E. Group's Project Sentry. To eliminate evidence, she sends several of her former operatives—Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr, and Antonia Dreykov—to a covert facility under the guise of a mission, intending for them to die there.
During the skirmish, Antonia is killed, and the team accidentally frees an amnesiac man named Bob from a pod. Recognizing they were lured into a lethal trap, the survivors escape with help from Yelena's father-figure Alexei Shostakov. Walker dubs the group the Thunderbolts.
Congressman Bucky Barnes initially captures the team to use them as witnesses against de Fontaine, but after learning about Bob, Barnes helps them infiltrate the Watchtower in Manhattan. There, they discover de Fontaine has manipulated Bob into becoming her new superpowered asset, the Sentry, setting the stage for a catastrophic confrontation.
What happens at the end of Thunderbolts*?
Key takeaways
The Thunderbolts defeat the destructive Void by confronting their own past traumas and supporting Bob with unconditional acceptance.
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine manipulates the situation by publicly rebranding the team as the New Avengers to save herself.
The story leaves the team's dynamic complex as they accept the public title while privately holding leverage over de Fontaine.
A post-credits scene sets up future conflicts involving trademark disputes with Sam Wilson and the arrival of an extra-dimensional ship.
In the final act of Thunderbolts*, Bob easily overpowers the team before developing a god-like delusion of superiority and turning against de Fontaine. When Mel incapacitates Bob using a failsafe kill switch, it unleashes the Void, a destructive alter ego born from Bob's magnified depression and insecurities. The Void floods New York City in supernatural darkness, plunging citizens into visions of their deepest traumas.
Understanding that the threat must be tackled from the inside, Yelena plunges into the darkness to find Bob. She navigates her own painful past as a Black Widow and locates Bob inside a manifestation of his childhood bedroom, where he once sought refuge from an abusive father. The remaining Thunderbolts soon arrive to help, fighting through manifestations of Bob's drug addiction and various traumas until they reach the memory of the fateful laboratory procedure.
They confront the Void directly, but the entity quickly overpowers them. As Bob struggles to retain his sanity and risks being consumed entirely, the Thunderbolts embrace him in a group hug, offering genuine affirmation and belief in his worth. This profound gesture gives Bob the strength he needs to wrestle back control and conquer the Void, lifting the supernatural darkness and freeing the trapped city residents.
With the immediate crisis averted, the Thunderbolts prepare to arrest de Fontaine. However, she outsmarts them politically by holding a sudden press conference where she introduces the squad as the New Avengers, falsely taking credit for saving the city. Although the team chooses to play along with her televised stunt to salvage public standing, Yelena approaches de Fontaine afterward and delivers a quiet warning, stating that they now own her.
The story's final sequence jumps forward fourteen months, showing the newly minted New Avengers and Bob discussing an ongoing legal battle with Sam Wilson over trademark infringement for the Avengers name. Their meeting is abruptly cut short when the Watchtower's sensors detect an incoming extra-dimensional spacecraft marked with a prominent four emblem.
What does the ending of Thunderbolts* mean?
One major interpretation of the ending is that true strength comes from vulnerability rather than isolation or raw power. Throughout the narrative, the characters are defined by their deepest shames, past mistakes, and deep-seated insecurities. The climax resolves these internal conflicts by showing that the Void, representing untreated trauma and depression, cannot be defeated through violence or control.
Instead, it requires empathy, shared understanding, and physical comfort. By embracing Bob instead of fighting him, the Thunderbolts acknowledge their own brokenness and validate his existence, suggesting that healing is a communal act. Another reading focuses on institutional corruption and the fragility of public image.
De Fontaine's ability to rebrand a group of rogue operatives as heroes highlights how modern systems easily co-opt resistance for political gain. Yet, the final exchange between Yelena and de Fontaine subverts this cynical take slightly, showing that the marginalized castoffs have finally secured agency and leverage over their former oppressor.
Average audience ratings from the source database. Click a title to read its ending explained.
Where to watch Thunderbolts*
How
Available on
Stream
JioHotstar
Listed for region IN. Availability varies by country.
Thunderbolts* ending FAQ
What causes the creation of the Void in Thunderbolts*?
The Void is triggered when a failsafe kill switch is used by Mel to incapacitate Bob after he turns against de Fontaine. This event unleashes Bob's destructive alter ego, which embodies his profound depression, insecurities, and unhealed traumas that were heavily amplified during the Sentry procedure.
How do the Thunderbolts manage to defeat the Void?
The team defeats the Void by venturing directly into the supernatural darkness to reach Bob's consciousness. Instead of using force, they confront his various traumas and offer him a genuine group hug, affirming their belief in him and giving him the emotional strength to regain control.
Why does Valentina Allegra de Fontaine rebrand the team as the New Avengers?
De Fontaine stages a press conference to introduce the team as the New Avengers in order to manipulate public perception and save herself from political ruin. By taking credit for their heroic actions, she turns a potential liability into a PR win for her own survival.
Does the team accept being called the New Avengers?
The team goes along with de Fontaine's public announcement during the televised press conference. However, they do not submit to her fully, as Yelena confronts her privately afterward and lets her know that the team now holds absolute leverage over her.
What happens in the post-credits scene of Thunderbolts*?
The post-credits scene jumps forward fourteen months to show the team discussing a trademark infringement lawsuit from Sam Wilson's Avengers squad. Their discussion is interrupted when the Watchtower detects an extra-dimensional spacecraft bearing a large four emblem arriving.
Where can I watch Thunderbolts*?
Stream: JioHotstar. Availability listed for region IN and varies by country.
Thunderbolts* cast
Actor
Character
Florence Pugh
Yelena Belova
Sebastian Stan
Bucky Barnes
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
Lewis Pullman
Robert Reynolds
David Harbour
Alexei Shostakov
Wyatt Russell
John Walker
Hannah John-Kamen
Ava Starr
Olga Kurylenko
Antonia Dreykov
Movie
★ 8.2
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