Marvel’s Thunderbolts Teases the Arrival of Songbird in the MCU – Who Is Mel, Really?
The latest trailer for Thunderbolts just dropped, and while fans were busy analyzing every frame for Sentry’s long-awaited reveal, another mysterious new hero may have quietly made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut: Songbird.
With Marvel Studios expanding its roster rapidly in 2025, the final Phase 5 film might not just introduce one powerful new character, but two. And this second newcomer could bring a much-needed edge to a team that’s sorely lacking in diversity of powers.
Who Is Mel in Thunderbolts?
At the 0:19 mark in the new Thunderbolts trailer, Geraldine Viswanathan is shown talking on the phone while wearing a gold necklace with a songbird charm. Her character, known only as “Mel” in Marvel’s official cast listing, has been kept entirely under wraps—until now.
This moment might seem subtle, but the clues are adding up fast. The name Mel could easily be short for Melissa Gold, better known to comic fans as Songbird—a former villain turned hero with a dramatic arc that closely mirrors the redemption themes at the core of Thunderbolts.
Who Is Songbird in Marvel Comics?
In Marvel Comics, Melissa Gold starts out as a villain named Screaming Mimi before evolving into a powerful superhero called Songbird. She becomes a founding member of the Thunderbolts, making her inclusion in the movie not just exciting, but incredibly comic-accurate.
Songbird’s powers include:
Sonic energy constructs (think forcefields, flight wings, or battering rams made of sound)
Hypnotic vocal manipulation
Emotion-based soundwaves that can influence or disrupt others
And of course, her iconic scream—a weapon in itself
In the comics, she often serves as the emotional core of the team, bridging the line between redemption and heroism. Her addition would bring much-needed variety to a team stacked with bruisers and spies.
Why Songbird’s Arrival Could Be a Game-Changer
The MCU’s Thunderbolts lineup—featuring Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, U.S. Agent, and Taskmaster—is heavily grounded in super-soldier-level strength and tactical expertise. With the terrifyingly overpowered Sentry reportedly being the film’s antagonist, the team desperately needs a power-based outlier like Songbird to even the odds.
Plus, Geraldine Viswanathan’s Mel could represent a mole or wildcard. In the trailer, Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine reveals she doesn’t exactly have the team’s best interests at heart, even admitting she hoped they would “kill each other.”
If Songbird is hiding in plain sight as Mel, she might be Val’s “inside woman”—but with a conscience. A mid-movie reveal of her powers could shift the team dynamic entirely, especially if she defects or challenges Val’s motives.
A Secret Weapon in the Multiverse Saga?
With 2025 already shaping up as a pivotal year for the MCU, adding Songbird could set the stage for more comic-accurate Thunderbolts arcs and deepen the emotional stakes of the film.
Her character would also open up doors to explore sound-based and emotion-based powers, which we haven’t seen since Black Bolt in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness—and even that ended quickly.
Songbird could eventually cross paths with heroes like:
- Daredevil (given his sensitivity to sound)
- Deadpool (imagine that interaction)
Or even the upcoming Young Avengers lineup
