You Knew Taskmaster Was Dying All Along

Attention! This article reveals plot twists from Thunderbolts*. The most significant death within this series wasn’t just predictable but also more heart-wrenching than anticipated. Apart from Lewis Pullman’s character Bob, all members of the Thunderbolts squad featured in previous Marvel Cinematic Universe productions to varying extents. In Thunderbolts*, Ghost, Red Guardian, Yelena Belova, and John Walker are given larger, more heroic roles, serving as temporary replacements for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes when an official Avengers team is absent. Unbeknownst to them, the Thunderbolts eventually assume the role of the New Avengers by the end of their film.

In the course of their joint film, the Thunderbolts suffered only a single fatality. After transitioning into the New Avengers, there’s a strong possibility they will combine forces with Sam Wilson’s team to restore the original Avengers. However, an alternate scenario could see them returning to their roots as the Thunderbolts in a potential sequel titled “Thunderbolts” post-“Avengers: Doomsday” or “Avengers: Secret Wars”. Regardless of the path taken, it’s likely that the Thunderbolts will maintain close ties following their initial movie. What seems unusual, though, is that they executed one prospective teammate and seemingly ignored the incident afterwards.

Taskmaster’s Thunderbolts* Death Seemed To Be Inevitable Long Before The Movie Actually Released

Marvel Made It Very Obvious Taskmaster Wouldn’t Survive For Long

The scarcity of Taskmaster in the trailers and promotional materials for Thunderbolts*, where she only appeared in two scenes and was always depicted with a mask, while the rest of the team was shown without masks, fueled speculation about her role in the film. Additionally, Taskmaster actor Olga Kurylenko’s minimal presence in the marketing and interviews for Thunderbolts* further supported the theory that she would likely meet an early demise in the movie and have a part smaller than a main one.

I Was Expecting Taskmaster’s Death, But Not How Early It Happened

Thunderbolts* Negates Taskmaster’s Distinctive Abilities Just To Kill Her Off

As a die-hard cinema enthusiast, I must say that the Thunderbolts from the Marvel Cinematic Universe boast an impressively cohesive set of talents. This motley crew of anti-heroes features two super soldiers, three deadly assassins, and one agile phantom thief. While Ghost’s phase-shifting prowess is undeniably striking, it’s Taskmaster who, theoretically, could outshine them all in combat skills. You see, Taskmaster has the uncanny ability to mimic the fighting style, agility, weapon expertise, and reflexes of any opponent she faces. In theory, she could outmaneuver US Agent (John Walker) in hand-to-hand combat with a shield, outmatch Yelena Belova in martial arts, and predict every move her adversaries might make against her. It’s quite fascinating!

In Black Widow’s portrayal, it was revealed that Taskmaster acquired a variety of skills from the Avengers, such as Hawkeye’s archery and Black Panther’s combat style. In Thunderbolts, she quickly mimicked the fighting abilities of the assembled group. However, in an unexpected turn of events, Ghost fatally shot Taskmaster before the rest of the anti-heroes made off with her equipment, leaving her body to be destroyed in Val’s vault. The movie then proceeded without further mention of Taskmaster.

Why Taskmaster Dies So Early In Thunderbolts*

Thunderbolts Justifies Taskmaster’s Death With A Passing Mention

Following their departure from the vault, John Walker, Yelena, and Ghost ponder how they were deceived by Val, with Ghost expressing sorrow for his actions against Taskmaster. Yelena shares that Antonia Dreykov had a sorrowful past, which somewhat softens her towards the group, but Taskmaster’s character is only subtly hinted at again. It appears that the demise of Taskmaster was orchestrated to heighten the risks and demonstrate the good fortune of each anti-hero in getting another opportunity within the Thunderbolts team. However, the predictable nature of Taskmaster’s death as portrayed in the marketing for Thunderbolts undercuts this effect.

In many superhero productions, they employ a consistent technique to generate the impression of genuine repercussions. For example, in _The Avengers_, Phil Coulson was killed, Quicksilver died in _Avengers: Age of Ultron_, and Loki met his end in _Avengers: Infinity War_. Regrettably, Thunderbolts didn’t allow Taskmaster to fully develop as a character before taking her life, preserving an air of peril for the team. However, this tactic often falls flat because characters usually return from the dead or the main characters seem unphased by the casualties.

2025-05-03 23:21