This Thunderbolts* character's MCU return seemed pointless (& her early death further validated it)

Thunderbolts* is a superhero film released on May 2, 2025, by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Directed by Jake Schreier, the film is written by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo. Here's the official synopsis:

After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.

There is a character in the film that seems pointless, and there is a reason behind it. That character is Taskmaster, who also meets an early death in the movie.

Taskmaster's pointless presence in Thunderbolts*

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Thunderbolts* marks the return of Taskmaster in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film showcases a congregation of several antiheroes on a mission. One of them is Antonia Dreykov, also known as Taskmaster (played by Olga Kurylenko), who was the villain in Black Widow.

Initially, the character is mysterious, but the viewers discover that she is the daughter of General Dreykov, the main villain of Black Widow. In Thunderbolts*, she participates in a major fight alongside Yelena, Ghost, and the UUS Agent. At one point, Ghost shoots her in the head, and she dies almost immediately. The character lacks a grand exit or a moment of reflection. Other characters merely gasp at the event, but the story swiftly progresses.

This also increases the stakes tenfold as we realize that no one is safe in this world. However, that doesn't diminish the character's pointlessness. Of all the antiheroes in the film, Taskmaster remains the least developed. While we understand the trauma of other characters, this character's issues are not given enough attention. The motivation of this character is also unclear, which makes her death feel somewhat meaningless.

More about Thunderbolts*

Thunderbolts* had its world premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square in London and its theatrical release on May 2, 2025. The cast members of the film include:

Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
Wyatt Russell as John Walker aka U.S. Agent
Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes
Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov aka Taskmaster
Lewis Pullman as Bob / Sentry / Void
Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr aka Ghost
Geraldine Viswanathan as Mel
David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov aka Red Guardian
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

The film's director, Jake Schreier, spoke to Screen Rant and revealed how his earlier show Beef helped him with this MCU project. He said,

"That [show's] ideas about emptiness and isolation were not niche ideas anymore. Those were universal ideas, and you could tell a story about that on a broad level, and blend it with humor and blend it with action. Obviously, not action quite on this scale, but to a certain degree."

He also spoke about having Sebastian Stan:

"First off, just to have Sebastian Stan in your movie is such a privilege. But also, he's been through a lot of what they've been through, and he's resolved a lot of those arcs that they have not yet resolved. And so the challenge there was really like, 'What is a new arc that we can take Bucky on?"

What are your thoughts on the character's faith?