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The big reveal at the end of Thunderbolts that the group of heroes will now be known as The New Avengers is a lot of fun to watch. None of the team really know how to react, but as one Marvel fan noticed, if you look at John Walker's face, it's clear to see that he's especially not loving the news.
"I love John Walker’s reaction to the 'New Avengers' moment," the Redditor wrote. "He definitely had flashbacks to being Captain America, along with his struggles with public backlash and imposter syndrome."
Indeed, John Walker has had a tricky past in the MCU to date. We first met Wyatt Russell's character back in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier when he was chosen as Steve Rogers' successor. However, after publicly murdering a surrendering Flag Smasher, he was stripped of his title and became something of an antihero. Thunderbolts* helps redeem him somewhat, but it's clear that a step back into the public eye isn't exactly what Walker was after.
As the Redditor went on to add, it's interesting to compare these two Marvel projects as well. "I came to realize that the ending of 'Thunderbolts*' shared a lot of parallels with when Walker was first announced as the new Captain America in 'Falcon and the Winter Soldier,' they continued.
"It’s a very similar moment – a newly government-funded hero being publicly introduced to the world through media, as they adopt a very familiar & prestigious title. Yet, John’s attitude contrasts greatly between the two separate moments. He had a prideful demeanour and cocky wink as Cap, but seemed more distant and jaded in 'Thunderbolts*'."
It's definitely an interesting comparison – and it's something I hope we'll continue to see Walker dealing with in Avengers: Doomsday. Already in the Thunderbolts* post-credits scene, he reveals that he's been reading "nasty" memes as they struggle to work out their place in the Avengers line-up.
Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way this year and beyond.
