One of the very last shots we have of the Incredible Hulk before Avengers: Infinity War is of the big . I didnt have many expectations for the conceit beyond the initial lark, but soon it started evolving. Wait a moment and try again. "A lot of people had interpreted that the Hulk was scared of Thanos. Bruce Banner will return inthe "She-Hulk" series with a release date expected sometime around this summer. Russo said. Maybe Hulk visited the Metaphysical Realm and met Black Widow there. Even with all his efforts, Natasha wasnt going to come back as she didnt die as a result of the snap, and its the same case for Gamora. You looked into his eyes and you trusted him. The first is that all the important thematic work is left to pure conjecture when you dont actually dramatize any of it. Where do you go with that? But Ruffalo also gets to double down on the aw shucks goofball aura that he exudes so naturally. While Thor: Ragnarok raised the possibility that, because Hulk had been in control for so long, another transformation might permanently trap Banner and leave Hulk on the outside forever,. This also really happened, and it was actually written in pretty toxic fashion. The sequence features an early, and unpolished, rendering of Professor Hulk, whose mouth doesn't move when Ruffalo speaks. On the internet, hes become known as Hipster Hulk. Or, more specifically, what is the difficulty at the center of this new impotence, and what is he going to learn from it? Chiefly, that anger can throw us into blind, destructive rage as it does for him earlier in the film but anger can also be a feeling we channel from inside ourselves as a useful, powerful force. Maybe it's blood or being stuck with a needle. By submitting your email, you agree to our, Avengers: Endgames take on the Hulk, explained, Sign up for the And yet, two characters were able to survive such a task: Thanos at the end of Avengers: Infinity War and Hulk in the latter half of Avengers: Endgame. There are comic book hallmarks all over the movie, but they often feel like theyre coming from a different film with different aims. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Even Natashas sacrificial choice felt hollow. (They actually look good on him.) Did they give us the emotional fireworks we always wanted? Its almost as if you can hear the storytellers say, Dont worry folks! What is the endgame for our beloved character? It's only correct that Hulk should be barely capable of utilizing the Stones; they were facets of existence compressed into objects. He was just utilizing more of Banner's intellect. Now that Endgame has hit theaters, we know. Nothing. Thankfully, because of the film's home media release, directors Joe and Anthony Russo are also still taking some time to answer those questions. And please note that hes not an asshole nightmare person, but is more akin to a stubborn young athlete. Clearly, talking to Gamora gives closure to his quest. I may be on the wimpier end of the spectrum, but ask anyone, and they'll likely tell you they're afraid of something. "We nerfed him!". Hes just there. This is the spoiler-filled discussion you've been waiting for after coming out of the movie and we cover a ton of ground. He kicked Cull. Maybe it's mice. This drama is what so many other writers miss out on when they just nakedly want to indulge in Hulks green side. "But I was willing to cut my own cameo in the movie so it shows how much we really needed to get that park scene moving.". And as he traveled throughout the country, on the run from the law, his Banner couldnt help but help people in turn. So, I think this is becoming a stubborn push and pull between two very despaired personalities stuck in one body.". Avengers: Endgame saw the surviving characters coming up with a plan to acquire the Infinity Stones and stop Thanos, making way for the time heist. "I dont know if the Hulk sees the value in the relationship. When visited by Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), who seek an intellect capable of cracking time travel after retired family man Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) declines, Banner who never reverts to his puny human form explains he stopped looking at the Hulk as a disease, and instead looked at the other guy as "the cure. In other words, I fully grok why it might not be a great Incredible Hulk movie. When I think about the creative ways the merged Hulks were explored in the comics? If you buy something from a Polygon link, Vox Media may earn a commission. We've course-corrected our galactic maps, read our redacted S.H.I.E.L.D. Marvel Studios' head of visual development Ryan Meinerding also explained that in earlier development, they considered giving Hulk a more substantial injury in the form of physically shrivelling his arm, but ultimately abandoned the idea due to technical problems presented in later fight sequences. He worked with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) to create their time travel device, and he was still the only one strong enough and mentally stable enough, considering Thor's situation, to make the first snap that truly brought the rest of the Avengers and half the Marvel Cinematic Universe back from the dead. Be the first to know what's trending, straight from Elite Daily, It's Never Been Trendier To Hate Billionaires, Disney's New Cinderella Wedding Dresses Are Giving Princess Vibes. Try again And for a fun little aside, I will always link to this decade-old list of all the things that caused Banner to Hulk out during the show. That's permanent . The reason the Green Goliath was injured so badly using the Infinity Stones (while Thanos was not) is simple, according to co-director Joe Russo: it was a purposeful choice to continue highlighting the magnitude of the Mad Titan's strength, as well as to display how potent the Infinity Stones are when used, irrespective of whatever nifty hardware one might come up with to house them. And its not just when it comes to learning how to control his emotions when hes Hulking out; hes also faced with the possibility of a relationship with Natasha and the endless logistical questions therein. This is so important to understand because there are so many people out there even some writers who reduce the Hulk to a simple metaphor for blind, overwhelming anger, and thats that. Since he's presented as one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it came as a surprise to the audience (and even his fellow Avengers) that Hulk took such a substantial hit using the Infinity Stones especially since he was deemed most likely to survive the impact of usingTony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) Infinity Gauntlet 2.0 to channel their power. Maybe Tony visited the Metaphysical realm to talk with old Morgan. And when I think about that promise of the first Avengers movie? Because we simply cut to him as this new Banner-speaking Huffalo, and everythings fine. He solved it all! All of that, combined with Hulk's childlike level of intelligence, would be enough to make him stubbornly refuse to fight anymore, particularly if he couldn't fully comprehend the stakes of the film. Who is the Hulk? Avengers: Endgame finally saw the brawn . There was an awkward hello and then no other conversation. First debuting in 1991s Incredible Hulk #377, Professor Hulk was born from Banners personality merging with that of Grey and Savage and is meant to be the ultimate ideal of the Hulk. Next: MCU Phase 4 Has The Perfect Replacement For Banner's Cursed Hulk. Also it's not fucking Professor Hulk, stop calling him Professor Hulk, Banner's mind Hulk's body is Intelligent Hulk not fucking Professor Hulk, Professor Hulk is a fucking chad and Banner is a sweaty nerd. Make no mistake about it: The Hulks appearance in The Avengers (2012) is a damn coup. And that leaves me wondering just what the heck has been the point of these last few phases, where everything felt like a half-hearted conflict delay. May 5, 2020. While Endgame did mark the end for many of the original Avengers, Mark Ruffalo still has one more movie left in his Marvel contract, which confirms that there will be a follow-up to the Hulk's radioactive amputation in a future movie. [Hulk] is a very smart man, Endgame screenwriter Christopher Markus told Polygon, This Stan Lee/Marvel character, this incredibly smart man in this incredibly powerful body. And so Mark Ruffalo and Kevin Feige planned their own three movie arc for Hulks personality in lieu of an actual Hulk film. Now that all the Loki-smashing and Thanos-clashing has come to an end, or will at least be paused for a moment or two, it felt like a good time to look back at the Marvel Cinematic Universes treatment of the Hulk and see its place against the larger history of the character. In Avengers: Endgame after the time skip Professor Hulk explains to those that meet him in the cafe that he merged Banner and Hulk together to get the best of both, Banner's intellect and Hulk's strength and powers. For it is a quiet, cerebral, and somber film about serious subjects, but it is also punctuated with some of the most bizarre and goofy choices Ive ever seen in a modern blockbuster. Every Marvel fan was so focused on Tony Stark's shocking death and Captain America's geriatric twist at the end of Avengers: Endgame that the Hulk's own personal trauma may have been a bit glossed over, but directors Joe and Anthony Russo did confirm that the Hulk lost his arm after using the Infinity Stones to snap half the universe's population back into existence. The Marvel Cinematic Universe began in 2008 with Jon Favreaus Iron Man, which introduced Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark and set the tone for the rest of this connected universe. In the film, well-adjusted and emotionally stable Professor Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), a merging of the brains and mild temperament of Bruce Banner with the green, super-strong physique of the Hulk,. However, based on the post-credits scene at the end of "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,"it appears that Bruce somehow went back to his human form separate from the Hulk, although his arm remains in a cast from using the Infinity Gauntlet. For many Americans, it came to define the character while also giving us a plethora of pop culture gems, from impressively-thrown bears to the ever-quotable motto, You wouldnt like me when Im angry.. Were they executed beautifully? A few lines of lip-service should do the trick, and besides, who cares? Before Thanos arrival, and now with all the stones and a nano gauntlet, the team was ready to reverse Thanos actions with another snap question was, who was going to do it. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. We'll keep you updated. Yup! Because our lives are filled with so many crushing dualities and shortcomings that we need to find meaningful apotheosis. Avengers: Endgame reveals Professor Hulk, one half Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), one half Hulk. When it was released, I dont think it was disliked so much as people just werent sure what to do with it. Comic readers may know him as Over the decades, there have been many Hulks both in the literal sense, and the metaphorical. That's because the young actors in that scene are the Russo brothers' own sons and niece. Photos from theInfinity Warset suggested to fans thatIron Mandirector Jon Favreau would be returning as Tony Stark's friend and security chief Happy Hogan for the film alongside Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts. Guillermo del Toro said hi to her once. The Avengers do exactly what fans predicted and time travel throughout 'Avengers: Endgame.'. By Cameron Bonomolo This causes Banner to effectively go impotent and fail to turn into the Hulk when necessary. Please enter a valid email and try again. His career stretched over three decades, featuring guest appearances on an array of classics like The Twilight Zone, The Andy Griffith Show, Ironside, The Love Boat, The Joey Bishop Show, and even Fantasy Island. Professor Hulk hasn't been seen in the comics in some time, mostly because the main Green Hulk personality is now smarter and more coherent, rendering the Professor somewhat moot. dossiers, and checked in . During a recent conversation, Joe Russo elaborated on the issue: "He's lost an arm. He's damaged himself. He was ready to beat up the Ancient One to secure the Time Stone. And then there was the Professor. See the seller's listing for full . Endgamemakes a big deal of exacting cost; it's fair to say that Thor and Hulk are diametrically opposed examples of the best and worst ways to cope with the fallout of Infinity War, so in lending gravity to Hulk's decision to use the Stark gauntlet, it would have made no sense to have him make angst-ridden soliloquies like Thor. Because the lessons we learn and the peace we gain all come from the crucibles of our most heart-wrenching experiences. Of course, holding the power of the Infinity Stones is no easy task, and the Hulk struggled to snap his fingers however, and while he went through a lot of physical pain as well, Tony could do the snap easier than the Hulk, and its all because of what they were looking to fix with it. I came to the show a little later, when the dawn of cable TV meant that we could all suddenly absorb a bevy of syndicated reruns every dang day of the week. Theres so much I love in the subtle execution of that scene, particularly the way Hulk lets that childlike bashfulness and fear peek out for a moment as he turns to withdrawn sadness. The Hulk had good intentions, and they came with a prize, as his arm was left severely injured after the snap, but there were things that just couldnt be fixed, not even with the power of the Infinity Stones. And I argue now what Ive argued then: that all our stories have to mean something deep to us in the moment. This approach understands that our deepest expressions and fears can. In his original incarnation in the MCU, Hulk was unable to communicate, but in Ragnarok, we see him speaking. Because of that, he sought to use his mind rather than his fists. And Ive come to realize that whenever someone asks me, Why the Hulk? what theyre actually asking is a different question altogether: What is it about the Hulk that we all find so compelling?. Check out never-before-seen videos, exclusive interviews, and much more! She and Hawkeye traveled to Vormir to get the Soul Stone, but in order to do so, they had to sacrifice someone they love, and so Natasha sacrificed herself so Hawkeye could go back and be with his family. He would simply have to move on to the next town, ever on the run, ever searching for a cure. This is why he struggled so much, as he was focusing on undoing Thanos initial snap, not changing anything from the last five years, and bringing Black Widow back. What Is TikTok's 'Guardians Of The Galaxy' Disneyland Ride Trend? Hulk was no wimp. They were building up the tension between the two characters and knowing Hulk and his dynamic I thought for sure they would have put Banner in a near death situation finally bringing out the Hulk in his true fashion but instead they decided to melt the two characters into one character, Professor Hulk. But this event is also tied up with his own buried Hulk-genes, which were a direct result of his fathers self-destructive scientific experimentation, which of course just doubles down on the whole metaphor of inherited abusive traumas. She was also a contributor for FanSided's BamSmackPow and 1428 Elm. Avengers: Endgame introduced a new version of Bruce Banner when he merged himself with the Hulk by spending eighteen months in the gamma lab to "put the brains and the brawn together.". In pretty toxic fashion to talk with old Morgan unable to communicate, but often! 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It might not be a great Incredible Hulk movie book hallmarks all over the,!