There’s a reasonable amount of evidence pointing to the The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series on Disney+. In Marvel Comics, the Thunderbolts are a team of government-sanctioned supervillains. Created in the 1990s, the team has headlined their own comic for years at a time and have earned a great degree of popularity among fans. As villains rather than heroes, the Thunderbolts are seen as a rather offbeat, unorthodox team.
Originally, the Thunderbolts were introduced as villains who hoped to gain the world’s trust and use it to achieve their evil goals. Over time, they discovered that they actually liked being heroes, and decided to stay that way. The Thunderbolts have since been reimagined as a team of super-powered individuals backed by the U.S. government. The team has gone through quite a few leaders, many of which being well-respected superheroes, such as Hawkeye, Agent Venom, and Luke Cage. The group has also had a revolving door of coming and going, as the roster has changed quite a bit over the years. Villains who have been counted among the ranks of the Thunderbolts include Songbird, Scorpion, Beetle, Juggernaut, Crossbones, Punisher, Elektra, Radioactive Man, and more. Sometimes these characters remain reformed, while others end up returning to their villainous ways after leaving the Thunderbolts.
For a long time now, audiences have been waiting for the fan-favorite team to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There’s been talk of the Thunderbolts getting their own movie or show, but nothing has ever materialized from these discussions. With the MCU expanding through a large slate of Disney+ live-action shows, more opportunities are arising for the team to finally be brought to life. In fact, there are plenty of reasons to believe that the wait for the Thunderbolts is about to be over. Here’s all the evidence that suggests the team is coming to the MCU in Phase 4.
The Government Wants Its Own Superheroes In Phase 4
The first big clue is the inclusion of U.S. Agent a.k.a. John Walker (Wyatt Russell) in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. In the comic books, Walker was picked by the government to replace Steve Rogers as Captain America in the 1980s. The MCU is moving in the same direction with Walker in Phase 4, as it seems to be adopting a version of his Captain America arc from the comics. Instead of abiding by Steve’s wishes to let Falcon (Anthony Mackie) wield the shield, the government has decided to go with U.S. Agent, likely for the same reason that they wanted him in the role in the comics. Unlike the idealistic Steve Rogers who operates independently of his government, Walker is a loyal soldier who follows the orders given to him by his superiors. The government appointing him as Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is proof that the government has a vested interest in having superheroes of its own that it can rely on to achieve its goals. This could be the first real step toward the introduction of the Thunderbolts.
Baron Zemo May Not Be a Villain In Phase 4 (At First)
Zemo being used as a good guy is rare in the comics, considering that he’s Captain America’s second biggest villain. However, him being used in this way is reminiscent of how he was utilized in the 1990s. It was he who originally formed and led the Thunderbolts. This could be his purpose in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as well. He could be serving as the group’s appointed leader. It’s possible that his plan is to eventually pit the Thunderbolts against the two main characters.
Batroc the Leaper Is Returning In Falcon and the Winter Soldier
If Baron Zemo is the Thunderbolts leader in the MCU, who could be on his team in the show? The Thunderbolts can’t exist without the presence of other MCU villains. One option is Batroc the Leaper (Georges St. Pierre) from Captain America: The Winter Soldier. As an experienced mercenary, Batroc feels like a good fit for the MCU’s Thunderbolts. Reports that Batroc is in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier further strengthens the theory that the Thunderbolts will be making an appearance.
Songbird Is Rumored For Falcon and the Winter Soldier
A character heavily . Supposedly, the Marvel Comics villain will be played by Erin Kellyman. Scene descriptions reveal that Kellyman’s character will use a super power of some kind to impress Batroc. As for why her character is believed to be Songbird, the reason for this is that someone on set had a pink haircut that resembled Songbird’s. Plus, the power she used drew comparisons to the comic book villain. Songbird being with Batroc is a big indication that Marvel is indeed about to introduce a new supervillain team into the MCU. This could always be Batroc’s Brigade from Marvel Comics, or it could be the Thunderbolts instead. Since Songbird is an original Thunderbolt and one of the team’s most important , the Thunderbolts being the team that’s in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier feels like a much stronger possibility than the alternative. However, if it is Batroc’s Brigade or perhaps a different team entirely, this group could always evolve into the Thunderbolts at a later date.
The MCU Already Has Introduced Several Thunderbolts Characters
Through various MCU installments, Marvel has already laid the groundwork for the Thunderbolts. One way they’ve done this is by bringing in key Marvel Comics villains and not killing them off. Two examples of this are Black Widow. He could be in charge of overseeing the group’s missions. Another character worth mentioning is Winter Soldier, who has been on in the team in the comic books. By the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, he could be made a member (or even the leader) of the team.
