- "There is a thin line between good and bad. I walk that line every day and when I stray from it, people die. My name is Bruce Banner and this is me. I'm not a person anymore, I'm the Hulk. I did this to myself, all in the name of science. This is me, all that I've become. I'm a big, green time bomb. And I'm ticking."
- ―Bruce Banner
- "Hulk is strongest there is!"
- ―Hulk
Robert Bruce Banner, M.D., Ph.D is a renowned scientist in the fields of Biochemistry, Nuclear Physics, and Gamma Radiation.Having been tasked by General Thaddeus Ross to find a way to recreate the Super Soldier Serum which had originated Captain America, Banner conducted an experiment with Gamma Radiation. However when an exposure to high levels of Gamma Radiation instead of Vita Radiation went awry, the mild-mannered scientist had found that when angered or provoked, he would then transform into the huge rage-fueled and nearly mindless green-skinned monster known as the Hulk.
Fearful of the damage that Hulk could inflict upon innocent lives, Banner chose to live a discreet life in remote parts of the world, eventually settling in the Brazilian slums of the Rocinha favela, Rio de Janeiro, working as a handyman in a soft drink bottling factory that produced Pingo Doce while still attempting to find a cure for his condition, with the aid of his Internet friend, "Mr. Blue". However when General Ross had sent a team led by Emil Blonsky to apprehend Banner, he was then forced to return to New York City where he recruited the help of Betty Ross and Sterns to cure him of his own curse. However, not long after this test was concluded, Blonsky himself had overdosed on Gamma Radiation and transformed into the Abomination, forcing Ross to allow Banner to turn into the Hulk and battle him before then allowing the Hulk to escape.
When a mounting threat called for Banner's specialized scientific expertise, S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury recruited him, knowing full well that the incredible strength of Banner's alter ego, Hulk, would be an additional asset to the Avengers. Banner was tasked with tracking down Loki using the Scepter and tracing down the radiation, working alongside Tony Stark, whom he previously met at high school, to achieve this. Despite almost causing a disaster when he was forcibly transformed into the Hulk by Loki, Banner rejoined the team during the Battle of New York and assisted them in defeating Loki and his entire army. Once the Avengers split up in the wake of the battle, Banner had become good friends with Stark and was also given the freedom to live in the world without being hunted by General Ross.
During this time, Banner went back to Williowdale to spend Chrismas Eve with Betty Ross and Leonard Samson, and was present when Stark came to talk about his traumas, but fell asleep near the beginning of the session, so Stark told Banner more stories about his life, to which Banner again quickly fell asleep again.
In the wake of the HYDRA Uprising, the Avengers regrouped once more to battle the ever growing threat of HYDRA, successfully capturing Baron Wolfgang von Strucker and retaking the Scepter. In order to make it so that the Earth could always be safe without constantly needing all the Avengers to protect it, Banner assisted Stark and Hank Pym with creating Ultron, an artificial intelligence. The AI quickly turned against them, trying to cause the extinction of humanity. During the battle, The Avengers came across Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Wanda found Banner and forced him to turn into Hulk using her mental manipulation powers when she showed him a vision of Betty Ross dying in his arms. Under her control, Hulk started destroying the city of Johannesburg, but was defeated by Iron Man, who got his Hulkbuster Armor to stop Hulk. Fearful of losing his loved ones, including Betty, Banner decided to break up with Romanoff.
Eventually, Hulk helped in the fight against Ultron and decided to go off the grid after the team successfully defeated him. In his exile, Hulk somehow left Earth and crash landed on the planet Sakaar, where the stressful environment prevented him from regressing back into Banner, causing him to remain in Hulk form for two years. On Sakaar, he became a gladiator for Grandmaster and was soon revered as a beloved champion, choosing to turn his back on the Earth and enjoy the life of a warrior.
However, when Thor arrived on the planet, Hulk fought against his old friend in the arena. In the wake of their fight, Hulk learned that Asgard was under threat due to Hela's return and helped Thor and the other Revengers escape the planet, reverting to Banner in the process. In order to defeat Hela, Asgard was destroyed during Ragnarök, so Banner joined the surviving Asgardians, including the redeemed Loki, under the rule of their new king, Thor, on their quest back to Earth. Returning to Earth, Banner headed back to the United States, where he reunited with Betty and stayed at her house until the arrival of Thanos.
History[]
Early Life[]
Robert Bruce Banner was born on August 18, 1969 to David Banner, a genetics researcher, and his wife, Rebecca. Although Rebecca deeply loved Bruce, who returned her affection, David hated their child. Bruce's life reached a turning point when David murdered Rebecca, and was placed in a mental hospital afterwards. After that, Bruce was raised by his aunt and father's sister, Elaine Banner, who understood his great pain and rage over his childhood sufferings. Elaine raised Bruce with love and care, as if he were her own child.
Education and Early Career[]
Bruce Banner as a teacher at Culver University.
While under the care of Elaine, Bruce entered the Midtown High School at the age of 15. It was there that met Tony Stark. This would lead to a life-long scientific rivalry between the two. They also became best friends.
In 1988, Bruce, at the age of 19, attended Harvard University, where he met Betty Ross and fell in love with her. They soon graduated and moved on to Willowdale, Virginia, working together at Culver University as instructors, where Bruce specialized in Nuclear Physics and was a member of the Bio-science Department. Banner met scientist Erik Selvig, another one of the university's instructors.
Becoming the Hulk[]
- "Banner's work was very early phase. It wasn't even weapons application. He thought he was working on radiation resistance. I would never have told him what the project really was. But he was so sure of what he was onto, that he tested it on himself. And something went very wrong. Or it went very right."
- ―Thaddeus Ross to Emil Blonsky[src]
Banner and Betty Ross were recruited by the United States Armed Forces to work on a top-secret research project under the guise of brand new research of radiation resistance, called the Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project, a subprogram within Infantry Weapons Development. However, the project's true intention was to duplicate the results of Project Rebirth by making Super Soldiers. The project was run under the watch of Thaddeus Ross, the father of Betty.
Banner testing Gamma Radiation on himself
A while into their experiments later, Banner had become so confident that, in order to prove his work's worth, he decided to test it upon himself, injecting a promising version of what was really a replication of the Super Soldier Serum, made along with military scientists using his radiation-resistance formula. Using their combination of Bio-engineering and Gamma Radiation, replacing Abraham Erskine's own original formula of Vita Radiation, however, wanting to impress Ross, Banner upped the dosage of the radiation. The combination of the serum and an above lethal amount of the Gamma Radiation caused Banner to then undergo a sudden violent transformation.
Banner is suddenly transformed into the Hulk
The effects of the procedure provoked Banner to transform into a giant, green-skinned, muscle-bound titan with incredible strength, but who posed little intelligence and was driven by fits of extreme rage; however, his transformations were brief, being sporadically triggered by the release of adrenaline. An enraged, nearly mindless Hulk then destroyed the lab, hospitalizing Betty, killing two scientists and an army officer, and also crushing General Ross' arm.
Banner is confronted by Thaddeus Ross
In the wake of the accident, the military closed the entire lab building for a year and shut down the entire Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project. Banner tried to visit Betty while she was in the hospital, but her father made him leave. Ross admitted to Banner that the project was being developed as a weapon, not just defense, also telling him that if he refused to let the Army use Hulk for military purposes, then his troops would come after him to obtain the secrets. Now a fugitive of the United States Army, Banner went on the run.
Chase of Bruce Banner[]
Failed Suicide Attempt[]
- "I've gotten low. I didn't see an end so I put a bullet in my mouth, and all of a sudden, the monster spit it out."
- ―Bruce Banner to Nick Fury[src]
Banner, attempted to escape to Canada, but upon being discovered by border patrol officers, Banner transformed into Hulk and tore up the freeway, before making his way to Canada. Eventually making his way to South America, Banner helped a lost boy named Miguel when they were attacked by the criminal leader Espinoza. After being brutally beaten down by the criminal, Banner then transformed into Hulk and destroyed their entire terrorist hideout.
Banner's file is given to those hunting him
In 2006, Banner had tried to contact Betty Ross one last time, but the email was intercepted by the military and she never received it. During his run, Banner travelled through the Dakotas and towards Idaho, where an encounter with some State Troopers led to violence. Some time later, the scientist was spotted via satellite recon photo in Canada and Hulk was seen by locals by the United States/Canada border, who had mistaken him for a "Green Sasquatch".
Banner's suicide attempt goes terribly wrong
Seeing no end to his run from Thaddeus Ross, Banner went up to the top of a mountain in the Arctic region of Greenland to shoot himself. He fired with his gun in his mouth but transformed into Hulk, who spat out the bullet. The enraged monster caused a quake followed by an avalanche and fell on the ice. Hulk then walked along the bottom of the ocean until he had reached land. This incident was detected by satellite, the last sighting of Banner in five months. Three days later, while he was hiding from the Military, Bruce sent a message to Betty. The message was written:
- "Dear Elizabeth Ross:
I tried to take my life three days ago. It didn't go well, to say the least" - ―Bruce Banner
Continuing to go on the run, Banner visited a bar where he met Nick Fury, who had agent Peterson started to fight Banner. This turned Banner into Hulk and he went on a rampage before Hulk then ran out. Banner eventually returned to South America, where he would look for vascular plants that could inhibit radiation and therefore, find the key to cure his condition. Banner also learned about a cellular biologist using the pseudonym "Mr. Blue", who could aid him.
Life within Brazil[]
Bruce Banner begins quietly living in Brazil
Banner eventually settled in the Brazilian slums of the Rocinha favela, Rio de Janeiro, working as a handyman in a soft drink bottling factory that produced Pingo Doce while still attempting to find a cure for his condition, with the aid of his Internet friend, "Mr. Blue". To keep himself sane while living in his exile, Banner had adopted a dog named Ricky and taught himself Portuguese by watching children's programmes on television.
Banner tries to find ways to control his rage
He also studied martial arts and meditative breathing techniques with an Template:WPS expert to help control his emotions and heart rate, and because of this, had not suffered a transformation for 158 days. During some of his training, Banner would learn new breathing exercises and would allow his sensei to slap him across the face to ensure he maintained control even in harsh environments, although he would stop the lesson if his heart rate went up too far.
Banner begins working at a bottling plant
Although avoiding the daily stress, he was constantly victimized by xenophobia of his coworkers, being supported by the friendship of his colleague and neighbor Martina. While working at the factory one day, the Plant Manager called Banner upstairs in order to fix some broken machinery, offering Banner full time work which he continued to refuse, fearing his name and face being put on the system would then allow General Thaddeus Ross to find and capture him.
Banner attempts to pick up his dropped blood
While finishing all his repairs on the machinery, Banner accidentally sliced open his finger, causing a large drop of his Gamma infected blood to floor down onto the bottles below. Horrified, Banner then demanded that the Manager stop the machines while he searched for the blood and cleaned it up. However, Banner was unaware that more of his blood had dripped into a soda bottle where it was drunk by an ill-fated consumer back in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Banner offers the Tough Guy Leader a warning
Once he was done for the day, Banner prepared to go home, only to witness Martina being harassed by the Tough Guy Leader and all his friends. Although Banner initally tried to walk away, fearful of turning into the Hulk, he eventually intervened and asked Martina to join him for dinner. When the Tough Guy tried to push him away, Banner tried to warn him but got his language wrong and claimed he would not like him when he was hungry, not angry before then leaving.
Search for a Cure[]
Banner finds a rare flower to help with his cure
- "I found it."
"At long last. It's a lovely flower, isn't it. Be sure to use a high dose. Good luck." - ―Bruce Banner and Mr. Blue[src]
The search for a cure for his condition drove Banner to study a flower described inside of the book "Inventory of Rare and Endangered Tracheophyta of Amazônia," and he finally received it from a man he had hired to search for it. Returning to his house, Banner put up and picture of Betty Ross before he contacted Mr. Blue, to inform him of the discovery, as Mr. Blue commented on what a beautiful flower it was and then advised Banner to use a high dose of it.
Banner trying to create an antidote for Hulk.
As Mr. Blue had advised him to try a high dose of the component extracted from the plant and wished him good luck, Banner was able to produce a serum using homemade laboratory equipment, using every bit of the flower to ensure he had enough to likely cure himself. Banner tried the serum on a drop of his own damaged blood to undo all the effects of the Gamma Radiation given to him by the Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project, and while it seemed to be successful at first as all the green Gamma infected blood was reduced, after just a few seconds it triggered a reaction that made all of the cells explode, meaning this latest experiment had proven to be a failure.
Banner sends Mr. Blue a sample of his blood
Informing "Mr. Blue" of the failure, noting that he had used all of the flower and therefore the could not try it again. The scientist insisted on meeting Banner in person in the United States of America, as he noted that living with Gamma poisoning could be more dangerous than the eventual risks of their meeting. Banner still refused, fearing that General Thaddeus Ross could find him, however Mr. Blue then convinced him to send a blood sample for more testing.
Banner and Mr. Blue discuss the future tests
A few days later, Banner finally received some more news from "Mr. Blue," that preliminary blood tests showed some significant gamma reduction, but that in order to develop an appropriate antidote for Banner he would need more data and requested and details behind the original experiment which caused his own curse in the first place. Banner realized he should return to Culver University to retrieve it all and told Mr. Blue that it would be impossible to get it.
Ambush in Rio de Janeiro[]
Banner overhears soldiers coming for him
- "Leave me alone..."
- ―Hulk[src]
While Banner attempted to sleep that night, he became alerted upon hearing one of the nearby Dogs yelping out in pain. As it turned out General Thaddeus Ross had tracked Banner's location due to his infected blood falling into a Pingo Doce bottle, and sent his team to capture him, led by Russian-born British special operations expert Emil Blonsky, who were now attempting to break into his home and finally take Banner back into custody by force under the orders of General Ross.
Banner attempts to hide away with Martina
Knowing the danger that was now coming, Banner quietly escaped through his window as Blonsky and his unit located Banner's house and burst in to shoot him with tranquilizer ammo, but Banner had already fled through the window and momentarily hid with Martina at her house, in order to deceive the military. As Blonsky and the other soldiers looked for Banner, they assumed he had run into the streets of Rocinha, allowing Banner to hide away with Martina.
Banner attempts to slow down his heart rate
However, despite Banner attempting to hide his face with his hood, before long Blonsky had caught sight of him and chased him down. As Banner desperately ran for his life, Blonsky and the other soldiers pursued Banner through the streets and rooftops of Rocinha, with Banner using his knowledge of the escape routes to ensure he could keep an advantage. Hiding round a corner, Banner tried to slow his heart rate to prevent his transformation before continuing to run.
Banner encounters General Thaddeus Ross
Continuing to flee from the United States Armed Forces unit, Banner at one point came across General Ross himself, realizing that he was the man behind the chase. Once the two enemies had locked eyes for a brief moment, Banner continued to desperately run for his life, only to accidentally crash into the Tough Guy Leader who attempted to start a fight with him. Banner used his Template:WPS to throw the men away before running from both them and the army.
Banner is ambushed by the Tough Guy Leader
As Banner ran away for safety, the Tough Guy Leader and his friends followed Banner inside the Pingo Doce factory in order to beat him, with Blonsky and his men not far behind. Attempting to hide from all those chasing him, Banner had attempted to control his heart-rate to ensure that he did not transform again, only for the Tough Guy and his friends to locate Banner and throw him against the wall. Banner attempted to defend himself but the Tough Guy wanted revenge for Banner defending Martina from him and ignored Banner's warnings that something really bad was about to happen, with the Tough Guy punching Banner in the stomach and raising his heart rate.
Banner is forced to transform into the Hulk
Blonksy located Banner in the factory and approached to witness the appearance of Hulk, as the transformation was triggered by the men beating him. Banner transformed into the Hulk in the shadows, with the Tough Guy Leader unaware of exactly what was happening, so when he attempted to kick Banner, the Hulk grabbed the Tough Guy Leader's leg and threw him across the factory, killing him before Hulk proceeded to subdue another thug while the third escaped.
Hulk battles against Thaddeus Ross' soldiers
With all the thugs taken out of the picture, the SOCC soldiers began firing their tranquilliser darts, which merely bounced off Hulk's skin. As the soldiers continued firing as throwing flash grenades at Hulk, from the dark shadows Hulk asked them to leave him alone before furiously fighting back against the soldiers, using his own incredible strength to his advantage. Following their ferocious battle in the soft drink bottling plant, Hulk incapacitated almost all the soldiers.
Hulk furiously growls towards Emil Blonsky
With only Emil Blonsky remaining, who had watched the green titan in astonishment, Blonsky loaded his weapon and fired bullets at the Hulk, which continued to have no affect on him. Enraged, the Hulk picked up a fork lift truck and launched it at Blonsky, who had barely avoided the attack. The Hulk then proceeded the smash through the factory wall and escaped from Brazil and fled into the jungle, much to General Ross' considerable annoyance at the failure.
Going Back Home[]
Banner recovers from his last transformation
- "I could use a bed for a few nights."
"You can have the spare room upstairs."
"That'd be so great. There is one other thing." - ―Bruce Banner to Stanley Lieber[src]
Having escaped from the Pingo Doce factory and fled into the jungle, Banner awoke in the jungle the morning after the incident, soaking and freezing cold. Spotting an incoming car, Banner ran for help, speaking Portuguese only to learn he was no longer in Brazil but had made it all the way to Guatemala, however the car driver still agreed to take Banner to a nearby town, which he thanked him for as the driver wrapped the freezing cold Banner up in a blanket.
Banner is forced into begging on the streets
Taking the advice of "Mr. Blue" to gather more information on the incident that started his transformations, in order to research a more effective cure, Banner traveled back to the United States after 17 days of losing sight of the soldiers, while passing through Chiapas, Mexico, where he lived as a beggar and received alms that helped him in his journey. Banner managed to buy himself stretchy clothes but suffered nightmares about Emil Blonsky shooting at him.
Banner returns back to the Culver University
Eventually Banner made enough money and managed to make it all the way back to the United States of America where, upon returning home, he travelled to Culver University where he knew his research was being kept. While he was still keeping a low profile and hiding behind his newspaper, Banner saw that Betty Ross had continued working inside Culver University and was dating psychiatrist Leonard Samson, so Banner quietly left there without being seen.
Banner meets with his friend Stanley Lieber
Banner also met with his old friend Stanley Lieber, a pizzeria owner, who agreed to let him stay for the night there. As they sat down for a catch up, Banner insisted that everything Thaddeus Ross and the government had said about him since his disappearance was untrue, which Lieber insisted that he understood. They then briefly discussed Betty Ross and her relationship with Samson before Lieber agreed to give Banner a job as a delivery boy while he was there.
Banner tricks his way inside the University
Using Lieber's pizza delivery boy job as a cover, Banner returned to the university and attempted to sneak past a Security Guard to then continue his research, claiming that there was somebody upstairs who had ordered the pizza. When the Security Guard refused to let him pass, Banner claimed he risked being fired and offered him a free pizza, which the Security Guard gladly took and allowed Banner to go upstairs, which he thanked him for before going upstairs.
Banner attempts to find all his old research
Having made it upstairs, Banner looked inside the room and recalled it once being the same space where they had created Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project before everything had then gone wrong. Once inside the room, Banner gave the pizza to Amadeus Cho and logged on to the computer using Betty Ross' password. Discovered the data from his Gamma Radiation accident and the project was deleted, so Banner contacted "Mr. Blue" to inform him of this failure.
Reunion with Betty Ross[]
Banner is unexpectedly seen by Betty Ross
- "Listen, I should leave early, as early as I can."
"Really? You can't stay at all?"
"I want to, but it's just not safe for me to be here. If I could borrow some cash? I need to take a bus." - ―Bruce Banner and Betty Ross[src]
In the wake of his failure to reclaim his research, Banner prepared to go on the run again, however he was unaware that Betty Ross had just arrived to visit Stanley Lieber's pizzeria for a meal. As Banner headed downstairs, he came into the dining room where Ross caught a glimpse of him.
Banner attempts to hide from Betty Ross
This forced Banner to quickly run outside and hide behind the skip, desperate to not be seen by Ross as he still believed that bringing her into his situation would put her in grave danger. Convinced about what she had seen however, Ross came out searching for him, while Banner remained hidden as Leonard Samson came out to learn what Ross was looking for until eventually they both went back inside to question Lieber, allowing Banner to slip away into the night.
Banner is finally reunited back with Betty Ross
As it began to rain, Banner made his way out of the city, attempting to get away before anybody else he cared about discovered that he was back in the United States of America. However just as Banner attempted to hitch a ride while walking across a bridge in the pouring rain, he heard a car pull up behind him and discovered that Ross had successfully tracked him down. The two former lovers then ran into each others arms and embraced, with Ross then desperately telling Banner not to leave. Banner eventually relented and got in Ross' car as she drove him back to her home to rest up so they could discuss everything that had happened since he had gone on the run.
Banner finally catches up with Betty Ross
Back at Ross' home, she had revealed to Banner that she had stolen missing pieces of their research on the Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project before the lab had been raided, which she secretly held after the first ever transformation of Hulk. Ross questioned why they could not go to Thaddeus Ross and explain everything, but Banner told her that the General had made all his intentions for the Hulk clear. Ross gave Banner a bed and agreed to take him to the train station.
Battle at Culver University[]
Banner and Betty Ross spend time together
- "They're here. Betty, look at me, look at me! You have to go far away from me as you can! Don't argue with me, just go. Go!"
- ―Bruce Banner to Betty Ross[src]
Intending to leave the area to avoid being detected, Banner met up with Betty Ross on his way to the bus station to get away. As they stood together, Ross took a moment to remove Banner's hat and untuck his shirt, commenting that she liked this look better. However as Banner and Ross were having a moment of looking at each other, Banner saw the United States Armed Forces soldiers were charging into the area.
Banner is forced once again to run for his life
As the worried Leonard Samson had chosen to inform the military of the scientist’s whereabouts, Banner saw the full scale assault had begun at Culver University, forcing Banner to demand that Ross get as far away from him as she could before he ran away as quickly as possible, with the Strategic Operations Command Center soldiers had come charging after him in jeeps and on foot, armed with every weapon available to them to take him back into custody.
Banner is forced to swallow the memory stick
As the soldiers chased Banner into the library, he managed to hide for a brief moment and, fearing he would soon either be captured or transform into the Hulk, he chose to swallow the memory stick Ross had given him, containing all the information of the Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project. Having swallowed the memory stick, Banner continued to run before the soldiers had caught up and cornered him before locking him in a walkway with seemingly no escape.
Banner is trapped by Thaddeus Ross' soldiers
With no escape in sight as soldiers blocked both doorways, Banner watched as General Thaddeus Ross revealed himself to once again be behind the ambush as Ross then ordered tear gas fired through the window. As the gas filled the walkway, Banner removed his shirt and tired to cover his mouth, but soon became distracted when he witnessed one of the SOCC soldiers knocking Betty to the ground as she had tried to help him by screaming at the General.
Banner is forced to transform into the Hulk
As the walkway was filled up, Banner was then consumed by the gas which caused all of the Gamma Radiation inside of his many to force Banner to transform into Hulk. His monstrous persona then furiously smashed open the walk away, before he then launched out of the window and roared at his enemies who stood in horror and the beast before them. As the Hulk stepped forward towards them all, he was attacked by all the SOCC soldiers under the direct orders of General Ross who was still determined to capture him by any means.
Hulk furiously fights against the army soldiers
Hulk attempted to reach Betty, but the gunfire from the army angered him. Despite his near impregnable skin allowing the bullets to merely bounce off him, the constant attacks caused the Hulk to furiously fight back and destroy several Humvees, knocking over one before moving towards a nearby statue, picking up the second Humvee and smashing it apart against the statue, forcing all the nearby soldiers to run for their lives as Hulk reduced the Vehicle to pieces.
Hulk is furiously challenged by Emil Blonsky
The ensuing battle outside the university proved to be futile for Ross' forces and they eventually retreat, though Emil Blonsky, whose sanity was starting to falter after just injecting a new version of the Super Soldier Serum, boldly attacked and mocked Hulk. Blonsky then fired multiple tear gas grenades at the Hulk before leaping over his head and shooting him in the face. While the Hulk brushed off all the gun shots fired at him, he still furiously attempted to kill Blonsky.
Hulk is hit hard by the Stark Sonic Cannon
Blonsky managed to avoid all of his attacks before being ordered by General Ross to run, causing the Hulk to chase him down, although he struggled to keep up with the now enhanced Blonsky. The Hulk however was unaware that he was being led to a trap as the soldiers activated the Stark Sonic Cannon made by Stark Industries which hurt the Hulk as he fell to his knees due to all the pressure caused by the condensed sounds waves fired directly at his head.
Hulk manages to block the Sonic Cannon
Despite the Hulk being caused incredible pain, he was still able to look up and witness General Ross ordering his soldiers to take Betty away as she begged him to stop hurting the Hulk. Seeing this, the Hulk managed to gather all of his strength as he lifted up the pieces of the sculpture he was still holding to block the sound waves to give him enough time to destroy one piece of the equipment before then launching into the air and destroying the other Sonic Cannon.
Hulk is calmly confronted by Emil Blonsky
As the Hulk walked through the battlefield, still armed with the piece of the sculpture he had acquired, he was once again fired upon by Blonsky with his machine gun, until the vastly overconfident Blonsky decided to ignore all of General Ross' orders and stepped right up in front of the Hulk without any weapons, believing that he could stand toe to toe with the Hulk due to the power he had recently been given. Standing defenceless against the Hulk, Blonsky questioned if he had shown everything he had, to which the Hulk furiously responded by kicking Blonsky into a tree, which crushed most of his bones.
Hulk saving Betty Ross from helicopter gunfire
While the Hulk explored the now burning battlefield, still in a state of rage, Betty approached Hulk, unafraid of him as she attempted to calm him down and turn him back into Bruce Banner. However just as the Hulk was looking at Betty and calming down, General Ross ordered that an Template:WPS come to their location and began firing on them. Seeing this, Hulk blocked all the gunfire and threw a piece of debris at the helicopter, knocking it to the ground.
Hulk pulls Betty Ross out of the burning fire
As the helicopter fell to the ground, the Hulk shielded Ross from the explosion while General Ross looked on in horror as Hulk pulled her out of the burning wreak. Hulk then proceeded to escape with her to the Smoky Mountain National Forest. After the battle, the nickname "Hulk" is reported in the media for the first time, during an interview to WHiH World News with the students Jack McGee and Jim Wilson, who were present during the conflict and had filmed most of it.
Hulk takes Betty Ross back inside of a cave
Hulk took the unconcious Ross to the National Forest where he hid her inside of a cave until she woke up. Upon waking up, Ross then screamed as she saw the Hulk, causing him to hit his head before roaring at the lightning he had heard. However Ross soon calmed down and had managed to convince the Hulk that there was nobody attacking him as the pair calmly sat side by side, ignoring the all rain and the thunder as they relaxed while in each others arms.
Hunting a Cure[]
Heading to New York[]
Banner is eventually woken up by Betty Ross
- "We just can't use the credit cards, the ID or the phone. Don't even turn that on. And we'll take the cash, obviously."
"How will we get where we need to go on forty dollars and no credit cards?" - ―Bruce Banner and Betty Ross[src]
The Hulk had eventually reverted back into his original human form as Banner and Betty Ross awoke while still hiding out in the Smoky Mountain National Forest. With Banner struggling to even stand due to the truama of his latest Hulk transformation during the Battle at Culver University, Ross helped him walk as they made their way out of the mountains and chose to hide out in a motel outside of Ashwood, North Carolina in the foothills of the Smokies. Once there, Banner took a shower to relax, but was haunted by visions of Emil Blonsky and the helicopter fired at him during the last battle.
Banner is given some new clothing options
While Ross went out to buy him more clothes, since his were torn during his transformation, Banner went to the bathroom and vomited up the memory stick he had swallowed containing all their research on the Bio-Tech Force Enhancement Project. Eventually Ross then returned and expressed her surprise at his decision to swallow the memory stick before handing Banner the clothes she had bought for him, with Banner rejecting a pair of stretchy purple trousers.
Banner and Betty Ross relax with each other
While they hid out inside the motel room, Ross spent time cutting Banner's hair, teasing him as he appeared concerned she would not do it right. Once she had finished, Ross held Banner in her arms, leading to the pair kissing and falling on the bed. However, Banner noticed that being with Ross was raising his heart rate so, fearing it would cause him to transform into the Hulk if they were to have sex, Banner stopped them, much to both of their disappointment.
Banner advises Ross on staying off the grid
As they prepared to go on the run once again, Banner explained to Ross how they would avoid detection from the United States Armed Forces, noting that she could no longer use her phone or her credit cards due to them being tracked. When Ross questioned how they would be able to get to New York City with only forty dollars, she suggested selling her mother's necklace. Despite Banner refusing to let her, Ross insisted and used the money to buy a truck.
Banner is photographed by Betty Ross
As they prepared to leave, Banner emailed "Mr. Blue" before Ross took a quick photograph of Banner as they got inside the truck and began the long drive. Along the way, Ross asked Banner what his own experience of turning into Hulk was like, with Banner comparing it to experiments they volunteered for at Culver University only more intense. Banner explained that Thaddeus Ross wanted to turn Hulk into a weapon and therefore, Banner now wanted to destroy it.
Banner learns the police are catching up
Having spent several hours asleep while still on the road, Banner was eventually awoken by Ross as she had just seen the New York City Police Department were currently searching all the vehicles which were attempting to get into New York City, clearly searching for the fugitives. Fearing this would mean that the SOCC would be able to locate them, Banner and Ross got out of their truck and got off the bridge, instead using their remaining cash to hire a boat.
Banner and Betty Ross arrive in New York
Having made it onto the mainland, Banner and Ross discussed what would be the best way to get across the city in order to finally meet with "Mr. Blue". Ross at first suggested that they take the subway, but fearing Banner turning into the Hulk underground, they decided to take a taxi. However when the taxi driver drove like a maniac, they got out as Ross screamed at the driver. Seeing how angry she was, Banner suggested Ross use some of his calming technics.
Meeting Mister Blue[]
Banner introduces himself to Samuel Sterns
- "There is a flip side to this too. If we miss on the low side, if we induce me and it fails, this will be very dangerous for you."
"Look, I've always been more curious than cautious and that's served me pretty well, so are we gonna do this?" - ―Bruce Banner and Samuel Sterns[src]
While they continued to avoid detection, Betty Ross and Banner then arrived at the Grayburn College in Manhattan, where they planned to finally meet with the mysterious "Mr. Blue", a resident scientist at the College who was in fact named Samuel Sterns. Ross at first greeted Sterns, who was surprised to meet her before Banner made himself known, with Sterns amazed to finally meet Mr. Green.
Banner and Samuel Sterns discuss a cure
Accompanying Sterns to his lab, Banner and Ross listened as Sterns expressed his amazement at meeting Banner, noting he was shocked that such an unassuming man had so much Gamma Radiation inside of him. They learned that Sterns had completed the possible antidote that could potentially cure Banner's condition, or merely reverse each individual transformation, although Sterns warned that the procedure did hold the risk of killing Banner if anything went wrong.
Banner attempts to cure himself of the Hulk
In order to test the antidote's effectiveness, Stern would be forced to trigger a Hulk transformation, and an underdose would prove futile and make Hulk wreak havoc again, while an overdose could kill him. Despite the risks, Banner agreed to test Stern's antidote and was restrained, becoming quite nervous when Stern had begun kicking the machinery to get it all working. With Ross still stood close by him, Banner attempted to relax as Stern began the experiment.
Hulk is stopped during mid-transformation
Sterns then gave Banner an electric shock directly to his head, which caused him to undergo his transformation into the Hulk, with Sterns looking on in amazement at the power Banner was showing. When the Hulk inadvertently knocked Sterns over due to attempting to break free of his restraints, Ross was forced to then jump onto his chest and attempted to keep the Hulk as calm as possible. Using this brief distraction, Sterns was able to transfuse with the cure during mid-transformation, allowing Hulk to return to his human state.
Banner learns Sterns has replicated his blood
Exhilarated by the success of the antidote, Sterns began ranting about his theories on why it had worked before he revealed that he had been using test subjects for several years, beginning with rats and mice before moving onto human subjects. When Banner then questioned what he meant, Sterns revealed that he had synthesized Banner's blood sample into a larger supply with the intention of using it to enhance the human condition to the next evolutionary level, believing they could cure hundreds of future diseases.
Banner is violently ambushed by Emil Blonsky
Appalled by what Sterns had done and fearful of Hulk's power falling into the wrong hands, Banner then attempted to convince Sterns to immediately destroy the blood supply, claiming it was too powerful it was was to fall into the wrong hands. However just as Banner was making his argument, he was shot in the back by a tranquilizer from one of General Thaddeus Ross' snipers. As Banner dropped onto the floor, Emil Blonsky charged into the room and captured him.
Captured[]
Banner is finally captured by Thaddeus Ross
- "Not control it, but, I don't know, maybe aim it."
"And what if you can't?"
"We made this thing. All of us. Please." - ―Bruce Banner and Thaddeus Ross[src]
As both Banner and Betty Ross were taken into custody, Banner was strapped down on a stretcher while the SOCC kept a close watch over him. Banner was then brought to General Thaddeus Ross who, upon seeing that Banner had seemingly had no reaction to the ordeal, warned that if he had been successful in curing himself of the Hulk, then General Ross would ensure that Banner spent the rest of his life in a prison without any hope of regaining his freedom.
Banner is taken away onboard a helicopter
While Banner was handcuffed, they were moved inside a helicopter with General Ross as Betty, who would be granted freedom by her father, while Samuel Sterns was left to be interrogated by Kathleen Sparr back at Grayburn College about what he knew about Banner's condition. While in the air, Banner and Betty made eye contact and smiled at one each other to reassure themselves. However strangely, General Ross suddenly ordered the helicopter to turn around.
Banner confronts General Thaddeus Ross.
As it turned out, Emil Blonsky had forced Sterns to inject him with the Gamma Radiation and Banner's infected blood. This caused Blonsky to transform into the Abomination, a monster who in a state of rage, had begun furiously attacking Harlem, putting innocent lives at risk. Banner, realizing that he was the only one who could stop the Abomination, tried to convince General Ross to release him, arguing that this was all of their responsibility to solve this situation.
Banner says all his goodbyes to Betty Ross
General Ross ordered the soldiers to land the helicopter, but Banner insisted that they remain above New York City so that he could jump out and keep everyone else safe. Betty attempted to stop Banner, warning that he was unsure if he had been cured or not, but Banner insisted that he had to try regardless in order to save all of the United States Armed Forces soldiers and the many innocent civilians from the Abomination's rampage. Having kissed Betty goodbye, Banner then jumped from Ross' helicopter as it hovered over the city, hoping the fall would cause enough adrenalin to trigger his transformation. Banner's plan succeeded as he crashed on the streets.
Duel of Harlem[]
Hulk prepares to challenge the Abomination
- "Any last words?"
"Hulk...SMASH!" - ―Abomination and Hulk[src]
Having survived the fall out from General Thaddeus Ross' helicopter, Banner transformed into the Hulk and punched his way back to the surface, while many of the people of Harlem ran in terror. Getting to his feet, Hulk roared as loud as he could, getting the attention of the Abomination, who stopped killing all of the people as he clearly delighted at the chance to fight the Hulk and try to prove himself the superior monster.
Hulk and Abomination charge at each other
Ripping off the remains of Banner's shirt, the Hulk furiously charged towards his enemy, as the Abomination did the same. Both roaring as loud as the could, the Hulk and the Abomination launched at one another, only for the larger and more powerful Abomination to win the attack as the Hulk got speared completely off his feet and thrown across the street. The impact of the hit shocked the Hulk as he had struggled to get back onto his feet, while the Abomination laughed at his suffering before challenging the Hulk to get up and continue their fight to the death as the Hulk regained his composure.
Hulk furiously rips an entire police car in half
Seeking a woman, Hulk saw a New York City Police Department car parked just beside him and proceeded to then smash the police car in half and used the pieces as boxing gloves. As the Abomination came closer to him, the Hulk furiously smashed the two ends of the car together before striking his enemy as he repeatedly punched the Abomination into the pavement so hard that it caused a deep crater and had completely destroyed the remains of the car.
Hulk furiously fights against the Abomination.
Having seemingly beaten the Abomination into submission, the Hulk prepared to unleash one more punch to finish off his enemy, only for the Abomination to question if that was all Hulk had in him, as Emil Blonsky had done during the Battle at Culver University. Getting his revenge for what happened to him during that previous encounter, Abomination proceeded to kick the Hulk across Harlem and through a wall into a nearby building, giving chase in order to continue their battle, while the Hulk recovered while inside a nearby skip.
Hulk attempts to catch up with Abomination
As the Abomination climbed up the wall and searched for the Hulk, General Thaddeus Ross then ordered the his Gunman inside of the helicopter to open fire on him, with the soldiers of the United States Armed Forces briefly unsure about which monster to target. As the Abomination ran after the helicopter across the rooftops, the Hulk recovered from the last hit and chased after the Abomination, who was now targeting General Ross' military helicopter itself.
Hulk tries to rip Abomination out of the sky
Before Hulk could reach him, the Abomination lunged and grabbed the helicopter just as Hulk arrived and grasped him. Desperate to do whatever he could to protect Betty Ross and everyone else onboard the helicopter, Hulk began punching and pulling at the Abomination, even trying to crack his exposed spine. However, despite all of the Hulk's efforts, the helicopter still lost control and crashed down onto the ground, with Hulk and Abomination being briefly separated.
Hulk pushes back against the Abomination
While the Hulk recovered from the crash and went to see if Betty and the General had all survived, the Abomination then reappeared and challenged Hulk to continue fighting. The two furiously faced off once again and the Abomination pinned Hulk against a wall and stabbed him in the chest with his exposed elbow. Telling the Hulk that he did not deserve this power, he threatened that Hulk would be forced to watch Betty die as he dug the exposed elbow in deeper.
Hulk puts out the fire with his powerful clap
Refusing the thought of allowing Betty or anyone else come to harm angered the Hulk and he soon managed to overpower Abomination, pulling him away from him before slamming him into the wall with all his might just as the helicopter caught fire due to the exposed gas. Seeing this, Hulk charged forward and thunder-clapped his hands together and managed to blow out the entire fire, saving Betty and General Ross from being consumed by the flames.
Hulk is struck from behind by Abomination
However, just as Hulk watched as Betty and the General were pulling themselves out of the wreakage of the helicopter, Betty screamed out a warning just before the Abomination hit Hulk from behind with a concrete pillar on a high-tensile chain. The power of the hard blow was enough to knock the Hulk to the ground, with another hit almost rendering the Hulk unable to move while the Abomination smiled at all of the painful suffering he was causing onto the Hulk.
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Hulk prepares to smash down on the ground
Fuelled by rage and insanity due to being exposed to such a large amount of Gamma Radiation which had caused his transformation, the Abomination then turned his attention to the General, swinging the concrete pillar and chain to kill Betty and the General. However the Hulk refused to allow this to happen and, explaining Hulk Smash, he smashed a large crack into the ground where the Abomination's foot got caught and the pillar fell and hit him in the head.
Hulk stands over the defeated Abomination
Charging back into the battle, the Hulk then grabbed the chain and began strangling the Abomination. The pair engaged in a brutal fight, as the Abomination desperately tried to free himself from the Hulk's powerful grasp as he struggled for air, with the Hulk even managing to rip out of his the Abomination's exposed elbows and stabbing him with it. Poised to deliver a final blow and crush the Abomination's throat, the Hulk was stopped in the act of killing by the intervention of Betty, as the Hulk finally let out a powerful, victorious roar.
Hulk shares a final moment with Betty Ross
With the Abomination finally defeated, members of the New York City Police Department as well as the Strategic Operations Command Center arrived on the scene with the guns aimed directly at the Hulk. However General Ross ordered all the men to lower the weapons as Hulk and Betty had a moment as they briefly looked at one another. As more soldiers arrived, the Hulk was left with no other option and fled the scene with the army once again back in hot pursuit.
Gaining Control of Hulk[]
Banner manages to control his Hulk alter-ego
- "I had to moved on, I left everything behind me and focused on helping other people. I was good until you dragged me back into this freak show and put everyone here at risk."
- ―Bruce Banner to Nick Fury[src]
Thirty-one days after his fight with Abomination, Banner arrived at Betty Ross's cabin in Bella Coola, British Columbia. He left Betty a note along with a necklace that he reclaimed after she had to sell it. After his first success in controlling Hulk, Banner focused on gaining control over Hulk instead of suppressing it.
Chitauri Invasion[]
Battle of New York[]
- "Doctor? Now might be a really good time for you to get angry."
"That's my secret, Colonel, I'm always angry."" - ―Nick Fury and Bruce Banner[src]
Banner, realizing that he was the only one who could help the Avengers defeat the Chitauri, tried to convince Colonel Fury to release him. Realizing that the Hulk can be seen as an ally rather than a destructive curse, Banner opened the back door of the Helicarrier and prepared to jump. He then finally revealed his secret of keeping calm: he is always angry. Banner then jumped from the Helicarrier and willingly began his transformation. Banner's plan succeeded as he crashed on the streets of New York.
Having survived the fall out from the S.H.E.I.L.D Helicarrier, Banner transformed into the Hulk and punched his way back to the surface. Eventually, Hulk arrived just in time to aid the Avengers in the Battle of New York and took out a Leviathan with one punch. Captain America gave all the Avengers detailed orders on how to fight the Chitauri army, and turned to Hulk and simply ordered him to "smash", to which Hulk simply smiled and leapt into battle.
Hulk threw himself at the Chitauri army, immediately killing many soldiers climbing buildings, using his incredible strength and leaping abilities he was able to leap high in the air and hit the Chitauri Chariots out of the sky. He also killed several Leviathan creatures, at one point battling on top of one alongside Thor. Hulk then entered the Stark Tower and punched Loki against the wall. Loki screamed at Hulk that Hulk was unworthy to fight him, Hulk, not listening to the speech, beat Loki into submission and threw him across the room. Hulk left the Tower, calling Loki a puny god, and rejoined the battle.
At one point, The Avengers became surrounded by the Chitauri Chariots. Hullk arrived at the scene and thunder-clapped his hands together and managed to hit down the Chitauri. As the battle looked almost hopeless, the World Security Council eventually sent a missile to destroy Manhattan. Stark flew the missile to the Chitauri's Wormhole, destroying the Chitauri ship and thus killed all the other soldiers. Stark was able to escape the closing Wormhole but his suit shut down in the process. Hulk caught Stark as he fell and brought him to the other Avengers. Hulk then roared in his face, waking him up.
Post-War Activities[]
Spending Chrismas[]
- "So, where are you off to next, Bruce?"
"Don’t worry, Tony. I’ll send you a postcard."" - ―Tony Stark and Bruce Banner
Just as Chrismas's Eve arrived, Banner visited Stark to tell him that he was going off to spend Chrismas outside New York.
Personality[]
Bruce Banner is shown as a mild-mannered, mysterious, shy and analytical man of science. The incident at Culver University caused Banner to become somewhat mentally troubled and obsessed with finding a cure for his mutation. He is compassionate and afraid of hurting someone unintentionally, so he tries not to get close to something or someone that leaves him stressed.
Ever since his first transformation Banner was terribly afraid of Hulk and the risk of him hurting those around him. He abandoned everyone and everything he cared about and became a fugitive for five years to prevent Hulk's power from falling into the wrong hands, while desperately searching for a cure and attempting to avoid transforming at all costs. On some occasions, he lost the hope of getting rid of his other persona and showed suicidal tendencies, attempting to kill himself once.
Hulk keeps fragments of Banner's personality and gradually attained a better reasoning capacity over time, becoming able to show affection, demonstrating a capacity to work collaboratively with others once they've established a rapport with him, be aware that his name is "Hulk", and demonstrating he's capable of directing his savagery at foes instead of allies. Betty suggested that this is because Banner's mind is still within Hulk and can influence his behavior. Over time, he supplemented his scientific pursuit by learning meditation and breathing techniques, gaining a greater control over the transformations.
Appearance[]
Bruce Banner is is 6'3". His physique is well-built and he has a wavy brown hair and blue eyes. Upon transforming to the Hulk, Banner has an immense size, green hair, and green eyes.
Powers and Abilities[]
Abilities[]
Banner transforming to the Hulk.
Bruce Banner is a gifted scientist with particular expertise in nuclear physics and biochemistry, famous for being one of the foremost geniuses of his generation. He is a highly rated expert in gamma radiation, who designed a device called Gamma Power Reserve and, according to Tony Stark, his work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. Agent Coulson also compared him to Stephen Hawking. In biochemistry field, besides working on the recreation of Super Soldier Serum, he developed Tetrodotoxine B, an anti-stress serum later used by Nick Fury to fake his death, slowing his heart to a beat per minute. He learned Aikido and meditative breathing basic techniques, while in Brazil, with a martial arts expert. Banner also appears to have a basic knowledge of Portuguese, Spanish and Bengali.
The Hulk using a Thunderclap.
As the Hulk, while having no formal training, he is a formidable hand to hand combatant simply due to his great physical attributes. He typically uses street fighting and brawling techniques that make full use of his strength. He also frequently employs pieces of his immediate environment to fight with, often to use as thrown objects to strike distant targets, and sometimes for melee attacks or protection.
Relationships[]
Family[]
Allies[]
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Enemies[]
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Trivia[]
- In this version of Earth-19999, Bruce Banner/Hulk is played by Edward Norton, who played Banner/Hulk in the 2008 film, The Incredible Hulk, in contrast to Mark Ruffalo, in order to mantain a continuity to the 2008 film.
- The origins of the MCU Hulk is loosly based on his ultimate counterpart, with Banner experimenting on recreated super-soldier serum.
References[]
- ↑ Translates to:Don't make me hungry... You wouldn't like me when I'm hungry.