One forgotten project from way back in Phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to become very important, especially for the Thunderbolts film and MCU Phases 5 and 6. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has been featuring Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky, aka the Abomination, as Jennifer Walters' first super-powered client, but this could be just the start of a much larger role in the MCU for the original sinister Hulk. With Abomination's backstory being reexamined, it seems Marvel might be harking back to one of their smaller Phase 1 projects: their first Marvel One-Shot, The Consultant.
Set after the events of The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man 2, The Consultant detailed the aftermath of the Hulk's battle in Harlem with the Abomination. After the Abomination's containment at the end of The Incredible Hulk, the World Security Council wanted General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross to turn him over to SHIELD so that he could be included as a member of the original Avengers team. Luckily for Bruce Banner, Agents Phil Coulson and Jasper Sitwell thwarted this plan with the help of Tony Stark, dubbed "the Consultant" after his dismissal from the Avengers Initiative during Iron Man 2.
While this Marvel One-Shot was the last time the Abomination was mentioned until Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, his inclusion in recent Marvel projects suggests that the foundations are being laid for his involvement in the future of the MCU. Blonsky's most obvious role had seemed to be as part of Marvel's Thunderbolts film. However, the team roster for the July 2024 movie was announced at D23 and Abomination was notably lacking. This leaves room for him to be recruited later or to operate in another team, potentially alongside other Hulks in the MCU Phases. Coulson and Sitwell's conversation during The Consultant spells out some additional interesting details that could become very important in the MCU's future.
How The Consultant Will Be Important In The MCU’s Phase 5
In Marvel Comics, the Thunderbolts team first appeared in 1997's The Incredible Hulk #449, including several apparently reformed villains led by Baron Helmut Zemo, portrayed by Daniel Brühl in the MCU. While Zemo was expected to form the team in the MCU after his appearance in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Zemo was also missing from the Thunderbolts roster, and information revealed in The Consultant might suggest that the World Security Council could in fact have a hand in putting the team together. Even though the World Security Council haven't been seen since 2014's Captain America and the Winter Soldier, their mention in The Consultant reveals their desire to create their own super-powered team.
After the unfortunate ing of William Hurt, it's unlikely that General Ross will be making another appearance in the MCU, so it's possible that the team will be named in honor of the decorated Secretary of State. This could be the World Security Council acting through Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, whose covert mission to gather powered individuals has been shown in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Black Widow. With Fontaine and others confirmed for the Thunderbolts movie, The Consultant has renewed importance, and its original connection to Abomination suggests that Thunderbolts might yet see an appearance from Blonsky as Abomination, even if he is not part of the central team.
