The Ultimate Breakdown: Does Thunderbolts* Have End-Credits Scenes? (Yes, And Here’s What They Mean For The New Avengers)

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The answer is a resounding "Yes," and you absolutely need to stay seated until the very last frame. As of the film's release on December 22, 2025, Marvel Studios’ latest blockbuster, Thunderbolts*, continues the long-standing MCU tradition by featuring not just one, but a pair of crucial post-credits scenes. These stingers are far from simple jokes; they are massive, consequential moments that fundamentally reshape the landscape of the Multiverse Saga, directly setting up the next major team and the climactic event of Phase 6: *Avengers: Doomsday*. We break down exactly how many scenes there are and the earth-shattering implications of each one.

The highly anticipated film—which sees a team of morally ambiguous anti-heroes forced to work for the enigmatic Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine—delivers on its promise of high-stakes espionage and internal conflict. But it is the final moments, rolling after the main narrative concludes, that truly deliver the biggest shockwaves, confirming the official formation of a new super-team and launching the MCU into its next era of conflict.

Thunderbolts* Cast and Character Dossier

Before diving into the game-changing post-credits revelations, it is essential to understand the key players on this black-ops team, as their relationships and final fates are crucial to understanding the future of the MCU. The ensemble cast of *Thunderbolts** is a collection of former villains, anti-heroes, and government operatives, all brought together under dubious circumstances. This is the official roster of characters and the actors who portray them:

  • Yelena Belova / White Widow (Florence Pugh): The de facto leader of the field team, a highly trained assassin and sister to the late Natasha Romanoff. Her arc in the film sees her struggle with her loyalty to Valentina versus her own moral compass.
  • James "Bucky" Barnes / Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan): A former brainwashed assassin now seeking redemption. He serves as the moral anchor for the team, often clashing with the more ruthless members.
  • Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian (David Harbour): A Soviet super-soldier and Yelena's adoptive father, providing comic relief and surprising emotional depth.
  • U.S. Agent / John Walker (Wyatt Russell): A disgraced former Captain America replacement, whose aggressive patriotism and unstable nature make him a volatile member.
  • Ghost / Ava Starr (Hannah John-Kamen): A character with molecular instability and phasing abilities, seeking a cure for her condition.
  • Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko): A mercenary with photographic reflexes, capable of mimicking any fighting style. Her past connection to the Red Room is explored further.
  • Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus): The mastermind behind the team, a high-ranking US government operative who has been secretly assembling this group of enhanced individuals across multiple projects, including recruiting John Walker and Yelena Belova.

The core conflict of the film revolves around the team realizing they are pawns in a much larger, darker game orchestrated by Valentina. The film’s final moments see Yelena outmaneuver the Contessa, whispering, "We own you now," a pivotal moment of leverage that sets the stage for the New Avengers era.

Scene 1: The Mid-Credits Stinger Explained

The first post-credits scene, known as the mid-credits stinger, rolls immediately after the stylized main credits sequence—which has been hailed by some critics as one of the best in MCU history.

This scene is a classic MCU "button" moment, offering a blend of humor and a small, but significant, plot continuation. It is described as a hilarious montage of the team's life together in the immediate aftermath of the movie's main events.

The mid-credits scene shows the team attempting to adjust to a semblance of normal life while still being under the thumb of the government (or, more accurately, under the thumb of Yelena's new leverage over Valentina). This stinger primarily focuses on the evolving, dysfunctional family dynamic between Yelena, Bucky, and Alexei, cementing their complicated but genuine bond. It serves as a necessary decompression after the high-tension finale, allowing the audience a final moment with the team before the truly consequential end-credits scene.

Scene 2: The End-Credits Scene and the Birth of the New Avengers

This is the scene everyone will be talking about. The final, full end-credits scene—which was confirmed to have been directed by *Avengers: Doomsday* directors Joe and Anthony Russo—is a pivotal moment that acts as a direct prologue to the next major crossover film.

The scene is set 14 months after the events of *Thunderbolts*, signaling a significant time jump in the MCU timeline. The location is the Avengers Tower (now Val's Watchtower), and the entire team is present, but their name has changed. They are no longer the *Thunderbolts*.

The New Avengers Roster and Mission

The final scene officially confirms the team’s new designation: The New Avengers. The lineup includes the surviving members of the *Thunderbolts** team: Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, and U.S. Agent. They are all wearing sleek, new, upgraded suits, indicating they have fully transitioned from black-ops mercenaries to a recognized (though still morally gray) government-sanctioned team.

The dialogue in the scene revolves around a new, imminent threat that is too big for any single hero to handle. This is the direct setup for *Avengers: Doomsday*. The team is shown discussing the need to recruit more powerful allies, specifically mentioning the disappearance of the Fantastic Four and the unsettling rise of a new global power—all veiled references to the introduction of Doctor Doom.

The Massive Setup for Avengers: Doomsday

The true weight of the end-credits scene lies in its function as the official launchpad for *Avengers: Doomsday*. The scene establishes three critical points:

  1. The Core Team: The New Avengers, led by Yelena Belova, are the first line of defense against the coming threat. Her expanded role in the MCU is now undeniable.
  2. The Villain's Arrival: The subtle but unmistakable references to an advanced, magical, and scientifically superior global threat confirm that Doctor Doom is officially stepping onto the main stage of the Multiverse Saga. The plot of *Doomsday* is centered around Doom's arrival and the subsequent global chaos.
  3. The Fantastic Four Tease: By mentioning the Fantastic Four’s status as "missing" or "displaced," the scene cleverly connects the New Avengers' immediate future to the *Fantastic Four* movie, suggesting the two teams' paths will intersect as they both deal with the fallout of the Multiverse.

In short, the final scene of *Thunderbolts is not a mere teaser; it is the opening scene** of the next major chapter of the MCU. It confirms that the era of the original Avengers is over, and the new, darker, and more complicated era of the New Avengers has begun, directly leading into the confrontation with Doctor Doom in *Avengers: Doomsday*.

The Ultimate Breakdown: Does Thunderbolts* Have End-Credits Scenes? (Yes, and Here’s What They Mean for the New Avengers)
does thunderbolts have end credits
does thunderbolts have end credits

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