The ‘Thunderbolts*’ Post-Credits Scene Is Marvel's Most Significant Tag in Years

This story contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*, including the ending and the post-credits scene.

The majority of Phase 4 and 5 Marvel movies have featured tags that ended up in a coin toss as it relates to their importance. Some, like the introduction of the X-Men universe at the end of The Marvels, feel like the introduction of something much larger. Others, like Harry Styles’ cameo at the end of Eternals—remember that?!—less so. But for the first time in quite a while, the post-credits sequence of a Marvel movie feels essential, thanks to Thunderbolts*.

After the end of the film reveals that the team—which consists of Red Guardian (David Harbour), Yelena (Florence Pugh), John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Bob (Lewis Pullman), and Bucky (Sebastian Stan)—are now calling themselves the New Avengers, the nearly three-minute long post-credits sequence jumps forward 14 months. As the team re-enters the old Stark tower in NYC, now their home base, the crew bicker over the fact that Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie, only referenced by his character name) is threatening to sue the squad over a potential copyright infringement.

Amid the cross-talk, Yelena mentions an ongoing set of space anomalies that’s leading to an overall “space crisis,” due to the fact that some sort of new vessel has entered the galaxy. Once the team is able to get a visual, the camera cuts to a retro-future rocket, which is then confirmed (both visually and by the inclusion of the Michael Giacchino theme) to be the Fantastic Four, who have somehow found their way to the main Marvel universe.

Considering the fact that we knew Marvel’s first family will appear in Avengers: Doomsday, it’s not a shock to see the Four show up, but the circumstances of their sudden arrival are worth considering. In our esteemed opinion, there are a handful of likely reasons why they’re here, some bleaker than others. It’s possible that during their debut film, the FF discovers the Multiverse and sets out to chart it, stumbling upon the main-line Marvel universe in the process. It’s also possible they’re coming to warn Marvel’s heroes of a greater threat, whether it’s incursions, Dr. Doom’s impending plan, or something else. But it’s also possible that the team are multiversal refugees whose own universe has been destroyed, either by Galactus or Doom.

Regardless of the specifics, the FF are now, quite literally, on the radar of an Avengers team (copyright infringement notwithstanding), and the stage is set for both Fantastic Four and Doomsday. After years of post-credits sequences that led nowhere, it’s nice for audiences to know they’ll get a proper answer as to what exactly is happening when Fantastic Four releases on July 25.