beyond simple Easter eggs, providing massive narrative shifts for key characters like Yelena Belova and Bucky Barnes, while also revealing the true fate of the newly formed anti-hero team.

The film’s ending sees the titular team—comprised of former villains and morally ambiguous operatives—complete their mission, but not without significant internal conflict and a dramatic confrontation with their handler, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. The mid- and end-credit sequences are essential viewing, as they confirm a major fan theory about the team's evolution and introduce a significant new dynamic that will define the next phase of the MCU's Multiverse Saga.

The *Thunderbolts* Team: Key Players and Their Final Status

The core of Thunderbolts* lies in its ensemble cast of complex, non-traditional heroes, all brought together under the shadowy command of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Understanding their individual journeys in the film is crucial to grasping the weight of the post-credit revelations.

  • Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh): The de facto leader. Her arc concludes with her asserting dominance over Valentina, hinting at a new, more powerful role in the espionage world.
  • Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan): The moral compass of the group. Bucky's journey in the film is about finding a new purpose beyond the Winter Soldier persona, leading him to fully commit to the new team's direction.
  • Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian (David Harbour): The comedic relief and father figure. He ends the film with a renewed sense of family with Yelena and a clearer understanding of his own legacy.
  • John Walker / U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell): The volatile soldier. Walker’s instability is a key plot point, but his loyalty to the team is solidified by the film's conclusion.
  • Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko): The silent assassin. Her character finds a measure of freedom and agency, no longer just a weapon for others.
  • Bob Reynolds / Sentry (Lewis Pullman): The team's newest and most powerful member. His introduction and internal struggle are central to the main plot, with his fate being a major talking point for the end-credits scene.
  • Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus): The manipulator. Val's scheme throughout the film is ultimately thwarted, leaving her vulnerable to the team she created.

The film's finale sees the group successfully stopping Valentina's true, nefarious plan—which involved exploiting the powerful abilities of Sentry, also known as Bob Reynolds—and emerging as a cohesive, though still morally gray, unit. The power shift is immediately evident in the first post-credit scene.

The Mid-Credit Scene: Yelena’s Power Play and Valentina’s Downfall

The first scene, which appears midway through the credits, is a short but explosive exchange that confirms who truly holds the power in the aftermath of the mission.

The Confrontation: "We Own You Now"

The mid-credit sequence focuses on Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who attempts to salvage her reputation and position after the Thunderbolts exposed her manipulative tactics. She is seen on a secure line, trying to explain away the mission's outcome to an unseen superior, emphasizing that she "got away with murder" by covering up key details of the operation.

However, the scene is interrupted by Yelena Belova. In a chilling moment, Yelena leans in close to Valentina's ear and whispers a single, definitive line: "We own you now."

Topical Authority Implication:

  • The Future of Valentina: This scene completely flips the power dynamic established in Black Widow and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Valentina is no longer the shadowy puppet master; she is now a puppet herself, controlled by the team she assembled. This sets up a fascinating narrative for her character in future MCU projects, potentially forcing her to work against her own interests.
  • Yelena's Ascendancy: Yelena has fully stepped out of the shadow of her sister, Natasha Romanoff, and has become a major player in the MCU's espionage world. Her move against Val solidifies her as a formidable, independent leader.

The End-Credit Scene: The Shocking Reveal of the "New Avengers"

The final, full post-credit scene is the most significant, providing a direct and undeniable bridge to the Multiverse Saga's climax, Avengers: Doomsday.

From Thunderbolts to New Avengers

As the credits finish rolling, the official Thunderbolts* title card flashes on screen, only to be dramatically ripped away like a comic book page. Beneath it is the new, official title for the team: The New Avengers.

The scene itself shows the team—Bucky Barnes, Yelena, U.S. Agent, and Red Guardian—in a new, high-tech headquarters. They are discussing the aftermath of their mission and their new status quo. The dialogue confirms a major new conflict: Sam Wilson (Captain America) is suing them for the unauthorized use of the Avengers name and for their controversial actions during the film's climax.

Topical Authority Implication:

  • The New Avengers Roster: This confirms the long-running theory that the Thunderbolts would evolve into a replacement team for the original Avengers. This "New Avengers" is a morally compromised, government-sanctioned team, setting up a major ideological conflict with Sam Wilson's Captain America and other traditional heroes.
  • Direct Tie to Avengers: Doomsday: Multiple sources confirm that this end-credits scene is a direct and major tease for Avengers: Doomsday. The New Avengers are now positioned to play a critical role in the upcoming war against Kang or whatever cosmic threat emerges. The scene shows the team is already focused on preparing for a "Doomsday" level event, confirming their status as the MCU's new frontline defense.

The Bob Reynolds / Sentry Epilogue

A final, subtle moment within the end-credits sequence focuses on Bob Reynolds (Sentry). He is seen in a quiet, contemplative space, reading the book The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin. This seemingly minor detail is a massive nod to Sentry's comic book origins, where his immense power is tied to his psychological state and his ability to "create" or "un-create" reality.

By showing him reading a book about creativity and control, the MCU is signaling that Sentry's internal struggle—controlling his dark side, The Void—will be a crucial factor in the future. His inclusion in the New Avengers team means they have the MCU's most powerful, yet most unstable, asset on their side.

LSI Keywords and Entities for a Deeper Dive

The post-credit scenes are packed with entities that will drive the MCU's Phase 6 narrative. Analyzing these keywords provides a clearer picture of the road ahead:

  • MCU Phase 6: Thunderbolts* is a critical bridge film, transitioning the narrative from the more grounded, character-focused Phase 5 to the cosmic, high-stakes events of Phase 6, culminating in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
  • The Void: The film's plot, particularly involving Sentry, directly references the concept of The Void—a place of cosmic nothingness often associated with Sentry's power and his dark alter-ego.
  • Rick Rubin: The mention of the real-world producer and his book, The Creative Act, is a deep-cut reference to Sentry's power being psychological, not just physical.
  • U.S. Government Oversight: The New Avengers are clearly operating under a level of government control (likely still tied to Val's superiors), which sets them in opposition to independent heroes like Sam Wilson's Captain America.
  • The Multiverse Saga: The setup for Avengers: Doomsday confirms that the New Avengers will be heavily involved in the Multiverse Saga's final confrontation, potentially against a variant of Kang the Conqueror or another major dimensional threat.

In conclusion, the post-credit scenes of Thunderbolts* are arguably the most consequential since Avengers: Infinity War. They not only resolve the film's immediate conflicts—by turning the tables on Valentina—but they also officially launch the "New Avengers" team, immediately pitting them against the established heroes and positioning them as the central players in the lead-up to the next major Avengers crossover. Fans should be prepared for a much darker and more morally ambiguous team to lead the charge against the MCU's next world-ending threat.

The *Thunderbolts* Post-Credit Scenes Explained: Two Shocking Twists That Set Up The New Avengers and *Avengers: Doomsday*
post credit scene thunderbolts
post credit scene thunderbolts

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