When heroes fall and villains rise, a new kind of team is born—the Thunderbolts. Unlike the Avengers, this crew isn’t built on honor or glory. They’re forged from the shadows, made up of anti-heroes, ex-villains, and government weapons with a mission that blurs the line between right and wrong.
With the MCU officially bringing the Thunderbolts to life, fans are buzzing with excitement—and questions. Who are they? What makes them powerful enough to face global threats? And why are they being trusted with Earth’s most dangerous missions?
In this blog, we break down every major Thunderbolts member—from comic legends to their live-action counterparts—and explore the powers, abilities, and secrets that make this team so unpredictable.
Here’s a detailed list of every major Thunderbolts member (from comics and MCU) along with their powers and abilities. The Thunderbolts lineup has changed many times, so I’ll include the most notable members across versions, including those in the upcoming MCU Thunderbolts (2025) movie.
🔴 MCU Thunderbolts (2025) Core Team Members
| Character | Powers & Abilities |
|---|---|
| Yelena Belova | Expert spy and assassin, peak human agility, combat and weapons master (trained by Red Room). |
| Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier) | Super-soldier strength, enhanced durability, vibranium cybernetic arm, combat expert. |
| Red Guardian (Alexei Shostakov) | Russian super-soldier, enhanced strength and durability, skilled hand-to-hand combatant. |
| Ghost (Ava Starr) | Quantum intangibility and invisibility (can phase through solid objects), stealth expert. |
| Taskmaster (Antonia Dreykov) | Photographic reflexes (can mimic any fighting style), expert in weapons and combat. |
| U.S. Agent (John Walker) | Super-soldier strength, endurance, tactical combat training, uses a shield like Captain America. |
| Valentina Allegra de Fontaine | No powers. High-level government manipulator and strategist (Nick Fury-like role). |
🔵 Notable Comic Book Thunderbolts Members
1. Baron Zemo (Helmut Zemo)
- Powers: No superpowers. Genius-level strategist, swordsman, manipulator. Often leads the team.
2. Moonstone (Karla Sofen)
- Powers: Flight, super strength, energy projection, intangibility, gravity manipulation (via alien moonstone).
3. Songbird (Melissa Gold)
- Powers: Sonic screams, solid sound constructs (can create objects and wings), flight.
4. Mach-X (Abe Jenkins)
- Powers: Powered armor suit with flight, weapons, and tech systems (similar to Iron Man-lite).
5. Atlas (Erik Josten)
- Powers: Size-shifting (can grow giant), super strength and durability.
6. Fixer (Paul Norbert Ebersol)
- Powers: Tech genius, creates advanced gadgets, weapons, and armor.
7. Punisher (Frank Castle)
- Powers: No powers. Military veteran, expert marksman, tactician, master of guerrilla warfare.
8. Deadpool (Wade Wilson)
- Powers: Accelerated healing, enhanced agility and strength, expert swordsman and marksman, unpredictable.
9. Elektra Natchios
- Powers: No powers. Master assassin, ninja skills, enhanced agility, stealth, and hand-to-hand combat.
10. Venom (Mac Gargan)
- Powers: Symbiote powers – strength, shapeshifting, wall-crawling, web-slinging, healing, camouflage.
11. Norman Osborn (Iron Patriot)
- Powers: Wears advanced battle armor like Iron Man, genius intellect, manipulative leader.
🟣 Other Variants and Temporary Members
| Character | Powers |
|---|---|
| Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) | Peak human agility, spy skills, martial arts, gadget use. |
| Hawkeye (Clint Barton) | Master archer, weapons expert, tactical skills. |
| Juggernaut (Cain Marko) | Superhuman strength, invulnerability, unstoppable once in motion. |
| Bullseye | Deadly accuracy with any object, expert assassin. |
| Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes) | Hellfire manipulation, demon powers, near-invincible in spirit form. |
The Thunderbolts aren’t your typical team of capes and catchphrases. They’re flawed, dangerous, and unpredictable—but that’s what makes them so compelling. Whether they’re trying to redeem themselves or just survive the mission, every Thunderbolt brings a unique power and purpose to the table.
As Marvel dives deeper into darker, more complex stories, the Thunderbolts stand ready to challenge everything we know about heroes and villains. Their powers may be impressive—but it’s their inner battles that could change the MCU forever.
So buckle up—because with this team, one thing’s for sure: you never know who the real threat is.
