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Warning: This text accommodates spoilers for Thunderbolts*

Thunderbolts* has lastly arrived, kicking off the 2025 summer time film season and delivering a enjoyable, fulfilling entry within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. By way of a mixture of sensible stunts, nice actors, and a surprisingly deep exploration of despair, Thunderbolts* looks like a breath of contemporary air for the MCU. A part of its success might be boiled all the way down to returning to the central thought the MCU was primarily based on: taking lesser-known heroes and making the viewers care about them by pairing them off in fascinating dynamic methods. This franchise made the D-list heroes The Guardians of the Galaxy family names, and has efficiently made the Thunderbolts all among the MCU’s finest characters… that’s, besides one.

Sure, within the worst-kept spoiler in MCU historical past, Antonia Dreykov, a.okay.a. Taskmaster, bites the bullet early on. Regardless of being a part of the preliminary crew announcement at D23, the assorted trailers present she wouldn’t make it previous the crew’s preliminary showdown. Although the primary trailer featured her when the crew gathered at Avengers Tower, all subsequent trailers did not even appear to hassle to CGI her in. Actress Olga Kurylenko reveals off her expertise earlier than Ghost kills her, and other than one temporary point out in a while, is ignored and forgotten. That is definitely disappointing, and essentially the most important mark towards the film is the killing of Taskmaster, which not solely robs the movie of probably thrilling new developments for the character but additionally looks like a solution to pander to followers whereas ignoring the sturdy inventive alternative in Black Widow, leading to a lackluster and merciless farewell to one of many MCU’s most tragic figures.

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Taskmaster Had a Lot of Story Potential

The largest problem with killing Taskmaster is that each one the thrilling new dynamics that might have been explored together with her teammates have been reduce quick. A part of the enchantment of a crew mission is seeing members discover widespread floor and type new dynamics, and Taskmaster had loads of potential bonds that might have fleshed out her character. There may be, in fact, Yelena. Whereas Yelena does appear shocked by Taskmaster’s demise and has a short second within the movie to mourn her loss, it feels comparatively minor, significantly given every little thing she is aware of about Taskmaster’s tragic backstory as a fellow baby soldier like herself. How Yelena and Taskmaster really feel about one another following the occasions of Black Widow might have been fascinating to discover.

Then, a possible dynamic between Antonia’s Taskmaster and Alexi Shostakov, aka The Purple Guardian, might be explored. Black Widow established that Alexi was as soon as buddies with Antonia’s father, Basic Dreykov. Nevertheless, Dreykov turned on Alexi and threw him in a Russian jail. Black Widow juxtaposed Alexi’s love for his adopted daughters Natasha and Yelena with Dreykov’s remedy of his daughter. With Antonia’s sophisticated relationship together with her father, she might have discovered Alexi to be a possible surrogate father determine who cared for her greater than her father ever did. Antonia was final seen within the care of Alexi, Yelena, and Melina Vostokoff in Black Widow, so there was already room to construct a beforehand established historical past.

Rumors for Thunderbolts* advised a friendship between Taskmaster and Ava Starr / Ghost. This now feels ironic provided that Ghost is the one who kills Taskmaster. But there definitely might have been one thing to discover, as each suffered life-altering tragedies at a younger age. As a substitute of getting the correct care they wanted, they have been manipulated and changed into weapons. Whereas Ghost is the dwelling member of the Thunderbolts who possible receives the least improvement within the movie, the film establishes her as sarcastic, so it might have been enjoyable to juxtapose her with Antonia, who appears quieter and extra reserved.

Essentially the most obvious character that Taskmaster might have developed a bond with is Bucky Barnes / The Winter Soldier. Each Bucky and Antonia had their free will taken away and changed into dwelling weapons, beneath the management of people that did not take care of them. Whereas it’s unknown what Antonia’s life was like after Black Widow, like Bucky, she possible had an excessive amount of trauma to work by and should by no means have been in a position to overcome it. Bucky might have been a personality to assist her notice she is greater than only a killing machine, and mustn’t blame herself for the crimes her father made her do. Bucky may also help somebody who went by an identical expertise, permitting the Winter Soldier to tackle a mentor position and assist develop Taskmaster, redefining the character. That has lots of storytelling potential, however the MCU seemingly threw that away, and it definitely sours Thunderbolts* a bit.

Taskmaster’s Dying Clashes Onerous With ‘Black Widow’ and ‘Thunderbolts*’ Message

Taskmaster’s demise in Thunderbolts* is fast, however inside the context of the movie and her earlier MCU entry, Black Widow, it’s a reasonably bleak ending for the character. Killing Taskmaster clashes with the ending of Black Widow, which purposely spared her as a result of it realized she was a sufferer of her father and deserved a second likelihood at life. After being denied her bodily autonomy, she was lastly in a position to forge her personal path, whose story now ends together with her dying, and everybody, together with Yelena, says, “She had a tough life.”

It additionally appears at odds with among the broader themes Thunderbolts* desires to sort out. Thunderbolts* explores the assorted characters’ darkish pasts and provides them an opportunity to point out they’re greater than these actions. Whereas characters like Yelena, Bob Reynolds, and John Walker/U.S. Agent obtain extra improvement than Bucky Barnes or Ghost, all of them are given key moments to disclose a brand new human facet to characters that the world, and by extension, many followers, noticed as disposable. Regardless of followers eager to label Thunderbolts* as “Marvel’s Suicide Squad,” there’s real take care of the characters, which reveals they’ve loads to dwell for and provide the world, and in a bigger meta sense, the franchise. Taskmaster, although, just isn’t provided that likelihood.

The demise additionally feels merciless. She just isn’t given the possibility to discover a newfound sense of goal or friendship like the opposite characters. Given every little thing audiences find out about Taskmaster, a younger lady victimized by a bombing and later turned by her father right into a killing machine towards her will, it’s disheartening to see her killed off in a short second with little to no acknowledgment; it does not sit proper. Why kill Taskmaster? What’s the story’s goal? What was the purpose in bringing in Taskmaster for this film? Director Jake Schreier stated in an interview with Section Hero‘s Brandon Davis that the demise was:

“The film simply felt slightly cold. It simply felt like in a film like this, like certain, it isn’t going to be R-rated, however for those who’re not taking anybody off the board, for those who’re not introducing that sense, then are you actually giving it the strain that it must operate? And so yeah, it is a sacrifice and a tragic one… I did not take any pleasure in doing it.”

But the query is, why Taskmaster particularly? Why was she extra worthy to die than, say, John Walker? Or many different MCU characters, like Zemo, whom Marvel seemingly has no plans for. That could be essentially the most troubling facet, as a result of it looks like Taskmaster was solely included to die.

Killing Taskmaster Feels Like an Overcorrection

The choice to kill Taskmaster in Thunderbolts* looks like Marvel’s try to “repair” the character following fan complaints after Black Widow‘s launch. The Taskmaster of the MCU is drastically totally different from that of Marvel Comics. Within the comics, Taskmaster is Anthony “Tony” Masters, a mercenary typically employed by different criminals as muscle or to coach their henchmen. He’s usually recognized for having a humorousness and being a formidable foe to the Avengers. The MCU retained Taskmaster’s means to repeat any transfer they see, however opted for a extra ruthless, Terminator-like angle, with the character having a tragic backstory tied to the MCU’s Purple Room and Black Widow’s actions.

It was a daring and inventive alternative that works nicely inside the movie’s context. Nevertheless, many followers cried foul, eager to see a extra comic-accurate model of the character. When Marvel Studios introduced they have been together with Taskmaster in Thunderbolts*, it at first appeared like a sign that Marvel Studios was sticking to their new model of Taskmaster but additionally have been prepared to possibly make some modifications to the character, presumably utilizing the movie to revamp their picture alongside the remainder of the previous supporting characters that make up the crew. Nevertheless, rumors rapidly unfold that Thunderbolts* was being written to tone down components from the Black Widow movie, and it could’t assist however really feel like Taskmaster was a kind of casualties. In that interview with Section Hero, director Jake Schreier stated the choice got here when the movie was on hiatus because of the SAG-AFTRA strikes, with him saying:

“I would not say that it is capricious and I would not say that it is tossing something out. I might say that as unhappy as it’s to try this, additionally it is utilizing a demise to attempt to inform the remainder of our theme and what occurs with the remainder of our characters. And Olga [Kurylenko] was an actual sport to point out up and shoot that with us, as a result of it isn’t simple to try this in that circumstance.”

Nevertheless, killing the Taskmaster so rapidly and with little fanfare makes it really feel just like the MCU is setting the stage to introduce “the true” Taskmaster. Marvel has executed this earlier than, most notably after the daring inventive swing they took with The Mandarin in Iron Man 3 to disclose the true model of the character, who was nonetheless alive and have become the first villain in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. But the MCU managed to try this with a bit extra grace, provided that Wenwu in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings shares many similarities with the Mandarin character from the comics, however nonetheless alters many components, together with not being known as The Mandarin and even mocking the identify. Shang-Chi additionally acknowledges Iron Man 3, that includes the pretend Mandarin, performed by Ben Kingsley, in a major position. It does not really feel like erasing Iron Man 3‘s model however constructing on it.

Killing off Taskmaster can not help however really feel just like the MCU can now introduce Tony Masters and have him undertake the persona of Taskmaster. This manner, followers will not be mad that the MCU “ruined” or “wasted” Taskmaster. It looks like an inexpensive solution to appease followers upset with the MCU’s adaptational modifications. It ignores sturdy storytelling avenues for the sake of useless constancy to the supply materials. After excluding some notable feminine superheroes from the Avengers: Doomsday forged, it appears possible that Marvel Studios is taking the incorrect classes. Although Schreier says it was executed for storytelling functions, and we’re prepared to satisfy him midway on that, it nonetheless feels unlucky. The one waste of Taskmaster was killing her off rapidly in Thunderbolts* and denying her story an opportunity to proceed. Thunderbolts* is in theaters now.