With the Thunderbolts' cast featuring assassins of all kinds, it was initially difficult to identify the movie's villain. Guesses ranged from Fontaine (Julia Louis Dreyfus) turning on the entire team with a military force to Taskmaster betraying the group, but Bob (Lewis Pullman) is the big bad in this outing.
Bob Reynolds, AKA Sentry, appears harmless when Yelena (Florence Pugh) and the others encounter him for the first time. He's wearing a medical patient's gown and approaches the team peacefully, suggesting innocence on his behalf. The thing is, Bob's superhero identity has a darker alter-ego.
In the comics, Sentry has a sinister half known as Void. They're both on equal standing in terms of power, but while Sentry is good-willed, the latter kills innocents indiscriminately. The newest trailer proves so.
The Super Bowl spot for Thunderbolts offers fans their first look at Void's shadowy silhouette as he turns scared bystanders into stains on the floor. Void's abilities include the ability to manipulate the molecular composition of living beings, regeneration, immortality, as well as various superhuman abilities. He's virtually unbeatable.
Void's presence is significant because unless his counterpart, Sentry, can get a hold of the dark alter-ego trying to kill every human on the planet, doom is on the horizon. A world controlled by a deity doesn't sound plausible, though, without the Avengers, it can happen. Plus, more villains are coming out of the woodwork in Captain America: Brave New World.
Seeing as how the bad guys are no longer hiding in the shadows, this era could be villain-centric. Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito) and his Serpent Society are making their presence known. The Leader (Tim Blake Nelson) is going to set a long-contrived plan in motion. And then, with Fontaine running SHIELD—and Hayward controlling SWORD—clues point to a Masters of Evil-style team-up.
Whether the villainous alliance happens, Void turns New York City into a battleground reminiscent of 2012's Battle of New York. The streets are vacant before he's done, windows are all broken out, and the surrounding buildings look destitute. It's the New York of 2025, so to see vacant streets suggests a massive casualty list, at least in the city itself.
The Thunderbolts presumably come to the city's rescue, becoming the heroes Fontaine wants them to be. Every member has blood on their hands, but saving New York from an all-powerful deity could wipe the slate clean for each of them. We witnessed how good acts earn vigilantes pardons, which could be the long con. Director Fontaine is aware of how the public views her supersoldier team, and the only way to change it is for the group to perform an act of bravery. Stopping Bob/The Void would suffice, and then some.
The Thunderbolts' opens in theaters on May 2, 2025.