The Hulk is one of Marvel’s most iconic characters, but the MCU has repeatedly failed to do him justice. While Bruce Banner’s alter ego has been a presence in the franchise since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, his characterization has been inconsistent, often sidelined in favor of other heroes. Despite Mark Ruffalo’s engaging performance as Bruce Banner, the MCU timeline has repeatedly missed opportunities to depict Hulk at his full potential.
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Hulk has been a staple of Marvel Comics since 1962, defined by his raw strength, emotional complexity, and tragic struggle with dual identities. While previous adaptations, such as The Incredible Hulk (2008), attempted to capture these elements, the MCU has gradually moved away from them. Initially portrayed as an uncontrollable force of nature, Hulk has become more of a comedic supporting player rather than the terrifying and unpredictable powerhouse many know and love. The MCU has certainly evolved over the years, but Hulk’s arc has arguably suffered the most.
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10
The Hulk Still Hasn’t Donned His Iconic Purple Shorts
Hulk Shorts Were Teased In The Incredible Hulk
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One of the most recognizable aspects of the Hulk’s design in the comics is his torn purple shorts. While the MCU has given nods to this classic look, it has never fully embraced it. Instead, Hulk wears regular pants that somehow stretch with him to full size. The comics frequently depict his shredded purple pants as a staple of his transformation, reinforcing his raw and uncontrolled nature.
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While Hulk’s pants were briefly tinted a very faded purple in Avengers: Age of Ultron, this often fluctuated to blue or a much darker, almost black tone. While seemingly minor, this wardrobe choice is emblematic of a larger issue – the MCU’s reluctance to lean into the Hulk’s classic comic book elements. Without his signature look, the character lacks the visual identity that has made him so iconic for decades.
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Hulk Still Hasn’t Had His Own Solo Sequel
The Incredible Hulk Is Hulk’s Only Solo Movie
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Despite being a founding member of the Avengers, Hulk remains one of the few heroes in the MCU without a proper solo sequel. This is largely due to rights issues – Universal holds distribution rights to Hulk solo films, preventing Marvel Studios from independently releasing a follow-up to 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. As a result, the MCU has had to incorporate Hulk’s story arcs into ensemble films or as a guest in other heroes’ stories.
While Thor: Ragnarok provided a loose adaptation of the Planet Hulk storyline, it wasn’t a true solo outing. This limitation has severely impacted Hulk’s character development, forcing his growth to occur in fragments rather than through a dedicated film. Without a sequel to further explore his internal struggles and expanding mythology, Hulk remains an underdeveloped figure in the franchise, relegated to a secondary role despite his immense popularity.
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The MCU Has Seemingly Forgotten About Hulk’s Emotion-Induced Transformations
Hulk Transformations Mostly Occur At Will Or Off-Screen
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One of the Hulk’s defining traits has always been his transformations being triggered by extreme emotions, especially anger. The phrase “You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry” became synonymous with the character, reinforcing the idea that his rage was both his greatest strength and his greatest curse. However, the MCU has gradually moved away from this crucial aspect after The Avengers. By Avengers: Endgame, Bruce Banner had fully integrated with the Hulk, creating Smart Hulk – a version of the character that remains permanently transformed without the need for emotional triggers.
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This change effectively removes the tension and unpredictability that made Hulk such a compelling character. Without the ever-present danger of an involuntary transformation, Hulk loses one of his most essential storytelling dynamics. By sidelining this core element, the MCU has fundamentally altered how audiences perceive the character’s struggle and growth.
7
Hulk’s Key Friendships Have Been Substituted
Many Of Hulk’s Allies Are Absent In The MCU
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In the comics, Hulk’s relationships with key characters like Rick Jones and Betty Ross are integral to his story. Rick, who played a major role in Hulk’s origin, has been entirely absent from the MCU, while Betty Ross has been sidelined after The Incredible Hulk until a momentary cameo in Captain America: Brave New World. Instead, the MCU has given Hulk new friendships, such as his bond with Thor in Thor: Ragnarok and his unexpected dynamic with Natasha Romanoff in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
While these relationships have had their moments, they don’t replace the emotional weight of Hulk’s traditional allies. The lack of Betty Ross, in particular, diminishes Hulk’s character depth, as her presence was crucial in exploring Bruce’s humanity and struggle with his monstrous side. By shifting focus to different friendships, the MCU has failed to capitalize on some of Hulk’s most significant relationships, further distancing him from his comic book counterpart.
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Much Of Hulk’s Development Happens Off-Screen
Hulk’s Biggest Events Occur Between Movies
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One of the biggest frustrations with the MCU’s handling of the Hulk is how much of his character growth occurs off-screen. After Hulk pilots away from Earth in Avengers: Age of Ultron, and his life on Sakaar is only revealed years later in Thor: Ragnarok. The fact that during this time he fathered a child is also revealed later through an indelicate exposition dump. The most egregious example is the transition to the calm, intelligent “Smart Hulk” in Avengers: Endgame.
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The MCU deleted the scenes depicting the pivotal process of Bruce Banner and the Hulk merging into one entity in Infinity War, instead summarizing it in a quick anecdote. Audiences never got to see the emotional and psychological struggle behind this transformation, which could have provided a compelling arc. By failing to showcase these crucial developments, the MCU robbed audiences of seeing Hulk’s most meaningful evolutions play out in real time.
5
Hulk’s Powers Are Inconsistent And Inaccurate
Hulk’s Strength Fluctuates In The MCU
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The MCU has repeatedly struggled with maintaining consistency in Hulk’s power levels, often undermining his comic book roots. In The Incredible Hulk, he displays immense durability, surviving gunfire and tank shells. However, by Avengers: Infinity War, Hulk is shockingly defeated by Thanos in mere seconds, with no signs of his usual ability to get stronger as he gets angrier.
Meanwhile, Thor: Ragnarok portrayed Hulk as an extremely powerful gladiator, but in Endgame, Smart Hulk barely plays a role in combat. The inconsistency in his strength makes it difficult for audiences to understand his limits and abilities. Additionally, the MCU ignores the key element of Hulk’s power – his rage-fueled strength escalation – often keeping him at a static power level. This results in an underwhelming version of the character who lacks the overwhelming force that defines him in the comics.
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The Inherent Pathos In Bruce Banner’s Plight Has Been Forgotten
Hulk Is Normally A Tragic Character
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Bruce Banner’s struggle with the Hulk has always been a tragic tale of a man at war with himself, but the MCU has largely abandoned this pathos in favor of humor. In the comics, Banner constantly battles his inner demon, torn between the destruction he causes and his desire for peace. Early MCU films like The Incredible Hulk and The Avengers captured some of this, showing Bruce’s fear of losing control.
However, as the franchise progressed, the depth of this internal conflict was replaced with comedic beats and an increasingly casual attitude toward his dual nature. By the time Endgame introduced Smart Hulk, the emotional weight of his plight was gone. Instead of a character dealing with the trauma of his transformations, Hulk became a lighthearted figure who had seemingly made peace with his existence off-screen, removing one of his most compelling aspects.
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The MCU Has Seemingly Forgotten About Curing Hulk
Finding A Cure Used To Be Bruce Banner’s Goal
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A major theme of early Hulk stories – both in the comics and the MCU – was Bruce Banner’s desperate search for a cure. The Incredible Hulk revolved around this mission, and even The Avengers hinted at Banner’s deep regret over his condition. However, after Age of Ultron, the MCU completely dropped this narrative thread. Banner never mentions searching for a cure again, and by the time Endgame arrives, he’s inexplicably embraced his Hulk identity.
The absence of this storyline not only leaves a major aspect of his character unresolved but also removes an essential source of tension. In the comics, Banner’s struggle to cure himself has often led to tragic consequences, making it a crucial part of his mythos. The MCU’s decision to abandon this arc leaves Hulk feeling like an incomplete character with little motivation beyond being a background Avenger.
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The MCU Forced A Relationship Between Hulk And Black Widow
Hulk And Black Widow Do Not Have A Romance In The Comics
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One of the most baffling creative decisions in the MCU was forcing a romance between Hulk and Black Widow. Introduced suddenly in Avengers: Age of Ultron, their relationship lacked any prior buildup and felt completely out of character for both. Natasha Romanoff’s “lullaby” scenes with Hulk were awkwardly executed, and the attempt to frame their connection as two “monsters” finding solace in each other fell flat.
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The romance was also abandoned just as quickly as it was introduced, with no closure or meaningful impact on either character’s arc. Bruce’s sudden departure at the end of Age of Ultron made their relationship feel even more irrelevant. When he returns in Infinity War, their reunion is reduced to a brief, meaningless exchange. This half-baked romance felt like an unnecessary distraction and failed to add any depth to either character’s story.
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The MCU Has Completely Omitted The Mental Health Metaphor Of Hulk Comics
Bruce Banner Struggles With Identity Disorders In Marvel Comics
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One of the most significant aspects of the Hulk in the comics is his deep connection to mental health struggles, particularly trauma and dissociative identity disorder (DID). Bruce Banner’s transformations have long been symbolic of his fractured psyche, stemming from childhood abuse and deep-seated emotional wounds. Different versions of the Hulk – such as Joe Fixit and the Devil Hulk – represent different aspects of Banner’s subconscious, making him one of Marvel’s most complex psychological characters.
The MCU, however, has largely ignored this metaphor. While early films touched on his struggle to control the Hulk, later entries abandoned any exploration of his mental state. Endgame’s Smart Hulk removed the core conflict entirely, reducing Bruce’s transformation into a simple “fix” rather than a reflection of deeper psychological turmoil. By overlooking this key aspect, the MCU diminishes what makes the Hulk such a unique and compelling character.
Hulk
Created by
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
First Film
The Incredible Hulk Returns
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Latest Film
Avengers: Endgame
First TV Show
The Incredible Hulk
Latest TV Show
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Cast
Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, Mark Ruffalo
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