This text incorporates spoilers for the post-credits scene of “Thunderbolts*.”
On the finish of Jake Schreier’s new Marvel Cinematic Universe flick “Thunderbolts*,” the scrappy, depressive title staff — having saved the day — is unexpectedly dragged into an impromptu press convention. With out with the ability to give any enter on the matter, Yelena (Florence Pugh), the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), the Pink Guardian (David Harbour), U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) are collectively launched by the devious Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) because the New Avengers.
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This results in a post-credits scene, set 14 months later, the place the New Avengers have already been put in of their tower-bound New York headquarters. Though they have been all beforehand mercenaries and killers, they’re clearly attempting very exhausting to suit into their new roles as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. They nonetheless haven’t got all of the techno-jargon down, they usually have not bothered to embellish; their headquarters appears just a little empty. Most frustratingly, they’re in a authorized copyright battle over the identify “The Avengers.” Captain America, they are saying, owns the rights. Who would have thought authorized haggling can be a serious concern for Marvel’s freelance navy?
Yelena is taking a look at a high-tech pill when a buzzer goes off. Their scanning gear has detected one thing wonky within the higher ambiance. Yelena pushes a number of buttons, and brings up a spacebound digicam feed on her wall-sized TV display. They point out that one thing appears to have traveled to their planet from one other dimension (!). They check out a spaceship, and you may guess the quantity emblazoned on the facet.
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Because the reader may intuit from the outline, this can be a considerably lengthy scene. Certainly, it now holds a report because the longest post-credits sequence from any MCU movie, operating a full 174 seconds. That beat the report held by “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” which had 5 post-credits scenes that ran for a mixed 171 seconds.
The Thunderbolts* post-credits scene is the longest in MCU historical past
Coming in at 2 minutes at 54 seconds, the brand new post-credits scene beat the report held by “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” which had 5 post-credits scenes that ran for a mixed 2 minutes and 51 seconds.
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Because the world’s many MCU followers know, Marvel post-credit scenes are likely to function previews and/or commercials for upcoming installations within the sequence. They introduce new characters, remind audiences {that a} heretofore unseen villain remains to be working within the background, or inform viewers that some type of universe-altering cataclysm is at hand. The post-credits scenes are usually greeted with wiggly enthusiasm, and MCU followers will instantly storm into their theater lobbies to debate the potential assembly between a basic MCU character and the brand new ones they only noticed. Marvel Comics know-it-alls will joyful start detailing the historical past of the brand new character, and a few shops (hello!) will write articles about how the post-credits sequence is critical.
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The post-credits scene in “Thunderbolts*” does certainly serve that operate, as it’s a reminder that the MCU has a 3rd movie popping out in 2025. Folks excited for “The Improbable 4: First Steps” will solely be made extra excited.
However the “Thunderbolts*” post-credits sequence serves a extra fascinating operate as properly. The movie audiences simply noticed (among the finest within the MCU, frankly) was about despair and trauma. The Thunderbolts all had horrible lives main as much as their heroic careers, or that they had fallen into destitution after their heyday ended. The Thunderbolts/New Avengers should not joyful folks, and type of hate that they are good at homicide. Certainly, the filmmakers appeared to declare that trauma is a prerequisite for changing into a superhero. One must be emotionally broken in the event that they elect to take a job that requires fixed violence and perpetual loss of life.
The operate of the post-credits scene
The post-credits sequence exhibits that the Thunderbolts/New Avengers should not the wacky banter-machines or slick-haired party-boys just like the final batch. Not one of the previous Avengers are ever astonished by the miracle applied sciences round them, as they’re simply on a regular basis objects to them. As such, they usually come throughout as too-cool-for-school, solely acknowledging that one thing is bizarre with a “Nicely … that occurred”-style joke. The brisk model of Marvel banter that when made the sequence common has lengthy since fallen into unbearable territory. It is telling that there are not any secret identities within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As a substitute, heroes present their faces in public, collect fame, accumulate fanboys and fangirls, and signal autographs. The Avengers are well-known to everybody, and most of them appear to take pleasure in their fame. When “lesser” Avengers aren’t acknowledged, they get miffed. Heroism, for them, is not a lot about committing acts of justice from the shadows. It is about getting credit score for his or her exhausting work. In a era that was raised with the potential of on-line fame lurking round each nook, nameless heroics is anathema.
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The Thunderbolts are very completely different folks. They do not need to be Avengers, do not need to be well-known, and do not actually understand how to do that properly. The post-credits scene exhibits a unique type of off-duty establishment for the heroes. They’re angrier (or no less than extra exhausted), and see their job as a weary obligation. They don’t seem to be keen to make use of the widgets and toys, and do not essentially need to leap into motion. The Thunderbolts/New Avengers are put-upon, slovenly, and embroiled in authorized battles. Considered one of them reads all day.
The post-credits scene wanted just a little further time to determine all that. It wasn’t simply an advert for an upcoming film. It wanted to strengthen the character of the New Avengers, and it broke a Marvel report within the course of.
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A few my colleagues had a dialog about “Thunderbolts*” on in the present day’s episode of the /Movie Each day podcast, which you’ll be able to take heed to beneath:
