Warning! This article contains major SPOILERS for <em>Thunderbolts*</em>Thunderbolts* stands out as one of the most innovative entries in the MCU, featuring a unique climax where the main characters grapple with their most profound regrets rather than battling a traditional antagonist like the Void. This unconventional ending diverged from the typical hero-villain showdown, ultimately earning the film significant acclaim and establishing it as one of the most celebrated entries in the Multiverse Saga of the MCU.

This narrative twist has validated many fan theories regarding how the Thunderbolts could effectively confront the Void, emphasizing the theme of embracing positivity over despair. Creative liberties were taken to ensure that the Void’s destructive potential was tempered, preventing a catastrophic outcome for the team and New York City, which might have been expected based on the comics. Instead, when the Void transforms individuals into shadows, they are essentially exiled to a dimension filled with “shame rooms,” where they are condemned to relive their most humiliating memories endlessly. Below, we delve into the specific experiences faced by each character.

Yelena Belova Confronts Her Past Training & Struggles Following Natasha’s Death

Yelena Confronts Three Distinct Shame Rooms

As the pivotal character in Thunderbolts*, Yelena Belova’s traumatic encounters within the Void’s tormenting realm receive considerable focus. After inadvertently touching Bob’s hand during the film’s initial act, she proactively approaches the encroaching shadow of the Void to re-enter her haunting memories and battle through them to reach Bob. Throughout this harrowing journey, Yelena is subjected to three unique shame room experiences, which encompass:

• A traumatic memory where she lures a friend, Anya, to her demise in a desolate snowy forest, calling Anya to her before an adult male assassin eliminates her.
• A scene from her Black Widow training, where she and her fellow trainees are commanded to swiftly assemble a firearm. After successfully completing the task first, Yelena finds herself exempt from the punishment that her peers endure, where their hands are whipped.
• A vivid recollection of herself unconscious and intoxicated in a bathroom, clutching a nearly empty vodka bottle.

The first two of these memories are intricately tied to Yelena’s harrowing training within the Red Room, first introduced in Black Widow. They depict scenarios where Yelena prioritizes her own advancement over the safety of her peers, leading to deep-seated guilt that haunts her. Earlier in the film, Yelena reflects on her third memory, revealing her struggles with a recurring cycle of returning home, ruminating on past missteps, and resorting to drinking as a coping mechanism. This moment poignantly illustrates her ongoing battle with the grief stemming from the loss of her adoptive sister, Natasha Romanoff.

Bob Encounters His Childhood & The Origins of the Void

Bob’s Turbulent Childhood Fuels the Emergence of the Void

Bob Reynolds emerges as one of the most compelling characters introduced in the MCU. He is quickly depicted grappling with drug addiction, which leads him to participate in what he believes is a medical trial, ultimately revealing itself to be the Sentry program. Bob’s heart-wrenching origin story results in a fractured psyche, causing him to endure severe depression and grandiose delusions that give rise to the Void upon receiving the powers of the Sentry, with the Void serving as a destructive embodiment of his suppressed emotions.

This heartrending backstory is vividly portrayed in Bob’s first shame room. Although his time in the Void grants him a modicum of safety within an attic-like environment, he finds himself reliving a painful memory of his abusive father unleashing anger on their family during a dinner. Young Bob’s brave attempt to confront his father is met with ridicule, and his mother’s response further deepens the tragedy as she blames him for escalating the situation. A second shame room, infused with comedic undertones, showcases Bob’s past as a sign-spinning chicken while battling a crystal meth addiction.

Later, Bob leads the Thunderbolts to the “worst” shame room, where he witnesses his initial transformation into the Void. In the same Malaysian laboratory that Yelena destroyed earlier in the film, Bob is hunched over in a lab room, flanked by two ominous shadows, indicating that the Void manifested early in his transformation into Sentry. In this pivotal moment, Bob faces off against the Void, succumbing to rage and nearly allowing the darkness to consume him before the Thunderbolts rally together to offer him the affection and care he has long sought.

John Walker Reflects on His Challenges as a Father & Husband

John Walker’s Obsession with His Failures Results in Marital Strain

John Walker’s journey through his shame room occurs earlier than that of many other characters when he rescues Bob from an elevator shaft during their initial escape scene. This glimpse into John Walker’s memory is brief, but as Yelena revisits the same memory she encountered while touching Bob, it is reasonable to assume that Walker also revisits his own memories. This particular memory depicts John Walker engrossed in a scathing article on his phone detailing his fall from grace as Captain America, while simultaneously neglecting his infant son and igniting a fierce argument with his wife, Olivia.

Initially, John Walker deceives his team into believing he maintains a stable family life during his debut scene in Thunderbolts*. However, this facade is later dismantled by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and John’s memory could signify the immediate catalyst for the disintegration of his marriage. This memory further humanizes Walker, revealing him as a vulnerable individual burdened by shame over past decisions that manifest as a brash and abrasive demeanor in public.

Valentina Confronts Her Father’s Murder

He Appears to Be Targeted by Malevolent Entities

In a shocking twist, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine touches Bob’s hand, attempting to charm him after discovering he successfully endured the Sentry program. This encounter triggers a haunting memory from her childhood in Italy, where she unwittingly invites her father’s murderer into their home. After her father reassures her of his safety, she witnesses him open the door to a visitor, only to be shot and killed at point-blank range.

The specifics of Valentina’s traumatic memory remain somewhat ambiguous. However, it is clear that her father was targeted by sinister forces, leading to the belief that de Fontaine continues to grapple with the guilt of feeling responsible for his death. This pivotal event likely shaped her into the steely head of clandestine operations, determined to ensure comprehensive protection and wield superior firepower.

Bucky Likely Confronted One of His Winter Soldier Missions

Bucky Barnes Unwittingly Engaged in Numerous Shameful Acts

Bucky Barnes’ shame room experience is not explicitly depicted on screen; the former Winter Soldier instead makes a quip suggesting his past is harmless. However, this sarcastic remark alludes to the fact that one particularly violent or shameful mission likely occupies his memory. This could refer to any of the numerous assassinations he carried out (as noted by Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier), including the hit on Tony Stark’s parents. Alternatively, it might pertain to his nearly-fatal confrontation with his closest friend, Steve Rogers, during the chaotic events at the Triskelion.

Ghost Likely Relived Her Early SHIELD Experiences or the Death of Her Parents

Ghost Was Also Engaged as a Clandestine Operative

Ghost remains one of the lesser-developed members of the Thunderbolts, particularly as there are no explicit hints regarding her experiences in the Void’s shame rooms. However, based on her portrayal as the antagonist in Ant-Man and the Wasp, it is plausible that Ava Starr revisited the traumatic memory of her parents’ deaths, lamenting that she wished she had perished alongside them during the quantum accident that gifted her with her powers. Alternatively, like Bucky, her history as a covert operative for SHIELD may have implicated her in morally reprehensible actions.

Red Guardian Most Likely Experienced Memories of Yelena & Natasha

Red Guardian Gave Up His Daughters to a Notorious Marvel Villain

Red Guardian delivers one of the most poignant moments in Thunderbolts* through his heartfelt exchanges with Yelena, continually praising her qualities and showering her with affection throughout the film. This deep connection suggests that Red Guardian is likely haunted by the memory of surrendering her and Natasha to the malevolent mastermind of the Red Room, Dreykov, as portrayed in Black Widow. This particular memory stands out as the most shameful experience for viewers, especially since Red Guardian spends significant screen time fondly reminiscing about his past as the Red Guardian during the 1980s, seemingly devoid of regrets regarding that period.

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