As excited as many Marvel Cinematic Universe fans are for the upcoming Thunderbolts movie, just as many as slightly miffed over the team's roster. Far more grounded and street level compared to any of the lineups from the comics, some see the group as potentially being Thunderbolts in name only. And one figure many wanted on the team was Abomination, but he's nowhere to be found.
Nevertheless, another gamma-irradiated powerhouse could still show up on the team -- and it's not the Incredible Hulk. Instead, some suspect that Hulk's son Skaar will soon make his MCU debut, and the Thunderbolts could be the team he makes his home at. And if that's the case, he'd not only up the group's power but also fit right in with their central premise.
Abomination May Not Be the MCU's Only Heavy-Hitter
The Hulk once found a new home on the planet Sakaar, with his fame as a gladiator showcased during Thor: Ragnarok. Now, in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Bruce Banner has once again ventured to the alien world, supposedly having some business there. Many fans believe that said business might involve the revelation of the existence of Skaar, the son of Hulk from the comic books. In the source material, Skaar was the son of Hulk and an alien named Caiera and was birthed from a cocoon after Hulk had departed from the planet.
Quickly growing to be the equivalent of a teenager, Skaar would inherit his parents' abilities, namely his father's vast strength. Feeling abandoned by his dad and fittingly full of rage, Skaar would come to Earth with the intent to kill the Hulk. In the MCU, such a rivalry was once held by Emil Blonsky, aka the Abomination. Now, that character has seemingly been taken off the board, which explains why he's not in the Thunderbolts. Nevertheless, a similar character in the form of Skaar could fill his role, all while fitting better in this version of the team.
Why Skaar Fits What the Thunderbolts Is Trying to Do
In the comics, the Thunderbolts are a team of villains posing as heroes who end up actually taking to the role. That won't be the case in the MCU, with the team instead involving the likes of Winter Soldier, US Agent and Russian Captain America equivalent Red Guardian. The only true villains on the team are Ghost and Taskmaster, But in the case of the former, she wasn't a cut-and-dry evil individual. Thus, a better explanation is that the Thunderbolts are a group of misunderstood heroes and antiheroes who've gone through things and unite for a common good.
That explanation could also explain Skaar if he joins the team. Likely sharing this comic book counterpart's anger at his father for seemingly abandoning him, he would come to Earth full of rage, ready to strike at whoever got in his way. For this reason, he may ally himself with the Thunderbolts, seeking to take down whatever threat unites them. Having Skaar along for the ride would also provide for some raw manpower, something with the MCU Thunderbolts team is in desperate need of. After all, everyone else on the team is a mere street-level character. Adding Skaar into the mix would give them a Hulk like the Avengers had, albeit one possibly even angrier than his progenitor.
Of course, this will only work if Skaar is actually introduced before the Thunderbolts movie. The other members have already been introduced in the MCU, so having Skaar be the "new guy" of the team could be a good angle. Given the team's roster, however, there may not be enough time to bring Skaar in out of nowhere and make him stick. Thus, adding his brute strength rides on him being officially brought into the MCU beforehand.
To see if Skaar joins the team, Thunderbolts hits theaters July 26, 2024.