In the 2025 movie Thunderbolts, the only character who dies is Taskmaster (Antonia Dreykov), portrayed by Olga Kurylenko. Her death happens early in the film during a mission organized by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine to clean up evidence of her crimes. Taskmaster, alongside Yelena Belova, John Walker, and Ghost, is sent to infiltrate an O.X.E. Group vault. However, before the team fully realizes they've been manipulated, Ghost shoots Taskmaster point-blank in the head, killing her instantly.

Taskmaster's death is notable for its suddenness and shock value, deliberately used by the director to set an unpredictable tone for the film. Despite Taskmaster's significant role in the comics and her presence in the prior MCU film Black Widow, she only features briefly in Thunderbolts and is not technically part of the Thunderbolts team before her death.

No other major characters die in the movie. Even characters who endure transformation or possession, such as Bob (Sentry/Void), survive by the film's end. Taskmaster's death is also seen as somewhat tragic, clashing with her portrayal in Black Widow, where she was spared and presented as a victim deserving a second chance.

The 2025 film Thunderbolts opens in Malaysia with Yelena Belova, a skilled operative, stealthily destroying a secret laboratory on orders from CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. This laboratory was involved in the O.X.E. Group's "Sentry" superhuman project, a shadowy program shrouded in controversy. De Fontaine is under threat of impeachment due to her connection with O.X.E. and concocts a plan that involves sending Yelena, along with John Walker, Ava Starr, and Taskmaster, to a covert O.X.E. facility under the false pretense of a mission.

As they arrive, tension mounts palpably; the operatives soon realize they have been duped and set up for death. In a brutal confrontation, Ava kills Taskmaster, but the situation escalates when they inadvertently free a mysterious man named Bob from suspended animation. Awareness dawns that de Fontaine intended to burn them all alive, erasing any evidence of her malfeasance. Despite this, the group narrowly escapes the deadly trap.

De Fontaine reacts swiftly upon learning the group survived, and that Bob, believed dead in the Sentry trials, is also alive. At the facility, Bob creates a diversion by drawing enemy fire—he is shot multiple times yet remains unscathed. He then ascends uncontrollably into the sky before collapsing and crashing back at the compound. There, he is captured and transferred to the old Avengers Tower in New York, now rebranded as the "Watchtower." De Fontaine plans to unveil Bob to the press as a super-powered protector, hoping this spectacle will quash the impeachment threats.

Meanwhile, Alexei Shostakov, while working as a chauffeur, uncovers de Fontaine’s plot and rescues Yelena, Walker, and Ava. Inspired by Yelena’s childhood soccer team, he dubs the group the "Thunderbolts," marking the formation of an uneasy alliance.

The narrative intensifies as de Fontaine’s agents relentlessly pursue the Thunderbolts. Congressman Bucky Barnes eventually apprehends them, intending to compel their testimony in impeachment proceedings. Learning that Bob was once a subject of de Fontaine's clandestine experiments, Barnes joins forces with the group, and they infiltrate the Watchtower in New York.

The Thunderbolts discover that de Fontaine has manipulated Bob to her side. Under her command, Bob overpowers the team with ease but unexpectedly lets them retreat, dismissing them as no longer threats. The undercurrent of Bob’s psyche is revealed to be fractured; he gradually succumbs to a god-like delusion of superiority. Turning against de Fontaine herself triggers a failsafe kill switch activated by her assistant Mel, incapacitating Bob. This catastrophic event unleashes the Void, a dark, destructive alter ego born from Bob’s depression and insecurities — a supernatural force that begins engulfing New York City in impenetrable darkness, imprisoning its inhabitants in isolated pocket dimensions.

Yelena undertakes the daunting journey into this darkness, venturing into Bob's subconscious to reach his true self. She confronts her own tormented past as a Black Widow, navigating a haunting inner landscape where Bob hides, symbolized by a recreation of his childhood bedroom—a place of refuge from his father's abuse. The rest of the Thunderbolts join her within this mental realm. Together, they travel back further to the memory of Bob's initial experimentation in Malaysia, where he had willingly volunteered for the procedure in a desperate attempt to overcome his aimless drug addiction.

In these poignant flashbacks, the Thunderbolts confront the Void, but are rapidly overwhelmed. As the darkness threatens to completely consume Bob, the team’s unwavering solidarity shines through. They reaffirm their belief in him, their combined faith empowering Bob to wrest control from the Void. Light floods back into New York City, breaking the supernatural darkness and releasing the captive citizens from their nightmare.

Through this intense odyssey, viewers witness a harrowing story of broken individuals forced into camaraderie, battling not only external enemies but internal demons. Bob's arc is a tragic and redemptive journey from a fragmented, drug-addled subject to someone restored by friendship and hope, while Yelena grapples with her own existential void. The film closes on a note of fragile hope, underscoring themes of resilience, belonging, and the power of human connection against overwhelming darkness.

The movie Thunderbolts (2025) is rated PG-13 for strong violence, language, thematic elements, and some suggestive and drug references, which indicates it is not fully family friendly, especially for younger or sensitive children.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting content includes:

• Violence: The film contains many violent scenes, including intense fight sequences with hand-to-hand combat and some mild blood. Some violence is shown through flashbacks depicting psychological trauma and abuse, including shootings (sometimes off-camera but implied), physical punishment, and scenes of family abuse. For example, one recurring flashback shows a child being shot off-camera, which may be heavy or disturbing to children.

• Language: The movie has strong profanity and obscenities comparable to other Marvel movies like Guardians of the Galaxy.

• Thematic elements: Themes include psychological wounds from past trauma, abusive family dynamics, and loss. These may be heavy for kids or viewers sensitive to such subjects.

• Suggestive and drug references: Some mild suggestive content and drug references occur but no explicit sexual content or nudity is present.

Summary:

Thunderbolts contains intense action violence, some disturbing flashback scenes involving childhood trauma and abuse, strong language, and mature themes. It is generally appropriate for teenagers familiar with Marvel movies, but younger children or sensitive viewers might find some scenes upsetting or inappropriate, so parental discretion is advised.

No explicit plot spoilers have been revealed here.