One the stars of Thunderbolts* were initially announced, Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster was featured as a core member of the anti-hero group. The former villain was in the promotional images, though fans started to notice Taskmaster’s limited screen time in the teasers and trailers. When Kurylenko was absent for the Thunderbolts* press tour, it was pretty clear to most fans that her character was going to die early on in the film.

When the Thunderbolts gather in the OXE bunker, Ghost is quick to kill Taskmaster as that was her mission from Valentina. Fans were disappointed for a variety of reasons, but one theory that draws from the Marvel comics could bring the character back in some capacity. In the comics, the villain Taskmaster has a daughter who is a master assassin in her own right. The MCU’s first version of Taskmaster may already be gone, but introducing her daughter would be a move that fits into the MCU’s current plans.

Taskmaster's MCU Death Was A Controversial Part Of Thunderbolts*

Antonia Dreykov Is The MCU’s Taskmaster

Taskmaster has been a controversial MCU character since her debut in 2021’s Black Widow. In the comics, Taskmaster is the mercenary Anthony Masters. However, Marvel decided to adapt a female version of the character for live-action. The MCU’s Taskmaster is revealed to be the daughter of General Dreykov, Antonia Dreykov. Being gravely injured by Black Widow’s assassination attempt on her father, she’s implemented with a chip that has total control over her. She’s eventually freed from her father’s control at the end of Black Widow, and it looked like there was going to be some real promise for her future.

Although some fans weren’t happy with Taskmaster’s gender-swap, some were eager to see her story continue in Thunderbolts*. The fact that she was killed off after only one line felt like a waste of the character. It made sense for the story since not every individual in a room of assassins was realistically going to make it out. However, it raised complaints that the MCU has yet to develop Taskmaster properly, as fans of Dreykov feel cheated of her Thunderbolts* screen time, and fans of Masters can’t see a way for the studio to bring him in at this point.

Taskmaster's MCU Death Setting Up Finesse's On-Screen Story Would Make A Lot Of Sense

Taskmaster’s Death Would Draw A New Taskmaster Out

There surely has to be a reason for Taskmaster’s swift MCU death, and one theory suggests that the studio is building up to a character in the comics. Jeanne Foucault is a talented assassin and expert swordsman who is recruited into the Avengers Academy under the codename Finesse. She starts to suspect that Masters’ Taskmaster is her biological father, though they have no real way of knowing for certain due to Masters’ memory loss. Marvel should be hearing the backlash about Taskmaster’s MCU story going to waste, and bringing in Finesse could help quell the frustrations.

If there was a time for Finesse to come out of the woodwork, it would be now. This MCU theory could adapt Jeanne to be Dreykov’s daughter, and now that Taskmaster is dead, her mission is set for her. Introducing Finesse as someone who wants to avenge her mother could send her after either the New Avengers or Valentina, as she may feel both parties to be equally responsible for her mother’s death. She may also seek either party to get more information on her mother in general if this MCU theory were to adapt from the comic storyline.

Why Introducing Finesse To The MCU Would Make A Lot Of Sense

The Next Generation Of Heroes Needs Some Enemies

The MCU has been building up to the next generation of heroes for quite some time now. Sam Wilson is currently assembling his Avengers while the Thunderbolts have simultaneously been named Valentina’s Avengers replacements. Some may forget that Kamala Khan is also working on her own team, which will be composed of young MCU heroes, most of whom have hero parents of their own. With so many heroes already filling the next generation, the MCU is bound to need some young enemies as well.

Finesse would be a great enemy for the next generation of MCU heroes, especially against the Young Avengers. Just as a lot of the Young Avengers want to carry on their parent’s legacy, Finesse wants to avenge hers. This would be an interesting way for the MCU to expand on Taskmaster’s story while offering options for new directions too. Dreykov’s Taskmaster was created specifically for the MCU, and after her controversial Thunderbolts* appearance, she deserves a way for her legacy to continue.

MCU Movies

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  Thunderbolts*

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  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

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  Avengers: Doomsday

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  Spider-Man: Brand New Day

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  Avengers: Secret Wars

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