As Love at first sight prepares for its 2025 debut, a new criminal actor is about to step in: HYDRA has been MIA for a solid decade. This devious organization was a staple of the early MCU, wreaking havoc in The First Avenger and The Winter Soldier.

The Thunderbolts trailer dropped some heavy bombshells, teasing a new group of supervillains who could easily take HYDRA’s place as the big bad. Past projects like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Black Widow and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever There remains a breadcrumb trail leading to this new organization. It’s time for the shadows to part and let the villains shine!

But let’s rewind the tape. At the end of phase 2, HYDRA was effectively kicked out. Originating from the depths of Nazi Germany as the sinister arm of the SS, they infiltrated SHIELD like an unwanted guest who wouldn’t leave. After some significant defeats – thanks to Captain America in 2014 – they disappeared from the spotlight. Sure, they made a few appearances in Ant-Man and Captain America: Civil War, but those felt more like ghostly echoes than real threats. The wicked void left behind begs for something – or someone – to fill it.

Enter Thunderbolts, ready to take on the challenge and potentially resurrect the villain game. One of the MCU’s most burning questions is: who bought Avengers Tower? After Tony Stark flipped him during Spider-Man: Homecoming, speculation ran wild. Was it Kingpin? Norman Osborn? Maybe a rogue variant of Kang? But surprise! The Thunderbolts teaser dropped a juicy nugget: Fontaine’s Valentina Allegra may have snatched that coveted tower, hinting at her big plan.

Valentina, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, first strutted her stuff in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, revealing herself as the CIA’s big cheese, pulling the strings like a puppeteer.

Now, what is OXE? This new kid on the block is fresh out of the pages of Marvel Comics, which means Marvel Studios has a creative playground when it comes to telling its story. Rumors are swirling that Lewis Pullman’s character Bob is mixed up with this shady organization, giving OXE an advantage in the villain department. Imagine Valentina becoming a main antagonist who could make the remaining Avengers shake in their boots.

As we prepare for Thunderbolts, the burning question remains: can OXE replace HYDRA? Or will this simply set the stage for even wilder and stranger threats to arise? Whatever the answer, one thing is for sure: the MCU is turning up the heat, and we’re all in for a rollercoaster of twists and turns and criminal antics that will keep us on the edge of our seats!

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