The *Thunderbolts* Post-Credit Scene: 5 Shocking Leaks That Set Up The New Avengers And *Avengers: Doomsday*

The highly anticipated Marvel Studios film, Thunderbolts*, is set to hit theaters on May 2, 2025, but the explosive details of its post-credit scenes have already leaked following recent early fan screenings. These spoilers are not just minor teases; they fundamentally reshape the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, confirming the team's new identity and directly setting the stage for the next major crossover event, Avengers: Doomsday. If you want to know how the MCU is about to pivot from the dysfunctional anti-hero squad to the potential next iteration of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, read on, but be warned: undeniable spoilers lie ahead.

The film, which brings together a chaotic mix of former villains, assassins, and reformed heroes under the shadowy command of Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, concludes with a shocking mid-credits sequence and a game-changing post-credits stinger. These scenes not only resolve the mystery of the film's asterisk but also introduce a new, complex dynamic with a surprising figure from the original Avengers lineup: Sam Wilson, the new Captain America. Here is the definitive breakdown of the two post-credit scenes and the massive implications for the MCU’s Multiverse Saga.

The Complete Roster: *Thunderbolts* Key Players and Their MCU Biographies

The core of the Thunderbolts* film is its ensemble cast of complex anti-heroes, all of whom are assembled and manipulated by Val. The mid- and post-credit scenes heavily feature the fates of these key entities. The following list provides a quick biographical profile of the main characters and their actors:

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• Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Val) / Julia Louis-Dreyfus: The mastermind behind the team. Val is a mysterious, high-ranking government operative who previously recruited John Walker and Yelena Belova. Her true allegiance remains unknown, but she is the primary handler of the Thunderbolts team.
• Yelena Belova / Black Widow (Florence Pugh): The de facto leader of the team. A highly trained assassin from the Red Room, Yelena is the sister of the late Natasha Romanoff. Her journey has been one of seeking purpose and family outside of her past.
• James "Bucky" Barnes / The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan): A former Hydra assassin and best friend of Steve Rogers. Bucky’s arc is defined by his struggle for redemption and moving past his traumatic Winter Soldier programming.
• Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian (David Harbour): A Soviet-era super-soldier and Yelena’s adoptive father. Alexei is a boastful, often comedic figure whose past as the Russian equivalent of Captain America fuels his desire for a new purpose.
• John Walker / U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell): A decorated former Captain America who was stripped of his title after a violent public incident. He now operates with a black suit and a shield as the U.S. Agent, struggling with his own moral compass.
• Ava Starr / Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen): A former S.H.I.E.L.D. operative with the power of molecular phasing, which causes her to suffer from chronic pain. She seeks a cure and a stable life away from her life as a reluctant villain.
• Antonia Dreykov / Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko): A highly skilled mercenary with photographic reflexes, allowing her to mimic any fighting style. She is the daughter of General Dreykov, the head of the Red Room, and was freed from her mind control by Yelena in Black Widow.
• Bob (Lewis Pullman): A new character in the MCU, widely speculated and now leaked to be Robert Reynolds, also known as The Sentry. His role is central to the film’s conflict and the post-credits setup.

The Mid-Credits Scene: Yelena’s Ultimatum and the Asterisk Explained

The first post-credits sequence, or mid-credits scene, reportedly takes place immediately following the film's climactic final confrontation. This scene focuses on the tense, manipulative relationship between the team’s handler, Val, and its most capable member, Yelena Belova.

Yelena's Power Play Over Val

The scene is a stark reminder that the Thunderbolts are not a team of equals, but a group of assets being managed by Val. According to the leaks, the scene features a private conversation where Yelena turns the tables on Val’s control. In a moment of chilling confidence, Yelena reportedly whispers a line that encapsulates the team's newfound independence: "We own you now."

• Topical Authority: This exchange solidifies Yelena’s evolution from a manipulated assassin to a strategic leader, a narrative thread that has been building since Black Widow and Hawkeye. It establishes a new, complex power dynamic that will drive future MCU storylines.
• LSI Keywords: Yelena Belova leadership, Val’s manipulation, MCU power shift, Black Widow arc.

The Mystery of the Asterisk (*) Solved

The biggest reveal in the mid-credits scene, or the final moments of the film, is the explanation for the mysterious asterisk in the film's title, Thunderbolts*. The leaks suggest that the team, having completed their mission but perhaps realizing they were being used, decides to abandon the "Thunderbolts" name.

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The asterisk itself is a footnote, indicating a name change. The team accepts a new, more heroic title: the New Avengers. This move is a direct and shocking pivot, signifying the group's transition from a government-sanctioned black ops squad to a self-appointed, albeit highly volatile, superhero team. The ending reportedly sees the team accepting this title, with the asterisk serving as a subtle, meta-commentary on their rebranding.

The Post-Credits Stinger: New Avengers, Sam Wilson, and *Avengers: Doomsday*

The second, and arguably more significant, post-credits stinger fast-forwards the timeline, reportedly taking place over a year after the events of the main film. This scene provides the direct setup for the next major Avengers film, Avengers: Doomsday.

The New Avengers vs. Captain America Lawsuit

The core of the stinger revolves around the newly rebranded team, the "New Avengers," and a legal conflict with Sam Wilson, the current Captain America. The leaks indicate that Sam Wilson is actively suing the team.

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The reason for the lawsuit is reportedly centered on the team's new name. Sam Wilson, as the official Captain America and leader of the established superhero community, is said to hold the "name patent" or legal rights to the "Avengers" title. This subplot introduces a fascinating layer of bureaucratic and legal tension into the MCU, contrasting the government-backed, morally gray team with the traditional, legitimate heroes.

• Topical Authority: This scene is a direct continuation of the themes of government control and legitimate heroism explored in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. It positions the New Avengers as an antagonistic, yet necessary, force against the traditional MCU structure.
• LSI Keywords: Sam Wilson lawsuit, Captain America vs. New Avengers, MCU Phase 6 setup, superhero branding.

The Sentry's Fate and the *Doomsday* Tease

While the lawsuit provides the narrative tension, the final moment of the stinger is a massive world-building tease. The leaks suggest that the scene ends with the New Avengers team receiving an alert or a distress call related to a major threat.

More specifically, one of the most significant leaks points to a lengthy post-credits scene that features a major tease for Avengers: Doomsday, possibly directed by the Russo Brothers. The fate of the powerful entity, Bob (The Sentry), who is the main antagonist of the film, is likely tied to this tease. The Sentry possesses the power of a million exploding suns, and his existence is a major destabilizing force in the MCU.

The "Avengers: Doomsday" tease strongly suggests that the New Avengers are immediately thrust into a conflict of global or multiversal scale, likely connected to the fallout of The Sentry's power or the larger machinations of Kang the Conqueror's variants, setting the stage for the next monumental event in the Multiverse Saga.

What This Means for the MCU’s Future and Character Arcs

The leaked post-credit scenes are not just fun extras; they are critical narrative bridges for the MCU's Phase 6 and beyond. They accomplish three major goals:

1. Bucky Barnes' Undercut Arc

One leak specifically mentions that the final moments of the film, including the post-credits, "undercut the rest of the film for all of its heroes, but specifically Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes." This suggests that despite the team's apparent victory and rebranding, Bucky's personal journey toward redemption is complicated or even ruined by the team’s new, questionable path as the New Avengers. His involvement with a morally ambiguous group under the threat of a lawsuit from his best friend's successor (Sam Wilson) creates a powerful dramatic conflict for his next appearance.

2. The New Suits and Time Jump

The fact that the post-credits scene fast-forwards over a year and shows each team member in a new suit is a major development. This time jump allows the MCU to skip over the mundane process of the team establishing itself and immediately place the New Avengers as a fully functional, if controversial, unit ready for the next big threat. The new suits symbolize their official, albeit unofficial, status as a superhero team.

3. The Rise of The Sentry/Bob

The Sentry is one of Marvel Comics' most powerful and unstable characters. His introduction and the likely unresolved nature of his conflict in the main film, which then ties into a *Doomsday* tease, positions him as a potential major threat for the entire MCU moving forward. His power level is a direct signal that the stakes are being raised dramatically for the next wave of Avengers films, requiring a new, powerful, and perhaps more ruthless team to combat him.