Thunderbolts spoilers beneath the cut!
Thinking about Reader being an ex-Avenger, having been dragged into the mess that became the Battle of New York, to Ultron, to the Accords, to the Blip, and everything after. Until everything after became nothing. Everyone died or retired. And they're (gender-neutral thoughts at the moment, we'll see how this expands) left with quiet days that are just empty and terror filled nights that are bloodstained. Sam, bless him, was still going at least, still trying. They help with the Flag Smashers, and that's nice.
But things really change when get caught up in everything with the Thunderbolts. Now they're back in the Tower, under a slightly different name. And it's odd, but it's better. Something proper, something cozy. The Tower feels like it's haunted with ghosts of the past, echoing around them, but it's also filled with the sounds of people who are actually present and here. Who will always be there, at least for Reader. It's nice. Maybe, they were even friends with Wanda, and they tried so hard to help with all her grief, but it wasn't enough. She slipped through their fingers, plummeting. Vanishing to Westview, in to the Darkhold. So the fact that they could help pull Bob from the Void, it's nice. And they didn't have to do it alone. Not at all. Yeah, they keep having to do it over and over, with all of them, but they're all pulling Reader back too. It... feels good, right. All this is absolutely inspired by people saying the Thunderbolts are more of a family than the Avengers ever were.
