The Avengers: Endgame during Tony Stark's funeral. While many other projects in the Multiverse Saga will help set up the Thunderbolts film, the specific tease in Endgame may be overlooked by many as just a coincidence. But it could help answer a lot of questions audiences have about the movie and how it will handle a specific character.
Plot details for Thunderbolts are being kept under wraps, but the cast announcements revealed at the D23 Expo do raise a number of questions. One example will be how Thunderbolt Ross is dealt with after the ing of actor William Hurt. In the comics, the character forms the Thunderbolts and eventually becomes the Red Hulk. And while the characters set to appear are exciting, it probably isn't the final Thunderbolts team in the MCU.
Thunderbolt Ross and Bruce Banner both appearing at Tony Stark's funeral in Avengers: Endgame leads to questions about how their past feud could be addressed in an Marvel project. Given that Secretary Ross knew Bruce Banner was in the same vicinity and didn't have him arrested suggests they either put their differences aside to pay respect to Tony Stark, or perhaps they came to a truce after Banner managed to bring back the lives that were lost due to Thanos' snap. Knowing that the Hulk was the person to reverse what Thanos had done could be the inspiration for Ross to either form or provide funding for the Thunderbolts, even if it happens offscreen. The current Thunderbolts movie cast is made up of characters who have dark criminal pasts such as the Winter Soldier, Yelena Belova, and former Captain America John Walker. This team involving these types of characters indicates they were formed to be different from the Avengers. They won't necessarily have the same reasons to work together, as they can use that opportunity to obtain redemption for their wrongdoings. Thunderbolt Ross and Bruce Banner's presence at the Endgame funeral suggests that witnessing his old adversary's redemption firsthand could well have inspired Ross to offer other individuals a shot at absolution.
How An Endgame Thunderbolts Origin Avoids Potential MCU Issues
The Thunderbolts seem to be very similar to DC's Suicide Squad, but one Thunderbolts tease sets up a Suicide Squad difference. If Bruce Banner's sacrifice gave Secretary Ross a moment of clarity, forming the Thunderbolts in hopes of eventually giving them freedom creates a unique origin for the team that could eventually set up redemption for each member. The movie could be a one-off, but it creates an opportunity to have the story revolve around the penance the characters might be seeking. This is a very different approach to the DCEU, where many characters are used as irredeemable canon fodder.
Marvel Studios doesn't shy away from paying close attention to detail. The smallest moments could set up something drastic for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the subtle tease in Avengers: Endgame could yet be a subtle Thunderbolts set-up. An original MCU take on the Thunderbolts team could be the right way to pay tribute to a fallen actor and set up a new team of characters that can make a difference, with a redemptive twist thrown in for good measure.
