Thunderbolts* (2025) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

Expendable operatives become a reluctant team and overcome a supernatural crisis through trust, shared trauma, and collective compassion.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

The Disposable Operatives

Yelena destroys a Kuala Lumpur laboratory for Valentina, while a group of operatives is sent into a lethal O.X.E. facility. The survivors discover that the mission is designed to erase both people and evidence.

Key Events

• Kuala Lumpur Laboratory Raid — Yelena destroys the laboratory to erase evidence of Valentina's Sentry project. Characters: Yelena Belova, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine Location: Kuala Lumpur laboratory
• The Operatives Receive Orders — Valentina sends four operatives into the facility with orders to kill one another. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr, Antonia Dreykov, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine Location: Covert O.X.E. facility
• Facility Battle — The operatives fight one another inside the facility. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr, Antonia Dreykov Location: Covert O.X.E. facility
• Antonia Falls — Ava kills Antonia during the escalating fight. Characters: Ava Starr, Antonia Dreykov Location: Covert O.X.E. facility
• The Suspended Volunteer Awakens — An amnesiac volunteer is released from a suspended animation pod. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr Location: O.X.E. laboratory chamber

Escape From The Cover-Up

The surviving operatives cooperate after recognizing Valentina's betrayal. An amnesiac volunteer displays unexplained powers, and Alexei rescues the group from the compound.

Key Events

• The Facility Is A Trap — The survivors realize Valentina intends to destroy them with the evidence. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr Location: O.X.E. laboratory
• Visions Through Contact — Physical contact with the volunteer exposes Yelena and Walker to painful memories. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker Location: O.X.E. laboratory
• Escape From The Compound — The survivors cooperate to escape Valentina's destruction plan. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr Location: O.X.E. facility grounds
• Diversion Under Fire — The volunteer draws enemy fire, allowing Yelena, Walker, and Ava to escape. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr Location: O.X.E. compound
• The Watchtower Captivity — Valentina takes the volunteer to the Watchtower for a public relations campaign. Characters: Valentina Allegra de Fontaine Location: Watchtower, Manhattan
• Alexei Rescues The Survivors — Alexei rescues Yelena, Walker, and Ava after overhearing Valentina's plot. Characters: Alexei Shostakov, Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr Location: Safe transport route

A Team Without A Banner

Walker names the group the Thunderbolts, while Bucky captures them for an impeachment investigation. Mel's warning redirects the group toward the Watchtower and Valentina's public scheme.

Key Events

• The Thunderbolts Name — Walker names the improvised group the Thunderbolts after Yelena's childhood soccer team. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr, Alexei Shostakov Location: Safe vehicle
• Bucky Captures The Team — Bucky captures the group and plans to use them as impeachment witnesses. Characters: Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr Location: Unknown holding site
• Mel Warns Bucky — Mel informs Bucky about the operation and expresses concern about the volunteer. Characters: Mel, Bucky Barnes, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine Location: Government offices
• Infiltrating The Watchtower — Bucky takes the group to New York to infiltrate the Watchtower. Characters: Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr Location: Watchtower, Manhattan
• The Public Hero Project — The group discovers Valentina has turned the volunteer into a public super-powered protector. Characters: Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr Location: Watchtower

The Void Over New York

Valentina attempts to use the super-powered volunteer as a public protector. The failsafe triggers the Void, which covers New York in darkness and forces civilians into traumatic visions.

Key Events

• The Team Is Overpowered — The super-powered volunteer defeats the Thunderbolts but refuses Valentina's order to kill them. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine Location: Watchtower
• The Void Emerges — Mel activates the failsafe, triggering the destructive Void and its expanding darkness. Characters: Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, Mel Location: Watchtower
• New York In Darkness — The Void engulfs New York and traps citizens in traumatic visions. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr, Bucky Barnes Location: New York City
• Yelena Enters The Darkness — Yelena enters the darkness to reach the volunteer's consciousness. Characters: Yelena Belova Location: Void-enshrouded New York

Belief In The Darkness

Yelena enters the volunteer's consciousness and confronts memories connected to her own past. The team reaches the core trauma together and helps the volunteer regain control of the Void.

Key Events

• Yelena Enters The Darkness — Yelena enters the darkness to reach the volunteer's consciousness. Characters: Yelena Belova Location: Void-enshrouded New York
• The Childhood Bedroom — Yelena finds the volunteer hiding in a recreation of his childhood bedroom. Characters: Yelena Belova Location: Recreated childhood bedroom
• The Team Faces Trauma — The team confronts traumatic memories and drug addiction while seeking the Sentry procedure memory. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr, Bucky Barnes Location: Internal memory landscape
• The Embrace Against The Void — The Thunderbolts embrace the volunteer and affirm their belief, helping him overcome the Void. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr, Bucky Barnes Location: Memory of the Kuala Lumpur laboratory
• Light Returns To New York — The darkness disappears and the traumatized victims are freed. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr, Bucky Barnes Location: New York City
• The New Avengers Announcement — Valentina presents the team as the New Avengers and claims credit for their actions. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr, Bucky Barnes, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine Location: Press conference
• The Watchtower Detects A Ship — Fourteen months later, the Watchtower detects an extra-dimensional spacecraft marked with a large four. Characters: Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr, Bucky Barnes Location: Watchtower

Story Breakdown

• Valentina's Cover-Up — Valentina tries to erase evidence of the O.X.E. project and protect herself from impeachment.
  • Kuala Lumpur Raid — Yelena destroys the laboratory and its evidence on Valentina's orders.
  • Disposable Operatives — Valentina sends Yelena, Walker, Ava, and Antonia into a lethal facility trap.
• The Facility Trap — The operatives turn against one another before recognizing that Valentina intends to eliminate them all.
  • Antonia's Death — Ava kills Antonia during the initial battle.
  • Pod Awakening — An amnesiac volunteer is released from suspended animation.
• Forced Alliance — The survivors cooperate to escape and become connected by shared danger.
  • Escape Under Fire — The volunteer draws enemy fire so Yelena, Walker, and Ava can flee.
  • Alexei's Rescue — Alexei rescues Yelena and the surviving operatives.
• The Thunderbolts Form — The group receives a name while Bucky and Mel become involved in exposing Valentina.
  • The Team Name — Walker names the group after Yelena's childhood soccer team.
  • Bucky's Investigation — Bucky captures the team for testimony and redirects them toward the Watchtower.
• Watchtower Betrayal — Valentina turns the volunteer into a public symbol, but her control collapses.
  • Public Relations Scheme — Valentina plans to present the super-powered volunteer as a protector like the Avengers.
  • The Failsafe Trigger — Mel activates the kill switch, causing the Void to emerge.
• The Void Crisis — The Void engulfs New York and traps citizens inside traumatic memories.
  • Citywide Darkness — Supernatural darkness spreads through New York.
  • Trauma Visions — The victims are imprisoned in visions of their own painful memories.
• Yelena's Descent — Yelena enters the internal darkness and confronts both the volunteer's trauma and her own haunted past.
  • Childhood Bedroom — Yelena finds the volunteer hiding in a recreated childhood bedroom.
  • Memory Of The Procedure — The team reaches the memory of the Kuala Lumpur Sentry procedure.
• Collective Redemption — The Thunderbolts defeat the Void not through force but by affirming their belief in the person at its center.
  • The Team's Embrace — The group hugs the volunteer and helps him regain control.
  • Light Returns — The darkness disappears and New York's victims are freed.
• A Stolen Victory — Valentina appropriates the team's success while the group gains leverage over her.
  • New Avengers Branding — Valentina presents the Thunderbolts as the New Avengers at a press conference.
  • Yelena's Warning — Yelena privately tells Valentina that the team now has power over her.
• Cosmic Sequel Threat — Fourteen months later, the new team faces political conflict and an unexplained extraterrestrial arrival.
  • Avengers Trademark Dispute — The team discusses a feud with Sam Wilson's Avengers and a trademark lawsuit.
  • The Marked Spacecraft — The Watchtower detects an extra-dimensional spacecraft carrying a large four emblem.

Directed by

Jake Schreier

Key Cast

• Florence Pugh — Yelena Belova
• Sebastian Stan — Bucky Barnes
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus — Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
• Lewis Pullman — Robert Reynolds
• David Harbour — Alexei Shostakov