The ending of the 2025 movie Thunderbolts shows the team overcoming their internal and external struggles by confronting the destructive alter ego Void within Bob. They manage to stop the darkness engulfing New York City, freeing its citizens and transforming themselves in the process. Ultimately, the team is publicly revealed by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine as the New Avengers and take up base in the old Avengers Tower, now renamed the Watchtower.

In a detailed narrative fashion, the ending unfolds as follows:

The Thunderbolts find themselves caught in a complex web of betrayal and manipulation. After intense confrontations, de Fontaine's agents pursue them, seeking to eliminate the team and cover up her crimes. The team is apprehended by Congressman Bucky Barnes, who wants their testimony in impeachment proceedings. However, upon discovering Bob was subjected to de Fontaine's secret experiments, Barnes joins forces with the Thunderbolts in a plan to infiltrate the Watchtower, formerly Avengers Tower.

Inside the Watchtower, it is revealed that de Fontaine has convinced Bob to side with her. Bob, empowered by his altered state, overpowers the Thunderbolts but decides to let them retreat, as he no longer perceives them as a threat. However, Bob's god-like delusions spiral out of control, and he turns against de Fontaine. She then uses a failsafe kill switch to incapacitate Bob, unintentionally triggering the emergence of the Void--Bob's dark, destructive alter ego that embodies his depression and insecurities.

The Void casts a supernatural darkness over New York City, trapping citizens in alternate pocket dimensions. To stop this, Yelena enters the darkness to reach Bob's consciousness. Inside this surreal mental landscape, she confronts her own haunted past as a Black Widow and eventually finds Bob hiding in a recreated memory of his childhood bedroom--where he had concealed himself from his abusive father.

The rest of the Thunderbolts join Yelena inside Bob's mind. Together, they travel to the memory of Bob's initial experimentation in Malaysia, where he had voluntarily undergone the procedure in hopes of improving his life after a period of drug addiction. The team confronts the Void itself but is overwhelmed. As the Void threatens to consume Bob completely, the Thunderbolts reaffirm their belief in him, showing solidarity that empowers Bob to regain control over his fractured psyche.

With Bob overcoming the Void, light returns to New York City, and the trapped victims are freed. The team emerges not only victorious but transformed by their shared ordeal.

In the final scenes, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine publicly announces the group as the New Avengers, signaling a shift in their identities and missions. The former Thunderbolts take up residence in the old Avengers Tower, now rebranded as the Watchtower, embarking on a new chapter as heroes in the eyes of the public.

This detailed ending demonstrates the journey of flawed antiheroes wrestling with darkness both within and without, eventually finding strength in unity and redemption. The transformation from Thunderbolts to New Avengers marks a thematic evolution from covert operatives to recognized protectors.

In the 2025 movie Thunderbolts, the only character who dies is Taskmaster (Antonia Dreykov), portrayed by Olga Kurylenko. Her death happens early in the film during a mission organized by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to clean up evidence of her crimes. Taskmaster, alongside Yelena Belova, John Walker, and Ghost, is sent to infiltrate an O.X.E. Group vault. However, before the team fully realizes they've been manipulated, Ghost shoots Taskmaster point-blank in the head, killing her instantly.

Taskmaster's death is notable for its suddenness and shock value, deliberately used by the director to set an unpredictable tone for the film. Despite Taskmaster's significant role in the comics and her presence in the prior MCU film Black Widow, she only features briefly in Thunderbolts and is not technically part of the Thunderbolts team before her death.

No other major characters die in the movie. Even characters who endure transformation or possession, such as Bob (Sentry/Void), survive by the film's end. Taskmaster's death is also seen as somewhat tragic, clashing with her portrayal in Black Widow, where she was spared and presented as a victim deserving a second chance.

The film opens in Malaysia with Yelena Belova infiltrating a secret laboratory on behalf of CIA director Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Yelena swiftly neutralizes guards and secures critical research tied to the O.X.E. Group's clandestine "Project Sentry," a superhuman experiment. During the raid, a scientist warns Yelena about the project's dangers, but in the ensuing struggle, he accidentally shoots himself. Yelena destroys the lab and reports back to Valentina, who is under intense political pressure and facing impeachment due to her covert operations linked to O.X.E.

Valentina, determined to erase all evidence of her involvement, dispatches a team of operatives--Yelena, John Walker (U.S. Agent), Ava Starr (Ghost), and Antonia Dreykov (Taskmaster)--to a remote O.X.E. facility with orders to eliminate each other and destroy any incriminating material. The operatives, all with complicated pasts and loyalties, descend into a violent confrontation. Ava kills Taskmaster in a brutal encounter, but the others soon realize they have been set up to die alongside the evidence. Amid the chaos, they discover a mysterious man named Robert "Bob" Reynolds trapped in suspended animation. Upon contact, Yelena and Walker experience vivid, painful memories, hinting at Bob's deep connection to the project and their own pasts.

Recognizing the trap, the group reluctantly bands together to escape the facility as it begins to self-destruct. Ava uses her phasing abilities to open the incinerator doors, allowing the team to flee just before the lab is destroyed. Bob, who appears physically vulnerable but is in fact superhuman, draws enemy fire to cover their escape. He ascends uncontrollably into the sky but eventually crashes back down near the compound, where Valentina's forces capture him. Valentina intends to present Bob to the public as the new "Sentry," a super-powered protector to fill the void left by the disbanded Avengers, hoping this will salvage her reputation and halt her impeachment.

Meanwhile, Yelena seeks out Alexei Shostakov, the Red Guardian and a father figure to her, who has been working undercover as a chauffeur. After overhearing Valentina's conspiracies, Alexei rescues Yelena, Walker, and Ava from pursuing agents. Inspired by Yelena's childhood soccer team, he dubs their ragtag group the "Thunderbolts." The team is soon apprehended by Congressman Bucky Barnes, who is investigating Valentina's illicit activities and wants them to testify. However, when Valentina's assistant Mel warns Bucky about Bob's unstable mental state, he decides to ally with the Thunderbolts to stop Valentina's dangerous plans.

The Thunderbolts infiltrate the Watchtower, the former Avengers Tower now repurposed as Valentina's headquarters. There, they discover that Valentina has convinced Bob to embrace his role as Sentry, adorning him with a new suit and promoting him as a heroic figure. However, Bob's mental instability quickly becomes apparent. He easily overpowers the Thunderbolts, even ripping off Bucky's vibranium arm, but spares their lives, believing they pose no threat. Bob's growing delusions of godlike power lead him to turn against Valentina, nearly killing her before Mel intervenes with a failsafe kill switch that incapacitates him.

This intervention triggers the emergence of Bob's darker alter ego, the Void--a manifestation of his depression, insecurities, and trauma amplified by the Sentry procedure. The Void envelops New York City in supernatural darkness, trapping its citizens in pocket dimensions shaped by their worst fears and memories. The city descends into chaos as the Void's power spreads unchecked.

Realizing that conventional methods cannot stop the Void, Yelena bravely enters the darkness to reach Bob's consciousness. Inside the Void, she confronts haunting memories from her past as a Black Widow, including a traumatic childhood moment where she lured a friend into the woods to be executed as part of her Red Room training. She finds Bob hiding in a nightmarish recreation of his childhood bedroom, where he sought refuge from an abusive father. The rest of the Thunderbolts join Yelena inside the Void, and together they journey back through Bob's memories, including his initial experimentation in Malaysia, where he volunteered for the Sentry project in a desperate attempt to overcome his drug addiction and aimlessness.

The team confronts the Void itself but is quickly overwhelmed by its immense power. Bob's struggle to fight back threatens to consume him entirely. In a pivotal moment, the Thunderbolts embrace Bob, affirming their belief in him and offering solidarity. This emotional support empowers Bob to regain control over his fractured psyche, allowing him to overcome the Void. Light returns to New York City, and the trapped citizens are freed from their nightmarish prisons.

With the immediate threat neutralized, the Thunderbolts prepare to apprehend Valentina. However, she deftly manipulates public perception by staging a press conference where she claims that assembling the team was her plan all along. She rebrands the group as the "New Avengers," positioning them as the successors to the original Avengers and taking credit for their heroism. Despite their reservations, the Thunderbolts accept this new identity, though Yelena privately warns Valentina that they now hold power over her and will not tolerate further betrayal.

In the aftermath, the team begins to adjust to their new roles as public heroes, though tensions remain. Bob struggles to keep his powers in check, fearful that the Void might return. The film's mid-credits scene shows Alexei visiting a supermarket where the New Avengers are featured on a Wheaties cereal box, humorously highlighting his obscurity despite their fame. The post-credits scene, set fourteen months later, reveals ongoing challenges: the New Avengers face mixed public reception and legal disputes, notably from Sam Wilson, who leads his own Avengers team and is suing them over the name. Suddenly, the Watchtower detects an inter-dimensional spacecraft entering Earth's atmosphere, emblazoned with a large "4," hinting at a looming cosmic threat and future conflicts.

Throughout the film, character relationships and motivations deepen. Yelena wrestles with her traumatic past and feelings of isolation, finding unexpected camaraderie with the others. Alexei serves as a grounding figure, encouraging her to see her worth beyond her missions. John Walker grapples with his failures as a former Captain America and his desire for redemption. Ava Starr, initially a lone operative, grows to trust and cooperate with the team. Bob's arc is central, evolving from a lost, drug-addicted man to a powerful but unstable superhuman struggling with his inner demons. Valentina's complex villainy is driven by a belief that her morally ambiguous actions serve a greater good, though her manipulations ultimately backfire.

Major battles include the initial deadly confrontation in the Malaysian facility, the chaotic escape from the incinerating lab, the high-stakes infiltration and fight within the Watchtower, and the climactic psychological and supernatural battle inside the Void's realm. The film balances intense action sequences with emotional depth, exploring themes of trauma, redemption, and the blurred lines between heroism and villainy.

No main character deaths occur during the film; Taskmaster is killed early by Ava Starr, but the rest of the team survives, albeit battered and transformed by their experiences. The film ends with the Thunderbolts embracing their new roles as the New Avengers, setting the stage for future adventures and challenges within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Yes, the Marvel movie Thunderbolts (2025) has two post-credits scenes:

• The mid-credits scene is a short, humorous moment featuring Red Guardian in a supermarket cereal aisle. He spots Wheaties boxes with the New Avengers on the cover, emphasizing the team's new public identity after the movie's events.

• The post-credits scene is the more significant and longer one. Directed by the Russo Brothers, it acts as a setup for future MCU projects. It takes place 14 months after the events of Thunderbolts and shows the full team, including Yelena, Bucky Barnes, and Red Guardian. This scene hints at upcoming storylines and connects to the larger MCU, including teasing the upcoming Fantastic Four and Avengers-related content.

In summary, the post-credits content both provides a lighthearted moment to close the movie and a substantial teaser for the MCU's future, signaling new directions and character developments.

The group comes together after being sent by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to a covert O.X.E. facility under the pretense of a mission, where they are meant to kill each other and be incinerated to cover up evidence. Instead, they survive the trap, release Bob from suspended animation, and realize they were set up. They then work together to escape and are later rescued by Alexei Shostakov, who names them the Thunderbolts after Yelena's childhood soccer team.

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is the CIA director who orchestrates the deadly trap that ensnares the Thunderbolts team. She is trying to cover up her involvement with the O.X.E. Group's Sentry project and faces imminent impeachment. De Fontaine dispatches the team members to kill each other to eliminate evidence of her misconduct, and later plans to use Bob as a PR stunt to present a new super-powered protector to the public to save her position.

The 'Watchtower' is the former Avengers Tower in Manhattan, now renamed and used as a base of operations. After Bob is captured, he is transported there. The Thunderbolts team also operates from the Watchtower, which symbolizes their new role as a team akin to the Avengers in the MCU.

The Thunderbolts team consists of antiheroes and mercenaries including Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr, Antonia Dreykov (Taskmaster), Bob (a presumed-dead volunteer from the Sentry trials), and Alexei Shostakov. They are brought together under the leadership or influence of CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

The team is initially sent by CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to a covert O.X.E. facility under false pretenses, where they are meant to kill each other and be incinerated to cover up de Fontaine's misconduct. After realizing this, they work together to escape and later go on a dangerous mission that forces them to confront their darkest pasts.

The movie Thunderbolts (2025) is rated PG-13 for strong violence, language, thematic elements, and some suggestive and drug references, which indicates it is not fully family friendly, especially for younger or sensitive children.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting content includes:

• Violence: The film contains many violent scenes, including intense fight sequences with hand-to-hand combat and some mild blood. Some violence is shown through flashbacks depicting psychological trauma and abuse, including shootings (sometimes off-camera but implied), physical punishment, and scenes of family abuse. For example, one recurring flashback shows a child being shot off-camera, which may be heavy or disturbing to children.

• Language: The movie has strong profanity and obscenities comparable to other Marvel movies like Guardians of the Galaxy.

• Thematic elements: Themes include psychological wounds from past trauma, abusive family dynamics, and loss. These may be heavy for kids or viewers sensitive to such subjects.

• Suggestive and drug references: Some mild suggestive content and drug references occur but no explicit sexual content or nudity is present.

Summary:

Thunderbolts contains intense action violence, some disturbing flashback scenes involving childhood trauma and abuse, strong language, and mature themes. It is generally appropriate for teenagers familiar with Marvel movies, but younger children or sensitive viewers might find some scenes upsetting or inappropriate, so parental discretion is advised.

No explicit plot spoilers have been revealed here.