#thunderbolts preference

[hughiecampbelle]

Thunderbolts Preference: Being The Youngest Teammate

A/N: *Comes back to life after watching a new MCU movie pretending that everything is fine and I did not disappear and that I'm not the worst writer, but maybe second or third worst, when really I am deeply so very sorry for leaving, again* Enjoy my loves! Thunderbolts requests are open, I'm making a big post asap! 🖤

Bucky is used to being the oldest person in every room, but you age him another thirty, if not forty years. You're experienced, and methodical, and you do things like he would have, like he has, and it makes him queasy. When he sees just how young your face is, he regrets trying to blow up the limousine. None of them know who you are and they all definitely talk about you behind your back: who is this kid? Where did they come from? Should we let them go? As the mission continues, they're all hit with the reality that Valentina wanted to hire you for a reason. That you weren't just lucky in aim or thoughtful about how to kill, you were one of the most skilled they had ever seen. Bucky tries to take you under his wing a little. Not as fatherly as Alexei tries to be, but he does want you to know you've got someone in your corner with such a scrappy set of teammates. He confides in you about being the Winter Soldier and, in return, you share bite size pieces about your past. Your childhood spent learning to kill, to become an expert in the craft. All those years you spent along, in dangerous places, with some sort of faceless boss ordering you around. He knows you have a dark side, you all do, but you were so eager to step across the void. He doesn't want you to think that's an option when you really do have so much to live for.

Alexei immediately sees you as his child, or at least part of his responsibility. Because they only know bits and pieces of your past, Alexei assumes (rightfully so) that you missed out on normal young adult things like a first date and prom and graduating from a traditional school. Though those things can get to you, you put up a front that you'd rather be killing world leaders and cleaning up Valentina's messes. Still, he catches you doing things a younger version of yourself couldn't do, like watching cartoons on the weekends with a bowl of extremely sugary cereal or sleeping in until past noon when you know you all have somewhere to be, becoming a gremlin to wake up in the morning. Because he sees you as so small, he is jarred when reality hits that you can out drink almost all of them or that the shame room you had was you as a very young child being trained to kill. he asks if there are any normal memories of a family, siblings, of soccer games or stuffed animals, but you can't remember anything. He takes it up on himself to protect you, or at least thinking he can, when in reality you're the one saving his ass. because he lost so much with his daughters, he tries to do better by you, whether you like it or not.

Yelena and you actually become pretty close. You remind her of herself, of Tasha, and she can't help but gravitate towards you. Similar to Ava, she doesn't want to be seen as a paternal figure. You have enough of those with this team, you don't need someone else lecturing you about swearing when that's the least of your worries. You speak Russian together, along with Alexei, when you want to talk shit about the others in front of them, teaching Bob at the same time so he can be in on all the jokes. When you shut down, disappearing for hours on end, unreachable, she isn't met with worry or hostility. She knows, like a stray, you'll always come back, you just need your space. Yelena pays more attention to the little things than the others do, like when she surprises you with something sweet, a muffin or a scone and a coffee, you prefer fruits to something sweeter. Or, when you wander between 1am and 4am, she can find you re-watching old interviews and documentaries of your teammates. Part of it is gaining information, sizing them up, but mostly you just like knowing things about people. She'll sit beside you and watch, every so often watching you like she used to watch her sister.

Ava, unlike the rest of the team, doesn't see you as being so much younger than them. You're young, yes, and your baby face doesn't help, but she's not going to talk down to you or pretend you need a paternal figure when you've clearly been handling yourself well. Maybe behind closed doors or with the rest of the group, she'll be caught off guard when you make a reference to just how young you were or make a joke that doesn't sit well with her, she'd never do any of that to your face. You have just as much a right to be in this team as any of them. She adores how much you and John don't get along, which makes your bond stronger. Things aren't always sunshine and rainbows: not with any of them, but especially not you. You go days without sleeping after a night of nightmares and you lash out, trying to push everyone away because you're too damaged. Bob is the one you go to when you're feeling low, really low, but she hopes one day she'd have the honor of being confided in. You were all kids once. Some of you were relatively normal, but most of you were not. She's not going to act like because you're younger, you must want normalcy. None of you know what that's really like and she doesn't believe it's right to push that on you.

John does not like you. When you met, he thought you were some scrappy kid who snuck in and got yourself in a bad situation. That you had no idea the real danger you were in and that he had to save your ass from getting killed by Yelena, Ava, Bob, or Antonia. He tells you to get behind him and his shield and when you start a fight, he can't believe what he's hearing. Once you got to know one another, you liked him even less. He calls you Baby Assassin and questions how many kills you have given your age. You roll your eyes, eventually going into detail of some of your worst, and most famous, kills. It makes him sick thinking you were nine, ten, eleven years old doing those sorts of things. John likes to get in your face about things and you have no trouble bringing up that his wife left him, something the others might cringe at knowing how much it must hurt. You don't care. You will not be patronized by him. You're told to keep your distance and when you do unfortunately have to interact, you stick to commands without name calling. You still laugh at the fact that Bob made his shield into a taco, something that wasn't funny in the moment, but now can bring you to tears. John thinks, foolishly, because of your younger age, that you're inexperienced and impulsive, but you know that could not be further from the truth.

Bob doesn't see you as being so much younger, mostly because you're closer in age vs. 100+ year old Bucky. It does, secretly, make him feel sick that you were so eager to step into the void. That, like Yelena, you were forced to relive some of your worst and shameful memories. But, like always, you brush it off like it's nothing, like you don't really have feelings. Bob quickly becomes a confidant. You never knew anyone who felt the way you did, so low it scared you to be alone with yourself. You guys spend a lot of quiet time together. He's sure, though he'd never say, he knows the most about you, your history. You don't know why it comes out, why you say it, but he's never judged anything you've had to say. He doesn't mind when you sleep in past noon or lose important things like a gun or a grenade. He doesn't mind when you want the windows down in the car or the music you play that everyone else can't stand. He has a lot of patience with you because no one had the patience for him. It's the least he can do. You're methodical and always planning for the worst: what is everyone leaves you? What if they're all killed? Etc. If he can offer whatever comfort he will. You're not just a teammate, you're a friend.

[mallory524]

the thunderbolts when you’ve been kidnapped

pictures from pinterest

tags- guilt, fear, angst, kidnapping, guilt, canon level action/violence, injuries, mentions of arguing, implied drugging/beating, mention of Void

notes- This all ended up being way longer than I intended. Oops. I need to keep writing or else I’ll explode. The fixation is strong

Yelena

When you’re with Yelena, she can be so tender and sweet that it’s easy for you to forget the life she’s lived and the things she’s capable of. The day you don’t come home from what should’ve been a 10 minute grocery run, that tender side is gone - and boy is it sorely missed around the tower. When Yelena's upset, she lashes out at anybody who gets too close to her, and it gets ugly pretty quickly. Her words are cruel and vindictive, as if each member of the team is personally responsible for what’s happened to you. She knows the people who took you are doing it to lure in the "new avengers", but it doesn't matter. It's working. She's going to find you, and she's going to march right in there, guns blazing.

You're in bad shape when the team finds you, but you are able to walk out on your own two feet with just a little assistance from Yelena. Pay no mind to what happened to your captors. It's not important.

Yelena can't go "back to normal". You're trying to, but it's clear you're still shaken, and so is she. You keep trying to laugh it off and say that you've survived worse, and she knows you're just trying to change the subject, but she doesn't push it. She's not going to force you to open up if you're not ready. All she can do is make sure you know that she's always there to support you and listen if you ever do decide you want to talk about it. You do know that. As everyone in Yelena's life knows, she might be a bit rough around the edges, but she will always be there for you when it matters most.

Bucky

Bucky tracks you down very fast. He knows these people are doing this to get to him, so he tells the Thunderbolts to stay behind and let him do this himself. Good thing they never do as they're told.

The people who took you thought they had laid the perfect trap for Bucky Barnes, but all they did was set themselves up to be pulverized by the Winter Soldier. When he does find you, you're unconscious and clearly injured. Nothing serious, but it doesn't matter; he feels more guilty than he has in a long, long time. The team covers Bucky as he runs back out to the car with you in his arms, and you're immediately rushed to the hospital. The press is already there, waiting to ask Congressman Barnes all kinds of questions about what happened tonight, but after a few choice words from Yelena and Walker, most of them leave immediately.

Even when things slowly start to go back to normal, Bucky is constantly reminded of what happened. You're sitting around and laughing with the group one night, weeks after, and he notices a bruise on your shoulder that he'd forgot you had. He wakes up in the middle of the night a lot of nights to you tossing and turning and shaking in your sleep. He holds you and repeatedly reminds you that you’re home and that you are safe. He’s reminding himself, too. This is all hell for him. Every nightmare, every scratch, and every bruise is a reminder to him that he couldn't keep you safe. He rescued you and brought you back home, but it's not enough for him. This never should've happened.

Ava

Ava woke up to the sound of alarms and glass breaking. She phased through the walls to your room right away to make sure you were okay, but you were already gone. Nowhere to be found. She’s immediately panic stricken. Who did this? Why would they take you hostage? Where did they take you?

Ava’s desperate. When Ava gets desperate, her sense of right and wrong gets very skewed. You’ve been kidnapped, and that’s wrong. Everything she’s doing in an effort to get you back is right. Or that’s how she sees it, at least. The rest of the team sees this as Ava spiraling out of control. This is a mess. These people who took you do not realize what their "leverage" means to the team, especially to Ava. They do not know what's coming.

Your rescue was not easy, and it definitely wasn't pretty, but everyone's just happy that you're home. Adjusting to business as usual after your rescue is tough, but she's there for you every step of the way. If you don't want to sleep in your room for a little while because it doesn't feel safe anymore, Ava offers you her room. She'll sleep on the ground, she'll sleep next to you, she'll sleep in the other room, whatever you want. She'll demand more security features in your room and around the tower to make you (and herself) feel safe again. If the people in maintenance and security were to question the necessity of doing this, Ava would install these features herself. Nothing like this is going to happen again, and she doesn't even want you to feel like it's a possibility. You're safe now.

John

It all happened so fast. An explosive had gone off during a fight, he’d lost sight of you for a minute, and when the smoke cleared, you were gone. He frantically searched the perimeter, but it didn’t take him long to realize what had happened. Bucky practically had to beg John to get in the car, saying they could figure out their next move back at the Watchtower. John didn't want to stop looking for you, but he knew it was the only choice he really had. Everyone's really worried about you, but John is losing his mind. His brain is plagued with images of you, scared and alone and hurt. He's snapping at the team even more than usual, but they give him a pass just this once. Ava walked by his room one night and she could hear the sound of him softly crying through the door. She never mentioned it, but she went easy on him for a few days.

Down in a dark, cold underground base, you're going in and out of consciousness. Your body aches and your head's spinning, but the moment you register that it's Walker gently taking you into his arms, you smile up at him weakly. He caresses your face, and you can feel that his hands are shaking as they trace every little wound, no matter how small. All of Walker's anger has been replaced with a weary, guilty sadness. All that aggression, replaced with a certain gentleness. He carries you out, and although you don't see much of your surroundings, it's hard to miss what remains of the poor souls who thought they could stop John Walker from breaking in to save you. It's not too shocking, though. You know he would've torn the entire world apart if he had to.

Alexei

Missions and fighting and hero activities in general are usually really fun for Alexei. This is not fun. It's so rare for the team to see him like this. He's downright miserable. Since the moment he lost you, he hasn't slept. He works alongside the team all day long to find you, and when everyone's asleep, he just paces back and forth around his room, which gets more cluttered with garbage and papers and files with each passing day.

When they find you, nothing and no one can stand in his way. He's a real sweetheart, but let's not forget how strong he is or how much damage he can do. Believe me, there's a lot of damage done in the name of your rescue. All of that is worth it for Alexei when he finds you. He gently wipes at the sweat and dirt on your face, a lot of which is dry and caked on after you've been sitting down there for nearly a week.

Alexei is so relieved to have you home, but he thought he'd feel better. There's still something... off. The illusion of total safety has been shattered. He's not able to keep you from ever getting hurt like he thought he was. If you were to try to joke about what had happened to keep spirits up, or spin it to sound like a cool story instead of the worst week of both of your lives, he'd try to go along with it. But everyone notices how his smile doesn't quite reach his eyes. He's proud of you and he usually loves hearing you're cool tough stories, but this one is hitting a little too close to home for him to fully enjoy it. Maybe because he was there. Maybe because he almost lost you for real.

Bob

Bob's terrified. The team came back from a mission, but instead of you pulling him into a big hug while the team fills him in on what happened like usual, everyone is frantic and you're gone. He's never felt so helpless in his life. He breaks down the second he's alone in his room. Whenever Yelena tries to talk to him, he insists he needs to be alone, or he doesn't even respond and continues just rocking back and forth on the floor and talking to himself.

When the team tracks you down, they tell Bob to stay behind. He keeps telling himself that they're right and staying behind is the responsible thing to do, but he just can't do that. He has enough control on the Void now to use his powers, right? The team is slightly horrified when Bob shows up out of nowhere, doing everything they told him not to do, but this isn't the time to worry about that. They're definitely not going to try arguing with him right now. He's a bulletproof human shield, more powerful than any of them could ever hope to be, so it's good to have him there to help. He crashes through walls, busts down doors, and disarms everyone in his path without breaking a sweat. Then they find you. Bob rushes to your side and tears apart your restraints with his bare hands, and in a second they turn back into the gentle hands you think of when you think of your Bob. He helps you to your feet and slowly leads you back outside. As tears start to roll down his face, Bob smiles a soft smile at the others, thrilled that you're safe again. They smile back at him, but it's like they're all holding their breath until you're all fully out of there. Void may not have made a formal appearance this time, but they know now what lengths Bob will go to and what risks he'll take to ensure your safety. The man is not helpless, and he sure as hell isn't weak.

[thesoftdumbass]

personally, i don’t see a problem with riding bob into the sunset

[the-chaotic-dumbass]

Since John's shield is still bent in the post-credits scene and wanted bob specifically to unbend it means either, the shield is made of metal none of the super soldiers can bend or bob used sentry powers when he bent it to make it stuck that way

[lobeliamaximoff]

damn I feel physically sick when I think about Val manipulating and drugging this poor boy. The Empire article says Bob has a good, gentle soul, that he is lost, and this woman will probably use his desire to belong, to be useful and help people to her advantage and turn him into her weapon I just-

[aawaken01]

'Imagine how bob will react if yelena is hurt in doomsday' IMAGINE how yelena will react if bob is hurt in doomsday

[fierceheda]

I love that there are more people being aware of how gay Yelena looks 👀👀 hopefully that it takes off and marvel makes her officially gay 😂😤

[lady-murderess]

Look, all I'm saying is after seeing pictures of Lewis with kittens, it further backs up my headcanon that bob is most definitely a cat person

[hughiecampbelle]

Thunderbolts Preference: Helping Clean Your Depression Room

A/N: My depression room was a huge disaster and it made me think of the New Avengers seeing this and waiting to help in whatever way they could :) Silly, but I hope you like it!! 🖤

thunderbolts requests are open

Bucky is used to people asking him to clean up their messes. Usually they're a lot bigger, scarier, and usually involve mortal danger. When you sheepishly asked him for help, he went into action mode. What did you need? Weapons, of course. Guns, grenades, knives. Who would he have to contact? Valentine, probably. Who else? What about the rest of the team? When you clarify that it's just your room, he relaxes, laughing at himself. Force of habit. You try to explain just how bad it really is, warning him, but when he sees it he's not phased at all. He doesn't judge or joke, he gets this serious look on his face when he's focused. Lightly he'll tread, asking you how you've been feeling, everyone knowing you were going through an episode. You tell him the truth, knowing he'd know if you were lying. Together you clean and vacuum and dust. He washes all your blankets and sheets so that your bed is extra cozy. He smiles when he tells you that was the easiest mission he'd ever been on, reminding you you can ask him for help with anything and he'll be there.

Alexei makes zero judgments. Before the New Avengers, his apartment was a disaster. He was insecure showing Yelena, having her over, having anyone over. When he looks at your mess, your depression room, he isn't ashamed of you, he doesn't get embarrassed, he looks at it and he recognizes it. Early on you see how helpful he'll actually be: more so than you originally thought, but not as much as the others. He likes things he can put away. Plates, bowls, cups. He washes them by hand as he tells "fun" stories of being the Red Guardian, raising his daughters, etc. Something about him feels familiar, paternal, a feeling you've been missing. You listen, ask questions, and sort through your things. He gets sidetracked by photos of loved ones, sitting on your bed and going through them. You apologize afterwards, hating that he's wasted his day cleaning your room, but he doesn't mind at all, telling you it was actually very fun. Next time, he'll bring the vodka.

Yelena tackles this head on. She doesn't take no for an answer. You were too ashamed to ask her for help, instead trying to take care of it by yourself. The first day wasn't so bad, but after you were so tired, so overwhelmed, you broke down in front of her. She shows up at your door with a trash bag and a vacuum cleaner. You try to tell her you've got it covered, but she barges in regardless, taking charge. Yelena gets it. Her apartment was sort of falling apart. She knows you've been feeling depressed lately. Doing anything in that state feels impossible, crushing even. You wanting to take care of it is a good sign. She doesn't mean to, but she reminisces about sharing a room with Tasha. How messy it could get, how their mother made them clean it until it was spotless, just for it to be messed up by a pillow fort or a dollhouse explosion. She reminds you to take breaks, taking over when it all feels like too much. You thank her, but she doesn't want to hear it. There is no need, she had a wonderful time hanging out with you. Helping was just an added bonus.

Ava is actually so good at cleaning. She loves lists and baskets and labels. You don't want to show her the disaster, but in order for her to help, you have to. She isn't disgusted or horrified. She doesn't shame you or belittle you. Like everything else in her life, she must put the chaos in order. She takes a look around, making a list of everything that needs to be done. Trash first, then clothes, books, whatever else you've got lying around. She nicely gives you tips on how to handle this before it gets as bad as it is. Tricks you can do to keep it clean even when you are feeling depressed. You thank her a million times, shame creeping up as you watch her work, but she doesn't mind at all. She knows you've been struggling. There's so little one can do for someone else that feels adequate, helpful, like it's enough. This, she thinks, is how she can help. You talk about everything. It takes a few hours and by the end, you've told her things you wouldn't have told any of them. It feels like a relief. It is. She makes sure you know, when you're feeling bad, she'd love to come help organize. It's not a job or some sort of punishment, she genuinely enjoys it.

John is extremely judgmental and though you know he can't help it, he's the last person you come to about this. Nobody else is home though and you can't look at it anymore, you can't live like this. Discreetly, you take out bowls and cups, mugs and trash, washing them and taking out the trash. You know you shouldn't be embarrassed, but you are: John's room is immaculate. Yours? Not so much. When it looks a little better, more manageable, you politely ask him if he'd help you wash some clothes. You try not to let him see the extent of it, but he barges in with an empty basket. He'll make a crude comment or two, but he really does mean well. He wants to help. You give him tasks you think he'd like: folding laundry, switching it from the washer to the dryer, making piles. You stick to the odds and ends, things that need to be put back in their right places. He makes a few jokes that fall flat, but you laugh anyway, thanking him. He shrugs it off, says he's been wanting to get this mess cleared for weeks. You might not always enjoy his company, but at this moment you don't mind the small talk. You're grateful for the help.

Bob, unlike Walker, feels no need to complain or laugh. Bob gets it 100000%. It was so hard for him to keep his room clean. As a child, it was easy: fear drove him to perfection. The fear of his father made him sure not to keep his things lying around, where others could see and then react. As he got older though, it seemed impossible. Not just losing things (important things), just seeing the floor became it's own mission impossible. Depressed, he could barely get out of bed, could barely move, let alone put away laundry. Manic, there are too many important and pressing issues than cleaning his room. There never seemed to be a good time. He doesn't see failure or laziness, he sees struggle, and does everything he can to help. He knows how overwhelming it is, so he gently guides you through, picking categories so it doesn't seem so big/daunting. He definitely gets distracted if you put on music, but neither of you really mind. He's always willing to help, no matter how "bad" it all seems.

[mallory524]

Oh oh, can I request a sort of alternate ending to the kidnapping headcanons with each of the Thunderbolts where, when they are about to break into the building reader is trapped in, reader appears behind them all bloody and bruised, making them jump and her saying, “Did you guys come to save me? Aww, that’s so sweet, I feel so loved right now!!”

(OMG YES This is sweet and fun I love it)

the thunderbolts come to save you, but you've already handled it yourself

tags- fem!reader, mostly just silly and fluffy, mentions of kidnapping, mentions of blood and fighting and minor injuries, some language

Yelena

Yelena knows that you’re tough, but she doesn’t expect you to be able to get yourself out of this one. The group gets to where you’re being held, and you’re just sitting on the ground, with your back up against the doorway. You look like hell, but you’re free. This is not what Yelena had imagined. She thought she’d have to free you herself and toss you over her shoulder or something. She couldn’t be more happy to see that she was wrong about your state. “Oh, hey, guys! This is awfully sweet of you to all come out here. This is a long ways away from the city,” you say as you manage to get back up on your feet. Yelena looks at you, amazed, and runs up to hug you and kiss your temple. Walker mutters to Ava, “At this point we could’ve just called her an Uber.”

Bucky

Bucky did not want to think about what could be happening to you. He’s seen a lot of pain and hurt in his day, so he knows firsthand how ugly these situations can get. Luckily, it never got as bad as it could’ve, because you actually broke yourself out. Bucky did not expect to find you already fighting off your captors on your own when he arrived with the whole team. Bucky wants to help, of course. He gets one punch in. You thank him, like you haven’t just knocked out every other person on your own. “I was just about to look for where they hid my phone so I could call you to give me a ride home, but it looks like I didn’t even need to call! You guys are the best,” you say, as if you’d just been stranded at the airport. Bucky’s never been so proud.

Ava

The fact that the search for you was dragging on for days was only making Ava’s nerves worse. Leaving you in danger for so long made her feel so horrible, and sometimes she’d wonder if it was possible that you’d escaped on your own. She figured it was too much to hope for, but it made her feel a little better. Besides, it wasn’t too far out of the realm of possibility. She’d imagine finally reaching your location, and the people who were supposed to be guarding you would all be just as clueless about your whereabouts as she was. She never considered that they’d all be unconscious on the ground when she got there. “Ava!!” she hears you yell from behind. She spins around and sees you jogging (with a slight limp) down the hall to reach her. She’s astonished. “Aww you guys! Thanks for coming. That means a lot.” After that remarkably chill response, Ava looks at you like you’ve never been so beautiful and cool in her eyes before, and that’s saying something.

John

John was terrified the whole time you were missing. All day long, he panicked and thought about all the horrible things that could be happening to you at any given moment. He didn't sleep, he didn't eat, he led the whole search, and he was ready to do whatever to took to get to you. You can only imagine his surprise when you run out and cut his destructive rampage short. He keeps standing there and looking at you because this is not computing. You're just standing there with your hands on your hips, your clothes all tattered, with bruises and cuts all over you. You're clearly exhausted, but you manage a little smirk. "Awww, Walker! Were you worried about me?" He just tosses his silly folded shield to the ground and pulls you into a tight hug. "Yeah, yeah, whatever." He doesn't even put up a fight when you reach out to affectionately ruffle his hair or pinch his cheek like a grandma. He's just so happy you're safe.

Alexei

When Alexei gets there and realizes you’ve already broken yourself out, he is so shocked. Then he thinks about it for a moment, and he doesn’t know why he’s even surprised. Of course you solved this on your own! You’re such a badass. You always have been. It’s one of the first things he noticed about you, and it’s what initially drew him to you. He feels like he should’ve had more faith in you, but now’s not the time for that. Now’s the time to celebrate the fact that you’re safe. He lets out a loud, jovial laugh and wraps his arms around you, telling you over and over again how proud he is of you while wiping some blood from your forehead. Somehow, you always manage to surprise him. Everyone is thrilled that you’re back, but Alexei is absolutely beaming with pride and relief for the rest of the night.

Bob

Part of why the team originally didn’t want Bob to go on the rescue mission, besides the Void stuff, was because they didn’t know what kind of state you’d be in. Bob’s very new to this line of work, and they know how much you mean to him, so they thought it might be too much for him to handle if he ended up having to see you seriously hurt. Luckily that didn’t happen. Before they have the chance to break the door down, you walk out from the other side of the building, waving your arms. “Hey! I’m right here!” Bob rushes to hug you, and it’s so tight that all your words are kind of muffled. “Guys I got the whole search party? This is actually really flattering.” Bob pulls away after a while and he’s immediately worried again when he sees the bruising all over you. You make a “You should see the other guy” joke, but everyone knows you’re not kidding. They really don’t want to see the other guy.

[bobcanhandlethevoid]

Headcanon: When Bob's mother was particularly unhealthy, she could barely sleep. However, most of the time if he got her in bed and to close her eyes, if he rubbed her back and sang/hummed/both "you are my sunshine" over and over, on loop, for as long as it took, she fell asleep. Once, after years of him doing it, half-asleep, she mentioned it calmed her because his father used to do it, before he showed he was abusive. This greatly rocked Bob, but he still tries this method often if someone is having trouble calming down. However, now with the touch, he only rubs their back if they have clothes over it.

[ro994art]

Finally watched Brave New World today

I thought I'd share my thoughts about it! Disclaimer, this isn't a proper review or much less an analysis, these are literally just some scattered personal thoughts and opinions. Yapping, if you will. 😬 Think of it as my Bluey Minireviews, but longer. 😅 You may disagree with me and that's fine, but please be civil in your interactions, thank you.

Oh, and just in case, spoilers ahead.

BNW movie wasn't perfect, but it was FAR better than the fanboys online led me to believe.

I don't care what anyone says, Sam is an amazing main character. A friend of mine pointed out how awesome it is that his first move is always to de-escalate conflict. His people skills and getting others to aid him and be on their side are honestly so underrated, and are actually a great skill to have when you're Captain America.

Also worth mentioning that his compassion and empathy are by far the best aspect about him, and I love that we have a hero that displays those qualities. But that doesn't stop him form being an incredibly cool hero and fighter all the same. Sam is just such a great role model and I love having him as Cap.

I've also really liked Joaquin ever since TFATWS, and this movie made me love him even more. He's just so funny and sweet and a great friend to Sam. I loved getting more of him. 🥰

Isaiah and his story also continues to break my heart and how he gets continuously used by others and treated so unfairly, but it also makes me very happy that he has Sam now and that he was able to once again bring some justice to Isaiah's name. Glad he ended the movie on a good note.

Almost every review and plot summary I read online about this movie made me think the plot was going to be hard to follow, too clogged, or convoluted. But in my opinion, it really wasn't, and I thought all plot lines actually came together quite nicely. I honestly could've done without all the Incredible Hulk elements, and yeah, it honestly does kind of suck that they gave Sam leftovers from not one but two of the MCU's worst-ever received movies (although in full transparency, I actually liked Eternals more than most people), but for what they did with it, it felt really well handled.

I'll also be honest about not being a fan of how this film tried to make us sympathize with Ross far more than I would've liked to, but to their credit, the film doesn't overly-victimize him or make an effort to make us think "Oh he's always been A Great Dude™ actually" or anything like that. It leaves clear that Sam still doesn't like him and that Ross is still an irascible jerk, but apart from him taking a very smart approach to working with Ross, it's very in-character of Sam to still give him opportunities to be a better person, because he sees that Ross wants to become a better person (even if he falls short more often than not), and him wanting to do so for his daughter was a believable motivation. And that line about Sam still seeing him as a soldier who needed support? Amazing. 10/10. Peak Sam Wilson.

Sterns as the main villain was another element I didn't like from the get-go, mainly because 1) I personally hate know-it-all villains, 2) his role in The Incredible Hulk was forgettable in my opinion, and 3) him having zero connection with Sam made me fear that he wasn't going to feel very impactful as a villiain. And unfortunately, I was proven right. 😬 Don't get me wrong, he was threatening, his plan was solid, and he played his part in the plot just fine. But that's about it. I honestly don't feel anything towards him other than annoyance, especially in that post-credit scene. Like, yeah, thanks for the reminder that the multiverse is still coming. Still doesn't make me look forward to it. 😑 (If the multiverse storyline does hype you, I'm glad, and please don't let me take that away, I just personally don't like it)

Also, I'd hate to become one of those people who only talk about this part of the film, because this film was about SAM and he's the one who should be getting the spotlight and be talked about. However, you all know me and my bias, and I'm sure you'll want to know what I thought of the Bucky scene, so here it is: It was beautiful. It was a gorgeous scene and really a prime, peak example of what the friendship between Sam and Bucky should be. Proof that Bucky isn't, in fact, emotionally unavailable, at least not with Sam. THIS is the Bucky I know and love, a Bucky who is nothing but supportive of Sam Wilson and is there for him when he needs him, even if he can't be there all the time. Funny how the writers of this film understood his character and made him more justice in 3 minutes than the Thunderbolts* writers did in 2 hours. You can tell clearly who watched TFATWS and who didn't. As far as I'm concerned, this is the last canon Bucky scene. "I love you, buddy." 🥹

So, to wrap it up, I enjoyed BNW more than I thought I would, not only because of the trolls and haters online, but also because I'm usually not a fan of political thrillers. Was this the best movie ever? No, it wasn't. But I think Sam and Joaquin carried it REALLY well and I was invested in their storyline and their interactions the entire time. I love those two and I hope their future MCU entries will get a better treatment by the franchise, because those two deserve the world. The Ross storyline was not my favorite but worked well for what it was. The emotion was hard-hitting and made the characters feel very human and relatable, and the action was also super engaging and proved unequivocably that Sam is a really cool and very capable Captain America.

Sam is my Cap.

This movie was a really good time. If you're on the fence about it, please go give it a chance, and hopefully, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[hersterical]

My ideal Thunderbolts* cameo?

A credit scene in which we see a stressed Kate Bishop pacing in her apartment, talking to a pair of dogs who seem unimpressed.

“I know it’s been a week but I swear I’m going to figure out how you ended up in my apartment Fanny. Or at least, I’m pretty sure your name is Fanny since the only other thing written on your tag is ‘Don’t bother trying to find me, I will find you’.”

“ Which just makes me even more concerned over who exactly has broken into my apartment this time. I like to be aware of who’s breaking into my apartment. Maybe there’s something in the security footage I missed.”

“Aaaand my phone’s in my room. I’ll be right back. You two stay here.”

We see Kate leave and grab her phone. When she returns the mysterious akita is gone, her window is open, and there’s a note on the table that says “Thank you for dog sitting, Kate Bishop, but you still owe me a drink”

“Well, that figures. I probably should’ve been able to figure it was Yelena. But she still doesn’t have to be so smug about it. I can’t spend any more time thinking about this, let’s go get some dinner Lucky.”

As Kate and Lucky leave the audience can still hear Kate’s voice fading as she says “Not a word about this to anyone. Not Kamala, not Clint, and DEFINITELY not Jessica…”

[breathing-in-waves]

Thunderbolts in Doomsday Theory...

Posted this to Reddit, too, but I felt it was necessary to post here since I follow/interact with so many MCU people here. Thunderbolts* spoilers below!

I've been thinking about this before Thunderbolts* came out, but now that they're the "New Avengers," I feel like it furthermore proves my theory is possible..

What if the New Avengers die in the first half of Doomsday while attempting to fight Doom on their own?

It would make sense that Sentry survives, allowing his character to either warn Sam and join the Avengers that Sam's been recruiting to, well, avenge his fallen team, or turn back into Void after not being able to save them, and maybe... dare I say join Doom?

Also, not to make things darker for my Tumblr peeps but... also wouldn't it just make sense, Sam avenging Bucky... 🥲

Just a theory that's been haunting me, so feel free to tell me I'm wrong and it will never happen... please.

[themeraldee]

I don't know if you've seen The Thunderbolts, but I have addressed this, but Homelander should have been dealt with like Sentry was. As the MOST powerful sup with seasons of built-up and intimidation, he should have been an actual physical threat. In the movie, established superpowered individuals/teams and trained professionals were getting defeated easily by the Sentry. It didn't take advanced CGI or extreme special effects, just smart character work with a mindfulness of powerscales. Homelander was initially established not as something to overcome with might but with planning. For me, that was one of the initial appeals of The Boys. The characters didn't rely on powers or deus ex machinas, just intelligence and, at most, luck. Establishing Homelander as this cunning sociopathic, but powerful sup with mental health issues was a great setup. I always imagined The Boys exploiting the mental weakness of Homelander for his ultimate defeat, and while I know the virus is a thing, I still suspect it will come down to an old-fashioned beat down. I don’t know, I'm just venting, and after seeing how well The Thunderbolts (A Disney film!?!) dealt with mental health, exploitation, trauma, and proper powerscaling, it's just relight my fuse lol.

For me, in a way, my ideal Homelander is still season 1 Homelander, and everything else is Canon if I include it lol.

Also, what is your take on Ryan and his story plot? I'm going to be honest, I don't like him. I find his story annoying and uninteresting (it's just unoriginal in my mind), but I'd love to hear your views. I don’t think you've ever spoken about him.

i have watched the film and I'm here with the ✨knowledge✨

Besides S4's terrible inaccuracies and power inconsistencies, I think they did decently well with Homelander's larger than life vibe. Like he does feel like a physical threat to me. Even through to S4. But yes he's also being fucked around. Which I just see as people exploiting his issues for their gain. Yeah that removes from the character's threat factor but it's a very real part of his character.

The Sentry was entirely new. So nobody knew what to expect anyway. Plus nobody from team Thunderbolts could even attempt to match his power. However he didn't want to kill them. This is essentially if we just had a scene with Homelander swatting low-tier supes/humans away like flies. It wouldn't happen. He'd just kill them, like he did with Blindspot. (And there's not much point in us seeing multiple of these scenes bcs it's not the same genre that Marvel action flicks are.) We only feel like he doesn't appear as threatening in fights because of whom we've seen him fight. Soldier Boy is his power level and Homelander still had upper hand and would've won the fight if it wasn't for Butcher & Hughie. (Though my pet peeve is that Butcher shouldn't have had these specific powers that Homelander was made with. But plot and whatnot. So whatever.)

I love Ryan!! Nothing bad to say about the special and sad and unlucky bean. No actually I kinda love the parallel of their stories. Homelander brought up in isolation without a loving touch while Ryan also brought up in isolation did have a loving touch and a parental figure. Obviously the difference that makes is astronomical. (Yet is that enough? Is Homelander's bad influence enough to change Ryan's goodhearted nature? Just like Vought's influence would've been if Homelander had a good childhood but was handed over to Vought in another universe?) But it's just like watching Superman & Evil Superman next to each other 😂 I feel awful for Ryan and his circumstances, he's done nothing wrong and yet had been caught in the crossfire of these two men who hate each other's guts. I think you'd have to ask a more specific question because nothing else I could say is coming to mind. I have no hot takes. The tea is freezing cold.

[jemgirl86]

There needs to be a distinction made between what’s a great movie, or even just a good movie, and what’s a movie you just simply happen to enjoy.

I cannot take anyone seriously who says Thunderbolts* is a great movie, especially when they’re shading or talking down on Brave New World in the same breath. No, it didn’t stick the landing better than BNW. No, it wasn’t a more cohesive film than BNW. And it’s weird that people are still pretending it was leagues above BNW and a bunch of other Marvel movies. It was… fine. It wasn’t bad. But, even with taste being subjective, how anyone can sit up with a straight face and pretend it was great, or better than BNW, is beyond me.