Thunderbolts on Track: Rail Talk with Marvel’s Messiest Heroes

They’ve faced mind control, bad press, timeline trauma, and a very dysfunctional group dynamic—but can the Thunderbolts survive a European train ride together?

In this exclusive (made-up) RAILTARGET interview, we sit down with Bucky Barnes, Yelena Belova, John Walker, Ava Starr (Ghost), Alexei Shostakov (Red Guardian), and Bob to ask the real questions: What’s their stance on sleeper cars, delays, and platform snacks? The answers are as chaotic as expected.

Q1: If you all had to take a long-distance train together across Europe, what would go wrong first?

Yelena: John would definitely bring a suitcase too big for the overhead racks. Then Bucky would brood because someone took the window seat. Me? I’d bring snacks. Real ones. Not the cardboard American protein bars.

Bucky: I wouldn’t complain about the window seat. I’d complain about being on a train with all of you.

John: I'd actually have a plan. Tickets printed, seats reserved, everything on schedule. Until someone (looks at Ava) phases through the conductor and derails the entire trip.

Ava: I don’t derail things. I... reroute them.

Alexei: Back in Soviet days, we didn’t need reservations. We fought for the seat. It built character. Also I once rode on the roof of a freight car in winter. Alone. With a bear.

Bob: I would accidentally book us in the quiet car. And then Alexei would start singing Soviet ballads by kilometre two. Also, I have a mild gluten allergy, so the snack car is a minefield.

Q2: What’s your favourite train moment in history or pop culture?

Yelena: The one in Mission: Impossible where he fights on top of the train. That was cool. Not realistic, but very stylish. I approve.

Bucky: I fell off one once. Doesn't make my top ten.

no bc this is probably so traumatic for bucky bc of the train 😐 pic.twitter.com/mUIsrZb7MY

— CLOSED #teamlydia (@lovesickonmybed) February 8, 2021

John: The logistics behind the Trans-Siberian Railway are still unmatched. I respect infrastructure more than explosions.

Ava: The trains that actually run on time. That’s historic. And probably fictional.

Alexei: Any train where I did not need a visa. So... none. But I like the one in GoldenEye. Very strong. Very dramatic. Explosions, suits—good energy.

Bob: Oh, I once watched The Polar Express on loop while recovering from a very mild wound. It was surprisingly emotional. Tom Hanks plays, like, seven people. It’s art.

Q3: What’s your worst travel habit? Be honest.

Yelena: I unpack all my knives onto the tray table. It’s a comfort thing. TSA hates me.

Bucky: People who fall asleep on my shoulder don’t usually try twice.

John: I glare at people who stand before the train stops. If I had a medal for every premature aisle blocker…

Ava: I tend to phase into walls and panic passengers. It’s fine. They get over it. Eventually.

Alexei: I snore. Like a man. Like a train, actually. You want quiet? Take a bus.

Bob: I panic-purchase snacks at every station like I’m stocking up for a nuclear winter. At one point on a three-hour ride, I had six sandwiches, four chocolate bars, and a pickle jar. No regrets.

Q4: Would you rather take a sleeper train or a high-speed daytime one?

Yelena: Sleeper. More mysterious. More stabby vibes. Also you can have tea in your little bunk like a spy.

Bucky: Daytime. I like seeing what I’m passing. Or who’s following us.

John: High-speed, obviously. Efficiency matters. Also, I’m not keen on sharing enclosed spaces with Red Guardian snoring in the dark.

Ava: Sleeper. People are more relaxed. Makes them easier to read—or sneak past.

Bob: Sleeper train. It’s the only time I get to sleep without wearing body armour or hiding under a bench. Also, tiny pillows. Adorable.

Alexei: Why sleep when you can talk the entire night about the rise and fall of empires? You people never want stories.

Maybe the funniest moment in Thunderbolts, the way Alexei was screaming had me crying 😭 pic.twitter.com/Dtg6Wf0rWk

— Jack (-_•) (@captaincupkicks) May 8, 2025

Q5: If you had to work for a European rail company, what would your job be?

Yelena: On-board security. But like... secretly. You think I’m a tourist, then boom. Surprise arrest. Very efficient. Very chic.

Bucky: I’d repair the old rail bridges. Solitary, useful. Steel doesn’t ask questions.

John: Operations director. I’d fix the system from the inside. No more last-minute platform changes or wrong-language announcements.

Ava: Control room. I like patterns. I like knowing everything before anyone else does.

Alexei: Ambassador. I do speeches at every station. Maybe pose on a locomotive for the people. With cape. Always cape.

Bob: Customer service. But like, behind the glass. With snacks. I have an apologetic face. It’s been scientifically proven to de-escalate angry pensioners.

Q6: Last question—worst train experience of your life?

Yelena: Once sat across from a man who ate an entire rotisserie chicken with his hands. On a 4-hour ride. No napkins.

Bucky: Fell off a Hydra-controlled train in the Alps. Woke up with a metal arm and trust issues.

John: Every Amtrak delay feels like a personal insult.

Ava: A kid tried to poke me with a straw while I was phasing. His parents didn’t believe me. I did not phase politely.

Bob: Once mistook a bathroom door for an exit and got locked in for three stops. Someone thought I was a terrorist. It ended with an apology and a complimentary croissant. So honestly? Mixed review.

Alexei: Worst? None. Train is good. Even when bad, train is still better than minivan.