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⚡ Can Thunderbolts Bring Back the Heart of the MCU?
Thunderbolts opens this weekend, and the spark of something new in the film's ragtag team may give Marvel just the boost it needs to win back audiences.
Michael Ahr
April 29, 2025
Tuesday Edition April 29, 2025
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Who can you trust? The tension around this question seems to be at the heart of a lot of the entertainment we’re enjoying at the moment. A betrayal can become a motivation for characters rising above it, as in the story arc of Thunderbolts who are recruited for a suicide mission, or it can be a fracture in a relationship in need of healing, as is the case with Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us season 2.
A lack of trust can leave an unrealized betrayal hanging like a storm cloud, as seen in the darkening one gathering around June and her former enslaver Serena in The Handmaid’s Tale. And, of course, betrayal can be at the heart of every political machination among royals in shows like House of the Dragon, which recently announced some new cast members for season three.
As viewers, we either want to see vengeance served or redemption earned. Betrayal puts its victims at a deficit that must be overcome, either through forgiveness or justice. Either way, we’re here to watch it all unfold in glorious and dramatic fashion!
— Michael Ahr, Newsletter Editor
IN THIS ISSUE
Our spoiler-free review of Marvel’s Thunderbolts ⚡
A podcast deep dive into Star Wars’ Death Star 🎙️
Analysis of the latest episode of Doctor Who 🌖
…and more!