So, before we get into it I should probably explain to you all who the Thunderbolts are. The Thunderbolts originally where a team of Supervillains posing as Superheroes. They were formed my Baron Zemo to battle the avengers but before they had a chance to confront  the long time enemies, The Avengers died, along with Fantastic Four.

The death of the Earths Mightiest Heroes created a void for Zemo and his team to fill. Zemo realized that the world needed icons, and that his team could fill that need. By posing as superheroes, they could take the place of the Avengers. With the plan that once the public had truly accepted them his new team could then gain access to all the secrets of the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D.

The plan was going great until the villains started enjoying being heroes and eventually turned on Zemo. They would go onto to be led by former Villain turned hero Hawkeye. Since then, the team has bounced about under various incarnations sometimes they are government backed, sometimes not. But always they are villains turned heroes, or at least villains who are fighting on the side of order.

So why do I suspect that the Thunderbolts will be forming?

Well, Zemo is being sent to the raft, the raft is a prison run by General Ross, AKA General Thunderbolt Ross. Ross himself was a member of the Team as the sort of villainous Red Hulk. And just like Zemo, General Ross does not like Super powered individuals. Well in the comics he does not like them, but in the MCU he has been snubbed by the Avengers on several occasions.

1. Tony Stark in their Marvel one shot
2. Captain America in Civil War
3. War Machine and Captain America in Infinity War
4. Plus, his long-standing rivalry with The Hulk is another reason why he may hate Supers.

I am thinking that this may have given the General an axe to grind with Super-powered vigilantes and villains alike.

Luckily there are a few familiar faces on hand that could be of service. The MCU, Netflix Series, Agents of Shield and HULU based shows have already presented several possible candidates to join the Thunderbolts.

• Ghost – though cured at the end of Ant-Man and The Wasp she may be forced to work for the group.
• Luke Cage – Unsure of his MCU status but when last we saw him, he was head of a criminal empire
• Mister Hyde -Unlikely to appear due to how his arc was completed in Agents of Shield
• Winter Soldier – This is a possibility
• Bartok – If he survives Falcon and Winter soldier maybe he will join looking to get some pay back
• Bullseye – Left broken and alive at the end of Daredevil Season 3
• Elektra – MIA from the finale at the end of the Defenders
• Crossbones was also a member but currently he is listed as KIA, but in the world of the MCU this is not a definitive end.
• Cloak and Dagger where also members but unlikely for so many reasons.
• And lastly there is Taskmaster who is likely the Villain of The Black Widow movie.

Also, who else is currently in The Raft. Well both Diamondback and Hellcat are there.

For the majority of these characters to work the MCU would need to acknowledge the existence of the Netflix series and also Agents of Shield, which is an issue. Though the MCU could use Phase 4 to introduce a host of new characters to fill out this team. Captain Marvel 2 could easily give us Moonstone, the next Ant-Man and The Wasp could lead us too a villainous Ant-Man or Atlas. Armour Wars or Iron Heart could lead to Mach 1 and Song Bird AKA Screaming Mimi could be brought in Via She-Hulk. 

Still, I feel like this is the direction they are going with Zemo and Ross and it would give us an interesting origin for the group’s name.

The only thing that holds this group back is that the MCU might want to do a Dark Avengers storyline and if they do that then this might run a little too close in concept. But if handled correctly both could easily exist.

Would this be something that you would want to see in the MCU?