After years of wandering through half-baked multiverse plots and side characters nobody asked for, Thunderbolts might’ve finally done what five years of Marvel storytelling couldn’t — reminded us why we cared about the MCU in the first place.

Yes, we said it.

The post-credits scene in Thunderbolts isn’t just the longest in Marvel’s history — it’s a course correction. A signal flare. A long-overdue answer to the burning question haunting fans since Avengers: Endgame: what is all this even building toward?

Let’s be real. Since Tony Stark snapped his fingers and Thanos turned to dust, the MCU has felt like a sprawling series of disconnected trailers masquerading as movies. The so-called Multiverse Saga — tangled up in cameos, variants, and more timelines than we needed — has left fans dazed, confused, and emotionally detached.

Sure, some of that chaos came from outside the MCU. Jonathan Majors’ abrupt exit in 2023 derailed Marvel’s original plan to crown Kang as the next big bad. But truthfully, the cracks were already showing. There was no clear direction, no Thanos-style throughline, just experimental projects and origin stories in a cinematic universe that used to thrive on momentum.

Enter Thunderbolts. And specifically, its post-credits bombshell.

Set over a year after the end of Phase 5, the scene gives us a glimpse of the so-called “New Avengers” (or New Avengerz, if Marvel wants to avoid a cease-and-desist). They’re chilling in Avengers Tower — tracksuits and all — and discussing Bucky’s failed attempt to reconnect with Sam Wilson, who apparently has his own Avengers squad now.

Interesting? Definitely. But it gets better.

As the team analyzes a mysterious signal from space, Yelena pulls up satellite footage — and boom: a ship from the Fantastic Four is seen hurtling toward Earth. That’s the real plot twist. And suddenly, everything starts to click.

Remember the wild tease at the end of The Marvels with Kelsey Grammer’s Beast? Or the random incursion talk in Doctor Strange 2? Or even Captain America: Brave New World tossing in The Leader and a vague “they’re coming” warning?

Before, those felt like isolated Easter eggs. Now, thanks to Thunderbolts, they feel like pieces of one collapsing puzzle — like the multiverse isn’t just expanding, it’s imploding. Finally.

In just under three minutes, Marvel planted the seeds of Doomsday, Secret Wars, and possibly something even darker. It gave the multiverse weight. And if that’s Doctor Doom arriving in that ship instead of Reed Richards? Even better. Let’s talk threats.

Tony Stark coming back as Doctor Doom (yes, Downey Jr. — not a drill) might sound wild, but it’s the kind of chaotic twist the MCU needs. Not just nostalgia or big cameos, but serious villain energy. That Loki or Thanos kind of menace.

Because let’s be honest: Marvel hasn’t made us feel stakes in years. Not really.

But now, things are aligning. Not perfectly. Not fully. But enough to say this:

The MCU finally looks like it’s going somewhere again.

We’re not just waiting for livestream announcements and Comic-Con logos anymore. With Thunderbolts, Marvel has taken its first real step back toward what made Infinity War and Endgame legendary — long-term planning, interconnected stories, and characters who feel like they’re on a shared path toward something huge.

If the rest of Phase 6 keeps that same energy, Avengers: Doomsday might just hit harder than expected.

For now? Thunderbolts gave us a ship, a spark, and a new direction. Let’s hope Marvel doesn’t fumble it.


By WafricNews Desk.