The Thunderbolts* and the Gifts of Imperfection

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The Thunderbolts* and the Gifts of Imperfection

or "How I Learned to Enjoy Marvel Movies Again"

Jeremy

May 27, 2025

A Therapeutic Take on Marvel’s Thunderbolts

Note: This is a summary of the attached podcast. I recently went live to share why I think Marvel’s Thunderbolts is one of the most powerful entries in the MCU. Unlike the Avengers, this film focuses on imperfect people coming together for a purpose greater than themselves. In this deep dive, I’ll break down how Thunderbolts explores identity, trauma, and the healing power of genuine connection.

Why Thunderbolts Matters

At its core, Thunderbolts is about developing a new identity in the face of great adversity. These aren’t shining paragons of virtue. They’re flawed individuals—assassins, disgraced heroes, and unstable experiments—who learn to trust one another. By the end, their journey feels more relatable and meaningful than the grand idealism of the original Avengers.

From Avengers Optimism to Digital Burnout

Back in 2012, when the first Avengers movie hit theaters, we were riding a wave of collective optimism. Superheroes united to save the world, and Tinder had just launched its first version—our first taste of swiping for connection. Fast forward to today, and both our digital tools and our cultural icons have evolved. Marvel’s Thunderbolts feels less like a caped crusade and more like an echo of our own experience with social media fatigue and online dating burnout.

The Tinder Era and the Promise of Connection

When The Avengers assembled, so did our hopes for tech-enabled togetherness. The film embodied that mid-2010s spirit where apps like Tinder promised instant chemistry and endless possibility. We believed that meeting someone new was only a swipe away and that digital platforms would strengthen our bonds.

Over time, though, the sheen wore off. Endless profiles, algorithmic matchmaking, and ghosts in the DM left many of us feeling more isolated than ever. Instead of meaningful connection, we found ourselves locked in a loop of superficial chats and self-comparison.

What You Need to Know (And What You Don’t)

You don’t need to be a Marvel superfan to enjoy this film. All you need is a passing familiarity with the MCU and the concept of the Avengers as “the real heroes.” Key points:

Yelena Belova is the heart of the film. You may recall her from Black Widow, though her backstory is introduced anew here.
John Walker (the disgraced Captain America) and Ava “Ghost” Starr (from the Ant-Man films) join the cast, but you don’t need prior knowledge of their arcs to follow the story.
Taskmaster appears, but their motives and connections are quickly laid out.
Bob, the mysterious pod-dweller, becomes the linchpin of the plot—his real name and powers are revealed as the story unfolds.

Plot in a Bottle Episode

The film opens like a classic “bottle episode.” All our antiheroes wake up in a CIA facility, each believing they’ve been summoned to eliminate the others. Director Valentina Fontaine—played with snarky precision by Julia Louis-Dreyfus—wants to tie up loose ends on her secret superhuman program. Naturally, they decide to cooperate rather than kill one another, triggering an escape that turns into a reluctant road trip.

Key beats:

Introduction to Yelena – A bored assassin haunted by flashbacks of childhood violence.
The Assembly – Walker, Ghost, Taskmaster, and Yelena realize they’ve been set up to kill each other.
Bob’s Arrival – A seemingly altruistic new ally emerges from a mysterious pod.
The Great Escape – Working together, they flee the incinerating facility.
On the Lam – A gritty, bickering road trip cements their uneasy bond.

Themes of Identity and Trauma

Every member of the team carries deep wounds:

Yelena Belova – Haunted by her days in the Red Room, she numbs herself with violence and work.
John Walker – His obsession with honor led to a public tragedy and the loss of his mantle.
Ghost (Ava Starr) – A phasing ability born of scientific mishap, her wisecracks mask deeper pain.
Taskmaster – A living avatar of replicating others’ skills, struggling with her own fractured self.
Bob / Void – The ultimate tragic figure, he emerges from government experiments with superpower and raw childhood trauma.

Their shared adversity leads to genuine growth. Yelena’s breakdown—“All I do is sit and look at my phone and think of the terrible things I’ve done”—captures the existential malaise many of us feel in our digital age.

Gaming the Prisoner’s Dilemma

Thunderbolts dramatizes the classic Prisoner’s Dilemma. Alone, each character might survive longer on their own. Together, they stand a better chance of escaping the burning compound. This mirrors real life when we weigh self-interest against collective benefit. Their decision to cooperate highlights the power of trust in overcoming trauma and fear.

Thunderbolts as a Mirror of Social Media Fatigue

The film’s ragtag team—an assassin, a disgraced hero, a phasing thief, and an unstable experiment—wakes up in a CIA facility, primed to kill each other. They nearly follow the algorithm of mistrust, but then they realize that cooperation might save their lives.

That dynamic reflects our online world. Social media platforms often pit us against one another—likes become currency, and every interaction feels transactional. We “compete” for attention, validation, even affection. Yet Thunderbolts shows an alternative path: imperfect people choosing solidarity over rivalry. In the same way that these anti-heroes break free from the facility, we can break free from the endless scroll by choosing genuine human connection.

Bob’s Transformation: From Sentry to Void

Bob starts as the shining “Sentry” archetype—bulletproof, angelic hair, superstrong. But once he confronts his abusive past, he breaks free from Valentina’s control and becomes Void, a force of nihilism that literally turns people into mist. This descent into darkness evokes Ecclesiastes’ “all is vapor.”

By entering Bob’s psyche, Yelena and the team model radical empathy. They confront his inner trauma, guiding him back from the brink. This sequence, where characters literally step into Bob’s mind, stands as one of the most therapeutic moments in superhero cinema.

Yelena Belova’s Monologue: The Voice of Burnout

Thunderbolts gives voice to that exhaustion through Yelena Belova. Early in the film, she confesses:

“All I do is sit and look at my phone and think of all the terrible things I’ve done. Then I go to work and then I drink, come home to no one. Then I sit and think of all the terrible things I’ve done again and again.”

This moment captures so much of our digital culture. Scrolling through feeds doesn’t heal our past mistakes or soothe our anxiety. Instead, it amplifies our regrets and leaves us craving real purpose. Yelena’s monologue isn’t just about her life as an assassin—it’s a mirror for anyone who’s ever checked their phone at 3am and felt more empty afterward.

Healing Through Connection

In a powerful climactic act, the team helps Bob process his childhood abuse. They demonstrate:

Active Listening – Showing up unafraid to engage another’s pain.
Intersubjectivity – Imagining life through someone else’s experience.
Collective Redemption – Each character finds healing by aiding another.

This isn’t just a big CGI battle. It’s group therapy on a blockbuster scale. And it works—Bob emerges empowered, the vaporized victims return, and the day is saved.

Postmodern Heroes and the Death of Metanarratives

Where the Avengers embraced clear moral certainties—truth, justice, American exceptionalism—Thunderbolts revels in gray areas and relativism. The Watchtower (formerly Avengers Tower) now serves marketing rather than heroism. Valentina’s bureaucratic manipulation echoes how modern media platforms exploit our insecurities. The film asks:

What happens when the stories that once united us collapse?
Who do we become without grand ideals to guide us?

Rebuilding Real Bonds: The New Avengers

By the end, these formerly selfish characters unite to rescue their friend Bob and expose the manipulative system that trapped them. In a meta twist, they’re dubbed the New Avengers—ordinary people who found extraordinary strength in empathy.

That renaming feels like a challenge to us. We don’t need perfect profiles or hypercurated feeds. Our real power lies in showing up for each other, even when we’re flawed and burned out. Thunderbolts reminds us that healing starts not with another swipe but with reaching out, listening deeply, and confronting our own “void” of isolation.

From Thunderbolts to New Avengers

The film closes with a press conference where Valentina is exposed. In a surprising meta twist, she introduces the team as the New Avengers. Sam Wilson (the current Captain America) threatens legal action over the name, teasing future clashes. It’s a fitting end: imperfect allies claiming the mantle of heroism in a fragmented world.

Why You’ll Remember Thunderbolts

Relatable Motivations – Trauma, boredom, the hunger for purpose.
Nuanced Villainy – No alien overlords; just a psychopathic bureaucrat and internal voids.
Therapeutic Core – A blockbuster about listening, empathy, and healing.
Postmodern Flair – Deconstruction of grand narratives in favor of human-scale drama.

By embracing imperfection, Thunderbolts proves that our flaws can forge the strongest bonds. In an era of digital disconnection, it’s a reminder that genuine connection and shared vulnerability might just save us all.

Takeaway: From Swipe Fatigue to Shared Purpose

If The Avengers once represented the idealism of swiping right for the perfect match, Thunderbolts represents what happens when that idealism fades. It shows us that survivors of burnout don’t have to go it alone. We can form our own “team” of imperfect allies who choose trust over suspicion and authenticity over image.

Next time you catch yourself doom-scrolling at midnight, remember Yelena’s words—and consider finding your own Thunderbolts. Because real connection is the one thing no algorithm can replicate.

Below are some specific show notes and timestamps:

Summary

In this conversation, Jeremy reviews Marvel's Thunderbolts, exploring its themes of trauma, identity, and the dynamics of anti-heroes. He discusses how the film portrays imperfect characters coming together to confront their pasts and work towards a common goal, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and healing. The conversation delves into the postmodern elements of the film, contrasting it with traditional superhero narratives, and highlights the significance of connection and understanding in overcoming personal struggles.

Takeaways