'Thunderbolts*': Fans Fear For Taskmaster.. But There May Be Hope

With a brand new trailer airing during the Superbowl, fan excitement is growing for upcoming MCU film Thunderbolts*, focusing on a team of Marvel anti-heroes forced to work together in the face of an unexpected threat. In comics, The Thunderbolts are seen by some fans as an equivalent to DC's Suicide Squad, and for that reason, there have been questions over whether the whole team will survive the film.

Fans have pinpointed one character in particular as being in more danger than the others: Taskmaster, played by Olga Kurylenko. However, there may be hope for her yet. Let's take a quick look back at Taskmaster's previous MCU history, why fans think she is in danger, and why hope isn't lost.

Who is Taskmaster?

Taskmaster first appeared in the 2021 Black Widow film. A character with the ability to perfectly mimic any skill and fighting style they have observed (including most of Natasha Romanoff's Avenger allies), Taskmaster initially appears to be a simple, albeit dangerous, minion of the film's major villain, Dreykov, the head of the Red Room.

However, a twist in the final act reveals that Taskmaster is actually Dreykov's daughter, Antonia, whom Natasha believed to have been killed as collateral damage in her earlier attempt to assassinate Dreykov. Instead, she had been left with a brain injury that caused her mimic abilities, prompting Dreykov to use her as an assassin, keeping her under the same chemical-based mind control to which he subjects the Black Widows.

Antonia's death is one of many that haunts Natasha, so, even though she doggedly pursues and battles her as the mind-controlled Taskmaster, Nat refuses to leave her behind when the Red Room is crashing. Discovering a vial of remaining antidote, Natasha manages to free Antonia from her evil Father's mind control. The other freed Widows take her to safety with them before Secretary Ross and his forces arrive in search of Natasha.

Why are fans worried for Taskmaster?

So, why are fans so concerned about Antonia's future? Well, while the character, suited up as Taskmaster, appears in both theatrical posters for the film so far, she has a very limited presence in the current two trailers.

Fans have noted that Taskmaster only seems to appear during the initial meeting/trap that the soon-to-be-team (minus Bucky) are individually lured into, and the subsequent meeting with Valentina Allegra De Fontaine in the building once known as Avengers Tower.

While there are plenty of other group shots in the trailers, Taskmaster does not appear to be present for any of them.

The character's absence has lead some fans to speculate that Taskmaster could be an early sacrifice to demonstrate the danger posed by The Void, the dark side of Bob/Sentry, and likely the main threat the Thunderbolts will face in the film.

If Antonia is lost, it could potentially be a blow for Yelena, who's last conversation with her late sister, Natasha, involved an agreement that the freed Widows would look out for each other.

Why there may some hope for Taskmaster

Thankfully, as mentioned earlier, there may still be some hope for Taskmaster yet. Most of the theories surrounding the character's potential demise involve Antonia being absorbed into the Void. However, a shot in the latest trailer for Thunderbolts* appears to depict Yelena Belova willingly stepping towards the Void as it approaches.

Yelena, played by Academy Award nominee Florence Pugh, has been a fan favourite since her debut in Black Widow. She is also set to be an important figure in the future of the MCU, with the cast members of Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, and Fantastic Four: First Steps already slated to appear in Avengers: Doomsday.

So, if entering the Void automatically means death, it seems unlikely that Marvel Studios would allow a character as valuable as Yelena to do so. Some fans speculate that Yelena may enter the Void in the hope of rescuing Antonia from it, perhaps as a way to continue honoring Natasha's legacy. This would fit with previous reports that despite her death, Natasha remains a presence in Thunderbolts* through conversations between Yelena and their Foster Father Alexei Shostakov, aka the Red Guardian.

We can't wait to see how everything unfolds when Thunderbolts* hits theatres in May!