Part 4/12:

However, beneath these laudable intentions lies a confusing and, at times, poorly executed roster of characters. The Thunderbolts team comprises mostly rejects from other Marvel stories, including characters introduced in Black Widow, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Hawkeye. Notably, the film opts to exclude key characters like Daniel Brühl’s Baron Zemo, despite his prominence in the comics and previous MCU appearances.

Instead, the film features a mishmash of personalities: Yolena (White Widow), John Walker (US Agent), Ghost, the Red Guardian, and Bucky Barnes. Many of these characters serve as placeholders or misfits rather than fully realized heroes, and their inclusion often seems motivated more by nostalgia or superficial diversity goals than narrative coherence.